Asaf Mishiyev, the Jewish lead singer of Mamagama, Azerbaijan’s Eurovision 2025 repersentative, has announced a surprise departure from a local TV show to fully focus on preparations for the contest.
Yesterday, it was announced on social media that Asaf Mishiyev, lead singer of Mamagama, will not continue competing in the local version of “The Voice”. Mishiyev had joined the show before Mamagama was selected as Azerbaijan’s Eurovision 2025 representatives.
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
In an Instagram post, he confirmed his withdrawal from the show to focus entirely on preparations for Eurovision 2025, which will take place in Basel in about a month. Mishiyev appeared in the latest episode of the show, broadcast last night on the Azerbaijani TV channel Ictimai.
Mamagama were announced as Azerbaijan’s representatives for Eurovision 2025 on February 4th. The band’s song, “Run With U”, was selected through an internal selection conducted by a committee from the national broadcaster İTV, out of 154 submitted songs, approximately 49% written by local composers and 51% by foreign songwriters. This year, the broadcaster narrowed the list of entries using a series of hints, allowing the public to guess the committee’s choice, unlike last year when the shortlist of artists was revealed in several stages, which led to much speculation on social media platforms such as Twitter and Reddit. Azerbaijan is among the countries that typically release very few details about their selection process for the Eurovision representative and song. While in its early years the country experimented with different platforms for choosing its artists, every Azerbaijani Eurovision entry to date has ultimately been selected through an internal selection.
Asaf Mishiyev is well known within the local Jewish community, which numbers around 40,000 people. In 2013, he won a unique music competition for the Mountain Jewish community called “Astaray Dzuuro”, an event that highlighted his special talent and deep connection to his Jewish heritage. In addition, Mishiyev speaks Hebrew and has visited Israel twice. Regarding his participation in Eurovision, he said:
“If Israelis support me – I’ll be very happy.”
Azerbaijan at Eurovision 2025
“Run With U” is the song that will be performed by the band Mamagama, representing Azerbaijan as song number 10 in the first semi-final at Eurovision 2025, which will take place on May 13th in Basel, Switzerland. The song was written by band member Safael Mishiyev, along with Roman Zee and KHVS. This is the first Eurovision entry for these songwriters, and the song is performed in English.
The song “Run With U” opens with a vivid and electrifying experience, where the rhythm draws the singer into a whirlwind of sensations and energies. The interplay of words hints at an electric and thrilling encounter, where every glance and movement sparks powerful, irresistible emotions. The chorus invites listeners to leave their fears behind and step into the dim light, breaking the rules until they feel right, while the heart takes over body and soul.
As the song progresses, it describes how the night is young and the rhythm is close, with something in the air making the singer fall in love. The lyrics evoke a sense of renewal and authenticity in every laugh and touch, focusing on the present moment so intensely that it becomes impossible to let go. The song concludes with a repeated invitation to escape together, regardless of what the night may bring, with the goal of running together and living fully in the shared experience.
Currently, Azerbaijan is ranked 26th in the betting odds for Eurovision 2025.
Mamagama – Who Are You?
Mamagama is an Azerbaijani band consisting of Allahverdi Gumbatli, Bahruz Afandiyev, and Safael Mishiyev. The band was formed after Allahverdi and Bahruz’s previous band disbanded following seven years of activity, leaving them feeling disappointed and depressed. After an extensive search for a lead vocalist to complete the lineup, they met Safael and chose him as the band’s frontman. The band released the song “As It Was” in 2022, collaborating with Eurovision 2011 winner, Eldar Gasimov. In 2023, their song “River” reached the final selection stage of the committee choosing the song for Eurovision 2023.
The band name is composed of two words: Mama – the ultimate creator, the source of life, the force that nurtures the world. Gama – the full spectrum of sound, the highest frequencies, the musical scales that stretch across time and space.
The band is one of the most energetic and original bands on Azerbaijan’s music scene. The band has wowed audiences at music festivals and contests, including a winning performance at Albania’s Eurovision national selection in 2022 with the song “Dreamer.”
Source: Mamagama.
Eurovision 2025: This will be Azerbaijan’s 17th participation in Eurovision. Azerbaijan joined the contest in 2008 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2011 when singers Ell and Nikki, won first place with the song “Running Scared”.
