Jamila Hashimova to represent country at Eurovision Song Contest

Azerbaijan has officially revealed its entry for the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, AzerNEWS reports, citing the contest's official website.

Jamila Hashimova (JIVA) will represent the country with the emotional ballad "Just Go," whose official music video has premiered on the Eurovision Song Contest's YouTube channel.

"Just Go" explores themes of love, heartbreak, and inner strength. The song tells the story of someone rediscovering themselves and turning a new page in life after experiencing disappointment in a relationship. JIVA's powerful vocals and emotional performance play a central role in conveying the message of resilience and personal renewal.

The song was written and composed by Fuad Javadov, a composer and producer who has worked on numerous musical projects in both Azerbaijan and the United States. The official music video was directed by Farhad Ali.

Fuad Javadov was born in 1961 in Baku. He studied at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory named after Uzeyir Hajibayli and has been active in the music industry for many years. Since moving to the United States in 1995, he has released five music albums and composed music for film and television projects. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

JIVA, whose real name is Jamila Hashimova, is an Azerbaijani singer known for her strong vocal abilities and sincere stage performances. Her artistic journey began in 2003 when she finished second at the Baku Autumn competition. In 2007, she participated in the Show Time project.

Throughout her career, she has taken part in a number of musical projects. She performed with the renowned RAST ensemble led by Rashad Hashimov and appeared on stage at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival. Later, as the lead vocalist of Hazz Band, she blended jazz elements with contemporary pop music.

Since 2017, JIVA has continued her career as a solo artist, releasing songs in pop, dance, and R&B genres in Azerbaijani, Russian, and English. In 2025, she achieved another major milestone by winning The Voice of Azerbaijan as part of the team of Roya Aykhan.

The singer is not new to the Eurovision stage. Back in 2011, JIVA reached the top three in Azerbaijan's Eurovision national selection, marking an early connection with the contest that would eventually lead her to represent the country internationally.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place in Vienna, Austria. The first semi-final is scheduled for May 12, the second semi-final for May 14, and the grand final for May 16, 2026.

JIVA will perform "Just Go" in the first half of the Second Semi-Final on May 14.

It is noteworthy that Azerbaijan reached the Top 5 in five consecutive contests - 3rd in 2009, 5th in 2010, 1st in 2011, 4th in 2012, and 2nd in 2013.

On 4 February 2025, ITV announced that Mamagama was internally chosen to represent Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, with the song "Run with U".

Mamagama performed in the first semifinal on 13 May 2025, where they failed to qualify for the grand final.