Karma (Anxhela Peristeri song)

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]

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]

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]

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

• Digital downloads[11]

1. "Karma" – 2:59
2. "Karma (Karaoke Version)" – 2:57