Baku, September 19, AZERTAC

Fidan Huseynova will represent Azerbaijan at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Minsk, Belarus. The information was provided at the press conference on Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 held at the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (ITV) in Baku.

The singer was internally selected by the Azerbaijani broadcaster to represent the nation on their return to the competition after five years.

Fidan has had success in Azerbaijan already and won the first place at the 2017 Testene Art Baku festival. In 2016 she was given Presidential scholarship.

Head of the Central Office of the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Faig Gurbatov, Head of the ITV Department of Music, Art and Special Projects Leyla Guliyeva attended the event.

Leyla Guliyeva said that Fidan Huseynova was known for her performance at the concert of French singer Lara Fabian. "She also has a duet with Elnur Huseynov. The song for the contest is not known yet. According to the regulations of the contest, the song will be composed with the singer's participation. Azerbaijan is a country of talents. Why not to popularize our children around the world? If we have such a possibility, why not benefit from it. It's a great stimulus for our talented children."

Leyla Guliyeva said: “Fidan is very talented. She is engaged in vocal, choreography, basketball and chess. We believe that the contest will represent us successfully. Such contests help children to become enthusiastic and enter the world arena”.

Azerbaijan debuted in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest at the 2012 contest in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The nation had previously attempted to take part in the contest in 2008 but withdrew before the competition took place.

The countries record in the contest was not as strong as in the Eurovision Song Contest. Azerbaijan’s best result came in 2013 on their last appearance in the contest where Rustam Karimov placed 7th with the song “Me and My Guitar”.