APA interview of Araz Elses, a political poet from the city of Sulduz, a world-famous Azerbaijani singer

- Mr. Araz, welcome.

When was the last time you visited Azerbaijan?

– Before the pandemic, in 2019.

It was a very short trip, I was here for only 3 days.

- A lot has changed for Azerbaijan and its history since 2019.

- Absolutely true.

This time I visited my country called Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is no longer the old Azerbaijan, everyone knows it, everyone sees it.

All this is a matter of pride for us.

Azerbaijan is a strong state with an upright posture.

This is the power that comes from the nation, it is the power that comes from its belief.

The 44-day war gave pride, strength and confidence to my nation.

That's why everyone was ready to die saying "Motherland" in this war.

I say love to those brave men, I say love to our daughters, sons, and all of Azerbaijan, who are ready to give their lives for this Motherland.

- Is there a specific reason for your visit this time?

- I was bored (

laughs

).

I wanted to come and meet our media, people and friends.

Moreover, I am thinking of a big concert in Baku.

- What a wonderful.

Is the concert scheduled?

- Not yet.

We have meetings about that concert, its time and place.

We will probably do it in a few months.

- Mr. Araz, why did you think of giving the concert at this time?

So it was not possible before?

(thinks a bit)

- You know... I am always ready to meet our people in Azerbaijan and give them concerts, I have always had this desire.

After the 44-day war, I thought that this was the real moment.

I think such issues are more important now.

Moreover, such concerts may have contributed to events in the South, as well as other events in the region in the future.

You know, the purpose of my concerts is not just to entertain people.

National issues, ideological issues and other... Especially the events happening in the South these days... (pauses for

a while and takes a deep sigh)

... I think this concert is important.

In other words, it is very important for other artists who are planning to give a concert just for this purpose to meet people and discuss the issue of the integrity of Azerbaijan.

- How do you assess the events in Iran?

- The events happening in Iran are general protests.

It is a protest against injustice, injustice, human and women's rights in Iran.

Apparently, these problems concern everyone in Iran, regardless of nationality.

There are also national problems.

Iran is a multi-ethnic country.

Nations in Iran now want to get their rights.

The largest of those nations are Azerbaijani Turks.

We demand our national rights.

And this struggle of ours is not an issue that ends with language.

Today there is a truth: what we have done in this hundred years is enough, that's all.

Now Iran should think about an Iranian state without Azerbaijan.

It is difficult for the Iranian state to accept this reality, but it will be accepted in the end.

The integrity of Azerbaijan will be realized.

It is true that it is difficult to say a specific time.

It is as if you have planted a crop and you are waiting for its fruit.

It is possible to give a specific time for this, but it is difficult to say time in national issues.

Today we are closer to achieving our desires than in the past.

It should be appreciated.

You yourself know the situation of the big state in the north of Azerbaijan, it is in a swamp.

For this reason, we are closer than ever to totality for today.

We don't need to build a state again.

We have a state, we have a flag.

South Azerbaijan should get rid of Iran and join its half to North Azerbaijan, it should be whole.

As a state, as a nation, we must be ready and believe in this process.

Everything is born of faith.

What we are talking about is not a lie and is a natural process.

There can be no talk of any unnaturalness here.

The state that was divided 200 years ago is united today, what is unusual and unexpected here?

Nothing.

How many times have we witnessed the collapse of multinational states.

How many such events have happened in the last hundred years of European history.

For example, Yugoslavia.

So what I am saying is that this is an opportunity and we should take advantage of it.

The map can change anywhere in the world, this is not a tragedy.

Most importantly, I will tell you one thing that

the establishment of whole Azerbaijan means a greater peace and insurance for the region.

These words also apply to the Iranian state without Azerbaijan.

Then we will have better neighborly relations.

- It is clear.

Mr. Araz, you live in Sweden.

Besides music, do you have any other hobbies at all?

- Music is a part of my life, maybe it is itself.

But at the same time, I have my own company and I work in that company.

- You are a citizen of Norway, if I'm not mistaken.

- No, I am currently a citizen of Sweden.

But I lived in Norway before.

It is true.

- Who is your audience at your concerts in Sweden and in Europe in general?

- There are very few viewers in Sweden.

We have had several concerts there, but, as I said, the audience is small.

My concerts are mostly in Western European countries.

- There are more Turks there.

