Albania: Watch the Performances from the First Night of FiK 63!

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The first night of the 63rd Festivali i Këngës, where Albania’s representative for Eurovision 2025 in Basel will be selected, has successfully concluded. A total of 30 artists are competing in this year’s festival. The first night was held at the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana, showcasing the first 15 songs performed live with an orchestra. The event was hosted by Enkel Demi and Ornela Bregu.

You can watch the performances from the first night via the following links:

  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”

The hosts also revealed the professional jury members who will decide which 15 artists will advance to Sunday’s grand final. The jury consists of:

  • Zana Çela
  • Ylljet Aliçka
  • Alma Bektashi
  • Florent Boshnjaku
  • Jonida Maliqi
  • Merita Rexha Tërshana
  • Ramona Tullumani

For the first time in FIK 63 history, renowned Albanian rapper Noizy performed as a special guest. Known for his numerous hits in European music charts, Noizy brought his unique sound to the festival stage for the first time.

Additionally, the evening featured guest performer Slimane, who represented France in Eurovision 2024 with his song “Mon Amour.”

Tomorrow’s Lineup for the Second Night:

  1. Mal Retkoceri – “Antihero”
  2. Klea Dina – “Dashuri Ngiej“
  3. Devis Xherahu – “Ka momente”
  4. Vesa Smolica – “Lutem”
  5. Algert Sala – “Bosh”
  6. Gresa Gjocera – “E vërteta”
  7. Frensi Revania – “Rreziko”
  8. Endrik Beba – “Ishe ti”
  9. Epos – “Kurajo dhe Zjarr”
  10. Laurjan Ejlli & Adelina Corraj – “A thu”
  11. Santino De Bartolo – “Kur nata vjen si bora”
  12. Rea Nuhu – “Sot”
  13. Elvana Gjata – “Karnaval”
  14. Stine – “E kishim nis”
  15. Gjergj Kaçinari – “Larg jetës pa ty”

In recent years, Albania’s Eurovision representative was chosen separately from the overall festival winner. However, this year, the organizers have returned to the traditional format, where the festival’s winner will represent Albania in Eurovision.

The grand final of the 63rd Festivali i Këngës will take place on Sunday, December 22, at 21:30, when we will find out Albania’s next Eurovision representative.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all updates regarding Albania’s participation in Eurovision 2025 in Basel!

Netherlands: Eurovision 2025 Entry Will Be in Two Languages

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Claude was announced as the Netherlands’ representative for Eurovision 2025 by AVROTROS. He shared new details about his song, along with the Dutch selection jury, on the talk show “Eva” on NPO 1.

It was revealed that Claude’s entry will include lyrics in two different languages. However, the exact languages remain unknown for now.

Claude has teamed up with well-known songwriters Léon Palmen, Joren van der Voort, and Arno Krabman to create the song. More details are expected to be released in the coming months as preparations for Eurovision continue.

Which languages do you think they are? Let us know in the comments!

Source: NPO/AVROTROS

Estonia: Hosts for Eesti Laul 2025 Announced!

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ERR, Estonia’s Public Broadcasting, has revealed the hosts for Eesti Laul 2025, the winner of which will represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel.

According to the announcement, the duo of hosts for the national final of Estonia’s selection will consist of Eda-Ines Etti and 5miinus member, Korea. Both are familiar faces, as both Ines and Korea have previously appeared at Eurovision representing Estonia.

It’s important to note that Eesti Laul 2025 will consist of just one show, in which sixteen artists will compete. The event will take place on February 15 2025, at the Unibet Arena. The final will consist of two rounds of voting:

In the first round, all sixteen artists will perform their entries. After the voting by the public and the juries, with equal weight, a number of artists will advance to the superfinal. In the second and final round, the result, and thus the representative of Estonia at Eurovision 2025, will be determined solely by the television audience.

