critics. Wiwibloggs writer, William Lee Adams, commented that the song was a "definite grower" and a "true standout that year in Festivali i Këngës amongst old rockers and diva powerhouse". After the revamp, Adams described the song as "more efficient" and a "high-impact piece" retaining "its anthemic quality". Other reviewers from Wiwibloggs, including Deban Aderemi and Jordi Pedra, had both positive and mixed opinions praising Bushpepa's vocal potential and stage presence, but also criticising the genre of the song. The live performances of "Mall" were heavily praised by music critics and fans with a critic describing Bushpepa's "emotional" and "confident" vocal delivery as "faultless" and "majestic". In a poll conducted by Wiwibloggs titled "Who gave the best live performance at Eurovision In Concert 2018?", the singer finished in first place with over 2,600 votes. After Bushpepa's participation at the Eurovision Song Contest, the president of Albania, Ilir Meta, welcomed him on 17 May 2018 to his official residence in Tirana and joined him by doing the sign of the horns. "Mall" was further named as the song of the year at the 2018 Kult Awards in November 2018. Music video and promotion An accompanying music video for "Mall" was released to the official YouTube channel of the Eurovision Song Contest on 26 March 2018. Before that, a promotional video featuring the performance footage of Bushpepa and his band at the music rehearsal space, was premiered on 16 March 2018. The music video was filmed by Anima Pictures and directed by Ajola Xoxa. Shot in black and white, the script incorporates elements of love at first sight with dual interpretation of the song's lyrical content aiming at a couple longing to pursuit their amorous fusion whilst being hindered by distance and other factors. Bushpepa's brief cameo is intercut several times, and as the video progresses, it features Albanian folk elements showcasing ballet dancers wearing a xhubleta and traditional Albanian fustanella while performing choreography over a bentonite clay dust covered floor. Towards the music video ending, the embracing couple drifts aloft on the air, the crowd stands in awe, and the singer concludes by clapping his hands in glee. For promotional and supporting purposes, Bushpepa made several appearances throughout Europe to specifically promote his song with live performances in Amsterdam and Madrid. He was additionally scheduled to perform in London but was forced to withdraw due to visa issues. In April 2018,