From the shores of the Caspian Sea to some of the world’s grandest stages, Emin Agalarov’s journey is a blend of passion and relentless drive. In an interview with NARGIS, he shares memories from his childhood in Baku, the success he measures in heartfelt moments, and the values that ground him in both life and work.
What are your most vivid memories from your childhood in Baku?
My memories will always be of the Old City and the flat where we lived, where I used to run around the streets. The beach in Nardaran, where we fried shrimp and jumped off big boulders into the Caspian Sea. Now I still often remember some passages from family gatherings, evenings, and some incredibly soulful and cheerful days. When a huge family gathers everyone it is so pleasant to be together. My childhood in Baku is the origin of everything I want to do for my native country and city.
Emin, how do you measure success and when did you first feel successful?
I think success is quite a “pinpoint” emotion. You can compose a lot of music, rehearse for a long time, and work in the studio. But success can be felt on stage, at a big concert, where there are a lot of people who love your music. Success in business is probably felt when you have been designing, implementing, and building a project for a long time, and also on the opening day when the project is ready and everything is shining and glittering when everything is beautiful and guests are present – that's when you can feel success. Otherwise, I am busy working all the time and I can't say that I reflect on whether I am a successful person or not.
You always have to work on music.
What was the main lesson you learnt from your mentor Muslim Magomayev?
You always have to work on music. Muslim Magometovich was a perfectionist. Revisiting archived recordings, I realised the remarkable level of his musicality and his professional skills in vocals, instrumentation, and piano. The more I reflect on it, the more I recognise it as an almost unattainable standard that inspires me to become better.
Which of your compositions do you consider to be your calling card?
Probably the song Still, which started my musical career. I wrote it in 2005, released it in 2006, and it is still known and remembered. A lot of people associate me with that song.
Which project in your life do you consider the most important?
Sea Breeze, of course. I hope I have enough life to realise and see part of what will be realised. It is great to see a huge city where happy people live.
What makes you happy? What is your formula for a happy life?
First of all, my family makes me happy. The formula for a happy life is when my whole family is together, which unfortunately doesn't happen very often. I also feel immense joy when I see that my projects bring happiness to people and that they live in comfort.
What is the most important thing in raising children?
To be an example for them and to motivate them to succeed. At the initial stage, this success is probably measured by some educational factors, later it will hopefully turn into personal achievements, no matter in what field.
Do you have life principles or values that you will never stray from?
Of course. For example, I cannot cheat or let my partners down in business, it is fundamentally important to me. This forms my reputation, and that is why I probably have many partners and a lot of investors, people who believe in me and my projects. Not a single person can say today that I have let them down in any way.
Are you satisfied with this year's DREAM FEST Summer Festival?
Yes, I am very satisfied, although there is still some work to be done. I am very pleased with the whole team that organised it. It was a hard project: 170 artists, 6 days, world stars, which required great attention and precise execution of their riders, timing, selection of the right cars and so on. I can say that the next festival will be no less tremendous. We have already started actively preparing for it and will soon announce the first names of the line-up.
How do you effectively manage such a large team at Sea Breeze?
What do you look for when selecting team members, and what qualities make someone trustworthy in your eyes? The backbone of my team at Sea Breeze, consisting of 6-8 big executives, are people who have grown with me over the 18 years of the project's existence and have been with the company for 10-15 years. My very first employee has been with me for over 25 years (that's Jeyhun). We have spent a tremendous amount of time together, and been through ups, downs, and challenges. They understand who I am, what is welcome, and what is abs. olutely not allowed. All this helps them form the basic principles of work in their teams as well. At the moment, the success of Sea Breeze is of great merit to us all, not only to me but also to the team and the people who promote this challenging, large-scale project, which requires great responsibility.
What key business advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?
Well, if a budding entrepreneur decides to go into business, they need to live it, they will have to think about it around the clock. I catch myself thinking that at night when I sleep, my dreams reflect the current business processes. How much and to whom do I have to pay money, what do I have to complete, what do I have to change, what do I have to pay attention to, where to build a new road or car park, where to pour the foundation, concrete. This is something on the level of madness, which takes me away from my family, but I can say that successful projects can be realised in business by people who are truly obsessed with it around the clock.
Have you ever experienced a serious betrayal in your business journey, perhaps by former partners and colleagues? How did you navigate this?
I have been betrayed many times. I have been betrayed and deceived, but it is important to accept the situation as quickly as possible and turn the page so that it does not torment you. If you worry about it, you can go crazy. All such people that I met on my way, I just "flipped the page" and never thought about it again.
This year you released an album inspired by the work of Elvis Presley, which you have long dreamed of doing. What is your next musical dream?
To release an album of songs by Muslim Magomayev. This is the most responsible musical experiment that I have been thinking about for a long time. In principle I have already been in contact with his music, I have performed his songs on various programmes, and sometimes we have included his works in concerts. "Blue Eternity" is always with me at my solo concerts. Now I realise that the release of such an album is quite logical and my whole musical path led to it. I have a lot of ties with Muslim Magometovich, I am naturally obsessed with his creative work, and perhaps part of my audience will be interested to hear great songs in my reading. And someone will be able to discover his work simply from scratch.
My childhood in Baku is the origin of everything I want to do for my native country and city
You will be 45 years old in December. How do you usually celebrate your birthday? Do you reflect on your achievements or try to complete unfinished business?
I don't connect my birthday with any process in my life. I have concerts every year. This year, on December 11, I will give a concert in the Moscow Kremlin, and on December 13, in Baku, at the Heydar Aliyev Palace. I want to spend my birthday with the people I am closest to – family and friends.
•I've never tried drugs in my life.
•If I disobeyed my parents as a child, they locked me in the bathroom and turned off the lights.
•I'm afraid of spiders.
•My favourite film is The Godfather.
•I did very poorly in school.
•When I need to concentrate on an interview or any important question, I doodle.
