When A Country Feels Broken What Should It Sing: Albania 2026

Albania starts our Eurovision 2026 countdown, and we’re not treating it like a three-minute track dropped from the sky. We zoom out first: what’s been happening inside Albania over the past 12 months, what’s been driving the public mood, and why that matters when a country chooses a song to represent it on the biggest live music stage in the world.

We talk through the headlines and the atmosphere:  All of it helps explain why a darker, heavier Eurovision ballad might feel like the most honest choice right now.

Then we get to the artist and the entry. Albania’s pick is Alis, we give you a spoiler-safe background first, then clearly mark the moment we start talking about the song “Nan” for anyone who wants to avoid spoilers

From the choir to the grief-soaked lyrics to the make-or-break live notes and staging questions, we lay out what could send Albania through semifinal two and into the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final.

If you’re following Eurovision 2026 entries, Albania’s selection, or you just love dissecting vocals and staging, hit play, subscribe, and share this with a Eurovision mate. After you listen, what’s your take: should “Nan” keep it minimalist or go fully epic on stage?

#eurovision #eurovisionsong contest #eurovisionpodcast #eurovisionaustralia #eurovisionfunny

Transcript

Countdown Setup And Listening Rules

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Bonjour, good time, prevent, hello, and welcome back to the Jesus Podcast. As we continue our countdown to Eurovision 2026. Now, this week, and let me say this before you go, no, I'm covering my ears and running away. Yes, we will be talking about the first country representing Eurovision 2026. But what I am gonna do for each country is first of all, we are gonna have a little look at the country, find out what's been shaping them over the last 12 months, see what has influenced and driven them to select the performers that they have. I'm then gonna tell you a little bit more about the performer who has been booked for the country, a little bit of their history, a little bit of their life story. So even if you want to go in blind to the song, you'll have a little bit of a background about why this song was picked and who's performing, where they've come from. Have you seen them on the Eurovision stage before? We definitely are gonna have some of them this year, and some lovely fresh blood. I will then stop and make an announcement to let you know that we are actually gonna start then talking about the song so that if you want to go in blind, we'll give you a moment to hit that pause button and you can come back later and see just how spot on we were. Now I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to decide if I should go through all of the country and the performers, if we should go through it via country versus country, should I do it in alphabetical order? Should I do it in semifinal running order? I did so much procrastinating because I absolutely kept changing my mind. I accidentally somehow not only made pumpkin soup for dinner, ate the pumpkin soup for dinner, made garlic bread to have with a pumpkin soup. I hate pumpkin soup. It's my least favorite of all the soups. I've also got a faux fake pretend beef casserole in the slow cooker. This is how much I was doing rather than reach a decision. Eventually, I looked at all the countries and I realized if I go alphabetically, that means you know who's last. Ah, it's the UK. So if they're gonna suck my soul, at least I will have a smaller amount of time dealing with the consequences. Although, who knows, this could be the year that the UK wins me over. Sorry, you gotta have a sense of humor or what's the point of it all? But okay, let's start alphabetically, and that means we are starting with Albania. I just realized I should have like a sound that I can cut to when I announce a country like Albania. What sound do you think represents Albania? To all the Albanians out there, let me know what sound do you hear and go ding Albania, Albania. Now, beautiful Albania, and let's be honest, with one of the sexiest flags, has been competing since 2004, and from 2004 to now, they have not missed a year, except, of course, well, you know, the year that we all missed the year. Damn you, COVID, I'm still angry. The highest they've ever played has been fifth in 2012, and then last year with a Schroeder Electronica, the sexy lady and the old man that she knew, the duo, they actually came eighth in the grand final. Things have not been good on the Albanian home front. On the 11th of May 2025, Prime Minister Eddie Rama secured a fourth term in charge of the country with 52% of the vote. Ooh, barely got across the line. However, this election saw the lowest voter turnout, with only about 41% of the population actually turning out to vote, which is by far the lowest turnout since communism. Why? Simply because the government has been racked with multiple, multiple, multiple high-ranking officials facing legal action because of corruption. Corruption, bribery, bid rigging, and even extortion. The deputy prime minister and minister of energy was indicted on corruption charges related to infrastructure contracts. And then the director of the National Agency, I should say that was Belinda Balakur. Then the director of the National Agency of Information Society was taken into house arrest in late 2025. Alleged extortion and bid rigging. This was Melinda Carsonage. So, what the government do to all this corruption? Well, they decided to put a ban on TikTok, citing concerns over youth violence and bullying. Another report says, with the cost of living crisis. One survey, which was taken in late 2025, actually had a result that had to shock the country with 44%. That's 44% of Albanians wanting to live or work abroad, basically anywhere other than Albania. But on another hand, unemployment dropped sharply. Although when you look into it, that is because a lot of people are older now, or the baby boomers are starting to retire, so thusly leaving the workforce. The government has cited issues with youth violence and unemployment. But you know what cuts down on youth violence and unemployment. Well, I don't know. Maybe providing them with a government that's not as corrupt as hell. And is sealing all of the country's wealth, security, and promising future and selling it to all be gobbled up by a few lazy few. That's the problem with the world. This makes me so angry. Honestly, all we need is just 100 decent, honest, hardworking individuals who aren't looking out for themselves, and we can pretty much end corruption, homelessness, drugs, crime, health issues. Let me take that back. We need to find 100 good, honest, hardworking people, but we need to somehow get them into a position of power. But that's