Shkodra Elektronike are on a mission to revamp Albanian folk music, and where better to start than the Eurovision Song Contest? They’re waving the flag for Albania with their song ‘Zjerm’.

Albania and beyond

Meet Albanian duo Shkodra Elektronike, made up of songwriter-producer Kolë Laca and singer -songwriter Beatriçe Gjergji. The pair have made Italy their home, but before securing their place at Eurovision, they needed to head back to their native Albania to compete in the country’s national final, Festivali i Këngës.

Like Eurovision of days gone by, Shkodra Elektronike performed with an orchestra and conductor, with their song Zjerm, which means ‘fire’. They went head-to-head against 14 other acts in the final, and this duo certainly lit up the arena.

Beatriçe hit the stage in a shimmering red dress while Kolë looked sharp in black, and they took us on quite the journey: folk dancing, a percussion board interlude, traditional sounds and an intense spoken word segment.

As the final votes were announced, the contest was looking tight. But Shkodra Elektronike shone through, and beat the runner up by just 7 points. Eurovision winners have been decided on less.

Becoming Shkodra Elektronike

Shkodra Elektronike got together in 2019, with a mission to take the traditional songs of their hometown Shkodër, and add contemporary sounds. Mission accomplished.

They’ve produced 4 singles and a live studio EP, and have performed at major festivals around Europe. And now, they can add the world’s greatest music competition to their list of achievements.

Eurovision might be a peak moment for any artist, but the music doesn’t stop there. The pair are currently working on their debut album, which includes the Albanian Iso-Polyphonic Choir, a musical tradition included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. If only there wasn’t a 6-person limit on the Eurovision stage…

The story of two artists

Before putting their musical minds together, Kolë and Beatriçe had their own musical successes.

Kolë is a composer, producer, and accomplished pianist. He’s spent time in several bands, including 2Pigeons (not actual pigeons), East Rodeo and Il Teatro Degli Orrori. He’s also collaborated with and produced music for international artists, and brought his musical skills to an experimental theatre company called Tamteatromusica.

Beatriçe has explored different musical genres, including drum and bass and the indie sub-genre shoegaze. She’s voiced TV commercials and has been involved with plenty of music projects in the Italian underground scene.

Kolë says that if he had three wishes, he’d ask for a convertible sports car, new hair, and to drive around with his hair flowing in the breeze. Basel, keep your eyes open for a glamorous Albanian with luscious locks zipping around the streets.

They also think that they should be played by Bryan Cranston and Scarlett Johansson in the movie of their lives. Presumably Bryan would play Kolë, although with the new hairdo, who knows. In any case, it sounds like a great concept for their next music video.

Thank you for the music

The pair are in agreement about their Eurovision heroes, and both say it has to be ABBA, “because they are the best!” Their earliest memory of Eurovision is watching the winning Waterloo performance. Essential viewing for any Eurovision fan.

Their own most memorable musical moment was when they performed their first concert in Kosovo.

Shkodra Elektronike have a distinct sound, fusing folk and modern sounds. If you take a look at their playlist of favourite songs, it’s clear they draw their inspiration from a huge range of artists.

Some of their top songs include the laid-back hip-hop track Bad Girls from M.I.A. , Bjork’s avant-garde Hyper-ballad and the more classical Dajti Mountain from Redi Hasa. Cool beats and strings are just some of the sounds that burn through in Zjerm.

Their Eurovision song is all about a re-imagined world. Think rainbows, kindness, and freedom. Sounds rather lovely, doesn’t it?

Getting ready for the sound of Switzerland

Kolë and Beatriçe are now getting ready to represent Albania in Basel. When they think of Switzerland, they’re not thinking about chocolate and mountains – they’ve got their minds on the people.

They say that they most associate Switzerland with Albanians, as there’s such a strong Albanian community in the country. They also think of Swiss footballer Xherdan Shaqiri and Switzerland’s Eurovision 2020 and 2021 artist Gjon’s Tears, who came in third place in 2021 with the song Tout l'Univers.

After 2025, they’ll no doubt think of their own performance when they think about Switzerland. See you in Basel!

Listen out for Shkodra Elektronike on the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast .

You can learn more about Shkodra Elektronike from Albania right here .