Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox song contest national year
| Year = 2011
| Country = Turkey
| Broadcaster = {{lang|tr|Türkiye Radyo ve Televizyon Kurumu|i=no}} (TRT)
| Selection process = Internal selection
| Selection date = Artist: 1 January 2011
Song: 25 February 2011
| Artist = Yüksek Sadakat
| Song = Live It Up
| Writer = {{Unbulleted list|Kutlu Özmakinacı|Ergün Arsal}}
| SF result = Failed to qualify (13th)
}}
Turkey was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "Live It Up", composed by Kutlu Özmakinacı, with lyrics by Ergün Arsal, and performed by the band Yüksek Sadakat. The Turkish participating broadcaster, {{lang|tr|Türkiye Radyo ve Televizyon Kurumu|i=no}} (TRT), internally selected its entry for the contest.{{cite web|last=Halliwell|first=Mits|date=31 May 2010|title=EUROVISION 2011 - 14 countries already confirm participation for 2011|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=8288|access-date=4 August 2010|publisher=Oikotimes}}
Before Eurovision
= Internal selection =
In October 2010, Turkish Eurovision website eurovisiondream.com launched an online petition to persuade {{lang|tr|Türkiye Radyo ve Televizyon Kurumu|i=no}} (TRT) to hold a national final instead of an internal selection, aiming to reach 10,000 signatures in two weeks.{{cite web|last=Hondal|first=Victor|date=23 October 2010|title=Turkey: Fans campaign for a national final|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/16186|access-date=23 October 2010|publisher=EscToday.com}} However, TRT announced on 1 January 2011 that it had selected the band Yüksek Sadakat to represent Turkey in Düsseldorf.{{cite web|last=Hondal|first=Victor|date=29 November 2010|title=Turkey: Official announcement in January|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/16285|access-date=30 November 2010|publisher=EscToday.com}}{{cite web|last=Al Kasiri|first=Ghassan|date=31 December 2010|title=Turkey decided: Yüksek Sadakat to Dusseldorf|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=9503=|access-date=31 December 2010|publisher=Oikotimes.com}} Prior to the announcement of Yüksek Sadakat as the Turkish representative, rumoured artists in Turkish media included Atiye, Ayna, Hande Yener, Hayko Cepkin, and Şebnem Ferah.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 January 2011|title=Eurovision'a 'Yüksek Sadakat'|url=https://dikkatmuzik.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/trtnin-eurovision-surprizi/|access-date=14 April 2021|website=Dikkat Müzik!|language=tr}} Three songs, all written in English, were submitted by the band to the broadcaster in late January 2011 and a selection committee selected "Live It Up" as the song they would perform at the contest.{{Cite web|date=10 January 2011|title=Turkey: Yüksek Sadakat confirm Eurovision song in English|url=http://esctoday.com/16455/turkey_yksek_sadakat_confirm_eurovision_song_in_english/|access-date=14 April 2021|website=Esctoday}}{{cite web |title=Yüksek Sadakat reveals Turkish entry |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/yueksek-sadakat-reveals-turkish-entry |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=23 February 2022 |date=25 February 2011}}
On 25 February 2011, "Live It Up" was presented to the public during a press conference that took place at the TRT Tepebaşı Studios in Istanbul, broadcast on TRT 1 as well as online via the official Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.tv.{{Cite web|last=Busa|first=Alexandru|date=25 February 2011|title=Turkey : Song title announced|url=http://esctoday.com/16871/turkey__song_title_announced/|access-date=14 April 2021|website=Esctoday}} The song was written by members of the band Kutlu Özmakinacı and Ergün Arsal.
At Eurovision
Turkey competed in the first semi-final on 10 May 2011 but did not qualify for the final, placing 13th with 47 points.{{cite web |title=First Semi-Final of Düsseldorf 2011 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dusseldorf-2011/first-semi-final |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=30 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430073447/https://eurovision.tv/event/dusseldorf-2011/first-semi-final |archive-date=30 April 2021 |url-status=live}} The public awarded Turkey 10th place with 54 points and the jury awarded 12th place with 58 points.{{cite web |last=Bakker |first=Sietse |title=EBU reveals split televoting and jury results |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=36713 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=30 April 2021 |date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528173042/http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=36713 |archive-date=28 May 2011 |url-status=dead}} This was the first and as of 2012, only time that Turkey did not make it to the final since the semi-final system was introduced in 2004. It was the first year that Turkey wasn't present in a Eurovision final since 1994, when they had been relegated due to a poor result in 1993.
= Voting =
==Points awarded to Turkey==
| class="wikitable" |
| + Points awarded to Turkey (Semi-final 1){{cite web |title=Results of the First Semi-Final of Düsseldorf 2011 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dusseldorf-2011/first-semi-final/results/turkiye |website=Eurovision Song Contest |access-date=23 June 2025}} |
| scope="col" width="20%" | Score
! scope="col" | Country |
|---|
| scope="row" | 12 points
| {{Unbulleted list|{{Esc|Albania|y=2011}}|{{Esc|Azerbaijan|y=2011}}}} |
| scope="row" | 10 points
| {{Esc|San Marino|1862|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 8 points
| |
| scope="row" | 7 points
| |
| scope="row" | 6 points
| |
| scope="row" | 5 points
| {{Esc|Switzerland|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 4 points
| |
| scope="row" | 3 points
| {{Esc|Georgia|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 2 points
| {{Unbulleted list|{{Esc|Malta|y=2011}}|{{Esc|Russia|y=2011}}}} |
| scope="row" | 1 point
| {{Esc|United Kingdom|y=2011}} |
==Points awarded by Turkey==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{{col-2}}
| class="wikitable" |
| + Points awarded by Turkey (Final){{cite web |title=Results of the Grand Final of Düsseldorf 2011 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dusseldorf-2011/grand-final/results/turkiye |website=Eurovision Song Contest |access-date=23 June 2025}} |
| scope="col" width="20%" | Score
! scope="col" | Country |
|---|
| scope="row" style="background:gold" | 12 points
| {{Esc|Azerbaijan|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" style="background:silver" | 10 points
| {{Esc|Bosnia and Herzegovina|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" style="background:#CC9966" | 8 points
| {{Esc|Georgia|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 7 points
| {{Esc|Ukraine|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 6 points
| {{Esc|United Kingdom|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 5 points
| {{Esc|Romania|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 4 points
| {{Esc|Sweden|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 3 points
| {{Esc|Germany|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 2 points
| {{Esc|Slovenia|y=2011}} |
| scope="row" | 1 point
| {{Esc|Austria|y=2011}} |
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2011}}