Sixteen songs will compete in this year’s Estonian selection. Of these, fifteen have already been officially released:

  1. An-Marlen – “Külm”
  2. Anna Sahlene – “Love Me Low”
  3. ANT – “Tomorrow Never Comes”
  4. ELYSA – “The Last to Know”
  5. FELIN – “Solo Anthem”
  6. Räpina Jack feat. Kaisa Ling – “Tule”
  7. Stereo Terror – “Prty Till the End of the World”
  8. Tuuli Rand – “Rem”
  9. Andrei Zevakin feat. Karita – “Ma ei tea sind”
  10. Frants Tikerpuu  – “Trouble”
  11. Gem98 – “Psycho”
  12. Janek – “Frozen”
  13. Johana Elise – “Eyes Don’t Lie”
  14. Minimal Wind – “Armageddon”
  15. Tommy Cash – “Espresso Macchiato”

In addition to the announcement of the hosts, ERR confirmed that Johanna Elise Kabel has been forced to change her stage name. The singer was originally set to compete as Joelle, but the name is already trademarked by an existing artist. As a result, she will perform under the name Johanna Elise.

The 16th entry will be announced in January and will be determined by the public vote.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest updates!

Source: ERR, ERR

Greece: National Final for Eurovision 2025 to be held at the Christmas Theater

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ERT has officially announced that the national final for Eurovision 2025 will take place on January 29. According to recent reports, the Christmas Theater in Athens has been chosen as the venue for this exciting event.

The Christmas Theater, one of Athens’ most modern and impressive cultural venues with a seating capacity of 3,000, will host the event. The national final will feature 12 songs, selected by a special committee from ERT from a total of 187 submissions by artists representing various musical genres.

The finalists will be announced soon, adding to the anticipation and excitement for the big night.

The voting process will involve both the public and two committees: one international and one Greek. Each committee will contribute 25% of the final result, while the remaining 50% will be determined by the public vote.

The production of the national final promises a spectacular stage and outstanding performances, blending Greek identity with international standards. ERT’s goal is to present a song that will stand out on the Eurovision stage in May 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, securing a high ranking on the scoreboard.

For the production of the national final, ERT invited bids from production companies with experience in large-scale music events, aiming for the best possible television outcome. DAM, the music channel under the MAD network, was ultimately chosen to handle the production of the national final.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates!
Source: Newsit

Netherlands: Claude will represent the country in Eurovision 2025!

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Another contestant joins the lineup for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, as The Netherlands has officially unveiled their artist. Just moments ago, AVROTROS revealed that Claude has been chosen to represent the country in the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in Basel, Switzerland.

How Was Claude Selected?

After The Netherlands confirmed their participation in Eurovision 2025 and following Joost Klein’s decision not to return, AVROTROS opened a submission window for artists who wished to represent the country. The window closed on November 22nd, attracting significant interest from the Dutch music scene.

In total, 331 entries were submitted and evaluated by a six-member committee consisting of:

  • Jacqueline Govaert
  • Jaap Reesema
  • Carolien Borgers
  • Hila Noorzai
  • Cornald Maas
  • Sander Lantinga

From these submissions, several artists were shortlisted and invited to perform their songs live in front of the jury to assess their vocal capabilities. Following careful consideration and live auditions, the panel selected Claude to represent The Netherlands in Eurovision 2025.

Claude song will be released at a later stage.

Who is Claude?

The singer-songwriter Claude, originally from Congo, moved to the Netherlands at the age of 13. He recalls that he and his family first encountered the Eurovision Song Contest not long after he had moved, with all of them cheering together as Conchita Wurst won for Austria. A new annual tradition was born and Claude has continued to follow the Eurovision Song Contest ever since.

His love for music developed further and, with his unique voice and talent, Claude managed to conquer the music scene at home in the Netherlands.

His breakthrough came in 2022 with the debut single Ladada (Mon Dernier Mot), which has gone on to amass over 57 million streams. He won the 3FM Award for ‘Best Newcomer’, was named ‘3FM Talent’, and then Qmusic crowned Claude as ‘Best Artist of the Year’. In addition, he also managed to win the hearts of the Dutch public with his participation in the popular Dutch TV program Beste Zangers.

