Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 with Ell and Nikki’s “Running Scared.”
The duo performed the romantic pop song in Düsseldorf, Germany. Ell and Nikki were the stage names of Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, who were selected through Azerbaijan’s national selection process.
“Running Scared” won with 221 points, ahead of Italy and Sweden. The result gave Azerbaijan its first Eurovision victory only four years after the country made its debut in the contest.
The entry was written by a team of Swedish songwriters, including Stefan Örn, Sandra Björman and Iain Farquharson. Azerbaijan’s win continued the strong early record of several newer participating countries.