Even though Eurovision 2020 has been cancelled, artists from the Rotterdam lineup have used their downtime to give fans live performances of their Eurovision songs. Albania’s Arilena Ara has also joined in, giving a mini-concert in an empty Tirana square, including the first live performance of her Eurovision entry “Fall From the Sky”.
Arilena performed her Sounds of Silence concert in Tirana’s Mother Teresa Square — named after the honoured Albanian-born Roman Catholic nun. The video of the concert premiered last night on Ariana’s YouTube channel.
Albania — like many countries — is currently under lockdown and the streets surrounding the square are mostly still and empty. Arilena says in the concert that “It’s not easy to perform in a concert in an empty square and hearing the sounds of silence”, but the experienced performer doesn’t let that stop her from putting on a show.
The X Factor champion was joined by a four-piece rock band. The five performers all kept good social distancing, spaced a cautious two metres apart.
Arilena performed a number of her previous singles, including “Nëntori”, “Last Train to Paris” and a new version of her debut single “Aeroplan”.
She also treated fans to the first live performance of her Eurovision 2020 entry “Fall from the Sky”. While Arilena had previously performed the Albanian version “Shaj” at Festivali i Këngës 58, this was the first time the Eurovision version had been performed live.
The Sounds of Silence live version of “Fall from the Sky” had a stripped-down arrangement, as well as a classic Albanian guitar solo. Arilena’s vocals shone, proving that she would have been one of the acts to watch if Eurovision 2020 had gone ahead.
She also performed a cover of Michael Jackson’s pop classic “Heal the World”, introducing it with words of hope and encouragement: “Even though we are far, I know we are together because I can feel your energy. Heal the world. I wish that the whole world will overcome this pandemic!”
Arilena Ara – ‘Sounds of Silence’ Live from Mother Teresa Square
Arilena Ara – Sounds of Silence live concert setlist
- 1:36 – “Nëntori”
- 5:20 – “Heal the World”
- 8:14 – “Fall From the Sky”
- 11:37 – “Doja”
- 14:20 – “Zemër”
- 17:31 – “Last Train to Paris”
- 22:33 – “Aeroplan”
- 25:59 – “Kido”
Sad that the hugs for esc2020 chain is broken now because she is not gonna record a video for it
Nice version but I still want the studio version performed live. It’s still definitely my winner.
Great show, good idea to have the band spaced out like that! Fall From The Sky is criminally underrrated. She needs to come back to Eurovision!!
She is fantastic. Great singer and performer!
Very nice stripped down version of Fall from the sky.