Albania, Lindita, 1

Përshëndetje Shqipëria! The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — has landed in Tirana. After admiring the sights from Mount Dajt and putting our selfie sticks to good use, we gathered to discuss Albania’s entry for Eurovision 2017 — “World” from LinditaDid Lindita rock our world or crush it? Read on to find out!

Lindita – “World”

About Lindita

Kosovo-born, America-based Lindita, 28, found fame after winning the Albanian song contest Top Fest in 2009. She gave her career another boost by taking part in Festival i Këngës in 2014, where she gave a jaw-dropping performance of her entry “Ste fal”, conferring her the status of fan favourite. In 2016, she participated in the last series of American Idol. There, Lindita made it to the final 51, but missed out on a place in the final 24 — despite wowing all the judges, including Jennifer Lopez. Lindita returned to Festival i Këngës 2017, where she slayed the competition with her Albanian-language song “Botë”, which she later revamped into “World”.

“It’s about all the wars worldwide and all the things people are going through,” she told us in an interview in January. “It says, ‘How many tears? How much pain in this world? I can’t take it any more and I wish I was stronger.’ That’s basically a cry out for help. But at the same time there is positivity. We can do better.”

“World” reviews

Robyn: Unlike a lot of FiK entries, “World” was specifically written with Eurovision in mind so the transition to the ESC version has felt very organic. There’s plenty of drama, ample opportunities for Lindita to show off her powerhouse vocals, a hearty orchestral backing and a message. And it works! I like it a lot more than I thought I would, and I’d be very happy if “World” makes it to the final.

Score: 7/10

Marek: They have “Skyfall” and we have “World”! From the beginning when I heard the Albanian version I was in love, a song with an immense potential. Violins, screaming, drums, trembling —  everything! The tension that’s built throughout the whole song and having a climax in the ending sequence — that’s amazing. After having one listen you’re sure of one thing — that girl can scream.

Score: 9.5/10

Padraig: “World” is a strange one. Initially, I was inclined to paint it with the same brush as Malta and Georgia – namely an anonymous melodramatic lady ballad. But over repeated listens, I’ve come to appreciate some of the song’s charms. Sadly, most Eurovision viewers won’t have the pleasure of hearing this more than once. And while Lindita is undoubtedly a fabulous singer, it’s hard to see past her poor diction and over-exuberant vocal showboating. A little restraint wouldn’t go amiss.

Score: 4.5/10

Anthony: Albania may have faced criticism for singing in English and going for the added revamp can be risky. Thankfully, they’ve avoided a repeat of last year’s disaster. While “Përrallë” had all the life sucked out of it, Lindita managed to maintain some of the emotional impact “Botë” delivered. And the song allows her to show what a talented singer she is with those powerhouse vocals.

Score: 7.5/10

William: If I were judging this solely on Lindita it’d be a perfect 10. The woman has the voice of a Mariah and the energy of a Mariah after some go-go juice. The song itself is slightly safer, but Lindita really sells it. The revamp has pulled this into today, mixing traditional strings with contemporary production that’s mysterious and in-your-face. The added vocal runs showcase her precision power and control. Over-the-top and at times unhinged, it’s a ballad of extremes, which I extremely enjoy.

Score: 7/10

Chris: In the end, it doesn’t feel like “World” lost or gained anything really from the switch to English. Ultimately, my score would be the same for either version of the song. Perhaps that’s because the real star here isn’t the song, but the singer. Lindita has the potential to challenge for best vocals of the contest: at least “World” allows her to show it off. Perhaps it becomes a little too much at times, but it’s solid regardless.

Score: 6/10

Deban: “Botë” was my world, and although I respect the intentions behind the re-vamp, much of the mystery and orchestration of the original have been stripped away in favour of a more current sound. Undoubtedly, Lindita’s vocal flourishes is the main driver here. This girl can belt! For that reason alone, she deserves a spot on the left-hand side of the final scoreboard.

Score: 6.5 /10

Jordi: Lindita is all about power and drama with her song “World”. Even if I truly loved “Botë” more than her English revamp, the soulful essence in her composition is still there — and just magical. Odds may say one thing now, but she will surely blow up the stage with her performance. Even if the original lyrics matched the song’s spirit better, this is already growing on me. From suspense to dramatic vocals, the melody is on point. There’s no way she’s not qualifying!

Score: 7.5/10

In our Wiwi Jury, we have 38 jurors but only room for eight reviews. The rest of our scores can be found below:

Anastas: 3.5/10

Andy: 5.5/10

Angus: 5/10

Antony: 6/10

Antranig: 0.5/10

Bernardo: 6/10

Bogdan: 7/10

Dayana: 6/10

Edd: 3/10

Erdi: 7/10

Forrest: 3/10

George: 4/10

Jacob: 5/10

Jason: 6.5/10

Josh: 5.5/10 

Jovana: 6.5/10

Kristin: 5.5/10

Luis: 7.5/10

Matt: 7.5/10

Mikhail: 7/10

Natalie: 7/10

Patrick: 5.5/10

Renske: 8/10

Rezo: 7/10

Sami: 5/10

Sinan: 6.5/10

Stanislav: 7.5/10

Steinunn: 6/10

Tobias: 1/10

Zakaria: 6.5/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before calculating the average score, the highest and lowest scores are dropped. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 0.5 and a high of 9.5.

