Elnur Hüseynov
Who was Elnur Hüseynov?
Azerbaijani singer who represented his country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, performing the song "Hour of the Wolf."
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Elnur Hüseynov (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Elnur Hüseynov, born on March 3, 1987, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, is an Azerbaijani singer known for his work in international competitions and popular music across Azerbaijan and the broader Turkic regions. Although he was born in Ashgabat, he studied music at the Turkmen National Conservatory and the Asaf Zeynally Music School, which gave him a strong foundation in vocal performance and music theory. This training helped him develop a voice that works well with both classical and contemporary pop music.
Hüseynov first caught international attention in 2008 when he represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest. He performed 'Day After Day' as part of the duo Elnur and Samir with Samir Javadzadeh. This performance made him one of Azerbaijan's early participants in Eurovision, as the country had only recently joined the European Broadcasting Union. It introduced him to a European audience and established him as a talented vocalist on the international stage.
After his 2008 Eurovision appearance, Hüseynov continued to build his career in the region. In 2015, he competed in the fourth season of The Voice of Turkey, a popular singing competition. He won the season, which boosted his profile in both Turkey and Azerbaijan—two countries with strong linguistic and cultural connections. This win showed off his vocal skills and broad appeal.
Later that year, capitalizing on his Voice of Turkey success, Hüseynov was chosen to represent Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna, Austria. He performed 'Hour of the Wolf,' marking his second time at the contest. This made him one of the few artists to represent Azerbaijan at Eurovision more than once, highlighting his ongoing prominence in popular music and his role in representing Azerbaijani culture overseas.
Throughout his career, Hüseynov has been part of a wave of Azerbaijani artists emerging during a time of growing cultural ambition in the arts and entertainment. His repeated Eurovision appearances, combined with his win in a major regional competition, make him one of the leading vocalists from Azerbaijan in the early twenty-first century.
Before Fame
Elnur Hüseynov was born in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's capital, in 1987, when it was part of the Soviet Union. He got his start in music there and studied at the Turkmen National Conservatory and the Asaf Zeynally Music School, named after a well-known Azerbaijani composer. This education matched both his upbringing and his cultural ties to Azerbaijan.
He became well-known by following a path familiar to many singers in the post-Soviet Turkic world, combining formal training with regional and international competitions. As televised singing contests grew in popularity and Azerbaijan began participating more in European cultural events, especially the Eurovision Song Contest starting in 2008, singers like Hüseynov found new ways to reach wider audiences.
Key Achievements
- Represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 as part of duo Elnur and Samir, performing 'Day After Day'
- Won the fourth season of The Voice of Turkey in 2015
- Represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna with the song 'Hour of the Wolf'
- Completed formal vocal training at both the Turkmen National Conservatory and the Asaf Zeynally Music School
- Became one of Azerbaijan's few two-time Eurovision representatives
Did You Know?
- 01.Hüseynov is one of the very few artists to have represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest on two separate occasions, in 2008 and 2015.
- 02.He was born in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, making him one of the notable Azerbaijani public figures to have origins in a neighboring post-Soviet republic.
- 03.His 2008 Eurovision entry 'Day After Day' was performed as a duo with Samir Javadzadeh under the act name Elnur and Samir, a relatively uncommon duo format for Azerbaijani Eurovision entries.
- 04.He won the fourth season of The Voice of Turkey in 2015, the same year he competed at Eurovision, making 2015 an exceptionally active year in his career.
- 05.He studied at the Asaf Zeynally Music School, named after a prominent early twentieth-century Azerbaijani composer, grounding him in a tradition of classical Azerbaijani musical education.