🇦🇱 Festival I Këngës REACTION ALL 30 Songs | Albania | Eurovision 2025

[@ESCTom]

Please check out the ANALYSIS video which looks at who could win! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnucqpKfeppjnJI

[@AmaanStorm]

The things you have to go through to bring us a reaction 😂 Youre in my prayers 😂😂

[@ESCTom]

😭

[@adamtideman4953]

Not gonna lie, listening to Toms rambling about random stuff like Albanian castles, the infamous Këngës guitar and freaking Xenoblade Chronicles out of nowhere helped me get through all these songs. Grumpy Tom banter would make even San Marinos 100+ song NF entertaining. 😂

[@ESCTom]

❤️

[@uneti463]

Probly my favorite reaction! Thank you, you gave the attention they deserve for trying, though it is tiring and I certainly dont have the patience for it.

[@esc_fan_channel_no.11037]

Zjerm is the one for me 100% Aside from it simply being a banger of a modern ethnic entry, I also love its message. From what I’ve gathered the song mixes ethnic influences (mainly sonically, but also lyrically) with social commentary really cleverly. The song talks about the dark state the world is in, but with a surprisingly positive / resisting and not defeated outlook. For example the first verse is about imagining for just a minute how things COULD be and then the chorus is her wishing that this minute would last. Zjerm also means fire btw, which is supposed to represent hope in this song. That’s why during the male part they continue to call on it. And in that context integrating all those cultural and traditional Albanian elements (like a reference to traditional Albanian dances or some dialect words, as well as the overall sound) is really genius, because with that the song sorta represents both the good and the bad of human nature, tying in with the overall lyrical theme of the song of spreading awareness of the dark times we live in, but still always staying hopeful (and proud of one’s culture). One of my favorite lines is "Here rest the sea, the sand, and moon. And the stars we do not see, because of our footsteps on them, as we walk in delirium", but there’s lots of good lines. Also, I’m obviously not Albanian, so please correct me if I made a mistake anywhere. There’s a really in depth comment somewhere under the RTSH video of this song, and also on reddit, that translates the whole song (I think the translation has been added to Eurovision World by now tho) and also adds some very cool extra information. I also definitely still see the potential for a revamp, but I don’t have trust in Albania to do a proper revamp anymore. So if this actually wins FiK, I’d rather have them not touch it

[@ESCTom]

thanks for the explanation and the comment 🙏🏻❤️

[@uneti463]

yes

[@Marios_Gr]

Zjerm is the best song there and with much more chances to do well with the juries than Carnaval. And we know that the juries mainly determine the top places.

[@mio.vision]

Zjerm is my favorite too.

[@klausbeqiri3085]

1 hour reaction is crazy 😅 Zjerm is my favorite

[@theduck0]

you were right tho, Ardit Çuni was actually a finalist in Dancing with the Stars last year 😭

[@sarahenchanted]

Is Albania ok? Them releasing the songs before the contest AND some of them already being on streaming service is very out of character.

[@uneti463]

we did it before

[@D.H.Alb.24]

Nothing wrong with that

[@sarahenchanted]

@@D.H.Alb.24 Issa joke

[@diegorodriguez974]

Listening to all 30 songs became too painful for me, I had to skip through several. My new rule of thumb (after this giant blob) is if it doesn't hook me by a 1:30, skip. Zjerm is the one for me.

[@uneti463]

me too

[@thingybob4375]

Amane brings back that vibe we've missed so much since Turkey left the competition. Loving it Tom. Oh - and BTW Ardit Cuni "doesn't look like a dancer?" Check out the videos for Digju and Let's Go (the latter produced by Peter Bostrom - co-writer of Euphoria!!) They may have been a few years ago but you were absolutely spot on.... He was in Dancing With The Stars in 2022 lol

[@uneti463]

except that this is not turkey, we need some Albanian authenticity! and Ardit got none of that here, and really deslike his song! literally, youtube is full of Albanian songs like him!

[@lucywhite3229]

I was looking forward to you reviewing the FiK songs, especially since this is the first time in a while I am excited about it, and I am Albanian. I usually don't expect much from the songs of FiK, in fact, I don't expect much of the mainstream Albanian music at all. In the last few years, most of the Albanian songs sound the same to me, so Shkodra Elektronike were a nice breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, I had never heard of them before so after the release of "Zjerm" I went and checked their other songs and one live performance, and Beatrice (the female singer) can really sing. I am looking forward to their live performance of "Zjerm". Personally, I expected more of Elvana. I liked "Me tana" as much as the next person, but I did not like "Karnaval". I can also see how she could appeal to the Albanian public tho. Also, Ardit Cuni was in DWTS Albania, and if I'm not mistaken he was the runner up, so he will totally have a dance break. Vesa's song reminded me of Hungary 2014 the first time I heard it. And I loved the studio version of "Cmendur", but "Antihero" sounds messier to me and just doesn't hit like "Cmendur" did.

