Elita 5, one of the most legendary Albanian rock bands, recently made history by becoming the first Albanian group to perform at Vienna’s famous Wiener Stadthalle. This renowned concert hall has hosted world-class music stars. The event was a decisive moment for Albanian fans in Austria, who came out in full force.
In an exclusive interview with HAJDE, two of the band’s members, Arif Ziberi and Nexhat Mujovi (known as "Virusi"), shared their thoughts on the experience, the importance of authentic music, and what’s next for the band. 

o Who Are Elita 5?
With nearly 40 years on the music scene and almost 100 songs released, Elita 5, hailing from Tetovo, North Macedonia, has become a cornerstone of Albanian rock. Throughout the decades, they’ve stayed true to their sound, consistently pleasing fans who value genuine music.
How have they survived the digital age—an era that has transformed and disrupted the music industry?
Keyboardist and composer Nexhat Mujovi says the group didn’t follow the trends. “I always dreamed of creating real pop-rock music. That dream has stayed with me since childhood. I never imagined we’d make it this far,” he said.
Heavily inspired by legendary bands like Deep Purple, White Snake, and Queen, Elita 5 was founded in 1988. The lineup includes Arif Ziberi – Vocals, Mevaip Mustafi – Guitar, Besim Ibrahimi – Drums, Agron Idrizi – Bass, and Nexhat Mujovi – Keyboard & Composer. Later, Valon Gashi joined on electric guitar.
So, what’s kept them together all these years?
“Understanding, tolerance, discipline, and professionalism,” said Virusi. “Our goal has always been to create quality songs and connect with the audience. That’s why we’ve lasted.”

o Challenges at the Start
Speaking about the early ’90s, Virusi recalls the challenges they faced. Their first album, featuring the hit Sajzezo, was well received. But the pressure to succeed with the second album was intense. “I told the team—if we get past this second album, we’ll be fine. If we fail, we’re done,” he said.
Luckily, their second album, headlined by the smash hit Alkapone, was a breakthrough.
“Back then, people actually listened to music. It was the cassette tape era, when skipping songs was unheard of. You played the whole album, and everyone found something they connected with,” he explained.
 

o Their Social Impact Through Music
Music isn’t just entertainment; it’s a form of cultural expression that helps shape and impact social transformation. Elita 5, for 4 decades, sang of love and resonated across all Albanian regions and in the diaspora. 
Lead singer Arif Ziberi said, “Even when music trends shifted, we kept our style because we knew Albanians appreciate quality rock. Everywhere we go, we draw a crowd.”
Virusi added, “We’ve always sung about love—whether personal or based on someone’s story. If you sing about love, you’ll never go wrong.”
Live performances have always been their hallmark, setting them apart in an industry increasingly reliant on playback and digital effects.

o Their Concerts in Austria are a good example for other artists 
On May 31, 2025, Elita 5 lit up one of the halls at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle. The crowd, comprising Albanians from across Austria, sang along to every song.
“It takes guts to play at Wienner Stadthalle,” said Virusi. “It comes with huge responsibility. We were playing in the capital of Austria.”
Before Vienna, the band also played successful shows in Wels and Graz. They were unsure if fans would show up again in Vienna—but they were wrong. “We were amazed. The turnout was fantastic,” Virusi said.
Arif Ziberi was also impressed by the diverse audience. “We saw three generations—from little kids to people over 60. Our music clearly crosses generations.”
The Austrian tour was organised by Sundowner, a company that promotes Albanian artists across Europe. Ziberi praised them for their professionalism and for helping raise the profile of Albanian culture.
He also criticised artists who perform playback in concerts. “Some say Albanians can’t tell the difference—but that’s not true. 
“We remind other artists not to undermine the public. Some say that Apbanians can’t tell the difference- but that’s not true. They deserve the same quality as global audiences,” he said.
For many, it was unimaginable that Elita 5 could hold a concert at Wiener Stadthalle, but it was accomplished. 
Virusi is hopeful that other artists will follow the practice initiated by Elita 5 and Albanian Sundowner to organise concerts in halls designed for huge concerts of world-class stars. “ We can also offer cultural values, and clearly the public embraces these values.”

o Has Elita 5 ever considered expanding to the global stage by producing music in English or other languages?
While they’ve never aimed to break into global charts with English-language songs, both members agree that their main priority is their Albanian audience.
Virusi doesn’t deny the desire to one day go global, but says its priority remains the Albanian audience.
“I want to be the best in my own home, within my family, within my neighbours, and if the time ever comes to expand, that would be perfect for us.”
Meanwhile, vocalist Arif Ziberi has always lived by the motto: "Better to be first in the village, rather than last in the city."
“Personally, I’ve never aimed to perform outside the Albanian-speaking world, because my goal has always been to contribute to my own people,” says the band’s lead singer.

o What are Elita 5’s future plans, and are they thinking about ending their music career?
Great artists who grow up on stage, where the audience and performance become a vital part of their lives, rarely step away from the stage. Some time ago, BBC’s Graham Norton asked Bruce Springsteen if he would ever stop performing. Springsteen replied: “How can you stop when thousands of people are cheering your name—do you say, ‘I’ve had enough’? No, I’ll keep going to the end.”
Members of Elita 5 gave a similar response to this question.
Virusi said, “It’s not up to us to decide when it ends; it’s the audience’s call. As long as we have the passion to make music and the public continues to support us, we’ll continue. Nobody leaves music—music leaves them.”  Arif Ziberi concludes, “art and music don’t have a retirement age.” 
On the contrary, following the experience in Austria, the band plans to expand their concert format to other parts of Europe starting this fall, with a European tour on the horizon.