The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — continues to rate and review the 41 songs that had been selected for Eurovision 2020. Next up, we take a look at Albania‘s Festivali i Këngës 58 winner Arilena Ara. She has the Eurovision version of her FiK song, “Fall From the Sky”. Did we fall for her song? Read on to find out!
Arilena Ara – “Fall From The Sky”
“Fall From The Sky” reviews
Angus: Given the topic matter, “Fall From The Sky” should be more uplifting than it actually is. It finally takes flight in the last minute, but make sluggish progress getting there. Arilena’s voice is enormous and no doubt she knocks the big notes out of the park. But this is a song we’ve heard a thousand times before at Eurovision.
Score: 3
Calvin: Arilena has a beautiful voice and would elevate the song easily live. However, this isn’t hard with a song that never leaves the ground. The Eurovision version lost every bit of authenticity and with it the emotions. It is polished to a point where the pearl was lost. She is the best thing about this entry without any doubt.
Score: 4
Deban: Arilena Ara won X Factor Albania for a reason. My girl can SING! However, having a phenomenal voice is just one of several ingredients required for a hot Eurovision recipe. “Fall From the Sky” soaked up unnecessary funds in creating a new version for Eurovision. It didn’t need that. It just needed to bow out. Thankfully, the journey ends here.
Score: 5
Renske: “Shaj” gripped me from the first version, but I feel that “Fall from the Sky” offers Arilena so much more. It is a more modern power ballad, which is totally made to “wow” its listeners upon its live performance. It is dramatic and bombastic, so much so that it would perfectly fit in a James Bond soundtrack.
Score: 8.5
Sebastian: Albania has finally schooled themselves in the art of ‘how to revamp’ with “Fall from the Sky”. It maintains the strength of the Albanian version’s ballad, but makes it more accessible and dynamic. The production is strong, Arilena’s presence is there, and in a year of fairly weak ballads, “Fall from the Sky” is anything but a fall from grace.
Score: 8
Arilena Ara – “Fall From The Sky” rankings
In the Wiwi Jury we have 22 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:
| Antranig: 6.5
Åri: 2.5 Barnabas: 7.5 Bernardo: 3 Esma: 5 Florian: 4 Jonathan: 6 Lucy: 8 Luis: 6.5 |
Natalie: 5.5
Oliver: 6.5 Pablo: 6 Robyn: 6 Ron: 5 Tobias: 4 Tom: 7 William: 5.5 |
We have removed the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. This is to remove outliers and potential bias. We have removed a low of 2.5 and a high of 8.5.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 5.6/10
What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!
Albania – 7.5/10 (20th/41)
This song is a masterpiece and it’s just one of those where I’m going to totally disagree with you guys. My favorite this year along with Switzerland. Arilena is a QUEEN
Albania 1/10
This one probably should’ve just stayed in Albanian. Albania’s put out some real solid entries since their debut, but for me this one just doesn’t do anything for me. Considering last year was mystifying and powerful, I would’ve expected a bit more.
Although Eurovision fans click with ethnic songs, unfortunately the general public doesn’t! so many songs in ethnic languages that don’t come from a big five/spain/portugal/scandinavia have not made it through the to final! I understand why they changed it to english! remember that it was originally in english, so they were just changing back! I think it would have done really well in Eurovision. She has amazing vocals and the staging/live vocals would have really made it special! I feel like she could have come on top 10, will a similar reason to North Macedonia 2019/lithuania 2018. But it also… Read more »
ALBANIA – As I *really* enjoy Shaj, I was skeptical about it’s revamp. Indeed, it drastically changed the song, but it was done with care. The English lyrics are solid and Arilena, besides being an excellent singer, has the right accent. Musically it changed just as much, shifting from a Gothic orchestral ballad to a more sleek piano ballad. The feeling it evokes also turned anger to sadness. It took me time to get used to this former dark ballad’s angelic rebirth. It feels safer, but also more polished. I still believe that Shaj would’ve been a bigger standout, but… Read more »
Fall from the skyyy 😛
Albania 1/10
Moldova & Poland 0/10
That´s my voting of the screaming fraction in second semifinal.
Everyone knows that Elvana was robbed.
A very weak and unecessary english version. I heard songs like this already a milion times at ESC.
Huh, a 5.6 on average? For me, Albania scores a 9.0
I really like her voice. She has amazing vocal reach.
I actually like both Shaj and Fall from the sky.
Very good song in my opinion, especially towards the end/the climax.
Albania: 9.0 – 6th place!
Shaj was 100 % much better. Only revamp and langugage changes work in 2009,2010
The final product is dramatic and powerful. However, I preferred the lower melody and the lower key of the Albanian version. There is no doubt that Arilena is a special singer; she is wonderful on camera. Don’t be surprised if Arilena were to represent Albania again in the future.
