Israel has a friend in us at Eurovision, says Azerbaijan rock-pop trio
Hummus, music and peace: the band from Baku talks to Jewish News
Mamagama believe in good music, peace and exceptionally good hummus.
Guitarist Hasan Heydar, 31, drummer Arif Imanov, 29 and lead singer Asaf (Sefael) Mishiyev, 32, are speaking to Jewish News ahead of the Azerbaijani band’s performance at the most kitsch television event of the year: Eurovision.
Named in honour of an Alan Parsons Project song, the group from capital city Baku have been together for four years, with their sound inspired by Daft Punk and American disco band Chicthey.
The trio released debut single My Medicine in 2022 and gained popularity with an award-winning performance of their song Dreamer at Kënga Magjike, one of the biggest music festivals in Albania.
Shortlisted for the 2023 Azerbaijani selection for Eurovision but ultimately not selected, this year they were internally confirmed as representatives of their country (which last won Eurovision in 2011) in February with their entry Run with U.
Straight off the bat, Asaf, who withdrew from his country’s version of singing competition The Voice to focus on Eurovision, says that Yuval Raphael, Israel’s contender, is his favourite. “Best song, best singer, best artist.”
A perhaps unsurprising response from a Jewish singer in a predominately Muslim country (his bandmates are both Muslim), it’s still a refreshing admission for a contest whose much loved reputation for over-the-top, glitter-glam, camp spectacle has become overshadowed by ugly political activism.
This week, the Artists for Palestine group published an open letter from 72 former Eurovision competitors, calling for a ban on Israel and its national broadcaster KAN, from this year’s contest in Switzerland. Last year’s Israeli entrant, Eden Golan, had to be surrounded by security guards, isolated in her room for her own safety.
All this appears to be very firmly background noise to Mamagama. They say they are, albeit most likely at the recommendation of their management, determinedly non-political.
They don’t “mix politics with the music contest. Music is music and culture is culture. We want to represent our culture and our values, which are about love, about peace, no matter from which country you are from, which nation or which religion”.
Today Asaf , who enjoys a Friday night meal with his Chabad rabbi, says: “My parents are Jewish, my grandparents are Jewish. The mountain Jews of Azerbaijan speak Juhuri; this is the Persian language, like Ashkenazi Jewish people speak Yiddish. We have two Jewish schools in Baku and two synagogues.”
He adds that every Azerbaijani “can absolutely call Azerbaijan his motherland, because no matter your nation or your culture, everyone here lives in peace and love. We celebrate our holidays together, no matter whether it’s a Jewish holiday, Muslim holiday or Christian holiday. Jewish people here are just like brothers and sisters”.
Hassan, a Lebanese Arab who has been friends with Asaf for more than a decade, agrees: “I’m non-religious; I was born in a Muslim family and in the Muslim culture, but we respected Jews. There was no pressure or hatred towards Jews in Azerbaijan. It’s normal for me. Many of my childhood friends are Jews, as is my best friend. I respect Jews, and I respect everything about your culture.”
Rather fittingly, whilst they attempt to teach Jewish News some Azerbaijan words, the first is salaam, which means ‘peace’.
The trio happily perform an acapella version of their song, discuss shawarma and tabbouleh and how their costumes will incorporate some traditional Azerbaijan elements.
Arif name-checks Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Amy Winehouse as being among his favourite musicians, voting Brazil’s Eloy Casagrande, England’s John Bonham and the USA’s Matt Garstka as three of the best drummers in the world.
Returning to the cultural juggernaut that is Eurovision, they collectively say that during the competition, “we’ll just do our job. We’ll just go out there and do our best. And Yuval should know that she has a friend in us. Mamagama are her friends, and we will support her.”
- Mamagama will perform in the second half of the first Eurovision semi-final on May 13.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
