Diell is dead, but Elhaida Dani is alive! Just two days after its video release, “I’m Alive” has racked up 450,000 views and nearly 10,000 likes. Since the release, Albania has been climbing the Eurovision odds table and is now a favourite to win the first semi-final. It’s a huge jump: Previously the bookies had Elhaida in dead last. Could Albania be a dark horse this year? We definitely think so.
After revealing that she was ditching Diell, fans speculated that her new Eurovision song was going to be a typical ballad like her winning song from Festivali i Këngës 53. Thankfully it’s not, and she’s avoided the ESC ’15 trend of women singing ballads about love and pain. Instead she brings a modern, mid-tempo R’n’B song that showcases her beautiful voice. As her fans know, her voice is flawless live. She’s the kind of singer who sounds even better live than in a video. Given that the video is already very good, we cannot wait to hear her throw this down. Zzap & Chriss have done yet another amazing song. #teamalbania
Potential staging
The biggest problem with Albania in Eurovision is the staging. Back in 2006 we had the young Luiz Ejlli who just stood there performing with a bunch of old men wearing traditional Albanian costumes. In 2013, it was over-the-top with pyros which likely sent some people into an epileptic fit.
Thankfully Elhaida is a seasoned performer with extensive experience in Italian productions. She won’t let things get out of control. We already know that three backing vocalists will join her on stage in Vienna. Hopefully she can carry the simplicity and beauty of her video to the stage. With the right staging, this could do a lot of damage. She’d tear through the ballads like an eagle in the open sky.
“I’m Alive” has been well received among Albanians and the Albanian media. We’re our own worst critics, and such a positive response hasn’t been seen since Rona Nishliu reached fifth in Baku back in 2012. Albanians have been following the contest very closely this year, and it’s partly because Elhaida is so loved by her countrymen and women. She’s reminding them about the virtues of Eurovision. In our books that makes her a winner already.
Review: Elhaida’s “I’m Alive”
I’m Alive lyrics – Elhaida Dani
I was too afraid right from the start
To even let you welcome in my heart
You cut it deep and left it bleeding hard
Will I ever heal these painful scars?
I just can’t help it
I’m out of breath, I’m trying to find the words to say
Time pass by
Now it’s broad daylight
I know you will come with the speed of the light
You’re my everything, all that I need
You shut down my dreams, but I’m not gonna cry
You live within me, that’s why I’m alive
I am alive cos you are my life
You are my sun
I am alive cos you are my life
Your name is printed crystal clear on glass
From all the sighs coming out my breath
I’m blinded by
This love can’t stop screaming out your name so loud
Where are you at?
Baby, won’t you come back?
Baby, please come back
Baby, please come back
Baby, please come back
I know you will come at the speed of the light
You’re my everything, all that I need
You shut down my dreams, but I’m not gonna cry
You live within me, that’s why I’m alive
I am alive cos you are my life
You are my sun
I am alive cos you are my life
Photo: Orsola Mema by Class Photography
Elhaida Dani, we proud of you ………you will win on Saturday
The greatest representation ever of Albania….. luv Elhaida … and her voce too… 🙂
Elhaida has a very beautiful voice.i’m from albania but it’ s true,the song is so cool,i love it..go elhaida….you are the one
Elhaidaa WIN EUROVISION 2015 (y)
Der beste song überhaupt,Albanien macht sehr guite Musik!
Ich hoffe Elhaida gewint.
Ich verstehe nicht warum die Serben immer was dagegen haben wenn Albanien gewint , etwa neidisch???
ALBANISCHE MUSIK MACHT DEUTSCHLAND GLÜCKLICH!!!
Good luck Elhaida.You should be winner.GoPro#Elhaida#ProudOfYou#ProudToBeALBANIAN
Here it is the WINNER of Eurovision Song Contest 2015.
Congrats Albania.
The best song and singer.
Alexa,
there will be not a problem a building an arena in 1 year and yes the costs of the organization might be high but I think could be managed well by our government that is resourceful! If Serbia did it we can do it perfectly!!
What does this suppose to mean? Serbia didn’t build a stage. Serbia already had Hala sportova with 25000 seats!!!
Definitely a great song, but top-5…. I don’t think so. I hope she’ll make it to the final, thank goodness there is an expert jury these days!
The vocal of Elhaida everyone knows that is the best of everyone else this eurovision , you can check her songs in the voice of italy.
The video has over 600K views now! I np think next week it will have at least 1 million views.
Best albanian entry ever 🙂 top 5 for sure !!! My prediction is #Madrid2016 but why not #Tirana2016 ? 12 points for Elhaida ??? best voice this year !!!
This song is very beautiful. I’ve loved it very much for a short period of time. I think, Russia will help Albania to win 😉
elhaida dani with that incredible voice has won The voice of Italy under the tutorial of the great Riccardo Cocciante. She is a potentially winner…(the song already is in the top most views in youtube)
Cheers from Albania, a very special place
An excellent song, impeccable vocals and a gorgeous singer. I’ll be amazed if this song doesn’t fly through the semi and score well in the final. Good luck Elhaida and Albania!
@MTD I thought my piece was honest and measured. I talked about the faults in the past so I don’t think this is patriotic. I didn’t post something similar to this last year for Hersi, this is what I can see happen, along with Italy, Sweden and Slovenia.
