Albania: Tonight Marks the Nostalgia Night of Festivali i Këngës 63

December is synonymous with Festivali i Këngës, and tonight the 63rd edition of this iconic celebration of Albanian music continues in Tirana. With just hours to go, the festival’s much-anticipated Nostalgia Night is set to showcase unforgettable classics, both from the festival’s rich history and Albania’s Eurovision journey.

Format

This year’s Festivali i Këngës spans four nights with 30 competing artists, all vying for six prestigious awards. The festival will culminate in crowning the winner, who will represent Albania at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland this May.

• Thursday & Friday: Semi-finals featuring all competing entries.
• Saturday: A special “Nostalgia Night”, paying homage to past hits.
• Sunday: The Grand Final, where the ultimate winner will be determined through a combined jury and public vote.

For the first time in three years, no separate category will decide Albania’s Eurovision representative. The winner of Festivali i Këngës 63 will secure their Eurovision spot directly, promising a unified and exciting selection process.

Nostalgia Night

Tonight’s Nostalgia Night is a tribute to Albania’s musical legacy. All 30 participants who performed in the semi-finals will take the stage at Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana to deliver renditions of timeless classics and iconic entries.

Here’s the full lineup of tonight’s performers:

1. Orgesa Zaimi – “I parë”
2. Erma Mici – “Mbaje”
3. Luna Çausholli – “Qiell apo ferr”
4. Ronaldo Mesuli – “N’zemër”
5. Mihallaq Andrea – “Porositë e babait”
6. Kejsi Jazxhi – “Kur bota hesht”
7. Lorenc Hasrama – “Frymë”
8. Jet – “Gjallë”
9. Djemtë e Detit – “Larg”
10. Nita Latifi – “Zemrës”
11. Martina Serreqi – “Nese qaj”
12. Alis Kallacej – “Mjegull”
13. Shkodra Elektronike – “Zjerm”
14. Kleansa Susaj – “Ta dija”
15. Ardit Çuni – “Amane”
16. Mal Retkoceri – “Antihero”
17. Klea Dina – “Dashuri Ngiej“
18. Devis Xherahu – “Ka momente”
19. Vesa Smolica – “Lutem”
20. Algert Sala – “Bosh”
21. Gresa Gjocera – “E vërteta”
22. Frensi Revania – “Rreziko”
23. Endrik Beba – “Ishe ti”
24. Epos – “Kurajo dhe Zjarr”
25. Laurjan Ejlli & Adelina Corraj – “A thu”
26. Santino De Bartolo – “Kur nata vjen si bora”
27. Rea Nuhu – “Sot”
28. Elvana Gjata – “Karnaval”
29. Stine – “E kishim nis”
30. Gjergj Kaçinari – “Larg jetës pa ty”

Hosts and Jury

Guiding the audience through the festival’s proceedings are Enkel Demi and Ornela Bregu. The jury includes notable music professionals tasked with the difficult job of selecting the winner:

• Merita Rexha Tershana – Pianist
• Alma Bektashi – Singer
• Zana Cela – Producer
• Florent Boshnjaku – Composer
• Yllnjet Aliçka – Lyricist

Where to Watch

Catch tonight’s Nostalgia Night live at 21:00 CET. Follow the action here.

Eurovision 2024

Albania’s Eurovision journey last year saw Besa performing “Zemrën n’dorë”. Her revamped English version, “Titan”, captivated audiences but fell short of reaching the Grand Final, finishing 14th in Semi-Final 2.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for more updates on Festivali i Këngës 63 and Albania’s road to Eurovision 2024!