- Yes, I have more concerts in Germany, the Netherlands, and France, and the number of Turks and spectators is large in those areas.

At the same time, I have concerts in Turkey itself.

South Azerbaijanis actively participate in those concerts.

- Araz bey, do you have Iranians at your concerts?

So do you meet representatives of other nationalities from Iran?

- It is very interesting, yes.

It doesn't matter whether it is from Iran itself or representatives of other nations you mentioned, I see, we even have conversations.

In fact, these meetings have a very pleasant effect.

- Do you cooperate with Azerbaijani diasporas in European concerts?

– (

Thinks for a

while.) ...Of course, no.

That is, I have not come across such an offer until now.

If so, I will immediately respond positively.

- To what extent is Azerbaijani music known in Sweden and in Europe in general?

- Azerbaijani music, unfortunately, is known only within the Azerbaijani society.

But there are exceptions.

For example, Aziza Mustafazade.

His concerts, his music has already gained worldliness.

Ms. Aziza managed to become a brand.

This is a very big thing for Azerbaijan and it makes me very happy.

I hope that better and fuller steps will be taken in the name of Azerbaijani music.

Azerbaijani music is beautiful in all its forms.

Be it Vagif Mustafazade school or our classical music school, all these are gems.

I myself have been trying to play symphonic rock for the last few years.

That is, I will mix classical music with rock, but on the condition that we have our own spices in it

(laughs).

- Araz Elses, his art was more relevant and better known during the Meydan movement and partly in the later period.

What do you think are the differences between the need for you and your art at that time and now?

- I haven't seen much in Azerbaijan.

I did not come to Azerbaijan for many years.

After 2010, I have not had any activity here.

- But the fact is that today you live abroad, that is, you have left.

So what's stopping you from coming more often?

- You know, concerts and meetings do not happen like this, they are not organized in this way.

I am in Europe.

Be it.

There should be such an organization here that I will be invited and come.

I am always open to all offers from Azerbaijan, including today.

I wanted and want to meet my countrymen more than anything.

Whenever it is needed, I am positive.

- Mr. Araz, near the end of the 90s, one of your concerts at the Hand Games Palace was cancelled.

There are opinions that this is the reason for your resentment.

- My dear brother, there is absolutely no such resentment.

You correctly pointed out that the concert was cancelled.

It happened.

I don't know why.

But who will I be angry with?

This state is my life and blood.

I cannot express in words how much I love this country.

Long live the motherland, long live the nation.

- It is clear.

My earlier question was left unfinished.

Do you feel that the love for you during the Meydan movement and its aftermath is waning now?

- I don't measure love.

First, I am not an artist at all.

First of all, I think about why I do this work.

This is a sacred practice for me.

I am a warrior with my instrument and I am at war.

This is how I can contribute to my nation.

Frankly, I don't know to what extent Kim's love for me has increased or decreased.

I can speak for myself that my love is growing.

I am not a resentful person, I am not a broken person.

It is the greatest love for me if the ideas that I propagate with music and words are spoken among my people.

- We talked briefly about Azerbaijani music earlier.

In general, do you follow the current flow of Azerbaijani music?

- I have music that I listen to daily.

I often listen to Fikret Amirov, Gara Garayev, and Niyazi.

I love symphonic music.

I believe that symphonic music should be promoted everywhere in Azerbaijan.

Region by region, village by village.

It is impossible not to be amazed when listening to such music.

For example, the way you feel when you read Jalil Mammadguluzade and Sabir, I feel the same way when I listen to these people.

There are such sub-layers in these musics that just wonder and wonder!..

Let me give you an example, if you want to play any inappropriate music in Iran today, they can give you big concert halls.

But say you want to present the "Koroglu" overture, they won't let you.

Because this is the music that brings the nation back to itself.

In addition, sometimes I listen to rock: "The Beatles", English rock, American rock, etc.

- The current state of Azerbaijani music is not at all ambiguous.

Ara singers, banal songs and performances have increased.

How much does this bother you?

- I don't see.

I don't listen, frankly.

- You are not listening.

But at the age of 17, one does not see, hear or listen to Araz Elsas or Fikret Amirov.

Because that is not propaganda.

But he sees and listens to these banalities that I say.

This affects the consciousness.

- You are right, my dear brother.

It is challenged that he also shows his music in that form.

