Road to Eurovision 2021: Efendi (Azerbaijan)

It’s April and we have less than 60 days till the annual Eurovision contest that will happen next month. Get excited! Though the contest was canceled last year and faces strict protocols due to the current pandemic, we can still enjoy this international contest from anywhere in the world.

Each day, I will feature a song from one of the countries that is in this year’s Eurovision. Like 2019, I will make my own predictions of who will make it to the finals and maybe win the compeition. Good luck to those are competing!

Efendi’s “Mata Hari”

“Mata Hari” by Efendi is representing Azerbaijan in this year’s Eurovision competition. The song is named of the real Mata Hari or Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod, a Dutch exotic dancer who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. Efendi does get inspired by the so-called spy, especially in the music video, as the song is all about being a seductive spy with an army of lovers. Like last year’s “Cleopatra”, “Mata Hari” is inspired by a strong woman in history. You can hear in the lyrics with such lines like “I start a fire” and “there’s no stopping me now”?

I really love “Cleopatra” from last year, but I think “Mata Hari” doesn’t have the same spark as last year’s song. It could be possible that it “Mata Hari” is more subtle than “Cleopatra” and its doesn’t have much of a punch. And the whole “Ma-ma-ma-ma, ma-ma-ma-ma” male chanting doesn’t really fit in. With these factors, I don’t think “Mata Hari” will make it to the finals.

My Eurovision 2021 Predictions

Here are my predictions for this year’s contest. These are my own opinions and I am not getting paid or endorsed for them.