After her triumph at the Festivali i Këngës 62, the Albanian broadcaster has decided to enhance the song with which Besa Kokëdhima will take the stage at the Malmö Arena for Eurovision 2024.

Albanian television RTSH has presented “TiTAN,” the song with which Besa Kokëdhima will represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. This is what it will sound like in Malmö! It is a renewed version of “Zemrën N’dorë,” the song with which she was selected as the Albanian flag bearer in the European competition.

After her victory in December 2023 at the 62nd edition of the Festivali i Këngës, Besa Kokëdhima has chosen a new English version, departing from the recent strategy of maintaining the Albanian language. The song has been completely revamped, shifting to English to ensure that “everyone understands and feels it,” in Besa Kokëdhima’s own words.

This is how we will experience her at the Malmö Arena on Thursday, May 9, in the second semifinal where she will compete for a spot in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

Enjoy the official music video and the definitive version of “TiTAN” by Besa Kokëdhima below:

In Besa Kokëdhima’s words, the introduction of English has led to the song growing and undergoing a greater renewal, of which she is proud. The aim is to reach a wider audience for better understanding. The comprehensive renovation also includes changing the title from “Zemrën N’dorë” to “Titan.”

“The song and the message have become too interesting to be limited to Albanian-speaking audiences,” stated Besa Kokëdhima, representative of Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. “I want everyone to understand it and feel it,” she added.

The singer emphasizes that the improvement of the song is not solely due to the change from Albanian to English. She mentions that the narrative of the proposal has been developed, stating, “When you do a renovation, even if you choose to do it in another language, I think it should be rewritten, rephrased for that language.”

She also highlighted “To achieve this, a cultural analysis and a reevaluation of relationships were conducted”. Besa Kokëdhima also decided to collaborate with an international team of producers from different countries.

This is “TiTAN,” the Albanian entry for Eurovision 2024.

“TiTAN,” formerly known as “Zemrën N’dorë,” is a powerful ballad that evolves into a pop song, showcasing Besa Kokëdhima’s exceptional vocal prowess and captivating stage presence.

The song narrates the doubts that arise when feelings are not returned, portraying the “pieces of a heart” held in one’s hands due to a broken love that appears irreparable.

Kledi Bahiti and Besa Kokëdhima collaborated on the musical composition, while Rozana Radi and Petrit Sefaj penned the lyrics for the Albanian entry.

The revamped version is a collaboration between North Macedonian composer and producer Darko Dimitrov, along with Kledi Bahiti and Armand Broshka. Additionally, Gia Koka, Alias Lj, and Serban Cazan contributed to the song’s renewal.

It’s worth noting that Besa Kokëdhima’s performance in Malmö 2024 will mark Albania’s 20th anniversary in the Eurovision Song Contest, commemorating their debut in Istanbul 2004.

What will the staging of “TiTAN” be like?

The staging of the Albanian entry “TiTAN” at the Malmö Arena will be directed by Reija Ware, Melissa Thompson, and Fredrik Benke Rydman. Besa Kokëdhima confirmed this on her official social media profile. Fredrik Rydman, who is also the set designer for the Swiss entry “Nemo,” will be involved in the staging as well.

Fredrik Rydman is known for his work in Eurovision, having been responsible for the opening of the first semi-final of the 2013 contest in Malmö, Sweden. He also contributed to the set design for “Heroes,” the winning song of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, performed by Måns Zelmerlöw.

Who is Besa Kokëdhima? Meet the Albanian representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

On December 22, Albania selected its entry for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest through its traditional Festivali i Këngës, which marked its 62nd edition in Tirana, the country’s capital. The audience played a crucial role in selecting Besa Kokëdhima (1986) as the Albanian representative in Malmö, Sweden, for the contest in May.

Besa Kokëdhima embodies all the qualities of a Balkan pop diva. After making several attempts to grace the European festival stage, Besa has finally secured the ticket that will take her to the Malmö Arena, where she will perform “TiTAN.”

In her early musical career, Besa Kokëdhima quickly distinguished herself for her unique voice and her emotive, passionate interpretation of songs.

After spending a few years in the United Kingdom, she returned to Albania at the age of 19 to pursue her music career. Her debut single, “Më Beso,” was released in 2003, followed by her studio albums. Notably, her Christmas collection “Besa Për Festat” and “Ti Je Festa Ime” garnered significant attention.

Among her most viral hits is “Amelia” with Mattyas in 2015. The song has amassed more than 3.2 million streams on Spotify and over 11 million views on YouTube.

Besa Kokëdhima’s participation in the legendary Festivali i Këngës in 2008 and 2010 stands out among her many appearances in musical competitions. Finally, in 2023, she was the most voted by viewers, earning her the opportunity to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with her song “TiTAN,” previously known as “Zemrën N’dorë.”

Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest

Albania made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, held in Istanbul, Turkey. The country was represented by Anjeza Shahini with the song “The Image Of You.” Albania’s debut was well-received, and the country achieved a commendable 7th place with 106 points.

Since its debut in 2004, Albania has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest continuously. During this time, Albania has qualified for the final a total of 11 times. However, only two of their entries have placed within the Top 10.

Albania achieved its best-ever result in Baku in 2012, thanks to the remarkable performance of Rona Nishliu with the song “Suus.” Rona’s powerful performance earned Albania a fantastic 5th place finish with 146 points.

With the change in the voting system of the Eurovision Song Contest, Albania’s entry with the highest number of points is Eugent Bushpepa’s “Mall” in Lisbon 2018, which received 184 points. This entry also achieved Albania’s best result in recent years, finishing in 11th place.

Albania’s worst historical result was in Helsinki in 2007, with the entry “Hear My Plea” by Frederik & Aida Ndoci, which received only 49 points, placing 17th. Hersi Matmuja’s “One Night’s Anger” in Copenhagen 2014 is, so far, Albania’s entry with the lowest score, receiving only 22 points.

Since its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest, the Albanian broadcaster RTSH has chosen to use its iconic Festivali i Këngës to select its representatives. With various selection systems and changes in regulations over the years, the festival has become firmly established as Albania’s national selection event. Interestingly, as the festival is always held in December before Christmas, it has traditionally been considered the first national final of the Eurovision season, although in recent years, some countries have presented their entries earlier.

The Festivali i Këngës is not only a platform for selecting Albania’s Eurovision representative but also the country’s longest-running and most popular music competition. It has been held since 1962 and has a rich history of promoting and preserving Albanian music and culture.

Throughout its history, the format of the Festivali i Këngës has evolved. Unlike many other European preselections, Albanian artists still perform live accompanied by the renowned Albanian Radio Television Orchestra.

Traditionally, winners are selected by a professional jury, though other voting methods like televoting or regional juries have been used. However, the jury has always played a significant role, with their votes carrying twice the weight of other voting panels in the final result.

After the Festivali i Këngës, where entries are primarily performed in Albanian, the performers and Albanian television typically collaborate to adapt the chosen entry to meet the standards set by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) regarding song length and language. Some Albanian entries have been translated, incorporating additional English lyrics.

In the 2023 edition, Albina & Familja Kelmendi with “Duje” received the most votes from Albanian viewers and became Albania’s representatives in Liverpool, United Kingdom. After Ronela Hajati’s setback in Turin in 2022, Albania returned to the Eurovision Grand Final. Their entry received 76 points, securing 22nd place.

/m.ll/