Asaf Mishiev in an interview with Azeri TV channel ITV Seher (photo credit: Screenshot/Instagram)
A Mountain Jewish singer has been chosen to represent the Muslim country of Azerbaijan in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Asaf (Sefael) Mishiev will be performing as part of his Baku-based band, Mamagama, in which he is the front man and soloist.
Mishiev, 32, is reported to be well known in Azerbaijan’s Jewish community, which numbers around 30,000 people, according to Rabbi Zamir Isayev, the chairman of the Georgian-Jewish community of Azerbaijan, in an interview with Jewish News Syndicate in 2023.
In 2013, Mishiev won a Mountain Jewish music competition, and he also reportedly gave singing lessons to children and teenagers at the Jewish Community Club in Baku.
Speaking to Ynet on Wednesday, Mishiev said, “I know Hebrew and sing a little in Hebrew at home. I love Israeli musicians like the Mercedes Band, Asaf Avidan, and Yael Naim.”
“I went to a Jewish school in Baku and visited Israel twice – the first time as part of the Taglit program, and the second time for a music competition for Jews from around the world, where I represented Azerbaijan and won.”
He added that he would be very happy if Israelis voted for him at Eurovision.
Proud to represent his country
Furthermore, while he said he is proud to represent his country, he also said he feels that he “represents the entire Jewish people.”
He extended support to Israel’s entry, Yuval Rafael, who survived the Nova massacre, saying, “I wish her success – with all my heart.”
Roman Gurevich, honorary ambassador of the Jewish Agency in Azerbaijan, told Ynet, “Jews have always been loved in Azerbaijan.”
“Now Azerbaijan is an important and loyal ally of the State of Israel. The choice of a Jewish singer is yet more proof of this,” Gurevich added.
Mishiev will be the second Mountain Jew to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, following in the footsteps of Israel’s Sarit Hadad, who represented the Jewish state in 2002.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