[@ESCTom]

Yea I feel FiK needs a revamp to attract more of the main Albanian acts Thanks for the info about Ardit 🙏🏻

[@diellibetim]

For me the best song this year and one of the best’s these 10 years is Zjerm by Shkodra Elektronike. I hope they win

[@Pannenkoekenplantje]

My favourites are Zjerm (best potential) and Frymë (best as is). I agree with you that many were just too easy listening background kinda music. Many songs gave me "We have Dons at home" vibes.

[@coolguy-bs7kr]

Yay love the reaction. Just to let you know that yesterday malta nf snippets (10 seconds per song) were released and dare i say its the best nf out of the 2025 season so far 😮

[@ESCTom]

yea I heard theyre serving KANT

[@farmerpickless]

was waiting for this

[@НазаркоСаідов]

Zjerm is the discovery for me, such both mesmerising and mystic, ahhh i love it. Hi from 🇺🇦 for all!

[@unknownbye]

Elvana❤

[@dnzcz7192]

GOOO ELVANA 🌪🌪🌪🔥🔥🔥🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱

[@elizabethingermann5911]

My understanding of FiK is that they have to bring an arrangement that features the whole orchestra. If you listen really close to the backing on some songs you can kind of tell when they kind of struggled to find something for different sections of the orchestra to do. And you just sit there like "why are the violins coming in here?" or you get jumpscared by the guitar. I was a band kid so I have a FiK revamp game I play with myself where I predict which melodies will be swapped out for a different instrument/electronic elements or dropped entirely. Because every year people review the FiK winner like "I don't get it" and the parts they don't get are really obviously there because the artists couldn't fully lean into their genres with an orchestra (or the person reviewing the song has never hear the trans-Siberian orchestra version of carol of the bells or the phantom of the opera theme and doesn't know that electric guitars have been a feature in modern orchestral arrangements since the 80s. That is a big pet peeve of mine when they look at a song like Karma from a few years ago and assume it's a rock song if they hear the guitar in the intro).

[@willardprenfrew4303]

Cool insight!

[@big_splashy]

Albanian Broadway ❤

[@willardprenfrew4303]

You're the best Tom! 💙

[@ESCTom]

❤️

[@willardprenfrew4303]

I love when you can hear the dance break 💃🕺😝

[@dave1361]

I like Karnaval, but it's not my favourite from this selection. It would be a good option for Eurovision, though, probably. It is a bit of a typical Latin football anthem. It sounds very familiar, which is both good and bad, I guess. Catchy AF though, and a proper ear worm. For my own tastes I'd have Shkroda Elektronike or Orgesa Zaimi or maybe Jet at the top of the list, I think. It's all going to very much depend on the live performances, though. If Elvana wins, they need to not do another Ronela style defeat from jaws of victory though. I feel that the change of director this year to Elhaida Dani has definitely shown through in what's been selected.

[@ESCTom]

oh god, Latin football anthem is so true

[@dave1361]

@@ESCTom It's not necessarily a bad thing... but I think that's why it feels so familiar.

[@uneti463]

you forgot Alis, his song touches deep

[@marsukarhu9477]

Ha ha! This is the best comedy of the weekend. I was literally laughing outloud by the end...And I felt the pain😂

[@ilremosciolo1429]

#shkodraelektronike music and lyrics are the best the FIK has offered in the last 10 years. Structured, innovative, rooted and at the same time catchy without being banal. They really deserve the first place. Elvana offers a bump in her style where she is the best. Perfect for musically not educated folks and Albania and Eurovision offers a lot of them. E Pare is good but pathetic lyrics. Pity for her. Gjalle amazing vocal. Amane local tallava. These are the 4 most viewed on KZbin (despite the fact that one of them clearly has some 30K bought) and one that had potential to do well.

[@uneti463]

“Antihero” is how it’s said in Albanian also

[@sleppehdaze7739]

Was already my favorite ESC KZbinr and THEN he mentions Xenoblade!?

[@ESCTom]

😂

[@nocri2067]

I'm a Eurofan, not Albanian, and I think I'm responsible for half of the views on Jet - Gjallë 😓 Not what I expected to be into but I fell in love with the voice, it's my #1 or #2 with Amane being the other one (Zjerm is great too ofc).

[@myrawatters1036]

You’re not alone! I love this one too.

