In December he became the very first Eurovision 2018 act to reveal his song. And today, more than three months later, Eugent Bushpepa becomes the last Eurovision 2018 act to reveal the three-minute version of his track.
The earlier version of his song lasted for more than four minutes. In cutting it down to the required three minutes the Albanian star has crated a more efficient, high-impact piece. It packs a punch more quickly and will manage to keep the attention of viewers whose minds may have strayed in the longer version. The song, which translates as “Yearning”, retains its anthemic quality. It also seems somehow lighter. The instrumentation in the opening verses comes off as more ethereal and inviting.
With 90 seconds to lose, the Albanian team have removed a verse and rearranged things a bit. The guitar isn’t as loud, so Eugent’s vocals stand out more. The chorus now starts with a quieter half before kicking into the power notes. To many this is the first Albanian revamp since “Suus” where Albania hasn’t made the song worse. Well done!
Eugent Bushpepa — “Mall” Eurovision version
Since FiK, Albania has enjoyed some of its most positive fan reviews ever, with many applauding the uplifting nature of the Albanian song and Eugent’s solid vocals. Despite being a rocker, he’s able to cut across genres and demographics.
He’s consistently won or placed near the top of our “Eurovision favourite so far” polls, building ever-more hype as fans waited for today’s release.
Albania will compete in Semi-Final 1 — the so-called semi-final of death — on May 8. He performs in the first half of the semi, alongside the likes of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Iceland, Israel and Lithuania.
What do you think of the Eurovision revamp? Do you think it retains its power and appeal? Let us know in the comments box below.
Amaizing Song, Best voice!!
I just reviewed this song in detail, and I appreciate it a whole lot more now. A lot of effort went into this entry. I hope it qualifies from the Semi.
Albania isn’t known for its good revamps. However, this year they did a good job. Though it’s not clearly rock any more, but it starts in a different way, which I don’t really like, overall it’s still good. I hope they qualify!
I loved this amazing song from the very first time I heard it !! Also the new version is very beautiful !! It ‘s still my number 1 !!! I hope so that we see him back in the final with a great result !! Good Luck Albania and Eugent !! You deserve it !!!
Tirana (Albanian capital city) is opening a new arena this Christmas, entitled
Arena Kombëtare. If Albania wins, then Arena Kombëtare could be the venue for 2019! 😀 Of course this new venue will need to have a roof in order to do so. 🙂
http://www.botasot.info/media/botasot.info/images/2017/August/08/auto_arena-kombetare2-665×4001502209420.jpg
Oh it looks very nice! Seems like putting a roof on it, even if it’s just for ESC, might not be that difficult.
LOVE IT! Never thought I’d love an Albanian song so much, but here it is. I just can’t get over the fact that it will not qualify though. 🙁
It will, don’t worry. 🙂
It kept the same quality for me. I stopped listening to this song in January, because I know how I’d feel after the final cut. I remember how awkward it was to hear Occidentali’s Karma’s 3 min version, so I decided to change this approach with Mall. It worked.
I love it , Mall is a great song , way underrated , it has better chance to qualify then some of the other “favorites” like this horrible live performance from Finland’s monsters , so funny how past year they had “meh” studio version of black bird and amazing live show and now its exacly the opposite ….Albania will be at the final with this song.
in your list ahahahhahaha
I am a bit dissapointed.
Cheer up! You may actually like the revamp! 🙂
One important thing that is also missing is that Nordic sounding instrument in the first verse. Obviously if you want votes from every region, you have to insert some of their main instruments if you can, not remove them. The staging for this needs to be very magical if it wants a chance to pass to the final, nothing static, boring or cheesy like in the past years.
They absolutely ruined it for me. It was my 2nd favourite of the year. The new arrangement feels forced, especially after listening to the original version so many times. Sack whoever is doing your revamps Albania, because 2016 and 2018 butchered the songs.
Albania is finally going for something different and more authentic without butchering their edit, but I don’t feel this is enough for the brutality that is Semi 1.
Not my cup of tea, but finally Albania brings something different for change, can it work?
#43 place, NEXT
#1 Israel, I guess?
YESS!! My absolute #1.
If well staged, this will do very well. Love it!
It’s not so great anymore but still good after revamp. It’s now lacking something unfortunately. It doesn’t deliver same feeling to me.
I love lyrics, instruments and the vocal of Eugent. Is the best entry after “suus” . Good luck Albania.
What also is missed: the very high notes… which are DRAMA and show his great vocal abilities – and why did they think it sounds better with this “lighter” instrumentation – especially at the end… I would love to know about the arguments. But it is how it is. I am glad we know and have the original version too which I will always love – it found it’s way into my heart…
No jury bait, love it! I dislike singers trying to show that they can sing just to get points from the jury a.k.a. Dami Im/Anja Nissen.
Yet another strong song in semi 1! It’s a good choice to keep it in Albanian too
Cant we have the allocation to semi’s after the songs are known? Almost every song in semi 2 will finish after the 10 coming out of semi 1!
