Mystical Song Contest 42

The Mystical Song Contest #42 (also known as MSC 42) was the forty-second edition of the Mystical Song Contest. It took place in Ganja, 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan after Jay Meel ft. Arif Zeynalov won in Ankara, 🇹🇷 Turkey.

It was confirmed that 48 countries participated in the 42nd edition. No debuting or withdrawing, Kosovo and 🇮🇸 Iceland returned.

The top 6 of last edition 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan, 🇸🇪 Sweden, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇮🇹 Italy and 🇷🇺 Russia were automatically pre qualified for the Grand Final of this edition. The 42 others participating countries were split into 2 semi final.

The running orders were made by the supervisor of the contest ESC Thømås.

Ganja
Ganja (/ˈɡændʒə/; Azerbaijani: Gəncə [ɟænˈd͡ʒæ]; Persian: گنجه‎) is Azerbaijan's second largest city, with a population of around 332,600. It was named Elisabethpol (Russian: Елизаветпо́ль, tr. Yelizavetpól', IPA: [jɪlʲɪzəvʲɪtˈpolʲ]) in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name, Ganja, in 1920 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again in 1935 to Kirovabad (Russian: Кироваба́д, IPA: [kʲɪrəvɐˈbat]) and retained that name through most of the rest of the Soviet period. In 1989, during perestroika, the city regained its original name.

Even though some sources from medieval Islamic time attribute the building of the town to a Muslim Arab ruler named Muhammad ibn Khalid, modern historians believe that the fact that the name Ganja derives from the New Persian ganj ("treasure") and in Arabic source the name is recorded as Janza (from the Middle Persian ganza) suggests that the city existed in pre-Islamic times and was likely founded in the 5th century. According to some sources, it changed hands between Persians, Khazars and Arabs even in the 7th century. The area in which Ganja is located was known as Arran from the 9th to 12th century; its urban population spoke mainly in the Persian language.

According to medieval Arabic sources, the city of Ganja was founded in 859-60 by Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn Yazid ibn Mazyad, the Arab governor of the region in the reign of the caliph al-Mutawakkil, and so-called because of a treasure unearthed there. According to the legend, the Arab governor had a dream where a voice told him that there was a treasure hidden under one of the three hills around the area where he camped. The voice told him to unearth it and use the money to found a city. He did so and informed the caliph about the money and the city. Caliph made Muhammad the hereditary governor of the city on a condition that he would give the money he found to the caliph.

Foundation of the city by Arabs is confirmed by the medieval Armenian historian Movses Kagankatvatsi, who mentions that the city of Ganja was founded in 846–47 in the canton of Arshakashen by the son of Khazr Patgos, "a furious and merciless man".

Historically an important city of the South Caucasus, Ganja has been part of the Sassanid empire, Great Seljuk Empire, Kingdom of Georgia, Atabegs of Azerbaijan, Khwarezmid Empire, Il-Khans, Timurids, Qara Qoyunlu, Ak Koyunlu, the Safavid, the Afsharid, the Zand and the Qajar empires of Persia/Iran. Prior to the Iranian Zand and Qajar rule, following Nader Shah's death, it was ruled locally for a few decades by the khans/dukes of the Ganja Khanate, who themselves were subordinate to the central rule in mainland Iran and were a branch of the Iranian Qajar family. Ganja is also the birthplace of the famous poet Nizami Ganjavi.

Host of the show
On September 26, 2020 it was announced that Manana Japaridze was the host of Mystical Song Contest 42.

Manana Japaridze (Georgian: მანანა ჯაფარიძე; Azerbaijani: Manana Caparidze), or simply known as Manana is a Georgian-Azerbaijani singer. She has been an Honorary Artist of Azerbaijan since 2009.

Born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, she appeared on the professional stage in the age of five and was a singer of the very popular children's groups as "Tolia" and "Chiora". In the same year, she finished secondary school before being graduated from the Tbilisi Art Gymnasia.

In the year of 1995, she entered to the vocal department of the Tbilisi branch of the German Modern Art, Jazz and Show-business Academy. In 2000, she graduated from the Academy. In her early years, Manana participated in various competitions for young singers, winning important awards. In 1996 she won the main award of the young singers' "Crystal Fir" competition in Borjomi, (Georgia), then in 1997 she became a laureate of the young singers' "Crystal Note" International competition in Moscow, Russia.

In 1998, Manana moved permanently to Baku, Azerbaijan, where she started her professional career. Manana's first performances in front of the Baku audience brought her big popularity and successes. Her talent, distinctive voice and high artistry allowed her to transform from a young singer to one of the most popular and beloved artists - becoming as the Diva Star of Azerbaijani Estrada. From 1999 Manana represented Azeri music and culture at many prestigious musical competitions and festivals with a great desire, where she won higher awards and prizes. Among Manana's awards, there is also the title of the Laureate of the International Competition of the Young Singers "UNIVERSTALENT - 2000" taken place in Prague, and the Television Musical Competition "Shire Krug" in Moscow

Manana's active creative life in Azerbaijan was marked with the presentation to her the "Humay" award, for the best representing of Azerbaijan, its culture abroad. And she was also awarded "The Golden Microphone" which is one of the most prestigious awards in Azerbaijan, giving her the title "the best singer of the year".

International singing contest franchise, The Voice recently started in Azerbaijan. Manana is currently one of the judges of the first season.

Debuting/Withdrawing
No countries withdrew or debuted.

Returning Artists
Here is the list of the returning artists for the 42nd edition.

Semi Finals
On September 26, 2020 the supervisor of the contest ESC Thømås revealed the running order of both semi finals.

The big 6 members were assigned to a semi final where they had to vote.

A total of 21 countries competed in each semi final and 10 countries qualified in both.

Semi Final 1
In this semi final 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan, 🇸🇪 Sweden and 🇷🇴 Romania had to vote.

Semi Final 2
In this semi final 🇺🇸 United States, 🇮🇹 Italy and 🇷🇺 Russia had to vote.

Grand Final
On October 9, 2020 the supervisor of the contest ESC Thømås revealed the running order of the Grand Final.