Arash: Azerbaijan's Cultural Icon Or Iranian Legend?

Iranian-Swedish singer-songwriter Arash Labaf, known mononymously as Arash, represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 alongside Azerbaijani singer Aysel Teymurzadeh. The duo's song, 'Always', was selected by Ictimai TV (İTV), Azerbaijan's broadcaster, as the country's entry to the contest.

Arash Labaf is an Iranian singer-songwriter who performed with Azerbaijani singer Aysel at Eurovision 2009

"Always" was composed by a group of songwriters, including Arash himself. The song was selected by Ictimai TV (İTV), the Azerbaijani broadcaster, from among 30 songs submitted in an open call. The song's music video, directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund, premiered on Ictimai TV on April 24, 2009. Boklund described the video as "a visual rendition of the performers' emotions and feelings." It featured the tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument, which also made a brief appearance during the live performance of "Always" at Eurovision.

Aysel and Arash performed 12th in the second Eurovision semi-final on May 14, 2009, following Hungary's Zoli Ádok and preceding Greece's Sakis Rouvas. The duo received 180 points, placing second behind Norway's Alexander Rybak, and advanced to the final. In the final, they performed 11th, following Russia's Anastasiya Prikhodko and preceding Bosnia and Herzegovina's Regina. They received 207 points, placing third behind Norway and Iceland, which was Azerbaijan's first top-three placing.

By 2023, the official music video for "Always" had been viewed on YouTube over 40 million times, while the live performance in the Eurovision final had garnered over 21 million views. The song also achieved commercial success, becoming the second most-selling ringtone in Ukraine and Belarus, according to Tophit.ru in January 2010.

Their song, Always, was selected as the Azerbaijani entry to the contest

"Always" is a song by Iranian-Swedish singer-songwriter Arash Labaf and Azerbaijani singer Aysel Teymurzadeh. It was selected as the Azerbaijani entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The song was composed by a group of songwriters, including Arash, and was chosen by the Azerbaijani broadcaster, Ictimai TV (İTV), from 30 songs submitted in an open call.

Aysel and Arash were selected as the performers of the Azerbaijani entry separately, with Aysel being announced as the country's representative on 17 January 2009, and Arash joining her on 12 February. The song "Always" was then presented to the public on 3 March 2009. The music video for the song premiered on İTV on 24 April 2009 and featured tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument.

At Eurovision, Aysel & Arash performed 12th in the second semi-final on 14 May, receiving 180 points and placing second. They proceeded to the final, where they performed 11th and placed third with 207 points. This was Azerbaijan's first top-three placing at the contest.

As of 2023, the official music video for "Always" has been viewed over 40 million times on YouTube, with the live performance in the Eurovision final garnering over 21 million views. The song also became the second most-selling ringtone in Ukraine and Belarus in January 2010, according to Tophit.ru.

The music video for Always featured tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument

The tar is a long-necked, waisted lute with a double-bowl-shaped body, native to Iran and several other countries near the Caucasus and Central Asia, including Azerbaijan. The name "tar" comes from the Persian word for "string". The instrument is held horizontally on the musician's thigh and played with a small brass plectrum. The tar is considered the national instrument of Azerbaijan and is depicted on the reverse side of the Azerbaijani one-qəpik coin and on the obverse of the one-manat banknote.

The music video for "Always" featured tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument. The song was performed by Azerbaijani singer Aysel Teymurzadeh (performing as Aysel) and Iranian singer-songwriter Arash Labaf for Azerbaijan's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009. The video was directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund and premiered on Ictimai TV on 24 April 2009. Boklund described the video as "a visual rendition of the performers' emotions and feelings". The tar also appeared briefly on stage in Arash's hands during the live performance of "Always" at Eurovision.

The tar featured in the music video for "Always" is the Azerbaijani tar, which has a slightly different shape and build from the Persian tar and utilises more strings. The Azerbaijani tar typically has 11 playing strings and 17 tones, with one extra bass string on the side and two doubled resonance strings. The tar is an important instrument in Azeri art music and is used in mugham repertoire.

The use of the tar in the "Always" music video serves as a representation of the cultural and musical traditions of Azerbaijan. The inclusion of this traditional instrument adds a layer of authenticity and cultural significance to the song and its visual representation. The tar is not just a musical instrument but also a symbol of Azerbaijani culture and heritage.

The duo placed third in the competition, achieving Azerbaijan's first top 3 placing

The 2009 Eurovision Song Contest saw Azerbaijan secure its first-ever top-three placing. The duo representing the country, Aysel Teymurzadeh (performing as Aysel) and Iranian singer-songwriter Arash Labaf, placed third with their song "Always". The song was selected by Ictimai TV (İTV), the Azerbaijani broadcaster, from among 30 songs submitted in an open call.

Aysel & Arash performed 12th in the second Eurovision semi-final on 14 May 2009, following Hungary and preceding Greece. They received 180 points, placing second behind Norway's Alexander Rybak, and proceeded to the final. In the final, they performed 11th, this time following Russia and preceding Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their performance in the final received 207 points, placing them third behind Norway and Iceland.

The song "Always" was composed by a group of songwriters, including Arash, and featured tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument. The music video for the song, directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund, premiered on Ictimai TV on 24 April 2009. Boklund described the video as "a visual rendition of the performers' emotions and feelings." By 2023, the official video for "Always" had been played on YouTube over 40 million times, while the live performance in the Eurovision final has garnered over 21 million views.

By 2023, the official music video for Always had been viewed over 40 million times on YouTube

"Always" is a song by Azerbaijani singer Aysel Teymurzadeh, who performs as 'Aysel', and Iranian singer-songwriter Arash Labaf, who performs mononymously. It was the Azerbaijani entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, where the duo placed third.

The music video for "Always" was directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund and premiered on Ictimai TV on 24 April 2009. Boklund described the video as "a visual rendition of the performers' emotions and feelings". It features the tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument, which also appeared briefly on stage during the duo's live performance of "Always" at Eurovision.

By 2023, the official music video for "Always" had been viewed over 40 million times on YouTube. This impressive number of views is a testament to the song's popularity and impact. The live performance of "Always" in the Eurovision final has also garnered significant attention, with over 21 million views on YouTube as of 2023.

The song's success extended beyond YouTube, with "Always" becoming the second most-selling ringtone in Ukraine and Belarus in 2010, according to Tophit.ru. The song's popularity helped propel Aysel and Arash to recognition, with their collaboration leaving a lasting impression on viewers and listeners worldwide.

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