Azerbaijan takes stage at Silk Way Star, Asia’s new premier vocal competition

Azerbaijan is set to participate in the inaugural Silk Way Star vocal competition, a major international music project that will bring together rising talents from across Asia.

The competition will be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and will feature participants from over ten countries, including Georgia, China, South Korea, and the nations of Central Asia, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Azerbaijan will be represented by renowned singer and actress Sabina Zade, a semi-finalist of The Voice of Azerbaijan, whose dynamic vocal range and stage presence have made her a familiar name in the national entertainment industry.

The Silk Way Star project is being implemented under an agreement signed on June 16 between the Television and Radio Complex of the President of Kazakhstan and the China Media Group (CMG), during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Kazakhstan. The initiative reflects a broader effort to promote cultural exchange and cooperation along the historical Silk Road.

Filming for the show begins on August 20, with the grand finale set for November 22. The finale will be broadcast live on the Jibek Joly (Silk Way) TV channel and syndicated across major networks in participating countries.

The competition will span 10 episodes, including nine pre-recorded shows and a live finale. Audiences can look forward to a variety of musical formats, including duets, performances of national classics, and cross-cultural collaborations. Episodes will be broadcast in Kazakh, Chinese, and English, each running over 100 minutes.

An international scoring system will be used, with jury members from China and Central Asia awarding points from 1 to 12 in the initial rounds. The final winner will be determined by a 50/50 combination of jury votes and audience input. Five top-ranked artists and two contestants from the host countries will advance to the finale.

Promising to be one of the region’s most ambitious cultural showcases, Silk Way Star will award the winner a prestigious title and a chance to launch their career on a global platform.

By Vafa Guliyeva