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!

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

The second night of the 63rd Festivali i Këngës (FiK), where Albania’s representative for Eurovision 2025 in Basel will be chosen, has come to an end. A total of 30 artists are competing in this year’s festival.

The event took place at the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana, where the remaining 15 songs were performed live with an orchestra for the first time. The hosts for FiK 63 were Enkel Demi and Ornela Bregu.

You can watch the performances from the second night via the links below:

  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”

Additionally, the hosts revealed the members of the professional jury who will decide which 15 artists will advance to Sunday’s grand final.

The jury members are:
  • Zana Çela
  • Ylljet Aliçka
  • Alma Bektashi
  • Florent Boshnjaku
  • Jonida Maliqi
  • Merita Rexha Tërshana
  • Ramona Tullumani

In the past two editions of the festival, Albania’s Eurovision representative was selected separately from the overall winner of the festival. However, this year the organizers have returned to the traditional format, where the festival winner will also represent Albania in Eurovision.

The grand final of the 63rd Festivali i Këngës will take place on Sunday, December 22, at 9:30 PM, where Albania’s next Eurovision representative will be revealed.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s nostalgia night of Festivali i Këngës, where contestants will perform classic songs from the history of FiK and Eurovision.

Follow Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates on Albania’s participation in Eurovision 2025 in Basel!

Ukraine: Meet the Nine Finalists of Vidbir 2025!

The Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC has just announced the nine artists and their song titles who will participate in the country’s national final, Vidbir 2025.

The nine artists competing in Vidbir 2025 are:
  1. Future Culture – “Waste My Time”
  2. Khayat – “Honor”
  3. Krylata – “Stay True”
  4. Molodi – “My Sea”
  5. Ziferblat – “Bird of Pray”
  6. Abiye – “Dim”
  7. DK Enerhetyk – “Sil'”
  8. Masha Kondratenko – “No Time To Cry”
  9. Vlad Sheryf – “Wind of Change”

Among the other eleven contestants who didn’t directly qualify for the final, an online vote will be held. This vote will determine one additional participant in the grand final. The full list of the 10 finalists will be announced by January 17.

The eleven artists competing for the last spot in Vidbir 2025 are:
  • BRYKULETS
  • ENLEO
  • FIЇNKA
  • GRISANA
  • MON FIA
  • Ranrawi
  • Starykova Hrystyna
  • TESLENKO
  • YAGODY
  • Muayad
  • Sluchay Sashu

The online voting will take place soon, during which we’ll get to hear the 11 songs that didn’t make it directly to the final. The nine songs already in the final will be revealed in the new year.

The televised final of Vidbir 2025 is scheduled for February 8, 2025. The winner will be decided through a combination of public and jury voting. The composition of the jury will also be determined later through an online vote by the Ukrainian public.

Last year’s Vidbir winners and Ukraine’s representatives at Eurovision 2024, alyona alyona & Jerry Heil, secured third place with their song “Teresa & Maria”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4N82wPpdg8

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all updates regarding Eurovision 2025!

Source: Suspilne

Eurovision 2025: Switzerland united on the “Road to Basel”

Switzerland has gotten into the Eurovision spirit in a big way, as preparations for the big 2025 contest, which will be hosted in Basel, are already underway!

Switzerland’s national broadcaster, SRG SSR, has announced the organization of “SRG SSR On the Road to Basel“, a pre-show event dedicated to the contest! Through this event, the public will have the opportunity to be informed about all the latest developments concerning the competition and even participate in various activities. Various cultural activities have been planned, such as workshops, performances highlighting the culture and history of the competition. In this way, the citizens of the country will be able to prepare and get into the mood in view of Eurovision 2025.

According to the message of the contest, the host country this year seeks to actively involve the public in the process of “participation”, making it an integral part of Eurovision. In this way, national pride is strengthened, and cultural exchange is promoted. What makes this year’s event special is the fact that the actions will travel to different cities in Switzerland, giving citizens the opportunity to live a complete and unique Eurovision experience!

 

Source: ssrcorsi

 

What do you think of this initiative on the part of the host country? Tell us in the comments!

 

For anything related to the contest, stay tuned to Eurovision Fun!

 

Slovenia: RTVSLO demands Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision 2025!

