Artist Profile
Artist: Samira Efendiyeva (Efendi)
Date of Birth: 17 April 1991
Hometown: Baku, Azerbaijan
Selection Method: Internal Selection
Song: Mata Hari
Composer: Amy van der Wel, Luuk van Beers, Tony Cornelissen, Josh Earl
Lyrics:
Producer: Luuk van Beers, Tony Cornelissen
Eurovision Result: 20th Place
Efendi is an Azerbaijani singer who gained popularity in her home country after participating in the singing competitions Yeni Ulduz (2009), Böyük Səhnə (2014) and The Voice of Azerbaijan (2015-2016, third place). In 2017, she was the Azerbaijani representative in the international singing competition Silk Way Star, staged in Almaty, Kazakhstan, finishing in third place. Efendi represented her country again at the Voice of Nur-Sultan festival held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan in 2019.
On 28 February 2020, the Azerbaijani broadcaster İTV announced that Efendiyeva had been internally selected to represent Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, held in Rotterdam, Netherlands.[2] However, on March 18, 2020, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 20 March 2020, Efendi announced on her Instagram account that she will represent Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 after the cancellation of 2020 contest. She will sing “Mata Hari” in Rotterdam, which premiered on 15 March 2021.
Song Lyrics
Mata Hari
I’m a godless spy
I’ma spy, I uncover
All of your secrets, I want them
There’s no stopping me now
I’m a liar
Playing the game of desire
Ain’t gonna leave no survivors
Would you fall for me now?
Just like Cleopatra (Aah-aah)
The army of lovers
I start a fire
Yalan da mən, yanan da mən, yaman da mən
Ma-Ma-Ma-Mata Hari
Mata Hari
(Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma)
(Ma-ma-ma-ma) Ma-Ma-Ma-Mata Hari
Mata Hari
(Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma)
(Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma)
Mata Hari
Undercover
I am a dangerous lover
Drinking my poisonous water
And you’re under my spell
Mesmerizing
Moving my hips, you are trying
You can’t resist, try to fight it
Got a story to tell
Just like Cleopatra (Aah-aah)
The army of lovers
I start a fire
Yalan da mən, yanan da mən, yaman da mən
Ma-Ma-Ma-Mata Hari
Mata Hari
(Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma)
(Ma-ma-ma-ma) Ma-Ma-Ma-Mata Hari
Mata Hari
(Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma)
(Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma)
Mata Hari
Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest
Debut: 2008
Appearances: 12
Finals: 11
Best Result: 1st (2011)
Top 10:
2008 – Elnur & Samir – Day After Day, 8th Place
2009 – Aysel & Arash – Always, 3rd Place
2010 – Safura – Drip Drop, 5th Place
2011 – Ell & Nikki – Running Scared, 1st Place
2012 – Sabina Sabayeva – When The Music Dies, 4th Place
2013 – Farid Mammadov – Hold Me, 2nd Place
2019 – Chingiz – Truth, 8th Place
Marcel Benzençon Awards:
2012 – Press Award
2013 – Artistic Award
Are you loving Mata Hari? Which Azerbaijan song is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
