Eldar Gasimov

2.1. Birth and family

Eldar Parviz oglu Gasimov was born on June 4, 1989, in Baku, then part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. He hails from a distinguished lineage of Azerbaijani actors. He is the great-grandson of the esteemed Azerbaijani actor Abbas Mirza Sharifzadeh, an Honoured Artist of Azerbaijan, and the renowned actress Marziyya Davudova, a People's Artist of the USSR. Additionally, he is the grandson of Firangiz Sharifova, also a People's Artist of Azerbaijan. This familial background instilled an early appreciation for the arts and performance.

2.2. Education and early musical talent

Gasimov began singing at a very young age and actively participated in numerous concerts held across various cities in Azerbaijan and Russia. From 2001 to 2005, he received professional music training, during which he also learned to play the piano. This formal musical education complemented his natural talent.

He pursued higher education at Baku Slavic University, where he graduated with a double major in international relations and regional geography. Demonstrating a commitment to his academic pursuits, he enrolled as a graduate student of international relations at the same university in 2010. Gasimov is also highly proficient in languages; he speaks Russian and German fluently and is skilled in English, in addition to his native Azerbaijani.

3.1. Eurovision Song Contest 2011 participation

Gasimov participated in the Azerbaijani national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, titled Milli Seçim Turu 2011. His initial appearance was in Heat 6, where he secured second place with 10 points, closely behind Ilgara Ibrahimova who had 12 points. Both artists successfully qualified for the semi-final stage of the competition.

From the semi-final, Gasimov, along with four other artists, advanced to the final held on February 11, 2011. In a pivotal moment for his career, he and Nigar Jamal emerged victorious, earning the right to represent Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. They performed under the duo name "Ell & Nikki," singing the song "Running Scared." The song was composed by Stefan Örn and Sandra Bjurman from Sweden and Iain Farquharson from the United Kingdom. At the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest, Ell & Nikki's performance of "Running Scared" garnered 221 points, securing Azerbaijan's first-ever victory in the competition.

3.2. Post-Eurovision activities

Following their victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal embarked on international tours, performing their winning entry in various countries. In recognition of their historic achievement, the Azerbaijani government issued 15,000 commemorative postage stamps, each with a denomination of 1 AZN, celebrating Eldar and Nigar's success.

In 2012, Eldar Gasimov was selected as one of five Azerbaijani musicians to serve as a jury member for the Danish national selection for the 2012 Eurovision contestant. That same year, building on his previous success, Gasimov was chosen as one of the hosts for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, which was held in his home city of Baku, Azerbaijan. He co-hosted the event alongside Leyla Aliyeva and Nargiz Birk-Petersen.

Musically, Gasimov continued to release new material. In January 2012, he debuted his first post-Eurovision song, titled Birlikdə nəhayət_{At last together}^Azerbaijani. This was followed by the release of an acoustic version of his new single, I'm Free, on July 17, 2012. The official music video for I'm Free was subsequently released in September 2012. The original version of the track featured the renowned Azerbaijani DJ and producer ALIGEE, with production handled by Farid Mammadov (also known as Phareed) and Ali Abasbeili (ALIGEE) at AzeriLife Music Entertainment.

3.3. Other professional activities

Beyond his active music career, Eldar Gasimov has also pursued professional engagements in other fields. In October 2012, he announced his appointment as a faculty member at Baku Slavic University, the institution from which he had earned his master's degree. In this capacity, he taught a course in international relations, leveraging his academic background.

From 2021 to 2022, Gasimov served as a coach on the second season of The Voice of Azerbaijan, a popular singing competition. His role involved mentoring and guiding aspiring vocalists. Under his tutelage, his contestant, Nadir Rustamli, ultimately won the season. Following this victory, Rustamli went on to represent Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, where he finished in 16th place.

4.1. Singles