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Albania: With Albina & Familja Kelmendi and “Duje” at Eurovision 2023!

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Festivali i Këngës 61 has just ended, having selected Albina & Familja Kelmendi with the song “Duje” as the big winners.

Once again the Albanian Public Television (RTSH) has chosen their participation in Eurovision through FiK. The grand final was held at Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana, with Arbana Osmani being the host. The 21 artists who made it to the final gave their best shot in order to claim the vote of the TV audience and the victory that would give them the ticket to Liverpool in May.

The 21 finalists were:

  1. 2 Farm –“Atomike”
  2. Sergio Hajdini – “Vështirë”
  3. Gjergj Kaçinari – “Dje”
  4. Alban Kondi & Lore – “Melodi”
  5. Vanesa Sono – “Aroma jonë”
  6. Elsa Lila – “Evita”
  7. Erma Mici – “Kozmosi i dashurisë”
  8. Franc Koruni – “Në pritje”
  9. Gent Hoxha – “Ajër”
  10. Petrit Çarkaxhiu – “Emri yt mirësi”
  11. Melodajn Mancaku – “Gjysma e zemrës sime”
  12. Manjola Nallbani – “Dua”
  13. Urban Band – “Në çdo hap”
  14. Enxhi Nasufi – “Burrë”
  15. Rovena Dilo – “Motit”
  16. Fifi – “Stop”
  17. Rezarta Smaja – “N’Eden”
  18. Evi Reçi – “Ma kthe”
  19. Fabian Basha – “Një gotë”
  20. Albina & Familja Kelmendi – “Duje”
  21. Lynx – “Nëse ke besim”

Results

Tonight on the last night of the Festival the first 3 prizes were awarded: first place, second place and third place. An award for young artists and alternative groups and a career award, were also awarded by the professional jury.

The professional jury was comprised of:

  • Genc Saliu
  • Alma Bektashi
  • Zhani Ciko
  • Rita Petro
  • Elton Deda

The Award for Young Artists and Alternative Groups was awarded to Erma Mici with the song “Kozmosi i dashurisë“.

The Career Award which was awarded by the professional jury was given to Rovena Dilo with the song “Motit“.

The 3rd place was won by 2 Farm with the song “Atomike“, the 2nd place by Albina & Familja Kelmendi with the song “Duje“ and the big winner of Festivali i Këngës 61 is Elsa Lila with the song “Evita“. Elsa Lila wins FiK for the third time, as she has also won both FiK 96 and FiK 97, and is one of the few artists having won the contest two years in a row.

After the Festivali i Këngës awards were given by the professional jury, the presenter announced the song that was exclusively selected by the TV audience’s vote via SMS and will represent Albania in Eurovision 2023. The winner that claimed the ticket to Liverpool is Albina & Familja Kelmendi with the song “Duje“.

Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest

In 2023 we will have Albania’s 20th participation in the competition, which debuted in 2004, with Anjeza Shahini and “The Image Of You” that reached the honorable seventh place! RTSH showed interest in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 as well. However, three other countries made their debut that year and Albania was not allowed to participate in the contest. In the following years, it managed to qualify ten times for the final and eight more times to stay in the semi-finals.

The best result Albania has ever achieved was in 2012 with Rona Nishliu and “Suus” finishing in fifth place.

Below is Albina & Familja Kelmendi‘s winning performance, with the song that will represent Albania at Eurovision 2023:

Watch the Eurovisionfun team react to Albina & Familja Kelmendi with the song  “Duje”, Albania’s entry for Eurovision 2023!

What do you think will be Albania’s fate at Eurovision 2023?

Albania: Tonight the grand final of Festivali i Këngës 61!

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The big day for the selection of Albania’s representative at Eurovision 2023 has arrived. Tonight concludes the four-day celebration of Albanian music, with the 21 artists taking to the stage again at Pallati i Kongreseve for the fourth and final night of Festivali i Këngës 61.

The participants

21 artists take part in the grand final of FiK 61, with the big winner getting the ticket to Liverpool.