Claude released his debut album in Parler Français in 2024, on which he co-wrote all the songs himself. With it, he’s been able to tour the Netherlands and Belgium with his band. In 2024, Claude also took on the role of Ambassador of Freedom, an honourable appointment that he found meant something extra special to him, due to his own past.

Claude now continues to impress on an international scale. The English-French version of Ladada has charted in over 15 countries, including Italy, where it reached the Top 10. And now with the international release of Layla, Claude strengthened his position as an artist with global allure.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: eurovision.tv

Albania: The jury panel of Festivali i Këngës 63 revealed!

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Tonight, Festivali i Këngës 63 kicks off, with the First Semi-Final. The festival will see thirty artists compete for the opportunity to represent the country at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest.

Few hours before the show, RTSH unveiled the panel of judges who will evaluate the performances throughout the semi-finals and the grand final. The panel is composed of five individuals with diverse backgrounds in music, ensuring a thorough judging process.

The jury members for this year’s edition of Festivali i Këngës are:

  • Merita Rexha Tershana – Pianist
  • Alma Bektashi – Musical Artist
  • Zana Cela – Producer
  • Florent Boshnjaku – Composer
  • Yllnjet Aliçka – Writer

With a diverse mix of expertise, the jury will assess each artist’s performance, in order to determine which contestants will move on to the final stage of the competition.

After tonight’s semi-final and the following second semi-final, the jury will select the entries that will progress to the final of Festivali i Këngës 63. However, the final decision on the winner will be made through a combination of jury votes and public votes. The artist who emerges victorious will also earn the honor of representing Albania in Eurovision 2025.

Festivali i Këngës 63 – The participants

First Night – December 19

  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”

Second Night – December 20

  1. Mal Retkoceri – “Antihero”
  2. Klea Dina – “Dashuri Ngiej“
  3. Devis Xherahu – “Ka momente”
  4. Vesa Smolica – “Lutem”
  5. Algert Sala – “Bosh”
  6. Gresa Gjocera – “E vërteta”
  7. Frensi Revania – “Rreziko”
  8. Endrik Beba – “Ishe ti”
  9. Epos – “Kurajo dhe Zjarr”
  10. Laurjan Ejlli & Adelina Corraj – “A thu”
  11. Santino De Bartolo – “Kur nata vjen si bora”
  12. Rea Nuhu – “Sot”
  13. Elvana Gjata – “Karnaval”
  14. Stine – “E kishim nis”
  15. Gjergj Kaçinari – “Larg jetës pa ty”

During the first two nights, the thirty competing artists will perform their original songs. The third night, named Nostalgia Night, will feature performances in a non-competitive manner. During the end of the third night, the eighteen finalists will be revealed.

Last year’s televote winner of Festivali i Këngës was Besa with “Zemrën n’dorë”. Besa released an English version titled “Titan” for Eurovision. However, she did not qualify to the Grand Final, finishing 14th in the second semi-final.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: RTSH

Netherlands: Eurovision 2025 representative to be announced today

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In a surprising turn of events, the Dutch public broadcaster has revealed that the artist who will represent the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025 will be announced this afternoon.

The announcement is set to take place at 16:00 CET. The chosen artist will later give an interview on the first channel of Dutch public television at 19:00, during the popular talk show Eva.

Once again, the Dutch broadcaster has opted for an internal selection process. A total of 331 entries were submitted, with a six-member committee selecting the final representative, who will be revealed today.

Who will take on the responsibility of representing the Netherlands after this year’s turbulent journey and the disqualification of Joost Klein from the Eurovision final?

To recap, Joost Klein, the Netherlands’ representative for Eurovision 2024, was disqualified from competing in the final despite initially qualifying. His disqualification followed allegations of controversial behavior involving a production staff member. The case was ultimately dropped due to lack of evidence.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates!

Sweden: Running order for Melodifestivalen 2025 heats announced

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SVT, Sweden’s national broadcaster, has unveiled the running order for the five heats of Melodifestivalen 2025.

The competition kicks off on February 1 in Luleå, with Albin Johnsén feat. Pa performing the opening song, “Upp i luften” (Up in the Air). Scarlet will close the heats with her song “Sweet n’ Psycho.”