Ryanireland – All the world faces economic crisis…should we stop supporting art because of it?? Albania built a whole new stadium for the European Football Championship in 5-6 months the last year and was planning to build 2 others this year…there will be not a problem a building an arena in 1 year and yes the costs of the organization might be high but I think could be managed well by our government that is resourceful! If Serbia did it we can do it perfectly!! RTSH is a very big television with a lot of experience. And what festival would… Read more »
She may win, and deserves it, unless political voting takes place as usually.
If Albania were to win the EBU would along with the main contributing countries end up paying for it, unless we are totally wrong about the economy in Albania and the economic situation of Albanian TV. Same can be said for the likes of TV stations in Moldova Romania FYROM Montenegro the list goes on. Many countries struggle to host. Just look at a so called economically developed nation like Denmark last year.
And its not a ballad! Glad she did a u-turn with Albania’s song entry and entered an upbeat song instead. We will probably see another Top 10 or even Top 5 finish for Albania again like in 2012 😉
Top 5? No way… as much as I like this song, I don’t think it’s going to move everyone enough to get up there.
If Rona could do it then so can she. Elhaida and her song are good enough to win the whole thing tbh, but Italy and Sweden are gonna be stealing all the spotlight. If Albania finishes lower than top 10 in the final, it will be a tragedy.
I LOVE this song! I hope Albania passes to the final and get a Top 5 or win
Top 5:
1- Albania
2- Spain
3- Germany
4- Estonia
5- Lithuania
no, i dont think it will get to top 5. 10-15
Horrible song in my opinion. She just screams like a scared turkey. I really hope thath this kind of songs will start to be redimensioned in the very next future.
It’s my 5th so why not? But I think it will stay somewhere between 10th-15th.
This song is definitely in my top 10, and could go top 5 depending on her live performance in contrast to others in her semi. If she nails the song and staging, she could definitely go top 5…who the heck thought “Suus” would go top 5??? I despised it!
Her voice is beyond doubt, but the song is messy:/ She can gain many votes from the jury, but I am not sure if the viewers will support this song.
Maybe 80 % viewers of video are from Albania, Kosovo and countries with huge albanian diaspora. I dont believe to much in viewers on youtube… or result od pool.You can clear cookies and vote so many times for one countries on eurovision pools…. I dont tnik so that this song can go to TOP 5 or TOP 10 in final. This song is not good like song from 2012, 2014 who are on 5 and 7 place in final, and song from 2008,2009,2010,2011 who are for me much better than albanian song from 2015. Song that deserve TOP 10 in… Read more »
Better than their best result (Suus) but unfortunately I don’t think it will be as successful. I hope the best for Albania though this year as it is one of the best songs. Plus I love the riff.
Too many so calles power ballads this year. Too many screeming women (Latvia, Iceland, Albania° Not at all my thing. And a lovely shy balad lik the one from Cyprus is completely forgotten. People don’t need to screem for being heard, I always say but obviously not in Eurovision.
It is great …. But Slovenia is way better in my opinion, Estonia as well …. I even love Azerbaijan this year, Italy is very overly hyped but deserving !!!! Norway is incredible as well
so my top 5 would be
1.Slovenia
2.Estonia
3.Norway
4.Azerbaijan
5.Spain
Speaking realistically, which nobody seems to be able to do. Albania has no chance of getting top 5. The song is boring and slips into nothingness, and a complete bore compared to Diell, which was as good as Suus in my books. 40% chance of qualification.
This song is the only song from Eurovision that I always listen to everyday. I could probably hit the replay button repeatedly on YouTube because I love this song very much.
i love this song, that’s why i will see eurosong this year, 12 points from Spain
i like it the most of all song there, can’t stop listening at her / congrat.from Lithuania
For me, when watching through the recaps of songs Albania stood out most along with Norway, Azerbaijan and Spain.
It’s a meh song. Definitely not top 5 material, more like “barely reached the final”.
I hope it may even win.
Of course if Finland pass and Albany doesn’t I won’t see the final
The song sounds so modern and fresh! Really like it that a lot of countries go modern this year!
I love this song! It’s my favorite this year ! 😀
You have to take into account how she sounds live in English. The videos in English are often deceiving.
@MTD I think Ramadan was pretty objective, Elhaida is a great performer! The song and singer are winner material.
And he said the truth, we Albanians are our worst critics, in fact we hated Diell and we never supported songs we didn’t like even though they presented Albania.
I think Anjeza, Rona, Juliana and Olta Boka had really good songs…the rest were pretty lame! But none of them were as good as Elhaida and her song!
Nice song, much better than the previous one, but I doubt it will be top 5. There are more striking entries and in the wrong lineup this can go slightly unnoticed.
Good luck Albania!
For sure Albania will be in the top 5 this year. The song is fantastic,Elhaida has a big potential. I think this will be their year.
@Eugene ESC UK Elhaida is a great singer, she has no limits in singing live!! She has song live all her life!! She will be better on scene than in video!
If you want to see how great she can be live check in yt her performances in the Voice of Italy singing “Mamma knows best” and “Adagio” which are two very difficult songs!! You can find also her singing Suus and other difficult songs live.
This is the best song this year!!
But will she win??
We can’t say since Eurovision is all about geopolitics and neighborhood!!
I hope people can value the song and the singer for once!!
Good luck Elhaida and Albania!! You killed it!!
albania is my number one atm
its in my top 5 for sure in no particular order
albania
azerbaijan
iceland
israel
italy