I am a dung beetle.... constantly pushing shit around

Most Entries: Albania 17 (Armenia 13)
Most Wins: Tied 0
Bookies favourite: Tied 250/1


Ronela Hajati's Festivali i Këngës winning pop-song transitions constantly between Albanian and English. Rosa Linn's internally selected song stays in English, and has probably the most relatable lyric in the contest, "I might stop talking to people before I snap". That is pretty much any day before coffee. 

Ronela HajatiI is a body-positive personality who is a well known pop singer in the Albanian speaking world and she will get diaspora votes. Rosa Linn is virtually unknown, but she has the star power of Tamar Kaprelian, who was part of Genealogy who represented Albania at Eurovision in 2015. This all counts for very little though. 

In the end the audience needs to connect with a song. Ronela HajatiI has given us garden variety pop and Rosa Linn is folk-pop that has kinda been popular for the last decade and a half. Though it sounds like almost anything playing as background noise on the radio, Rosa Linn is more listenable

This round goes to Armenia  

Albania - 0 wins
Whining ethnic vocal to a dance-able pop tune verses a whiny songwriting pop princess wannabe who really should find a real job. Neither of these songs is rated as a challenger by the bookmakers and there is a reason for that. 

Albania went for the tried and failed method of selecting someone who is hugely popular in their home country. With a career in music and the media spanning about 20 years, it was hard for any form of national selection to go against her. And though national selections sometimes get the wrong result, it is better than an crap internal selection. Merci, Cherie, please exit stage left. There is no way Austria will Rise like the Phoenix with this song. 

It is a matter of which song is the least shit and with that in mind I am going Albania

Albania
Semi final 1
Artist: Lindita
Song: World
Odds: $151

Word of the day
Pushtet - Power
Ballad

Lindita is a reject from both Albanian Idol (Ethet) and American Idol, so it was a natural progression that she would appear at Eurovision. It is also with great excitement that it is announced That Albania is giving us a Power Ballad. W00t.

This passionate and slightly political power ballad was the first confirmed complete entry (song and artist) for this year’s event, though the song has been updated and translated to English from the Albanian in the national final, Festivali i Këngës. From the Festivali i Këngës performance, it appears Lindita has learned from Jamala’s winning performance last year and is overdoing the fake emotion.

One of the writers of this song also Co-wrote the 2006 Albanian song. Who could forget that classic piece of Ethno-pop featuring the guy in the skirt and the bagpipes? If you can’t, try more grappa.

Albania’s first Eurovision entrant Anjeza Shahini from 2004 has tried to represent Albania a further 3 times and finished second in the national election every time. In December 2005 she was bridesmaid to the song written by Klodian Qafoku for the 2006 Eurovision, who also co-wrote this year’s song. At least she had 2004

Albania
Population: 3 020 209
Area: 28 748
Language: Albanian
Eurovision Attendances: 11
Eurovision wins: 0



Elhaida Dani – I’m Alive

Originally Diell was going to be the song Elhaida Dani took to Eurovision, and I am glad that won’t be going because the vocal gymnastics shat me. I do find it weird though that after the writers withdrew permission for the song to go to Eurovision, they didn’t do another national final, the song is as important as the artist that is going after all. We have got what we have got through.

So this Albanian won the Italian version of the Voice. She can sing but can she win… probably not. The bookmakers have her top 20 and I think this is possibly better than that but not a winner.

Going back to the withdrawal of the original song, I thought to myself ‘why would they do that?’. Surely writers like the attention that having an entry to Eurovision can get them. With attention comes money, that it all good. Maybe however (and I perhaps rather cynical) they were piggy-backing off Eurovision without committing enough to sell out. They got all the promotion of Eurovision for a couple months but didn’t have to release their copyrite to the EBU (for the Eurovision CD etc). Could this become more common in the future? We will see in 2016.

I this this song is good, but my pre-show opinion doesn’t mean much. I didn’t think much of Albania in 2012, but when the song was sung on the night, I loved it. This is still Albania’s best result and it deserved better.

Albania have gone to Eurovision ten times prior to this year. The best Albania has finished was 5th, with possibly one of the most amazing vocals ever seen at Eurovision, it was also one of the weirdest outfit and hairdo combos ever put on the Eurovision stage as well. Comparatively this year is rather normal.



Artist: Hersi
Song: One Night's Anger

The vocal styling is interesting. It is somewhere between Celine Dion and a country princess. She lists Celine Dion as one of her musical influences, I doubt she will do well as Celine did In Eurovision though. There might be some Kate Bush in there too, all the worst bits about her. Listening to the live version it is all Celine.

Some reviews call this song incomplete, and I agree it needs a bigger sound to be noticed at Eurovision. I am calling this song a toilet break

I read her bio and wondered if something was lost in translation in the line 'In 2010 she ranked first in the musical contest “Ars Kosova”.'

It is the little country twang in parts of this song that remind me of the first country band to compete in Eurovision. The year was 2006, the Country was Germany and the band will go down in history.

Performer: Rona NIshliu
Song: Suus

This song has a awesome build up, then stops... it is like getting foreplay, and then no nookie, there is no point. It is certainly one of the more interesting songs in this years contest, but is needs something after that build up... and not the loud/obnoxious noise that we hear... unless the point is a drink int the Eurovision drinking game

Promoting the top ten acts to the final from each semi when there is only 18 acts in each semi just rewards mediocraty, so this song should qualify. in qualifying, this song might damage Italys chance of winning because they appeal to a similar demographic. the songs aren't very much alike, but both the songs have a beauty and a sensuality about them. Italy is a sexy,  and boldly sensual, Albania is emotive in a 'tear me open and see whats inside', emotive sense and its emptiness is a womans emotion, not a girls. 

I don't care for this song. It could have been more and no doubt wonderful ways to abuse this song will be found, it just doesn't hit me. 

The song has a slight feeling of yesteryear, and it is more than the beehive. Acts of those days were... 1968, says it all. As for other things passed, I have to thank the punch for the reminder of this albanian classic