Albania Ronela Hajati Sekret Eurovision 2022 First Rehearsal
EBU / Andres Putting

After months of anticipation, the big day is almost here. Eurovision 2022 first rehearsals kicked off inside Turin’s PalaOlimpico today, with artists nine countries hitting the stage for run-throughs. First up was Albania’s Ronela Hajati with “Sekret”. Did she live up to the hype? Let’s find out…

Albania’s Ronela Hajati “Sekret” — Eurovision 2022 first rehearsal

@eurovision The Sekret’s out! Check out this exclusive look at @Ronela Hajati’s first rehearsal on the #Eurovision stage! 🇦🇱🦅 #Eurovision2022 #tiktokeurovision ♬ original sound – Eurovision

Did somebody say makeover? Ronela Hajati is sporting a luscious pink dye job for her Eurovision stage debut. Wearing a sparkly bikini, black bottoms and large black tulle sleeves, Ronela is commanding the stage, with four bare-chested male dancers and a female gymnast by her side. According to behind-the-scenes Eurovision personnel, Ronela has no pyro, but makes full use of the jet streams. Albania is taking you on the most sensual spa day you could dream of.

Ronela told wiwibloggs one of the main themes of her performance is celebrating gay rights. She’s singing directly to the woman on stage, and she wants to deliver a message of equality to her fans in Albania and beyond. 

Our wiwibloggers said…

William: “Ronela looks amazing. This is hot. Exactly what I expected, I am so proud of her.”

Suzanne: “Ronela’s secret, sensual and sexual. I like the pink and blue unicorn colours, but I really do prefer the red and black for sensual and sexual.”

Cinan: “Ronela gave us fire. I love the part where she does the traditional dance, but she’s twerking on the bottom.”

Reaction to Albania’s first rehearsal at Eurovision 2022

@wiwibloggs_official @Ronela Hajati brought a sexual and sensual first rehearsal at #Eurovision for #Albania 🇦🇱 #ESC2022 #Sekret ♬ SEKRET – Ronela Hajati

What do you think? Did Ronela Hajati live up to expectations? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 

68 Comments
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Believer
Believer
2 years ago

I don’t like the fact that the dancer has tattoo in Arabic meaning Mujahideen, which is guerrilla fighter against non-Muslim believers… Just not suitable for ESC ?

Ben
Ben
2 years ago
Reply to  Believer

That’s a bit of a yikes

Ksenija
Ksenija
2 years ago

I don’t see it well, is this a bra?

Mary M.
Mary M.
2 years ago

Ronela said this was just an outfit for rehearsing/dancing … I don’t get the drama (?)

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
2 years ago

Woah. I think we’re in for a suprise with this one at Turin. This could be a dark horse if the entire staging is like this.

Fatima
Fatima
2 years ago

Very clever of wiwibloggs to reflect the tiktokification of the contest by showing their own responses in that format.

Sophia
Sophia
2 years ago

My goodness you guys are harsh! I don’t see anything wrong with the outfits at all! Including Ronelas.

Essie
Essie
2 years ago

The staging and costumes are not 100% finalized until after 2nd rehearsal, they are allowed to make adjustments.

Thomas Sturley
2 years ago

I really hope that isn’t what she wears for the actual performance.

Johan
Johan
2 years ago

She looks like a poorly prepared drag queen ?

Tedd
Tedd
2 years ago

This outfit is absolutely terrible. It totally doesn’t go with the song. Ahhh.. 🙁

Essie
Essie
2 years ago

Line dance, yesss!

Watch the video – I agree the still photo doesn’t look great but when she’s dancing she looks so confident and magnetic. Queen!

Kobe
Kobe
2 years ago

That outfit is just awful. It’s like she’s wearing her grandma’s knickers.

Ted
Ted
2 years ago

I just want to comment on the tik tok snippets for all delegations.
I really really really don’t like the portrait format.
Does anyone know if they’ll be uploaded in landscape when then get put on youtube

Jamie
Jamie
2 years ago

This styling is screaming NQ :/

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Jamie

Not in that semifinal though, in semi 2 probably. but good news it won’t be the final outfit.

Anoni
Anoni
2 years ago

The dancers outfits are good and fit the mood, I don’t know what yall talking about lol. However her outfit is indeed not the most fitting for the vibe of the song… Hopefully she can have a change.

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Anoni

Yep she confirmed that she will try other outfits

Essie
Essie
2 years ago
Reply to  Kaiser

She loves changing up her look, all her pre-party outfits are different and bold. I hope the actual costume has some of that queen vibe but whatever she wears she’s going to give an amazing performance.

Pearli
Pearli
2 years ago

I could already forsee how bad this year would be after the mess of the staging. I didn’t even know we could see Italian drama in Eurovision.

rainer1
rainer1
2 years ago

Destiny from malta could also wear it beautifully.

Lue
Lue
2 years ago

I doubt this is what they woll actually wear in the show. This isn’t even dress rehearsal folks. It’s just a first rehearsal. She will slay and probably wear better outfits on the night.

Serena00
Serena00
2 years ago
Reply to  Lue

Artists are required to wear an actual outfit on the first rehearsal

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Lue

You are wrong. She is wearing an outfit solely made for ESC, but will try out other outfits in other rehearsals. And wearing bikinis is not a “normal” dress.