Heat 1: Luleå – February 1

  • Albin Johnsén feat. Pa – “Upp i luften”
  • Maja Ivarsson – “Kamikaze Life”
  • John Lundvik – “Voice of the Silent”
  • Meira Omar – “Hush Hush”
  • Adrian Maceus – “Vår första gång”
  • Linnea Henriksson – “Den känslan”

Heat 2: Gothenburg – February 8

  • Nomi Tales – “Funniest Thing”
  • Schlagerz – “Don Juan”
  • Erik Segerstedt – “Show Me What Love Is”
  • Klara Hammarström – “On and On and On”
  • Fredrik Lundman – “The Heart of a Swedish Cowboy”
  • Kaliffa – “Salute”

Heat 3: Västerås – February 15

  • Greczula – “Believe Me”
  • Malou Prytz – “24K Gold”
  • Björn Holmgren – “Rädda mig”
  • Dolly Style – “YIHAA”
  • Angelino – “Teardrops”
  • Annika Wickihalder – “Life Again”

Heat 4: Malmö – February 22

  • Andreas Lundstedt – “Vicious”
  • Ella Tiritello – “Bara du är där”
  • Tennessee Tears – “Yours”
  • Kaj – “Bara bada bastu”
  • AmenA – “Do Good Be Better”
  • Måns Zelmerlöw – “Revolution”

Heat 5: Jönköping – March 1

  • Arvingarna – “Ring baby ring”
  • Arwin – “This Dream of Mine”
  • Saga Ludvigsson – “Hate You So Much”
  • Victoria Silvstedt – “Love It”
  • Vilhelm Buchaus – “I’m Yours”
  • Scarlet – “Sweet n’ Psycho”

The lineup features several artists with Eurovision history, including Måns Zelmerlöw, winner of Eurovision 2015, and John Lundvik, who represented Sweden in 2019.

Melodifestivalen 2025 will take place across six cities in Sweden, hosted by Keyyo and Edvin Törnblom. The final show will occur on March 8 in Stockholm, with the winner earning the honor of representing Sweden at Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

Source: SVT

Albania: The First Night of Festivali i Këngës 63 Takes the Stage Tonight!

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December wouldn’t feel complete without Festivali i Këngës, and tonight marks the start of the 63rd edition of Albania’s most celebrated music festival in Tirana. Known for selecting Albania’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, this year’s FiK promises intense competition and captivating performances. The winner will earn the honor of representing Albania in Basel, Switzerland, for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in May.

Format

The festival spans four nights, with 30 artists competing for six awards, one of which is directly tied to Eurovision representation.

  • Thursday & Friday: Semi-finals showcase all entries.
  • Saturday: A special “Nostalgia Night”.
  • Sunday: The highly anticipated Grand Final, where the winner will be crowned.

Unlike the previous two editions, this year’s winner, decided by a combined audience and jury vote, will automatically represent Albania in Eurovision 2025. There’s no separate category for Eurovision selection—the grand champion will take the Eurovision stage.

The First Semi-Final

The first semi-final begins tonight at 21:00 CET live from the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana. Competing artists for the evening include:

  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”

The event will be hosted by Enkel Demi and Ornela Bregu.

Special Guests

The opening night will feature two special guests:

  • Slimane, France’s representative for Eurovision 2024.
  • Noizy, one of Albania’s biggest music stars and a trailblazer in the country’s rap scene.

Where to Watch

The first night of Festivali i Këngës 63 kicks off at 21:00 CET. Viewers can watch the show live here.

Eurovision Legacy

Last year, Besa represented Albania with her song “Zemrën n’dorë” (later reworked as “Titan” in English). Despite delivering a powerful performance, she narrowly missed the Grand Final, finishing 14th in Semi-Final 2.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the updates on Albania’s Eurovision journey and more!

Luxembourg: Songs for Luxembourg Song Contest 2025 released!

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Luxembourg seems to be back for good and it’s one step closer to selecting its entry for Eurovision 2025. A few moments ago, RTL, the country’s public broadcaster, revealed the seven songs that will compete in Luxembourg Song Contest 2025! Read more