The Azerbaijani participant broadcaster, İctimai Televiziya (İTV), selected its performer through the competition Milli Seçim Turu 2012 and, subsequently, the song internally once the national final was over.

Following eight heats, a semi-final and a final on 12 February 2012, a seven-member jury selected Sabina Babayeva as the Azerbaijani performer for Eurovision.

[2] Milli Seçim Turu 2012 was the national final organised by İTV that selected the Azerbaijani performer for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

[10] 72 artists were selected for the competition from 119 applicants based on the decision of İTV and a five-member jury panel following a casting round held on 3, 5 and 7 November 2011.

[11][12] The members of the jury were Leyla Aliyeva (Azerbaijani commentator of the Eurovision Song Contest), Husniyya Maharramova (Azerbaijani commentator of the Eurovision Song Contest), Zahra Badalbeyli (musician and poet), Natavan Sheykhova (singer) and Tunzale Agayeva (singer and composer).

The remaining five artists each performed three cover versions of various songs and Sabina Babayeva was selected by the jury as the winner.

[20][21] "When the Music Dies" was written by Anders Bagge, Sandra Bjurman, Stefan Örn and Johan Kronlund, and was presented on the same day.

[24] Sabina Babayeva made several appearances across Europe to specifically promote "When the Music Dies" as the Azerbaijani Eurovision entry.

Between 6 and 7 April, Babayeva took part in promotional activities in Hungary by appearing during the MTV programmes Marslakók, Ma Reggel and Kívánságkosár.

[25] On 21 April, Babayeva performed during the Eurovision in Concert event which was held at the Melkweg venue in Amsterdam, Netherlands and hosted by Cornald Maas and Ruth Jacott.

[27] Between 3 and 4 May, Babayeva completed promotional activities in Malta by appearing during the TVM talk show programmes Ħadd Għalik and Xarabank.

[30] İTV appointed Safura Alizadeh, who represented Azerbaijan the 2010 contest, as its spokesperson to announce the Azerbaijani votes during the final.

Babayeva was flanked by three backing vocalists to the right and mugham performer Alim Qasimov to the left who sat on a glass platform.

[34][35] The three backing vocalists that joined Sabina Babayeva on stage were Anna Nilsson, Jennie Jahns and Marie Nordmark Sjöström.

This jury was asked to judge each contestant based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act.