She would have brought the house down with Shaj, Fall From The Sky is nice as well but it brings it down from a 9 to a 7…
The English version grew on me. I’d rate it 8.5/10
I still prefer the Albanian version.
Albania 9/10
Hope she comes back next year, imo this is one of the better songs Albania has sent to esc along with “I’m Alive” and “Suss”. With that being said, it’s not in my top 10. It’s a bit to bland and too many times heard before. It’s lowkey very similar to “Voda” from Slovenia. But it isn’t bad and I prefer it to Jonida (I like her too tough. Do you think Albania will send her or have FiK again, I think Albania is one of those countries that would benefit from internal selections. Anyway my score is: 7/10 My… Read more »
“Fall from the sky is not bad but I like “Shaj ” much more.
This is clearly planned to be dramatic, but somehow leaves me cold. Too safe entry, especially after rewamp. Higher score is mostly because of Arilena’s voice and stage presence.
6/10
She has strong vocals, her FiK performance was one of the best that night. However, when it comes to Eurovision you have to bring something more interesting than good vocals to the table. I didn’t like “Shaj” at all but at least it had drama and Albanian lyrics. The revamp, while it is well produced, lacks both of them turning the Albanian entry into a generic pop ballad in English. The vocals are still there but overall it is trying too hard to be modern and Eurovisive. Producers said they made it more radiofriendly if I’m not wrong. I don’t… Read more »
However hard I try, I cannot judge this song on its own merit. “Shaj” is just so much better and to me “Fall From The Sky” will always feel like a stripped of emotions, depth and brilliant instrumentation version of the FiK entry. The quality is still there, but I just can’t enjoy it as much as I would have if I’ve never heard “Shaj”. Albania, no more revamps, please.
“Shaj” 9/10
“Fall From The Sky” 6.5/10
Don’t let it strip the emotions. Arilena herself said that she felt off singing ‘Shaj’ as it was originally in English and the translation from English to Albanian didn’t encapsulate her emotions properly! Ignore the fact that it was in Albanian once, and judge it on its own merits!!!
Is actually my 2020 winner. It’s been an interesting trip to arrive there. “Shaj” was my #1 in FiK originally but only just ahead of “Me Tana” and “Ajer”. After the best FiK that I can remember, I had high expectations for NF season. There were some great songs but that level was never matched and “Shaj” remained my #1 almost my default. However, then, they revamped it and made it even bigger and better. In my opinion, it’s the best song, being sang by the best singer. That, for me, is more than enough.
It really brings nothing new to the table. I don’t mind the translation, both versions are equally bland.
This is so incredibly cliché that it’s sad. It’s a ballad with essentially the same chord progression, structure, and lyrics of, oh I don’t know, nearly every other English ballad in Eurovision (I’m over-exaggerating obviously, but you get my point). It’s such a shame because Arilena has a spectacular voice, so if she returns in 2021 I hope she has a better song. Me Tana should have won FiK, hands down, although I understood why Shaj won. However, when Shaj became Fall From The Sky, everything remotely good about the song was lost. The revamp was sub-par, although her voice… Read more »
I was really worried when they announced that the revamp would be in English. Turned out it was the best choice! Great instrumental, POWERFUL voice. Albanians don’t joke when it comes to vocals
Overall: 7.5/10 (15th)
I was really worried when they announced that the revamp would be in English. Turned out to be a great choice actually! Love the instrumental and her voice is POWERFUL. Albanians don’t joke with their entries when it comes to vocals.
Overall:7.5/10 (15th)
How does this have a lower score than moldova?
Because it is worse?
Completely objective. I have seen a grand total of 0 rankings which has had moldova above this.
You’ve obviously not seen mine then. Moldova is much better for me. Much more drama, sophistication and it knows what it is. I get the impression Albania is pretending a little.
Amen to that
In my opinion Moldova is pretentious and uncomfortable (Frozen by Madonna in the instrumentation + Shallow by Lady Gaga in the pre-chorus; it’s reqally inorganic). On the other hand Albania is genuine and emotional.
Yee
Don’t argue. Both are bland and dull.
There is always a better song. And that is Albania one
Totally Agree! Albania is way better
33. Albania – 5/10 – A little too cliche-heavy for my taste. I also get some oddly religious vibes which I find off-putting. There is drama in the chorus and the vocal is strong, but it all feels a little too predictable and safe. The musical arrangement whereby the notes and vocal “fall” during the chorus was probably meant to be clever in entwining the music with the lyrics, but I find the melody really simple and quite basic and as such it doesn’t have the emotional impact that I think was intended.