The 21 participants that will perform at the grand final of Festivali i Këngës 61 are:

  1. Enxhi Nasufi – “Burrë”
  2. Erma Mici – “Kozmosi i dashurisë”
  3. Fabian Basha – “Një gotë”
  4. Fifi – “Stop”
  5. Urban Band – “Në çdo hap”
  6. 2 Farm – “Atomike”
  7. Rezarta Smaja – “N’Eden”
  8. Albina & Familja Kelmendi – “Duje”
  9. Sergio Hajdini – “Vështirë”
  10. Rovena Dilo – “Motit”
  11. Melodajn Mancaku – “Gjysma e zemrës sime”
  12. Gjergj Kaçinari – “Dje”
  13. Franc Koruni – “Në pritje”
  14. Petrit Çarkaxhiu – “Emri yt mirësi”
  15. Elsa Lila – “Evita”
  16. Gent Hoxha – “Ajër”
  17. Evi Reçi – “Ma kthe”
  18. Manjola Nallbani – “Dua”
  19. Lynx – “Nëse ke besim”
  20. Alban Kondi & Lore – “Melodi”
  21. Vanesa Sono – “Aroma jonë”

Unlike previous editions, at FiK 61 the first prize of Festivali i Këngës will be determined from the professional jury and from a special media jury seen for the first time, while the song that will represent Albania in Eurovision 2023 will be selected with the televoting through SMS.

The professional jury is comprised of:

  • Genc Saliu
  • Alma Bektashi
  • Zhani Ciko
  • Rita Petro
  • Elton Deda

Arbana Osmani is the presenter for FiK 61 and once again it will be held at the stage of Pallati i Kongreseve at Tirana.

The grand final of Festivali i Këngës 61 will be held today at 22:00 EET where we are going to meet the next Albanian representative. You can watch it live at the link below.

Tune in to our livestream at 23:15 EET for listening to our comments about the Festivali i Këngës 61 grand final and our opinion about the Albanian representative for Eurovision 2023! You can watch it here.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding Albania’s participation in Eurovision 2023!

Albania: Tonight the third night of Festivali i Këngës 61!

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The curtains for Albania’s national final, Festivali i Këngës 61, have opened at Tirana. The festival is the means for selecting the neighboring country’s representative for Liverpool in May. The four-day celebration dedicated to albanian music continues tonight, with duets consisting of “big” artists and legendary FiK artists performing adaptations of historic FiK songs at the stage of Pallati i Kongreseve.

The participants

We have already heard all 26 participants of Festivali i Këngës 61 at the first two nights. The 5 out of 10 artists of the new artists category that progress to the final were announced. They are:

  1. Melodajn Mancaku
  2. Erma Mici
  3. Vanesa Sono
  4. Urban Band
  5. Gent Hoxha

The duets that will perform at the third night of Festivali i Këngës 61 are:

1. Albina dhe familia Kelmendi & Josif Gjipali – “Na lini të jetomên” (FiK 30, 1991)

2. Alban Kondi & Lore & West Side Family – “Jehonë” (FiK 47, 2008)

3. 2 Farm & Redon Makashi – “Dikur luaja me saksin e saj” (FiK 33, 1994)

4. Gjergj Kaçinari & Elhaida Dani – “Late night” (FiK 11, 1972)

5. Elsa Lila & Capital T – “Pyes lotin” (FiK 35, 1996)

6. Petrit Çarkaxhiu & Bojken Lako – “Nothing is far” (FiK 38, 1999)

7. Evi Reçi & Irma Libohova – “Të karkoj” (FiK 27, 1988)

8. Franc Koruni & Altin Goci – “Entrroi” (FiK 30, 1991)

9. Enxhi Nasufi & Edea Demaliaj – “Mos qaj” (FiK 36, 1997)

10. Manjola Nallbani & Eneda Tarifa – “Kur e humba një ľorija” (FiK 32, 1993)

11. Rovena Dilo & Soni Malaj – “Ante i land sime” (FiK 39, 2000)

12. Lynx & Aleksander Gjoka – “Ecên në shi” (FiK 32, 1993)

13. Rezarta Smaja & Luan Zhegu – “A do te vish” (FiK 26, 1987)

14. Sergio Hajdini & Kamela Islamaj – “Ne jemi tre” (FiK 4, 1965)

15. Fifi & Flori Mumajesi – “Larg u largova” (FIK 32, 1993)

16. Fabian Basha & Eranda Libohova – “Kthehu për vehte për mua” (FiK 35, 1996)

 

We remind you that the guests of the third night will be Eurovision 2022 winners, Kalush Orchestra.

The final of Festivali i Këngës 61 will be held on Thursday, December 22nd at 22:00 EET where we are going to meet the next Albanian representative.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding Albania’s participation in Eurovision 2023!

Albania: FiK 61 contributors announced!

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The first traditionally national final of the season (although the Czech Republic like to challenge this in recent years) is Albania’s FiK. The key contributors to the upcoming festival have been revealed today.
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