[@ddraven3180]

Elvana's song sounds like bait for the most basic of basic ESC fans, just bland nothing pop with spanish thrown in for no good reason and that people will support cause "yas queen, bop of the year". Rather have something that actually sounds like it took more than 5 seconds of thinking before they went to the studio to record...

[@user-cd2ye4vr4t]

Elvana winner❤

[@uneti463]

Jet gets the young Albanian fans, and he gets me too though I aint that young, for his amazing voice and for being the nicest guy! This song doesnt give me unfortunately as I love him!

[@meowowowowowwo]

i DO enjoy frensi’s song so much!! 🤩

[@ccsyeah]

Personally connects to Gjallë the most, if vocals are on point during live performance, it can be a jury top 5 in Eurovision

[@willardprenfrew4303]

"Surely this has been released before" 😝😝😝 100%

[@zanabancishakarna]

The song fryma is sad ballad singing to his mother that died from cancer

[@ESCTom]

😥

[@SekretEmpress]

KARNAVAL TO BASEL 🎉🎉🎉

[@AlbinaKondi-g4f]

Vesa is wonderful song! ❤

[@smileykleio]

Elvana all the way 🏆

[@fkagreg]

I love Elvana but Shkodra Elektronike sold me on Zjerm 100%! A few tweaks, maybe some more vocals and this could do really well I believe

[@mio.vision]

I hear a little inspiration from Mad World (TFF) in Karnival.

[@oehlbormturn]

27:32 I enjoy Frensi's song

[@ullarajala4784]

Are you posting an analysis video as well?

[@ESCTom]

yea i need a little break though, ill post in within the next day

[@ullarajala4784]

Waiting for that to get grips of FiK63 ​@@ESCTom

[@kasiawardak8113]

Fryme is the one I really connected with

[@willardprenfrew4303]

Tom hanging on for dear life at the end 😫

[@ESCTom]

thats the edited version ☠️

[@garrickdarts]

Disaster bop FTW!

[@DeArteCombinatoria]

Extremely unpopular opinion, but I ranked Rreziko as my top choice. A friend who is also American ranked it second. Something about the combination of disco with a bit of ethno-pop just appeals to us over here, I suppose. And for the record, the chorus of Rreziko *does* have a decent melody - it's a very standard disco melody, so I suppose it really hinges on one's relationship to the genre. Agree that N'zemër is highly underrated (I ranked it third)

[@mirjoe02]

Mal Antihero is very unique and interesting.

[@myrawatters1036]

Instantly loved this. My number one!

[@NotMe-Anime]

Did not expect a F-Zero X shoutout lol

[@tatjanashehu1398]

Karnaval for 🏆

[@DarkFlareGC]

I had wrote off this show because too many songs but you went to all the trouble so i guess i will listen along with you and rate them as we go 🤣 That's the most effort Albania is getting out of me! Thanks for the lovely work as always Tom! here we go

[@uneti463]

if you watching this video, you are doing mosre than what most of us are doing! I usually puck three that are different, innovative, and pleasant and ofc woth good message and voice invoking emotion. Shkodra Elektronike, and Alis do that for me. Havent picked a third, though it was Jet, but the song doesnt do much emotionally, though it is so well executed by a great singer.

[@ESCTom]

🙏🏻

[@uneti463]

Shkodra Elektronike, and Alis (needs some work), all their voices tho

[@enchantedwolf2345]

I love Fernsi’s song lol

[@ecilaagguman5958]

Elvana Gjata.👏 Elvana Gjata.👏Elvana Gjata. I am ready for the slayage, can't wait to watch FiK this year. thanks for reacting to the full songs. ☺☺💖💖

[@ESCTom]

🙏🏻

[@uneti463]

no thx! Shkodra Elektronike

[@idraote]

Alis Kallacej - Nice voice, good singing Djemtë e Detit - interesting but needs a serious revamp Lorenc Hasrama - interesting... good voice Elvana Gjata - I agree with what you say but I really don't like the song.

[@uneti463]

And you just gonna ignore the best song Zjarm?! Agree on Alis tho, his song pierces well in the right place!

[@harrietamidala1691]

“why does Albania have so many songs in its selection” You haven’t seen the list of artists for Lithuanian selection, have you?

[@ESCTom]

i have and Im not covering it 😭

[@harrietamidala1691]

@ I don’t blame ya. Better wait until they narrow it down to 10 finalists in February.

[@babiookkokolalo1523]

Amane for the win.. Ardit deserves it

[@Gimlo_Goblin]

Xenoblade mentioned? Gimlo didn't know you were cool like that 😏 Gimlo enjoyed every minute, understands the pain of listening to thirty Festivali i Këngës songs in a row though 🫠 Has been seeding the NF lineups ever since your Supernova video and it helps 🙏