Wiwi Jury verdict: 5.92/10

What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!

See our current Eurovision 2017 reviews and rankings

40 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Mollie
6 years ago

I’ll immediately seize your rss as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me recognise in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.

Karen Tariutriyeva
Karen Tariutriyeva
6 years ago

I want Tirana2018 Albania is my winner! 12 points from Australia!!!!!!

Ade
Ade
6 years ago

Antranig: 0.5/10 ? What is this !!!
WTF
9/10 for Lindita!

Mark
Mark
6 years ago

It’s really funny to read these comments after hearing Lindita sing live in Amsterdam and Madrid where she was the best by a mile, the views on youtube show that – the best voice and a good song – not a winner but a finalist for sure

Lukewarm
Lukewarm
6 years ago

The original version in Albanian is even better because it sounds more natural. Still, Lindita will have the song to pull off a surprise top finish. The build up is very good and the climax does not disappoint. Normally I don’t appreciate screams but in this song it fits the message perfectly. 02 Norway | 04 UK | *06 Albania* | 08 Bulgaria | 11 Serbia | 12 Sweden 14 Denmark | *15 Moldova* | 16 Poland | 18 Latvia | 19 Cyprus | 20 Iceland 23 Greece | 24 Czechia | 25 Armenia | 26 Netherlands | 27 Belarus… Read more »

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago

I used to preffer it over georgian two monthes back. As always, revamp has happened afterwards and gorgeous orchestral version has gone with well incrusted lyrics of unqiue language. I have rest in another song that wasn’t compromised. Prediction: qualification is doubtful.
… I don’t know why some teams/delegations are so afraid of orchestral versions, ballads serve these the best way possible.

Siranush
Siranush
6 years ago

I honestly love this song! At first I didn’t like the revamp as much, but now I love it even more than the original! Good luck Lindita! You could win!
My score: 9.5

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
6 years ago

My favourite song this year.
The fact that she can sing this live is quite amazing. When I watched Fik, I knew this was going to be the winner and I just hoped that when they revamped it (and I knew they would), that they were not going to lose what is an amazing song. I admit, I was sad that they replaced the orchestra with rock guitars but, hey, Lindita sounds just as good in English.
With the right staging and if she slams that big note, this could be Albania’s best placing ever.

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago

Not a huge wow for me… I love her tho, and her vocals slay. I liked Albanian version way more, just because it gave the song a bit of originality.. Yeah I’m giving it a 5,5.

Grande Amore
Grande Amore
6 years ago

This is very overrated. Her vocals are just screams, there are better vocalists this year.

DyGh
DyGh
6 years ago
Reply to  Grande Amore

Screams? Like Jamala did last year?

M_K
M_K
6 years ago

Personal rating: Albania usually sends quality and “World” is no exception, even if it sounds a little chaotic (especially since it has been revamped – I guess they tried a little too hard). The lyrics are pretty much a mashup of – “A Million Voices” (“We’re so alike, yet different” vs. “We are the world’s people, different yet we’re the same”) and – “What If” (“What’s the fight all for? What’s the cost of life in this world? Almost ipossible is to let the love unite us all?” vs. “Together we can change the world forever … What if we… Read more »

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

5.5/10
That running order Georgia – Australia – Albania is terrible.

Eve
Eve
6 years ago

I like beggining of the song, but in the second half it gives me headache 😛
Lindita has good voice and great energy on stage, but I think there is no need for such screaming tho, not my cup of tea definitely.
6/10

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

To be honest, when I heard the original version, I was indifferent. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it! Lindita is a great singer, but I couldn’t understand what she was singing. That was obvious, as I don’t speak Albanian. However, I still thought she was singing vowels (ex.eeee or aaaaa, or oooo). I couldn’t figure out there were words and lyrics. The English version is better for me and shows off Lindita’s voice! I like it more now, but still it’s not a strong song. Only an amazing staging and an amazing performance can save Albania! I’ll… Read more »

Éire
Éire
6 years ago

I love this song, I would love to see Lindita get in the Top 5, of Top 10 at the very least. Her vocals are very impressive.

Leo M
Leo M
6 years ago

The revamp is better than the Albanian version but it still is not a great song. It is too generic and sounds very similar to their entry last year. She has an amzing voice but it won’t make up for the poor song. I cannot see this reaching the final

(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
6 years ago

This is awesome and it will get my vote. Lindita’s voice is out of this world. In my top 3.

