Karma (Anxhela Peristeri song)
| "Karma" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Anxhela Peristeri | ||||
| Released | 9 March 2021 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:59 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Composer(s) | Kledi Bahiti | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Olti Curri | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Anxhela Peristeri singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Karma" on YouTube | ||||
| Alternative covers | ||||
 | ||||
| Eurovision Song Contest 2021 entry | ||||
| Country | ||||
| Artist(s) | ||||
| Language | ||||
| Composer(s) | Kledi Bahiti | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Olti Curri | |||
| Finals performance | ||||
| Semi-final result | 10th | |||
| Semi-final points | 112 | |||
| Final result | 21st | |||
| Final points | 57 | |||
| Entry chronology | ||||
| ◄ "Fall from the Sky" (2020) | ||||
"Karma" is a song by Albanian singer Anxhela Peristeri released as a single on 9 March 2021 by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) and Universal. The song was written by Olti Curri, composed by Kledi Bahiti and produced by the latter alongside Dimitris Kontopoulos. Musically, "Karma" is an Balkan-inspired pop ballad incorporating modern and traditional Albanian elements in its instrumentation. The Albanian-language song lyrically finds inspiration in the principle of karma and portrays a inner turmoil of a woman who blames herself for her world falling apart.
"Karma" represented Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, after winning the pre-selection competition Festivali i Këngës. The song was generally well received by music critics upon release, receiving praise for its nature, instrumentation and Peristeri's vocal delivery. An accompanying music video for the song was officially premiered to the YouTube channel of the Eurovision Song Contest on 27 February 2021.
Background and composition[]
The national broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), announced Anxhela Peristeri as the Albanian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, after winning the 59th edition of Festivali i Këngës.[1] Peristeri participated at Festivali i Këngës with the song "Karma" written by Albanian songwriter Olti Curri and composed by musician Kledi Bahiti.[2][3] Curri and Bahiti had peviously collaborated with Peristeri on numerous songs, including on "E Çmëndur", which was selected as the winning entry of the 19th edition of Kënga Magjike in 2017.[4] For the purpose of her Eurovision Song Contest participation, "Karma" was revamped and further produced by Bahiti alongside Greek composer Dimitris Kontopoulos.[3][5][6] Musically, the song has been described as an Albanian-language dramatic ethnic Balkan-inspired pop ballad combining modern and traditional Albanian elements.[7][8][9] "Karma" thematically finds its inspiration in the principle of karma and conveys a inner turmoil of a woman who blames herself for her world falling apart.[5][10]
Release and promotion[]
Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) and Universal made "Karma" available for digital download and streaming in various countries on 9 March 2021.[11] An accompanying music video was teased by Peristeri with a preview on 27 February 2021 although, the video premiered on the official YouTube channel of the Eurovision Song Contest on 1 March 2021 at 20:00 (CET).[12][13][14] For further promotion, the singer released a set of photographs on her social media in which she wears traditional Albanian clothing from different Albanian-speaking territories.[15][16]
Prior to the scheduled dates of the Eurovision Song Contest, Peristeri went on to promote the song in her native Albania and Kosovo with television appearances on ABC News,[17] Klan Kosova,[18] Ora News,[19] and Televizioni Klan (TV Klan)[20][21] as well as for radio interviews on Radio Televizioni 21 (RTV21) and Top Channel.[22][23] Peristeri's promotional phase on European television and radio stations continued on Greek Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) and Open TV as well as on Sammarinese RTV.[24][25][26] She is also set to perform the song during the virtual concerts in the Spanish PrePartyES and Croatian Adriatic Pre Party between late April and early May 2021.[27]
Critical reception[]
