Always (Aysel and Arash song)

"Always" is a song by Azerbaijani singer Aysel Teymurzadeh (performing mononymously) and Iranian singersongwriter Arash Labaf (also performing mononymously). It was the Azerbaijani entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The song was selected by Ictimai TV (İTV), the Azerbaijani broadcaster, among the 30 songs submitted to the broadcaster in an open call. The song was composed by a group of songwriters including Arash.^[1][2]

"Always"
Single by Aysel & Arash
from the album Donya
Released	3 March 2009
Recorded	2009
Genre	Dance Folk-pop
Label	Warner Music Sweden
Composer(s)	Arash Labaf Robert Uhlmann Johan Bejerholm Marcus Englof Alex Papaconstantinou
Lyricist(s)	Arash Labaf Robert Uhlmann Elin Wrethov Anderz Wrethov
Eurovision Song Contest 2009 entry
Country	Azerbaijan
Artist(s)	Aysel Teymurzadeh, Arash Labaf
As	Aysel & Arash
Language	English
Composer(s)	Arash Labaf Robert Uhlmann Johan Bejerholm Marcus Englof Alex Papaconstantinou
Lyricist(s)	Arash Labaf Robert Uhlmann Elin Wrethov Anderz Wrethov
Finals performance
Semi-final result	2nd
Semi-final points	180
Final result	3rd
Final points	207
Entry chronology
◄ "Day After Day" (2008)
"Drip Drop" (2010) ►

The video clip for the song was directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund [sv] and premiered on Ictimai TV on 24 April 2009. Boklund described the video as "visual rendition of the performers' emotions and feelings."^[3] It notably featured tar, a traditional Azeri musical instrument. Likewise the instrument briefly appeared on stage in Arash's hands during the live performance of "Always" at Eurovision.

AySel & Arash performed 12th in the second Eurovision semi-final on 14 May, following Hungary's Zoli Ádok with "Dance with Me" and preceding Greece's Sakis Rouvas with "This Is Our Night". The duo received 180 points, placing second behind Norway's Alexander Rybak, and proceeding to the final.

At the final the duo performed 11th in the draw, following Russia's Anastasiya Prikhodko with "Mamo" and preceding Bosnia and Herzegovina's Regina with "Bistra voda". They received 207 points, placing 3rd behind Norway's Alexander Rybak and Iceland's Yohanna. This was Azerbaijan's first top 3 placing.

By 2025, the official video for "Always" had been played on YouTube over 52 million times,^[4] while the live performance in the Eurovision final has over 27 million views.^[5]

In January 2010, Tophit.ru reported that "Always" had become the second most selling ringtone in Ukraine and Belarus.^[6]

Charts

Weekly

Chart (2009)	Peak position
CIS Airplay (TopHit)[7]	75
Czech Republic Airplay Chart[8]	40
European Hot 100 Singles[9]	92
Germany (GfK)[10]	96
Greek Billboard Singles Chart	2
Hungarian Airplay Chart[11]	40
Iceland (RÚV)[12]	16
Norway (VG-lista)[13]	18
Slovakian Airplay Chart[14]	47
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15]	3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16]	98
Turkish Singles Chart[17]	18
UK Singles Chart[18]	137

Year-end

Chart (2009)	Position
Swedish Singles Chart[19]	50

Track listing

• Turkish – Digital single^[20]

1. "Always" (Single Version) – 3:03
2. "Always" (Ali Payami Remix) – 4:09