Azerbaijan's Dilara among strong Eurovision challengers

By AzerNews

Leading bookmakers consider Dilara Kazimova, Azerbaijan's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest, among the top five contenders.

Singers from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Hungary, Belgium, Romania and the UK are among the main contenders.

Bookmakers Paddy Power has included Dilara in the list of possible winners of Eurovision song contest with 9.00 points. Azerbaijan representative was also highly praised by famous bookmaker as William Hill with coefficient of 13 points. Dilara was also appreciated by Unibet (11), Victor (12), BWIN (14), Coral (14) and others bookmakers.

Talented singer Dilara will compete in the first semifinal of the ESC in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 6. Her contenders will be Armenian Aram MP3, Latvian Aarzemnieki group, Tanja from Estonia, Sweden Sanna Nielsen, Pollapönk rock group from Iceland, Hersi from Albania, Russian Tolmachevy Sisters, Ukrainian Mariya Yaremchuk, Axel Hirsoux from Belgium, and Cristina Scarlat from Moldova, Valentina Monetta from San Marino, Portuguese Suzy, pop group The Common Linnets from the Netherlands, Montenegrin Sergej Cetkovic, and Hungarian Andras Kallay-Saunders.

Dilara will perform "Start a Fire", which is the "confession of a strong and yet vulnerable women," the singer said. She will mix modern ballad with a traditional soul in her performance.

The song was written by Johan Kronlund, Alessandra Gunthardt, and Stefan Orn, the author of "Running Scared", Azerbaijan's winning entry for Eurovision 2011, and chosen by an Azerbaijani national jury.

An established artist and quite popular in Azerbaijan, Dilara is about to attract a wider European audience. Dilara's operatic training gives her impressive vocal diversity, and permits a repertoire that ranges from soul and opera to jazz and pop.

The singer has already participated twice in the national selection of Eurovision, reaching the final stage in 2008 and 2010. She is also the prizewinner of the "New Wave 2010"contest in Yurmala, Latvia.

Dilara graduated from the opera performance faculty at the Baku Music Academy and got her second education in art.

Azerbaijan will participate in the ESC for the seventh time this year. The country debuted at the ESC in 2008 and has always presented a remarkable show.