Now Eurovision 2026 is firmly behind us and we’ve had a chance to properly digest the wild ride of Vienna, it’s now time to discuss What Went Wrong. We’ve all had a chance to mull over the results of the contest. The Eurovision 2026 final saw some very dramatic results, but 10 acts did not get a chance to see that.
In our sixteenth part Euan, Tom, and Molly discuss what went wrong with Azerbaijan.
Who is Jiva?
Jamila Hashimova known by the stage name JIVA, is an Azerbaijani singer who started her career in 2003. She has taken part in various music projects, including being the lead vocalist of “Hazz Band”. Since 2017, she has continued her career as a solo artist, singing in Azerbaijani, English and Russian. In 2025, she won The Voice of Azerbaijan, marking an all-time high for her career. Nonetheless, this year is not her first encounter with Eurovision; indeed, in 2011, she reached the top 3 of Azerbaijan’s Eurovision national final.
Her song for Eurovision 2026 – “Just Go” – was written entirely by Fuad Javadov.
What are the issues with the selection?
Euan: Like a few other countries, Azerbaijan feels to passive in its approach to how it selects entries. There have so many big names that have expressed interest in participating for the country, but there hasn’t been enough of a drive to entice that talent in. While I love the entries from 2023 onwards… they have certainly not been the strongest attempts shall we say. Having a more open selection would really benefit them because year after year we’re seeing songs that were submitted and not picked that would have done much better.
Tom: Oh Azerbaijan. They’re still here. I think it is a real shame that Azerbaijan haven’t been able to really make much of an impact in recent Eurovision editions. They were once an absolute powerhouse of the Contest. I actually think this might be a case where a withdrawal and regrouping for a year could do good things for the delegation.
Molly: When it comes to their selections, Azerbaijan seems incredibly uninterested in and out of touch with the modern audience. They appear disoriented when picking songs for modern contests, with their 2008 – 2014 songs feeling more suitable for a modern audience, whereas their 2022-2026 songs feel more like the kind of songs you would see in the lineup of the contest in 2008-2014. The selections come across as last-minute, and the lack of originality and care in their selection is evident.
Was the song and act good enough to be in Eurovision?
Euan: Jiva was absolutely justified in being in the contest, but that wasn’t enough. I love this song, it was in my top 5 after all, but a mid-tempo sad ballad is always going to struggle. I thought it should be there in the fact that it’s a good song, but from a competitive standpoint, it was just DOA when it was released.
Tom: Jiva is incredibly likeable. She can sing incredibly well. But the song, and more directly the sloppily written lyrics, was inexcusable. No performer could have saved this in my opinion.
Molly: We all love the “Jiva the Diva” personality she brought, but apart from that, the song really had no character. Jiva CAN sing, but “Just Go” feels like it could be sung by anyone, lacking the personal connection. The release of the rock version, the better version, for ALBM harshly impacted the song, as it was clear that its personality was ripped away, stripping it down to just another ballad you would hear when your playlist adds “Sad Songs” on your behalf. It was a “Jury-bait” song, but can’t really bait the jury if they have heard this type of song multiple times before.
Did the staging compliment the song and stand out?
Euan: Controversially, I though they had one of the best stagings of the year. It complimented the song so well. Azerbaijan can have a tendency to over-stage or massively under-stage, but this fit the song really well. It was simple and let Jiva herself stand out which was the right choice as she was the real draw.
Tom: I actually think the staging was one of the better things about this, other than Jiva herself. Did it stand out is another question though. It was not at all memorable in the context of being so early in the running order of semifinal 2.
Molly: It was staged. That’s the best way you can summarise it. Similarly, the staging felt blank, but Jiva stood out against the blank backdrop. Being stuck between the phenomenal staging of “Bangaranga” and “Choke Me” made the little impact of “Just Go” non-existent. This would’ve done well in the past, but not now at all.
Could this song have qualified if changes were made?
Euan: I don’t think there’s anything that could have been changed about this unless doing a major revamp and changing the entire tone of the song, but at that point
Tom: Jiva could have possibly qualified with a different song. I think her recent release “BUSSI” has a joy to it that would have had a better chance at qualification. But I genuinely believe no performer could have taken this song into the Grand Final in 2026.
Molly: I’m gonna be honest, no. Even if the song was shifted to Semi 1, it would face the same problem of forgettability. Including the lack of voting partners and stronger jury-based songs, this song was dead on arrival. The public showed no interest in this song in Semi 2, and I believe this would’ve been the same if it were in Semi 1. It was an easy NQ to predict.
What are our outlooks for future contests?
Euan: I am cautiously optimistic with Azerbaijan. I think having another dire result may be what ITV need to kick it back into gear. Like Tom says below there are big names expressing interest, and changes on the delegation itself last year make me think that change is around the corner. Or that’s just me being deluded.
Tom: Azer Nasibov recently posted the song he entered into the Azerbaijan selection process for Eurovision 2026 on social media. That song was a million times more exciting, and more authentically Azeri, than “Just Go”. The fact the delegation made the choice to send “Just Go” in 2026 leaves some serious questions unanswered. I think it is time for a reset in Azerbaijan, maybe take a year out and spend the time planning and refocussing. Having said all that, ALIZADE recently gave an interview talking about a potential ESC participation. So if Azerbaijan wish to send either her, or Nasibov, they can stay. Just make sure the songwriting isn’t as awful as recent entries, I beg.
Molly: So two dead last finishes in the last 2 years, it is clear the delegation is not working. My 2 biggest recommendations for Azerbaijan are Authenticity and Connection. We don’t want to see the same songs over and over, show us what music from Azerbaijan is truly like and let us feel connected to this expression of culture. If the delegation cares, they can go back to qualifying again. The right songs and artists are there; it is just up to the delegation to take a new approach and check what date it is (Particularly the year).
Watch the accompanying discussion video here:
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 an impressive qualification record, only failing to make the final in 2018, 2023, and 2024.
Azerbaijan internally selected JIVA to represent them in 2026 with the song “Just Go”; she scored just two points in the second semifinal, placing fifteenth and missing out on the Grand Final for a fourth year in a row.
What do think about our thoughts? Do you think Azerbaijan could have qualified? Let us know in the comments or on social media! Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2027!
Source: That Eurovision Site
Image Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU