"Karnaval" (transl. Carnival) is a song by Albanian singer and songwriter Elvana Gjata. The song was written by Gjata, Lira Blakaj, Luca Luisa Ionela (Minelli) and Victor Bouroșu, who produced the song. It was released as a single for digital download and streaming by Loud on 7 December 2024.
"Karnaval" garnered generally positive reviews from Aussievision with critics praising its "catchy" and "well-constructed" pop sound.[4] Dale describes it as a "blend of a World Cup anthem" and a "beach club hit", noting that while it lacks a "distinct Albanian edge", it remains "high-quality" and "fun".[4] Jamie expresses confidence that the song has the potential to reach the grand final of Eurovision Song Contest, should it represent Albania.[4] Craig acknowledges the song's "punchiness" and "strong" production, highlighting the effective fusion of Albanian and Spanish elements, and predicts it will perform well in the competition.[4]
The national broadcaster of Albania, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), will organise the 63rd edition of Festivali i Këngës to determine the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.[5][6] Gjata was announced as one of the 30 participating artists on 7 October 2024.[7][8] To introduce her entry "Karnaval", a promotional video was published on RTSH's official YouTube channel on 6 December as a preview of the song in the context of the contest.[9] Gjata performed in the second semi-final of the contest on 20 December.[10][11]
^ ab"Karnaval – Single by Elvana Gjata". Spotify. 7 December 2024. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024. Note: To display the credits, click on the three dots positioned at the right of the track.
^ abcCitations regarding the release of "Karnaval" by Elvana Gjata in various selected countries:
