By: Gili Hoxhaj
“Pray for a better world” – was the call from Vjollca Robelli-Mripa as she took the stage to present a song dedicated to her classmate, who was killed without any fault during a regular day by Serbian police in the 1990s. This story deeply touched her and anyone who has experienced similar stories, which were not uncommon at that time. The singer, known artistically as AJO, passionately preserves the traces of the past to give voice to the stories of Albanians around the world. She did this wholeheartedly at home, in Kino “Armata,” during the closing of the “FemArt” festival, which beautifully conveyed messages of solidarity and a prayer to make the world a better place over the course of six days. The concert “Braids” was the highlight of this event. The singer was accompanied by her talented band, composed of renowned musicians from various European countries, with Oliver Dover on clarinet, Nikos Ziarkas on guitar, Gizem Altinordu on percussion, and Jamie Benzies on bass. She and her band managed to taking the audience on a journey of love, motherhood, beauty, and the solidarity of the past. The blend of sounds at the start beautifully evoked the pure Albanian beauty, and some well-arranged urban songs led the audience to the lively taverns of cities where life is celebrated. Vjollca Robelli-Mripa performed on stage in Pristina with a voice that naturally echoes in Albanian – magically.
Opening her heart through music and urging everyone to do the same, Vjollca danced on stage and eventually got the audience to join her in dancing to the song “Give Me a Drop of Water.” With a clear musicality, the sound and singing unpacked each word and musical note slowly, as if to give weight to the fragments of history being conveyed. Robelli-Mripa held the audience for an hour and a half on this journey that linked songs of the past with a modern fusion of jazz sounds, without losing the importance of the message. “Zare” was one of the songs performed that immersed the audience in the beauty and charm of Zare. Applause often synchronized with Vjollca’s singing. “The songs I will sing tonight are connected to our heritage but also to life and personal experiences that touch us all. Thank you for being here to share this musical journey with us,” said the singer, who lives in Great Britain but successfully debuted in Kosovo years ago with the song “Ajo,” a name that has become synonymous with her music. “I hope this night has touched and inspired you, just as every song I’ve written has inspired me,” she expressed. Amid many emotional sentiments, Vjollca sang the song “Mother,” dedicated to all mothers, which she created during her pregnancy with her fourth child. “Nina Nana” is part of her song that is deeply connected to Albanian folklore, bringing to life the images of mothers and the sacrifices that gain deeper meaning in the sweet anticipation of motherhood. This song empowers this vital mission that cannot be achieved without sacrifices.
“In these mountains and hills, today I want to dance,” the singer said towards the end of the concert, calling for dancers among the hills and mountains, in a place illuminated by a lantern, surrounded by friends and mutual respect. “25 Braids” was another song that appeared fresh in a modern arrangement, which seems to have inspired the name of Vjollca Robelli-Mripa’s upcoming album set to release at the end of this year. These braids connect the past and the future, conveying the message of the present. The singer also shared her mission to bring these songs to international stages. “I started in 2018 working on our old folk songs, urban songs, and some with a different touch. We have worked, rearranged them with jazz rhythms and modern sounds. The goal is to promote our music internationally, and I have participated in several international-level festivals. Our rhythms and melodies are quite unique for a Western audience, so it is a pleasure to bring these songs with a fresh spirit to an international level. My aim is to continue promoting our music in different parts of the world,” Vjollca Robelli-Mripa stated. Zana Hoxha, director and founder of “FemArt,” made it possible, together with her team, to fill the daily agenda of the festival over five days. They highlighted essential themes of feminism and solidarity beyond this. The festival also brought joy, messages of peace, and sounds of love.
“I am extremely pleased with the team; of course, we are exhausted at the end, but we are very satisfied with the artistic values and the themes that intertwined and were addressed. Particularly, this year’s theme found a great deal of empathy from the audience, and I am happy that everything went as we hoped, in some cases even better than expected. I am delighted that we closed the festival tonight after six nights with 30 activities. None of them failed; all were realized, and this happened with hundreds of thousands of people present,” Zana Hoxha said. The festival also welcomed guests from various parts of Europe and beyond who came to attend. This demonstrated that “sisterhood” often transcends family and national borders. “Sisterhood: In Times of War and Peace” was this year’s theme of the festival, linking activists and artists from event to event, from one theater to another, from theater to gallery, and from gallery to library, even to the cinema where films were shown, discussions were held, and musical concerts took place. “I am happy that we closed with this concert where Vjollca Robelli brought this spirit to the closing of the festival. We noticed in this edition that there is sisterhood, that people choose their sisters. The idea was that we are not always satisfied with the families we belong to, but you choose your own family. Thus, a form of sisterhood happened naturally during these days,” Hoxha continued.
The diverse and sizable audience of “FemArt” this year embraced rebellion, appreciation, and the challenge of tradition, Spanish sounds, images of journeys, and the history of “FemArt” in a book, discussions that provoke reflection, and stories that unite us. As well as messages about overcoming past barriers and those threatening the world today. “FemArt” convincingly raised the standard this year, anticipating even harder work for the next year! Cheers to the staff and participants!