Last week, RTV Slovenia’s coucnil meeting took place between December 9 and 11. Among the topics discussed, was of course the country’s participation in Eurovision 2025, as well as Israel’s participation, in question with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Read more

Albania: The Second Night of Festivali i Këngës 63 Takes Place Tonight!

December feels incomplete without Festivali i Këngës, and tonight the 63rd edition of Albania’s premier music celebration continues in Tirana. As tradition holds, the festival serves as the platform for selecting Albania’s representative at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place this May in Basel, Switzerland.


Format

This year’s Festivali i Këngës runs across four nights, featuring 30 competing artists battling for six prestigious awards, including the honor of representing Albania at Eurovision.

  • Thursday & Friday: Semi-finals to showcase all participants.
  • Saturday: A special “Nostalgia Night”.
  • Sunday: The much-awaited Grand Final.

Unlike the last two editions, the winner—determined by a combined jury and public vote—will automatically secure Albania’s Eurovision spot. There’s no separate category for Eurovision qualification, as the festival champion will represent the country on Europe’s biggest stage.


Second Semi-Final

The spotlight shifts tonight to the second semi-final, featuring an array of performers at Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana, starting at 21:00 CET. Here’s the lineup for tonight’s performances:

  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

Hosts and Jury

The festival is hosted by Enkel Demi and Ornela Bregu, with the jury panel comprised of prominent Albanian music professionals:

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

Where to Watch

You can catch tonight’s second semi-final live at 21:00 CET. Viewers can watch the show live here.


Eurovision Legacy

Last year, Besa represented Albania with her heartfelt entry “Zemrën n’dorë”. Despite an impressive revamped version in English, “Titan”, she narrowly missed out on the Eurovision Grand Final, finishing 14th in Semi-Final 2.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest updates on Festivali i Këngës and Albania’s Eurovision journey!

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

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

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!

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

Croatia: HRT reveals budget plans for 2025 | Return in Junior Eurovision is closer than ever!

Despite Estonia’s confirmation of non-participation in the upcoming Junior Eurovision Song Contest, another country is close to return after an eleven-year hiatus, Croatia. The country, which has played a significant role in the history of the contest, is now closer than ever to making its comeback, as suggested by the recent budget plans unveiled by the Croatian national broadcaster HRT for 2025.

HRT’s budget plans for 2025

Following the broadcast of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, HRT revealed its budget for the upcoming year. The plans indicated strong support for music entertainment programs, with significant attention given to major events like Eurovision and Dora, Croatia’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. But what caught the eye of many was the addition of a specific fund allocated for Junior Eurovision 2025.

According to the details shared by HRT, the broadcaster has earmarked a budget of 368 thousand euros for Eurovision 2025, 993 thousand euros for Dora 2025, and 78 thousand euros for Junior Eurovision 2025.

While the budget doesn’t specifically state whether the funds are for broadcasting rights or if they will go towards Croatia’s participation in Junior Eurovision 2025, the fact that Junior Eurovision is mentioned in the budget clearly signals an intent to re-engage with the competition. Given the strong interest in the country for both Eurovision and its Junior counterpart, this could be a sign that Croatia is preparing to return to the Junior Eurovision stage for the first time since 2014.

Croatia’s intention to return in 2025

Just before the 22nd Junior Eurovision Song Contest, HRT announced that it will broadcast the children’s contest. Then, Tomislav Štengl, the Head of Croatia’s Eurovision Delegation, shared some exciting news in an interview, revealing the country’s interest in returning to Junior Eurovision, potentially as soon as 2025. According to Štengl, the Croatian broadcaster hopes to send the winner of The Voice Kids Hrvatska to the competition in the following year, provided certain criteria are met.

We would like to return next year. For example, the winner of The Voice Kids Hrvatska could represent us at Junior Eurovision.

He also highlighted that the song chosen for the contest must be an original work, ideally written by a child with the help of adults, emphasizing the importance of creativity in the process.

Croatia’s Junior Eurovision history

Croatia has a rich history in Junior Eurovision, being one of the founding members of the contest back in 2003. The country made an unforgettable debut by winning the inaugural competition with Dino Jelusićk’s “Ti si moja prva ljubav.” However, after a string of less favorable results, Croatia withdrew from the contest in 2007, returning again in 2014. Unfortunately, the return saw a disappointing last-place finish, and Croatia subsequently withdrew once again, citing a decline in public interest.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: ESCPlus