{"id":121037,"date":"2025-05-10T17:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T15:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=121037"},"modified":"2025-05-10T08:30:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T06:30:50","slug":"10-00-110","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=121037","title":{"rendered":"Azerbaijan\u2019s Eurovision vocalist is a proud Mountain Jew"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Azerbaijan\u2019s Eurovision vocalist is a proud Mountain Jew<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Amelie Botbol<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n

“We stand for love and prosperity for all nations, Jewish, Arab, Azeri,\u201d Asaf (Sefael) Mishiyev’s Muslim bandmate Hasan Heydar tells JNS.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

Mamagama, from left: Arif Imanov (drums), Asef Mishiyev (vocals, guitar, songwriter) and Hasan Heydar (bass guitar, beats). Photo by Tato Panahi.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In Azerbaijan, everyone believes in love and peace,\u201d vocalist Asaf (Sefael) Mishiyev, whose band Mamagama will represent Azerbaijan at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland, next month, told JNS on Monday. <\/span><\/p>\n

Born in Baku in 1992, Mishiyev went to Jewish school and music university before joining Mamagama about four years ago. Mishiyev is the second Mountain Jew to participate in the Eurovision.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2002, Israel was represented by singer Sarit Hadad. She was born in Israel in 1978, two years after her parents made aliyah from Dagestan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mishiyev, who lived in Moscow for 15 years, has been friends with Hasan Heydar, the band\u2019s bass guitarist, for many years, and upon his return to Baku four years ago, he met Arif Imanov, the band\u2019s drummer. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur band name, Mamagama, is very melodical. I always worry about the music and how sometimes in the music industry, the melody comes second,\u201d Mishiyev said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the reason we love the Beatles, Mozart, we love the melody. In our song, the melody comes first. Listen to the melody and, b\u2019ezrat Hashem<\/em> [with God\u2019s help], as I always say, everything will be OK,\u201d he added. <\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s multiculturalism is an important value, said Heydar. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAsaf is Jewish, my father is Arab Lebanese and Arif is Azeri. We are a small model of the country. We stand for love and prosperity for all nations, Jewish, Arab, Azeri, just be a human being and be good to other people,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The new director of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Green, recently categorically rejected <\/a>calls for a boycott of Israel that have been multiplying in recent weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Among those urging a boycott is Spanish public broadcaster RTVE<\/em>, which called for a \u201cdebate\u201d over Israel\u2019s participation in this year\u2019s Eurovision due to \u201cconcerns\u201d over the situation in war-torn Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a recent interview, Green reiterated the contest\u2019s fundamental philosophy: \u201cEvents like Eurovision are about reminding the world of the best it can be. What matters is what unites us, not what divides us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n