GERMANY: Eurovision winners Ell/Nikki say Azerbaijan ready to host next year's contest

Record ID: 765587

  • Title: GERMANY: Eurovision winners Ell/Nikki say Azerbaijan ready to host next year's contest
  • Date: 19th May 2011
  • Summary: COLOGNE, GERMANY (MAY 18, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF 2011 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST WINNERS, AZERBAIJAN DUO ELL/ NIKKI, STANDING ON RIVER BANK (SOUNDBITE) (English) 2011 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST WINNER, SINGER FROM AZERBAIJAN DUO ELL/NIKKI, NIKKI SAYING: "It was incredible. There were a lot of people, thousand people were in airport and outside airport waiting for us, you know, it was the first time in my life when I see a lot of people like that. They were waiting, you know, when the airplane has stopped everyone just started running to airplane, when I saw them "Oh, my God!"
  • Embargoed: 3rd June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVABYMTN3BGA5MPI10CS4UWLQ046
  • Story Text: Azeri duo Ell/Nikki, which won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Duesseldorf, say they want to use the momentum to pursue their singing careers.
    Eldar Gasimov, a 21-year-old student from the Caspian Sea nation's capital Baku and Nigar Jamal, a mother-of-two living in London, got a hero's welcome when they returned to Azerbaijan after winning the contest.
    "It was incredible. There were a lot of people, thousand people were in airport and outside airport waiting for us, you know, it was the first time in my life when I see a lot of people like that. They were waiting, you know, when the airplane has stopped everyone just started running to airplane, when I saw them "Oh, my God!," said Nikki in an interview with Reuters in Cologne.
    The couple says they want to pursue international careers after the Eurovision victory. Their performance in the contest's final was watched by an audience of more than 100 million people.
    "Probably we are going to sing... not probably, definitely, we are going to have songs together, as a duo, as a solo as well, we are going to do... what else?," said Nikki.
    "Finally we will do another song. Yes, we want to make an international album, you know, so the people can understand us in the whole Europe, in the whole world in their languages," added Ell.
    Azerbaijan will host the contest next year. But some Eurovision fans have expressed concern about whether the Caspian nation is able to host such a high-profile international event. Rights groups stress that Azerbaijan has a poor human rights record.
    "I think they will get the answer when they will come.... if I would be trying to explain "no, you are wrong"... just next year... see you next year in Azerbaijan and you will see definitely," said Nikki. Ell agrees: "We are not going to answer your questions, I want to talk to all the criticisers:"Just come to Azerbaijan and you will get your answer, you will give an answer yourself."
    After the Azeri duo was pronounced the winner of the contest, gay rights activists expressed concern that the Muslim country has a poor track record of prejudice towards gays.
    "No, there is no problem about that, no problem at all," said Nikki. "There are a lot of them, it is very tolerant, welcome guys, see you in Baku," added Ell.
    The couple said they definitely want to take part in the Eurovision contest again.
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