8.5/10

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

so my official points when listening to the song

for looks a big fat 9.0/10

for song a 7.5/10

of course the song must be important, i wasn’t thinking straight a moment ago haha

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

The key is D minor. The genre in the video starts off as piano rock, and later evolves into full-blown orchestral rock. The main chords throughout the verses and choruses are extremely dramatic. The song starts with: D-min7, G, G-min, D-min. This repeats throughout verse 1 and chorus 1, while the melody runs up and down the scale with arpeggios. Then at the end of the second verse, there’s this gritty C-sharp bass line note clashing against Lindita’s “A” note in the vocal – at this point it’s not entirely clear what this harmonic device is, but it’s keeping us… Read more »

Llobera 4 Ever
Llobera 4 Ever
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I love your incredibly detailed and technical reviews 🙂 I am a total ignorat about these details, but I can understand emotion and intention behind this song, and I completely agree. The 27-beat-scream is simply and plainly ASTOUNDING, and I think Lindita is the only one delivering something like that this year (plus, she is totally adorable). The lyrics are a bit generic, but if she pulls it off in the contest and with a cool staging, I can’t see this not qualifying.

Digital Style
Digital Style
6 years ago

I take it my initial comment got modded, so I’ll rephrase. I’m not really sure what to think about this song. Before the revamp, it was great, and even though not much has changed with it, I still feel as though the emotion has been removed from it, and her diction is terrible; I can understand maybe one or two lines overall. That being said, it is a great song for what is a very talented young woman.

Möhrant
Möhrant
6 years ago

I adore both versions of this song and I really hope it gets to the final! Will definitely be getting my vote in semi-final 1 (along with Estonia and Belgium).

Paul
Paul
6 years ago
Reply to  Möhrant

Where are you from?

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

Lindita is so sexy, stunning and beautiful, the song well i don’t care about that

9.0/10

this is so much better than that overrated Italy crap

Katy
Katy
6 years ago
Reply to  anonymous91

You 5 days ago:
“i am just someone who is being honest about the song, cause it’s a song contest i thought, if it was a top model contest i’m sure Demy would be a contender to be top 5”

What a big hypocrite you are. Go home pls and never come back.

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago
Reply to  Katy

i am not a hypocrite, but with Lindita i don’t care about the song, cause she looks so stunningly gorgeous

and no i like it on wiwibloggs, and i admit i can be a bit too obsessed of my fave, and it is a song contest i know, omg sometimes i write stupid and silly things lol

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Katy

@Katy: Seriously, you keep notes of what people write in comments threads on Wiwibloggs, and then personally attack them for it in a later thread! Is someone paying you to do this?

Colin
Colin
6 years ago

Already 25 songs reviewed and among them, only 6 out of my 16 currently favorite ones. Following reviews will contain 10 of my favorites, 7 songs I like or don’t mind and one more song I really don’t like.

fikri
fikri
6 years ago
Reply to  Colin

yeah i notice wiwibloggs is saving the best for last lol. oh well… gotta keep the suspense up!

Davve
Davve
6 years ago

Albania love their screaming ladies….. Sadly Europe does not overall like them. It is indeed sad to see a good singer getting this non qualifier song…..

Colin
Colin
6 years ago

The song is very powerful and creates a special atmosphere during listening to it. However, I had to listen to it *a lot* of times to memorize the melody. Seams like this entry will have to rely on the staging and singer’s charisma to pass the finals. Thankfully, she has voice and charisma in galons to put a spectacular live. The lyrics are good too. It is a cry for a better world, made dramatically, yet never going into the cheesy category. It could have contained *more* of lyrics, though, but same could be said for Portugal and nobody can… Read more »

Aria
Aria
6 years ago
Reply to  Colin

So you’re saying we have to wait to know “What’s the final wo-uhhhhh-rd?”

Colin
Colin
6 years ago
Reply to  Aria

Exactly 🙂 I noticed that some entries which gave me very different first impression are starting to have a similar effect on me, or even surpass some songs I used to consider way better.

Aria
Aria
6 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Well that’s the cost of life in the Esc world.

Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

The nasal screams are just out of control and all over the place. I get it that it’s supposed to be dramatic, and it certainly doesn’t fail at achieving this, but there’s too much going on here for me to appreciate it.

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
6 years ago

Lol William sat this one out. obviously because he’s from the same state as Lindita. I’d give this a 6.8/10. It could blow us all away live at ESC. I remember not having such big expectations for Australia last year and Dami Im ended up doing so well when the contest went live.

Pablo
Pablo
6 years ago

I am extremely upset at Albania and this song. With Lindita, by miles the best vocalist of all 42 acts, no contest; the song and this entry should have been a 20/10. But in true Albania fashion, they gave her the safest bet that kills even the best singer they ever had. World is not bad, but it’s certainly not great, and I expected someone who lives in the US to control their English better (not perfect, but understandable enough). She could have easily made the modern move musically while keeping it all in Albanian, that would have been a… Read more »

Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Pablo

I wouldn’t say she’s the best vocalist, she’s just very good at screaming… if you’re into that stuff. Miruna from Switzerland asphalts Lindita with her perfectly polished and controlled vocals.

Jumbo
Jumbo
6 years ago
Reply to  Pablo

@Pablo
”World” is too safe and ”Yodel it!” is trying too hard to be fun, is that your opinion?
As a Romanian I want to ask you if you heard about MIHAI Traistariu (Romania 2006). He screams like hell, maybe better than Lindita. Do you know how he learned to do that? He saw children in the playground and he noticed that they scream all the time while playing, and he said : ”I can do that too”. So it is literally just screaming.