Following their first rehearsal at Eurovision 2024, our Tim got a chance to catch up with Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov to discuss their Malmö experience so far.
Watch our interview with Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov right here:
During their interview, Tim, Fahree and Ilkin talked about how their first rehearsal went, as well as their pride in showing off Azerbaijani culture. Fahree also lets us in on secret meanings of the song that are tattooed onto his body. Ilkin also tells us that they know about the fans’ love for them, including their title of the “fathers of Eurovision”!
Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov’s Eurovision Journey so far
Back in March FAHREE and Ilkin Dovlatov were selected to represent Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. later on that month the duo released the song Özünlə Apar. Late last month it was determined that FAHREE and Ilkin Dovlatov will perform twelfth in the first Eurovision Semi-Final in Malmö on May 7th.
On Sunday, the duo performed on the Eurovision stage for their first rehearsal. You can find out more about their first rehearsal, and our thoughts on that here.
Who are Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov?
FAHREE, who is the stage name for singer Fakhri Ismayilov, is fairly new to the music industry. In 2022 FAHREE released his debut single “Dance”. While FAHREE has a masters and Bachelors in Law, the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic made him realise he wanted to focus on music. FAHREE has released two other singles outside his debut and Eurovision song, they are entitled “Apardı uzaqlara” and “Yollar”.
Ilkin Dovlatov has also only been in the Azerbaijani music industry a short time. In 2023, Ilkin took part in The Voice Azerbaijan. Ilkin finished the competition as the runner-up. As well as The Voice, Ilkin has also taken part in the Azəri Star competition. Alongside his Eurovision song, Ilkin has released two further tracks “Ters” and “Geceler”.
FAHREE and Ilkin Dovlatov’s Eurovision 2024 song “Özünlə apar” was written by FAHREE himself alongside Edgar Ravin, Hasan Haydar, Mason Salikh and Mila Miles. Hasan and Edgar also produced the song.
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 2023.
For 2023, Azerbaijan was represented by twins TuralTuranX with their song “Tell Me More”. Performing in the first semi-final, the duo failed to qualify for the final for the second time, receiving only 4 points from the televote.
What do you think of our interview with Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov? Do you think they will qualify for the final this year? Where would you like Azerbaijan to finish this year? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we cover the rehearsals of Eurovision 2024!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: That Eurovision Site
That Eurovision Site
[…] Fahree feat. Ilkin Dovlatov […]