Upon its victory at Festivali i Këngës, "Karma" was met with universal acclaim from music critics. An editor of SoundsEuropean! concluded that the song was an "exciting mix" of "folkloric sounds" with "hints to pop and rock".[28] While also noting the potential, the latter reviewer praised Peristeri's "impressive" vocal delivery.[28] In another review, a writer for Aussievision described the song a "timeless-sounding ballad" and stated that it is filled with "power vocals, drama and eclectic instruments" along with a "traditional orchestration".[29] Though the latter concluded his positive review by writing that it could work "incredibly" great on the Eurovision Song Contest stage.[29] Following the release of the remastered version of "Karma", William Lee Adams of Wiwibloggs expressed praise towards the "contemporary" production as well as the "rich" and "layered" instrumentation.[10] Adams further elaborated: "the song has preserved the meaning and feeling of the original, but enhanced it through production that makes it feel more contemporary, more Albanian and more in-your-face".[10]
At Eurovision[]
Festivali i Këngës[]
The 59th edition of Festivali i Këngës was the national selection format organised by RTSH in December 2020 to determine Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.[30][31] During the first semi-final of Festivali i Këngës, "Karma" was performed in its studio version, while the second semi-final featured the song's acoustic version performance.[32] Before the end of the grand final, Anxhela Peristeri emerged as the winner and was thus announced as the nation's representative for the 2021 contest.[1][33]
Rotterdam[]
The 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and consisted of two semi-finals on 18 May and 20 May 2021, and the grand final on 22 May 2021.[34] According to the Eurovision rules, all participating countries, except the host nation and the "Big Five", consisting of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals to compete for the final, although the top 10 countries from the respective semi-final progress to the grand final.[35][36] In March 2021, it was announced that "Karma" would be performed 11th in the second semi-final of the contest, succeeding Georgia and preceding Portugal.[37]
Live performance[]
Swedish director Sacha Jean-Baptiste was announced as the artistic director for Albania's stage performance at the Eurovision Song Contest.[38][39] The technical rehearsals of Peristeri in Rotterdam were scheduled to take place on 11 May and 14 May 2021.[40][41]
Credits[]
Credits adapted from Tidal.[3]
Personnel
- Anxhela Peristeri – vocals
- Kledi Bahiti – background vocals, composing, instrumentalist, producing
- Dimitris Kontopoulos – producing
- Aris Binis – mixing
- Aurel Thëllimi – background vocals
- Denis Hima – instrumentalist
- Mateus Frroku – background vocals
- Vis Shkodrani – instrumentalist
Locations
- Gred Music Records – engineering
- Sweetspot Productions – mastering
Track listing[]
- Digital downloads[11]
- "Karma" – 2:59
- "Karma (Karaoke Version)" – 2:57
Release history[]
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 9 March 2021 |
|
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Anxhela Peristeri to represent Albania at Eurovision 2021!". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ Adams, William Lee (23 December 2020). "Festivali i Këngës 59 winner: Anxhela Peristeri will sing "Karma" for Albania at Eurovision 2021". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Karma / Anxhela Peristeri Tidal". Tidal. 9 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021. Note: Open "Credits" for credits.
- ^ "Anxhela Peristeri fiton 'Kënga Magjike 2017'". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 9 December 2017. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Adams, William Lee (26 December 2020). "Anxhela Peristeri: I'll keep the "Karma" lyrics in Albanian for Eurovision 2021". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 27 December 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "Albanien schickt Anxhela Peristeri mit 'Karma' zum ESC" (in German). ARD. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Festivali i Këngës 2020: Gutes Karma aus Tirana". Aufrechtgehn.de (in German). 24 December 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Lahav, Doron (1 March 2021). "Albania: Listen to the Revamped Version of 'Karma' by Anxhela Peristeri". ESC Beat. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Dibben, Jazzi (1 March 2021). "Albania's Anxhela Peristeri releases revamp of her Eurovision entry 'Karma'". That Eurovision Site. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Adams, William Lee (1 March 2021). "Albania: Anxhela Peristeri shares 'Karma' revamp and official music video". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Citations regarding the digital release of "Karma" by Anxhela Peristeri in various selected countries:
- "Karma – Single by Anxhela Peristeri on Apple Music Kosovo". Apple Music. 9 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- "Karma – Single by Anxhela Peristeri on Apple Music Austria" (in German). Apple Music. 9 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Adams, Oliver (27 February 2021). "Albania: Anxhela Peristeri teases 'Karma' revamp, says new version is coming soon". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ "Anxhela Peristeri - Karma - Albania