I preferred the heavier instrumentation but still very happy with the finished product. SF1 is definitely going to be painful, but Albania does have Greece, Cyprus and FYROM to help. Maybe even Finland or Iceland since they tend to like rock music? A lot of countries will be fighting for the same few spots, but I would not count out Albania so soon.
Truthfully, the only country I WOULD count out is Iceland. The rest is up on the air.
It lost its power and now it sounds like a Christmas carol. My recommendation to him is to sing as if he was singing the original version. What he should have done is just edit the original like he has done with the FIK music video. The whole trip to Brussels was unnecessary, he did a much better job orchestrating the song himself. I think it has gone from sure qualifier to maybe yes maybe no. The only thing that can save it at this point is if he sings it so well and so powerfully that we forget about… Read more »
??..so true though he is so goodlooking the camera should focus on him and him on the camera. he doesn’t look into the camera sometimes which is annoying. he should also dress to wow not impress. his all white look was too uptight. I want hot ??
He has those deep eyes and that really friendly and sexy smile, he should probably learn from Ari Olafsson on how to look and smile for the camera. Essentially he needs to have eye sex with us the viewer lol. In FIK he closed his eyes, but the Albanians understood what he sang about. For the rest of us, all we are going to hear is an exotic language sung by a hunk, and so we will need lots of flirting in there. He needs to be yearning, we need to be yearning, so that he can be on his… Read more »
Amen girl i hope he reads this, he is HOT, very very HOT imo, why not use it in his favor
I don’t like this song , but if Inis Neziri has won she would have been my number one this year ?
Mall is million times better. Inis Neziri was the pop diva ESC does not need. Eugent is the sh*t.
The second verse was the MAGIC of song to me, where the song REALLY SOARED to great heights, so I’m sad they cut it out, instead of the backing vocal interlude at the end (which they shortened but didn’t cut out) – the weird dropped note in 1st verse (different from studio version) & interlude between the first verse/chorus are sticking points for me, and the fact that this video is just him performing (though he’s one HELL of a performer), and it doesn’t tell a story is a HUGE missed opportunity…This stays in top 10 for me but falls… Read more »
I agree that it lost quality and I agree about this dropped note thing and about the escalation – the long version from 1:00 – is the solution that I hoped for…
I think the 9 sure qualifiers are: Israel, Belgium, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greek, Croatia, Czeck Republic, Finland, I can’t stand Estonie – but you will vote for it 🙁
so there is Albania against Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Belarus and Azerbaijan – and as you have guessed my points go to Albania.
I would probably switch Macedonia with Austria as Macedonia didn’t even manage to qualify last year with one of the best songs in the competition. They have a good song yet again, but qualification seems quite unlikely ( though not impossible ). Also Azerbaijan is a sure qualifier no matter what they send
Changes very well analyzed and described, William, thanks.
I got so used to the “heavier” version that it needs some time to accustom my ears to this version… I miss some bits and pieces and some little changes of phrases would not have been my choice but it makes it probably more accessible for the first time listeners.
Still love it and I hope that his performance is going to be grand – sailing into Lisbon Grand Final…
Meh…not much has changed. It will still struggle big time especially in semi 1. Of course it is preferable to Israel but hey.
It is slightly better but still I doubt it will leave an impact and qualify. It is a weak song!
The new version is much better, but i still don’t think it deserves to qualify. Good luck anyway, Eugent!
Great Entry & not English entry. Why not for Eurovision 2019 in Tirana, Albania?
Eurovision 2019 Tirana Albania <3
That would be great! 😀
😀
I like this since the first time I heard it, but rewamp looks kinda lighter, guess I need time to get used to it.. Everything is on point here, if he manages to give good performance, that would be totally deserved qualification.
Maybe they thought that a lighter version could reach for a wider audience. But I think the main reason for the changes is that they know that on Eurovision they won’t have a live orchestra, so they need to focus on Eugent’s voice. I also miss the original power on this studio version, but I think he will compensate it with his performance.
Yeah, it makes sense. Only worry here is that tough semi..
Oh yes! This version sounds more melodic and all the subtle nuances of the song come through. It was a top 10 for me and with this revamp it solidifies that position.
Wow my nr 2 ?
Just incredible! 🙂
Finally! One of my favourites since the start. Good job given a challenge to cut it to 3 minutes! Still retains its anthemic quantity and great vocals, especially after cutting a verse. Build up is faster and gets to the point sooner. Congrats, Albania. You stayed true to your language! Has been and remains in my top 4! I’m sure he’ll deliver on the night!
I like the revamp, but the original was more powerful. Also, Albania could have made a music video in all these months they have had.
Anyway, Albania is in my 3rd place. I really hope Eugent can qualify, but it will be very hard.
His voice just kills, and this new arrangement features it even stronger than before. I miss the crunchy guitars, but there’s a warmer glow to it now. “Mall” is still my #2 entry this year, and I hope it does well. Thanks for an awesome song, Albania!
This song needed that cut so much! Now it doesn’t feel like a chore to listen to. I miss the power in Eugent’s voice, but I’m sure he’ll bring it live.
