Alex Panayi, who represented Cyprus at the 1995 and 2000 editions of the Eurovision Song Contest, has been announced as the vocal coach for TuralTuranX at Eurovision 2023.
A veteran in Eurovision staging
This is not the first time Panayi has worked with the Azerbaijani delegation. He was the vocal director for Hold Me (2013), Skeletons (2017) and X My Heart (2018). He has also worked on Eurovision performances by Demi, Anna Vissi and DoReDos, amongst others.
Listen to “Tell Me More” here!
Azerbaijan has made changes to its approach to selecting its artist for Eurovision. This year, public broadcaster Ictimai TV focused on producing local talent for the Contest, as a result of changes to the delegation. TuralTuranX were selected following a lengthy internal selection. The 22-year-old twins from Zaqatala wrote their entry to the Contest – “Tell Me More” – entirely themselves. Their profile has been massively increased since their announcement in the Contest.
Following the semi-final allocation draw, Azerbaijan will compete in the second half of the first semi-final on the 9th of May.
Azerbaijan’s Eurovision Journey
Azerbaijan is a powerhouse in Eurovision, first debuting in 2008 with the song “Day After Day” by Elnur & Samir, finishing 8th. The country has since gone on to achieve five top-5 performances, including one win in 2011. Azerbaijan has a near perfect qualification record, only failing to make the final in 2018, and is known for its impressive on-stage performances. In 2022, they were represented by Nadir Rustamli, who received 106 points and finished 16th with his song “Fade to Black”.
What do you think of TuralTuranX’s song? What do you make of Alex Panayi’s previous work? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok as we prepare for Eurovision 2023!
News Source: INFE Azerbaijan
Photo Credit: Silver Spotlight
