Last Saturday, Albania’s national selection final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 took place. Titled Festivali i Këngës 56, the winner goes on to represent the country at the contest; this time around Eugent Bushpepa won the show with the song “Mall” which means “Yearning” in English.
This track becomes the first Eurovision 2018 song to be revealed. “Mall” currently stands at four and a half minutes long, which will have to be revamped for Eurovision as songs must be three minutes in length. The big question is whether they’ll transform the track into an English-language song, which Albania has done in the past; to mixed reactions from Eurovision fans.
Listen To Eugent Bushpepa’s “Mall” For Eurovision 2018 Here:
https://youtu.be/ZuZoTKTbwUA
The song is something new for the winner of Albania’s national selection show. No more female ballad singers, instead we’ve got this progressive track by Eugent Bushpepa who adds a gentle rock flavour. “Mall” could actually do well in the contest if the revamp of the track is as good as the full version.
Previously he has participated in various contests in Albania, including Top Fest multiple times. He had tough competitors to win Festivali i Këngës 56. There were 22 contestants, split into two semi-finals before the Final which consisted of 14 entrants. Coming in second and third place was Inis Neziri with “Piedestal” and Orgesa Zaimi with “Ngrije zërin”, respectively.
We can’t wait to see how Eugent Bushpepa performs on the Eurovision stage. If this song isn’t revised too much, we’re sure he’ll do well. Could Albania finally win the Eurovision Song Contest? Last year, Portugal won with Salvador Sobral with the song “Amar pelos dois”.
It will be hosted at the Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal; with the two Semi-Finals taking place on 8 May and 10 May, whilst the Grand Final taking place on 12 May 2018. Albania will compete against 42 other countries. So far the following acts have been announced Laura Groeseneken for Belgium, Saara Aalto for Finland, Waylon for the Netherlands, AISEL for Azerbaijan, Cesar Sampson for Austria, and Jessica Mauboy for Australia; however, Eugent Bushpepa is the first to reveal his song.