Mishiyev is from the Azerbaijan’s 20,000-strong Jewish community, specifically the Mizrahi group of Mountain Jews, who make up the country’s largest proportion of Jews and speak Farsi.
Mamagama play a mix of Azerbaijani traditional sounds and modern indie-rock[Missing Credit]
Jewish history in Azerbaijan stretches back over two millennia, with communities first arriving and settling in the region in the 5th century BCE when much of the Caucasus was controlled by the Persian Empire.
When he is not practising with Mamagama (the band rehearses several times a week), he teaches guitar and vocals to children at the local Jewish music school. He also practises his Judaism.
“I do tefillin every day and go to the synagogue,” he says, adding that he went to a yeshivah as a teenager. “So, I am truly living in Judaism. My mother is a Jew, my father is a Jew, my grandpas and grandmas are Jewish.”
The singer says he feels safe as a Jewish person living in Azerbaijan. “No matter what your religion or nationality, everyone lives here in peace and love. Azerbaijan is one of these places where you can be Jewish,” says Mishiyev.
“And feel no harassment about it,” Heydar adds. “You can live freely as a Jew here.”
For Mishiyev, it means keeping the Jewish holidays as well as the Azerbaijani ones. “My Azerbaijani friends come to me for my Jewish holidays, and I come to my friends for the Azerbaijani holidays.”
Mishiyev cites Jewish singer-songwriters Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Amy Winehouse and Asaf Avidan as musical inspirations, as well as Elvis Presley, John Martyn and Nick Drake.
But in Mamagama’s music you will hear a mix of Azerbaijani traditional sounds mixed in with modern indie-rock and alternative pop.
In Dreamer, they play the tar – a lute – while their Eurovision entry, Run with You, an upbeat alt-pop song, features the saz – a long-necked lute. “We felt the urge to represent our national identity in the song,” says Mishiyev.
What is most important for the trio is melody. That and their message of peace for all their listeners. “Just be in peace and love,” says Heydar.
“Love each other, no matter your religion, or nation.
“Just let peace be upon all of the people.” They send their “deepest congratulations” to Yuval Raphael, the Israeli Eurovision contestant who will be performing New Day Will Rise.
“We are hoping for a good place for Israel in this contest,” says Heydar. “We’re happy for Yuval, that she came up with her song, and we’re proud of her. We truly support Israel.”
