Albania at Eurovision 2025: Members of the duo Shkodra Elektronike revealed in an interview that they have decided not to change their song “Zjerm” and will perform it in its original version on the Eurovision 2025 stage.
Members of the duo Shkodra Elektronike, chosen to represent Albania at Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15, and 17, disclosed in an interview with the Albanian national broadcaster, RTSH, that they have decided not to alter their song “Zjerm” (translated as “Fire”). They will perform it in its original version. The duo also revealed that although they were in talks with another artist expected to join the performance, they ultimately decided not to include any additional artists and will not translate the song into English
🇦🇱 Shkodra Elektronike confirmed on the RTSH 1 talk show Miqtë e Pasdites that “Zjerm” will remain unchanged for Eurovision.
[🎥 rtshqiptar] pic.twitter.com/2s4G36FFm3
— ESC Discord (@ESCdiscord) February 3, 2025
Performance Details
In the interview with RTSH, the duo was asked if they plan to perform the song at Eurovision 2025 exactly as they had in the Albanian national selection for Eurovision, “Festivali i Këngës.” Lekë Gjeloshi responded that the song would be performed in Albanian, and no changes to the song or the performance are planned. The host added that she read the official music video would feature the famous Albanian singer Luiz Ejlli, Albania’s representative at Eurovision 2006 with the song “Zjarr e ftohtë” (translated as “Fire and Cold”), which did not advance past the semi-finals. Beatriçe Gjergji clarified that this was not the case, and he (Luiz) would be far away from Basel.
Song Details and Eurovision Strategy
“Zjerm” was written by duo members Beatriçe Gjergji and Lekë Gjeloshi. This marks their first Eurovision entry as both contestants and composers. It’s worth noting that Albania typically performs well at Eurovision with songs in Albanian, while entries translated to English often fail to qualify for the final. The current version of the song is 3 minutes and 3 seconds long, which likely influenced the decision not to make significant changes for Eurovision.
Performance and Song Meaning
The duo stands on stage, with Beatriçe, the lead singer, dressed in a red dress, and Lekë standing beside her dressed in black. The lighting and LED screens project red colors. In the first verse, Beatriçe sings the song while Lekë plays on a sampler (an electronic device that plays sampled sounds stored in its memory) on stage. Later, the two switch roles with Lekë whispering into the microphone while Beatriçe plays the sampler. Throughout the song, Beatriçe performs simple dance moves and demonstrates precise and captivating singing abilities. The song is shrouded in mystery and manages to intrigue viewers, especially with the characteristic feature of the song.
It seems that the song “Zjerm” is intended to convey a call for hope, peace, and spiritual renewal. It encourages listeners to imagine a better world, remember their roots, and strive for unity and light even in difficult times. The song combines elements of national pride with a universal vision of peace and brotherhood.
Delving deeper into the lyrics, one can find profound insights about life, hope, and identity. The song begins with a description of a paranoid moment, but immediately turns to an optimistic picture of a world that looks like a rainbow after the rain, symbolizing the ability to see beauty and goodness even in hard times. The duo imagines a world without soldiers, orphans, or pollution. This is a call for peace and harmony with nature. The image of oil smelling like lilac symbolizes the aspiration to turn negative things into positive ones. Additionally, there is a strong reference to the homeland and place of birth. The duo expresses deep love for their homeland and promises not to forget their roots. This emphasizes the importance of identity and connection to place. The request to create a “pure heart” and send light in darkness hints at a desire for spiritual and moral renewal. The call “Please have mercy” (Aman miserere) strengthens the spiritual dimension. The song speaks of “good people” and “nameless people” dancing together, symbolizing human unity beyond social or cultural differences. Fire (Zjerm) appears as a central motif, symbolizing power, purification, and renewal. It is described as falling on tribal dances, suggesting a connection between tradition and change.
Albania at Eurovision 2025
“Zjerm” (in English: “Fire”), is the song that will be performed by the duo Shkodra Elektronike, who will represent Albania at Eurovision 2025 to be held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13th, 15th, and 17th. The song was written by the duo members – Beatriçe Gjergji and Lekë Gjeloshi. This is the first Eurovision entry for the contestants and composers, and it is performed in the Albanian language.
The song “Zjerm” is intended to convey a call for hope, peace, and spiritual renewal. It encourages listeners to imagine a better world, remember their roots, and strive for unity and light even in difficult times. The song combines elements of national pride with a universal vision of peace and brotherhood.
Currently, Albania is ranked 36th in the betting odds tables for Eurovision 2025.
Shkodra Elektronike – Who Are You?
Shkodra Elektronike is an Albanian duo combining electropop with world music, formed in 2018 in the city of Shkodra located in northwestern Albania. The duo consists of Beatriçe Gjergji and Lekë Gjeloshi. The duo began gaining popularity in Albania in 2020 when they released songs like “Ku e gjeta vedin” and “Synin si Qershia”. They later began performing at international festivals. In 2022, they released their debut EP, and last year they released the song “Vaj Si Kenka Ba Dynjaja”.
Albanian Festival Results
The competition results were determined by a jury panel (73%), SMS voting (14%), and online voting including voters outside Albania (13%). Shkodra Elektronike won first place with both the jury and SMS voters, while Elvana Gjata won the online vote.
Eurovision 2025: This will be Albania’s 21st participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Albania joined the competition in 2004 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2012 when singer Rona Nishliu reached fifth place with the song “Suus.”
source: X