Essie
Essie
2 years ago
Reply to  Kaiser

I hope not, in Melfest they wore the same exact outfits from semi to final and I didn’t like that at all. Fresh costumes please, and step up the glam!

Essie
Essie
2 years ago
Reply to  Essie

The staging and costumes are not 100% finalized until after 2nd rehearsal, they are allowed to make adjustments.

Nobody Important
Nobody Important
2 years ago

Hate the outfits.

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

I love Ronela and the song but the outfit is ridiculously bad. It doesn’t compliment her and does not match the song’s mood. Dancers’ outfits are also not great.

The music video outfits were much much better and I prefer the dark theme, wig should be red not pink.

I don’t get why she has to play the LGBT role, it didn’t work with Finland in 2013 and it makes no sense with the song. I just wish they had kept it less messy.

Alex
Alex
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

I have a bad feeling this is going to flop (it will qualify for sure but it will flop hard with juries)

Licko
Licko
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Juries will definitely not give her pointa because of the outfit

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Will it though? The juries in the past three years have shown to prefer such songs too. There is an actual statistics that there is a higher percentage of pop/upbeat songs doing well than ballads of sorts.

Tadhg
Tadhg
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

It’s like a giant black nappy / diaper on her, hideous!

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

She already said they will try different outfits.

Pete
2 years ago

Wow, those cheap looking outfits are really complementing this cheap song. 0/12

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Pete

tqifsha robt npidh pra

Pete
2 years ago
Reply to  Kaiser

You set on your keyboard?!

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago
Reply to  Pete

No I set on mamin tat

Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
2 years ago

The dancers are good, it’s just costume that is bad.

esc1234
esc1234
2 years ago

The infamous business partnership with tiktok are some 90 seconds badly filmed and edited vertical videos? Well done to the smart executives who signed this, stupidity is free of charge unfortunately

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

And they are not even 90 seconds long. More like 40

Jo.
Jo.
2 years ago

the outfits look fine imo

Dani
Dani
2 years ago

Someone pointed out that one of the dancers has the word “Mujahideen” tattooed on his chest (those engaged in jihad – terror) – I really love this entry, but this is very infuriating to see, even if it’s just a dancer.

Alex
Alex
2 years ago
Reply to  Dani

He’s Moroccan.

EurofanGR
EurofanGR
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

That doesn’t make it right tho?

Kaiser
Kaiser
2 years ago

Thankfully she will try out different outfits in rehearsals. This one deffo needs to go

justafan
justafan
2 years ago

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLGDBQhD/
The link for the supposed 90 second rehearsal (only 40 seconds and from those 40 seconds we get about 10 seconds of actual rehearsal)
Bring YouTube videos back for f’s sake

Thanos
Thanos
2 years ago
Reply to  justafan

I hope another (better) 50 seconds are on their way. Otherwise, this TikTok deal is just terrible. Youtube videos must return

Alex
Alex
2 years ago
Reply to  justafan

No youtube videos, it puts a lot of pressure to artists with all the criticism. Just let them fix the technical issues and the second rehearsals will be available on YT as usual.

Nikoleta
Nikoleta
2 years ago

Omg! I can’t wait!!! I won’t judge until I see the whole performance!! Some guys are just so delusional..

Sergio
Sergio
2 years ago

She Is the Moment

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
2 years ago

Yeah no, not pretty. Ronela is a great performer and a sweet girl so don’t screw her with this terrible outfit.

Henry
Henry
2 years ago

Ronela is great, but that outfit is not flattering her..

Xxx
Xxx
2 years ago

I don’t like what she’s wearing. Looks tacky, but Queen slay!

Licko
Licko
2 years ago

The outfit serves the dancing performance. It’s not to be liked in a picture. Ronela is wearing bikini, so nothing much to comment. The guys look so sexy and masculine in those skirts though.

Sergio
Sergio
2 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Adams

You heave a problem with here … Shhhhhhhhh

Im so fab
Im so fab
2 years ago

What the HELL are they wearing…

West
West
2 years ago
Reply to  Im so fab

That outfit should have stayed a sekret.

Efthymios
Efthymios
2 years ago
Reply to  West

It should be burned to ashes now that’s not a sekret anymore… :))

ESC USA
ESC USA
2 years ago

When will the clips be released?

Aura
Aura
2 years ago
Reply to  ESC USA

They have finally posted it.

Thanos
Thanos
2 years ago
Reply to  Aura

I see just a 40-second clip. Is that all we get? Could barely see anything regarding the performance itself

Mary M.
Mary M.
2 years ago

I see a lot of purple! I was not expecting that, but I like it 🙂

Azuro
Azuro
2 years ago

So the army of amazons are gone, and replaced with 4 topless men, I approve

Amigo
Amigo
2 years ago

I am not a fan of that outfit! 🙁

Jake
Jake
2 years ago

Based on photos alone, visually this doesn’t look too great. Maybe it’s the costumes that feel a little cheap. I’m hoping the story comes through more from the actual performance. We know she can sing and luckily for Albania—there’s nothing in this semi that is playing in this lane.