The rise of BESA: Albania's titan in disguise

Albania is sending their bravest popstar to Malmö, with BESA ready to take on the competition on the Eurovision Song Contest stage with her song ‘TITAN.’

Albanian pop goddess Besa Kokëdhima, or BESA, has already had to fight for her place in Sweden. She took to the stage at Festivali i Këngës, the Albanian song contest where the country’s Eurovision entry is chosen through a public vote. And if her TITAN song lyrics are anything to go by, she’s ready to fight till the end.

Alongside BESA herself, the song TITAN was written by a trio of expert composers. Gia Koka is a songwriter, producer, and singer of soulful electropop, who has written for Leona Lewis. Alias Lj is a French artist and multi-instrumentalist who lives between Paris and Los Angeles, who enjoys experimenting with styles. And Kledi Bahiti has over 13 years as a music producer and songwriter.

One of BESA’s top moments as an artist was when her single Amelia became a global TiKTok challenge. And with that catchy beat, it’s no surprise. People all around the world took on her choreography, from dance troupes to street performances to people in their kitchens. If you haven’t made your own, there’s still time! 

The slow and powerful TITAN might feel totally different from Amelia’s upbeat dance vibe, but this just shows how BESA moves. Beats are always important, and she plays with genres.

The popstar says her biggest fashion disaster involved her dress ripping on stage. Someone get the safety pins on stand by for BESA!

She’s also a big fan of sleep, and would prefer to get 10-12 hours a night.

BESA is in complete awe of Eurovision Song Contest 2023 winner Loreen (aren’t we all?), calling her: “divine, powerful, and mysterious”. She also loves how cool, creative, and rebellious the Eurovision 2021 winners Måneskin are. BESA’s own love of creativity certainly comes out in her music.

She’s a big fan of current pop tracks like Prada by cassö, RAYE, and D-Block Europe; Bad Memories by MEDUZA, James Carter, Elley Duhé, and FAST BOY; and Desire by Calvin Harris and Sam Smith. It’s clear from this power playlist that she loves a strong dance beat. Throw in soulful vocals and melancholy lyrics, and you’ll have a sense of BESA’s style.

When she thinks of Sweden, BESA thinks of picturesque landscapes, handsome people, and the music producer Max Martin who worked on Britney Spears’ ...Baby One More Time alongside many other global smash hits.

She says she’s looking forward to: “Rehearsals, music parties and a little hanging around with awesome people”. See you in Malmö, BESA!

Look out for BESA on upcoming episodes of the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast.

You can learn more about BESA from Albania right here.

You can listen to all 37 songs of Eurovision 2024 via your favourite streaming service or watch the music videos on our YouTube channel.

The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden on Tuesday 7 May (First Semi-Final), Thursday 9 May (Second Semi-Final) and Saturday 11 May (Grand Final) 2024.

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