Azerbaijan Wins Eurovision Song Contest [VIDEO]

"I have to confess Azerbaijan was not on my radar screen at all," Robert Deam Tobin, an academic at Clark University, Worcester, Mass., and the editor of a collection of academic essays on Eurovision. "But, it's certainly exciting to see a secular democracy that borders Iran and has a Shiite Muslim majority population embracing the European ideal as posited by Eurovision."

Azerbaijan, a first-time Eurovision winner, was an outsider to triumph in the competition, compared to favorites France and hotly tipped Ireland and the U.K. The winning act was duo Ell and Nikki, whose "Running Scared" received 221 points, beating runners-up Italy, which scored 189.

Some 120 million viewers tuned in for the competition, which was broadcast in 55 countries, according to host broadcaster NDR, while tens of thousands of spectators watched the show live in the Esprit Arena here, converted from a football stadium for the occasion.

Presented by Stefan Raab, a German pop star and TV host who mentored last year's winner, Lena, and himself competed in 2000, the show was also watched on big screens in the center of Düsseldorf.

It's the fourth time Azerbaijan has taken part, with the duo of Eldar Kasimov, 20 years old, and Nigar Jamal, 31, performing the love song in matching white outfits.