In Azerbaijan today, we have such valuable artists that they should be challenged.

I am not saying that it is not given, no, never.

It is given.

But it is still necessary, more necessary.

That's why it's necessary to eliminate the banality you mentioned.

I recently listened to a couple of young people whose names I forget.

It was as if I was listening to Shavkat Alakbarova, believe me.

Although you say that banal music has also increased, but there are also good cases like this.

- Mr. Araz, you said earlier that you are inclined towards rock lately.

In general, your line of art is not received at all unequivocally at the moment.

It is about ideological music.

Times have changed, thinking has changed, etc.

In light of all this, how do you feel about any changes in your repertoire?

- I'll tell you something, I'm Turkish, that's all.

And I value, promote and present this as a culture.

Now to what extent it is valued for today, I cannot say.

According to my opinion, this culture should be loved and valued.

In general, it is better not to be blindfolded than to be a nationalist.

You have to see everything clearly.

For me, whatever and whoever stands in front of the concept of clarity is my enemy.

In my recent writings, there is Azerbaijan's separation, its integration, our Turkishness, our culture - all of them, and I am proud to play them.

You must not have heard, I have a song called "Horses".

I intend to perform it in Jagatai Turkish soon.

It also breathes new life into the song.

In addition, I will also add a combination of mouthpiece and rock to the song.

Let me tell you one thing, sometimes there are those who promote Turkism in an ugly form.

This hurts me a lot.

It should be promoted in a more correct way so that it is loved.

They could not properly propagate the concept of an ordinary worm, they politicized it.

Turkism has nothing to do with politics, my dear brother.

It belongs to a nation, it belongs to a nation, it is a culture, it has nothing to do with politics.

And no one has the right to politicize it.

- When you come to Azerbaijan, you always visit Martyrs' Alley and Fakhri Alley.

This time...

- I still haven't been able to go to the Alley of Martyrs or the Alley of Honors.

There are a lot of meetings and invitations, so a little was received.

But I will definitely go and visit.

It gives me spiritual peace.

I remember, once at night I went to the Alley of Honor.

I also had a few unfinished songs in my head.

I went directly to the grave of Mrs. Shavket, then to Rashid Behbudov, then to Khalil Rza, then to Elchibey... - Heydar Aliyev was still alive then - I walked around, talked, and finally finished my unfinished songs.

In other words, you should go to the Alley of Honors and the Alley of Martyrs with love.

You can go with such a big bunch of flowers and empty handed.

The main thing is that you go with love and heart.

A close friend of mine died here and I haven't been to his grave yet.

I do n't want

to (he is sad, he is silent for a while).

After seeing the tombstone, I'm not going because I'm going to confirm his death.

I think that there is no need to go to the cemetery to meet the dead people and to grieve.

They are in our hearts.

- Because we've seen you more often, you gave such an empty-handed strange effect.

I also remembered a memory.

At one of the concerts in the late 90s, you broke your instrument at the end of the performance.

- Yes, if I'm not mistaken, it was 1994.

It was the author's night of Arif Malikov.

May God have mercy on him, Heydar Aliyev was also present that night.

There were chosen and great people that night, and I was lucky that I was there.

That night, I sang a song dedicated to Arif Malikov - I have never sung that song anywhere else - at the end of the song, when I said "I accuse the bloody executioners, I dedicate this song to those who have lost their blood", I was very excited, I said "I accuse" and hit the instrument on my knee, and as a result, the music broke. fell on the stage.

I was not myself.

It was a song dedicated to January 20.

It was one of the many great events in my life.

Arif Malikov hugged me, hugged me in such a way that I still feel the warmth of his roots and the presence of his hands on my back.

God bless you, Heydar Aliyev said in his speech that

The speech of the young Azerbaijani Araz is a great event in my life.

This is a great value for me.

In the morning of that night, even saz was brought for me from Turkey.

- The Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis is coming.

What does Araz Elses want to say to the youth of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis in general?

This is my last question.

- Let them be in favor of clarity.

It is absolutely necessary to believe in the integrity of Azerbaijan.

It is necessary to grow and develop it in our hearts, minds and thoughts.

That day is today, dear brothers and sisters.

Everyone saw, the whole world saw, what a blow it was in the 44-day war of Azerbaijan.

It was amazing.

It is necessary to think big with that thought and live with big ideas.

Photo Ilkin Nabiyev © APA group