Just before Albina & Familja Kelmendi release the revamped version of their FiK 61 winning song “Duje”, they have confirmed that they will be working with Swedish stage director and choreographer Sacha Jean-Baptiste for their Eurovision Song Contest 2023 staging.
Sacha has a great track record with Albania. In 2021 she worked with Anxhela Peristeri on “Karma”, giving the song a powerful visualization that took it to the final in Rotterdam. Sacha has given us other dreamy stage shows, including Nina Sublatti’s “Warrior” performance from Eurovision 2015 in Vienna, Eleni Foureira’s iconic “Fuego” stage show from Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon and Iveta Mukuchyan’s stunning “Lovewave” show from Stockholm in 2016.
Albina Kelmendi, her family, and the producers of the song are working on finishing the revamp of the song in Istanbul, Türkiye, where all of instruments are being recorded live. According to songwriter Eriona Rushiti, it “will give the song a powerful energy”. The song’s revamp and videoclip are being recorded in parallel and it is expected to be released during the the first week of March.
In the beginning of March, Sacha Jean-Baptiste will travel in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, to start her work with Albina and Familja Kelmendi for their Eurovision 2023 staging.
Are you excited to hear that Albina and Familja Kelmendi are working with Sacha? Do you think this could be one of Albania’s best stage shows ever? Let us know in the comments box down below.
Unpopular opinion but I think Albania is underrated and definitely not deserving of the last place in the odds. Yes, the performance was a MESS and the song is chaotic but the chorus is catchy and the whole idea of the family on the stage can be memorable if staged correctly. SGB is overrated and without ideas but I think she will do enough to elevate this song to its full potential. Now they only need to revamp the song.
It’s not guaranteed. This woman, SGB flopped few times, too. As the acts she had staging for failed to qualify, so nothing is guaranteed…
It’s a good thing they’ve looked out for some help with their staging. Judging by their FiK performance, they definitely need it. We’ll see what SJB can bring to the table.
SJB is overrated af. Always dark stagings with a light element. We’re tired. I think Marvin Dietmann and whoever is doing France’s stagings are way better
Honestly, Albania has a strong chance at qualifying in that semi. The staging was the biggest problem in the NF so I honestly see them doing well if she gets it right. If they make the instrumental break impactful I’ll love it!
I can already see huge faces on the screen.
Why would they hire a Swede for a song that is so Albanian? How will SJB help it on stage? Plus, I don’t think they need to invest money on this but anyway
SJB was stage director for Albania 2021
r they doing a revamp too ?
I read somewhere that is being revamped yes
The staging market has begun! So this year I would bet that SJB company will make, Sweden, Albania, Azerbaidjan, Switzerland and Cyprus staging this year, I feel that.
SJB is not the hot name as she used to be in the past. Last year she got Georgia and Switzerland only and both flopped.
Hmm I’d imagine Loreens staging will pretty much a tepleca of what she does on mello on Saturday, looks pretty epic from the photos I’ve seen.
Countries really do be wasting money on Sacha after what she has done do Malta two years ago lol
No offense and with all due respect, but what a waste of money…even SJB won’t be able to help this entry
I don’t think it needs her “help” to be honest
still don’t understand why everyone hates this. Maybe bc I’m Arab and I hear this kinda sing all the time. Pre revamp I acc love it its my 5th
Exactly what I thought… I love the song and her vocals, it’s basically what we hear in southern europe & the middle east almost every day.
Polishing a turd much?
Hiring Sacha Jean-Baptiste is not going to change the fact that Albania are staying in the semis this year.
Why didn’t she stage Albania last year when Sekret was very good for her? It would have qualified and Albania would send more genres (though it wouldn’t have done that great if it got to the final). And her job with Karma was amazing, even though it got to the final due to Armenia withdrawing, Czech being out of tune, Latvia having no presence for a song that needs lots, and juries not giving Austro enough, or Denmark any, support. The staging was very effective and qualification deserved and SJB did a top job. 5 stagings in 2021 and not… Read more »
Because Ronela is a self-centered piece of human that thinks she knows and does everything the best way on her own. She was offered a choreographer and stage designer. She rejected. Because of her own ego.