the ultimate question, isn't it? How do you stick fresh, clean fruit on to the disease-ridden tree of parliament? Ugh. But it's not all doom and gloom. They tell us the economy grew by approximately 3.8% in 2025. However, admittedly, most of that was driven into the pockets of a few corrupt people, but it was driven largely by a boom in construction and a boom in tourism. Who doesn't want to go and get a picture with that flag? Albania has had one glimmer of hope in the darkness with the national football team qualifying for the 2026 World Cup playoffs after five consecutive wins. But to this day, the Albanian streets are filled with anti-corruption protests with no end in sight for the anti-corruption protests. So that could explain why Albania has chosen the song and the artist that it has this year. Albania has selected Alice. That's it. Alis, like sure. He is an Albanian singer-songwriter going on 23 years of age. He's completed a piano diploma and he is currently studying, learning to become a child music teacher. All those dreams of a day job are currently put on hold as he pursued his music career with what does it seem nine out of ten performers at Eurovision have in common these days? Of course, it's some kind of singing show. Alice is no different. In 2024, at around 21, he was the winner of the fifth season of Axe Factor. So that was in April of 2024. And then in November 2024, he competed in Festival Iki Guess, where people compete to represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest. He actually placed third in the final and decided to come back in October of 2025 and shoot another shot. And this time, Victory! As he and his song Nan won the final on the 20th of December 2025. Wow, what a Christmas present indeed. Now, as well as a singer, he also plays piano and he plays guitar and he loves a big dramatic. He loves a big depressing ballad. Now with his 2024 attempt, look, I could see why it didn't pip the prize. Some interesting staging, basically, a lot of people, mainly ladies standing around in white robes while he just stands in the middle like a black, gothy emo vampire who wants to tell you about his feelings. Couple of the ladies come for so peel back the hood of his cape to reveal his biggest, deepest, darkest, most shameful secret a 1980s mullet. That's right, a 1980s greasy mullet, straight from Jean-Claude Van Damme's What's the one set in New Orleans where he has to fight Lance Henrickson and Imotep double target, double tap, double target, hard target. That's it. It is Jean-Claude in New Orleans with a greasy mullet. If you haven't seen it, he punches a snake. It's so terrible, it's one of the greatest things you will ever see. Unlike Alice in 2024. So I think they were correct to go with their musical duo. Now, for everyone at home, if you don't want to know anything about this year's song from Albania, this is the time. Press pause. You can come back to the rest of this show later. Albania 2026, represented by Alice with his song Naan. Well, what can we say? He's definitely kept some of the design influence from the stage production of his attempt in the previous year. I guess you've got to try and save money wherever you can in this economy. But bless us all, you can see he's grown, he's developed, i.e., he has tied up that terrible mullet. So already it is an improvement. His look, look, he's gone a little bit Neo in the Matrix, complete with the sunglasses. I know he's going for a look, but I don't think sunglasses work on the Eurovision stage, unless you are Wesley Snipes doing a played cameo, hate the sunglasses off. Although, judging from his national live performance, he keeps the sunglasses on. Look, he's going for some big notes. The big question, all of this is gonna come down to whether or not he can actually hit those big notes on the night. Like, I do love a bit of drama in a song. First impulse, my first reaction is a song with this big level of drama is sure to go through, although it is in semifinal two. And it looks like that is building up to be the real tough cookie of the semifinals. So again, a lot is gonna come down on these notes. Nan or or mum. Look, some of the some of the lyrics, it kicks off the he is singing in Albanian, the English translation. Know that mother waits for you, she waves you down the road, still standing at the doorway, as two weeks, two years, this summer too is gone. Look, he's depressed. This song is depressed, Albania is depressed. I can see why they picked it. My heart is aching, I can barely hold the tears. We still see your shadows running down the hall. Now I don't mother is waiting for you. I when I read the lyrics, I am a bit confused. Is like he really sad that his mum is dead and he's just sort of dealing with that loss? Or is this in the terms of this is a husband talking to a child that their mother is dead? I don't know. I'm a bit confused with the lyrics. I mean, you get the idea, you get the sense, yes, he's depressed, I'm depressed, we should be depressed, we're all depressed, somebody's dead, we're not quite sure who, what, why, or how, but it's sad. Look, it does kick off with a massive choir. And I've gotta be honest, that will have an impact. Look, who doesn't live a big vocal choir? Like, don't get me wrong, this is a good, solid attempt by Albania. Albania has nothing to be ashamed or disappointed with. It's a good song, I think it's a good, steady song. And I think, okay, look, I've honestly only heard three songs so far, but out of those three, I am very happy for this one to move ahead to the grand final. I think it's a good, solid performance. Again, it's gonna come down to a couple of factors. Can he hit those key notes during the live performance? And ooh, the staging for this. Obviously, you have to do epic, but what do you do with those five other people on stage? This is gonna be interesting. If it's just going to be five people standing around in a white hood behind him, I'm not interested. I want some giant, muscular people in vegan pineapple leather, oiled, lots of black eyeliner, very just solid, exaggerated, painful movement, jagged, sexy sweat. That's what I want. But well done, Albania and Alice, really good, solid effort, really good start. So keep an eye out as we make our way through all 35 songs. Also gonna keep you updated with all the exciting and scandalous developments as we proceed. Oof! And coming up in a couple of days, we are going to release a very special episode. Basically, I have locked Bucket Bob and Sam Tarling down in the bunker and plied them with liquor to get their feedback on some past Eurovision performers and their latest new releases. We are covering everyone. It's over a three-part episode. Everyone from Kano, Baby Lasagna, and The Roop, and we unpack the Hanky Code. You'll just have to tune in for more. You may wish you tuned in for less afterwards.