Albania's Rock Anthem Takes a Rare Top Twelve

MAY 15 2018 · 12:15

Eugent Bushpepa · "Mall" · Albania · 2018 Placement: 11 · Score: 184 · Language: Albanian · Composers: Eugent Bushpepa, Adriana Bushpepa · Venue: Altice Arena · Host: Lisbon, Portugal · Type: performance innovation · Broadcast: streaming era Bushpepa — 33, long dark hair, power-rock vocalist — takes the Altice Arena stage with a black-clad band and delivers a full rock anthem in Albanian about homesickness. 'Mall' means 'longing' in Albanian. His performance is a straight-ahead rock-ballad vocal tour-de-force. 184 points for 11th — Albania's highest finish since 2012's Rona Nishliu. Context Bushpepa was a well-established Albanian rock vocalist with several solo albums. RTSH's Festivali i Këngës selection had favored ballad traditions for years; Bushpepa's rock-oriented performance was a deliberate genre break. The Albanian-language choice was unambiguous. Legacy The 11th-place result was celebrated in Albania as a national achievement. Bushpepa's international profile increased considerably. 'Mall' is now a staple of Albanian rock radio and at Albanian expat events across Western Europe. The 2018 card is cited as proof that committed rock vocals can still place in Eurovision's finals era.