Fingers crossed! 😀
I still like it, though I think the original was more powerful. But maybe I will get used to this one. My problem with this song is that I really like it, when I hear it, but when I think about my favorites, it somehow gets lost and I forget it. Then I listen to the recap of all songs and I’m like: “oh, I forgot about Mall”. Good luck to Eugent anyway, he’s a great singer.
I feel exactly the same about this song. I really like it, but then, it gets lost in the sea of stronger entries I like better. This said, I really hope to see Albania qualify this year, though I’m afraid that’s gonna be tough.
I won’t deny I miss louder guitars, but I think this was a clever revamp. They had to cut something out and they were able to keep the song structure working very well. The idea to give the chorus a quieter half on its first execution was smart becase this gives Eugent one more opportunity to show his range and shine. I guess who loved the original will need some time to get used to it, but in terms of Eurovision, that makes a lot of sense. There’s so much talk about overrated and underrated songs here but this is… Read more »
I’m with you 100%, Sabrina. You took the words right out of my mouth.
I’m glad that you agree Sangfreud. 🙂 Let’s hope many more people think the same about it on May 8th!
Dear Sabrina, I also like the song, and I also hope it will qualify, but it probably will not, because of the following reasons: (1) It is unfortunately in the stronger semi. (2) It is not high-impact enough, many people like it, but few will vote for it. (3) It appeals more to the younger generation, and there is a considerable older generation of ESC voters. (4) Albania is generally clueless when it comes to stage presentation. I still think there is hope, but it depends on the vocal performance of Eugene during the jury final, and whether Albanian delegation… Read more »
Nick, I agree that Albania’s situation is complicated. If I had to place a bet right now, sadly I wouldn’t put my money on them. Like you said, it’s on the stronger semi and Albania hasn’t been good with staging. I hope they keep it simple this time and let we focus on Eugent’s figure and voice. Running order can be a problem too. I don’t think the age of the voters would influence that much though. I guess it’s much more a matter of which kind of music each one grew up listening to. Cultural background may be a… Read more »
It is interesting that you mentioned ‘Blackbird’, cause I knew juries would not give it a push, it was too high school musical theatre for my taste (and obviously for the juries taste). Whereas Mall sounds more polished, more contemporary, more radio-friendly, I think it can collect enough jury points to qualify, but once again, they need someone with some taste in stage direction.
Well, I guess your high school was way more interesting than mine then! haha I really liked “Blackbird”. It has some musical theater flavor, I’ll give you that. But I always expect the juries to value great vocals (and punish the bad ones also). They failed me with that. “Mall” is more nuanced, I guess it can reach different kind of musicians. For the stage, I would suggest a minimalist approach like Salvador’s. Give Eugent some musicians to interact on the stage and use the lights and the camera work to build up a performance following the melody’s leads. Make… Read more »
Exactly my thoughts re: staging!
I agree with you completely Sabrina!
OMG Sabrina we’ve to meet each other! You literally said what I’ve been saying all over the place – same musically taste (that’s difficult). I thought I was the only one liking this song A LOT. And btw Blackbird was my favourite song last year. I’m still mad the juries ruined that, I feel like they will do it again with Albania 🙁 I think people is overloking it cause the genre and because it’s in their own language, what a shame. I personally don’t understand a word of Albanian but it still is one of my favourites. I’ll vote… Read more »
Quality, quality, quality!!!
Eugents vocals are simply amazing
The revamp brings more immediacy, which was essential under the time restraints imposed by the rules
It’s a really tough semi-final and there’ll be good songs left behind but this definitely should not be one of them
Well done Albania
I do not understand people saying Georgia is chaotic while this is an awful noise§ Not as bad as Hungary but still… really not my thing!
Hello! Hungary is great, one of the best songs this year, if not the best one…
I still love it. Top 10 material
I still like it! I was afraid that they would screw it up again with the revamp, but this I like 😀 Still in my top 10 of semi 1, but I don’t think Eugene will actually make it through. Sad, but so many good entries will be left in the semi on May 8…
After listening it 5-6 times repeatedly, I noticed it grew on me. It still doesn’t have the same power the old version had, but it is not as bad as it seemed the first time I listened to it.
Anyways, it will be borderline qualifier.
Until yesterday I was pretty sure Tirana 2019 would happen. Not anymore. It’s like the guys who revamp Albanian songs don’t want Albania to win anytime soon.
If this was in the second semi, it would cruise through but I am not sure about it. He will need a stunning live performance to go through because the song itself isn’t really memorable enough.
The revamp is fantastic and IMO the best we could get in 3 minutes. I love both versions.
I was expecting more tbh.
Albania was my number 1 since the beginning and it did not lose its place…until now.
I can’t see it qualify anymore and that hurts a lot.
I’m not sure about that revamp, but maybe it’s because I’ve listened to the original too many times… 😛 I love Mall! Please, go to the final! <3
Albania has been in my top two and while I still prefer the original, the revamp is fantastic. Eugent has my favourite male voice in the competition. I love it when rock acts perform on Eurovision.
For me best albanian entry in Eurovision from 2012.
My top 3 songs from Albania 2010,2012 and 2006, then 2008,2009, 2018,2015…