Albania: Festivali i Kenges 59 dates confirmed; Most of the show will be pre-recorded

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

• The Albanian national broadcaster, RTSH, has confirmed that the upcoming Festivali i Kenges 59 will unfold on 21, 22 and 23 December in Tirana while most of the show wlll be pre-recorded.

  Festivali i Kenges 59 will unfold over three shows that will take place 21,22 and 23 December in Tirana.  All three shows will be aired on RTSH 1 while the final will take place on December23. 

  The traditional music event will see a total of 26 contestants will take to the stage while it will be conducted by Blendi Salaj and Jonida Vokshi and will be directed by  Martin Leka. All three shows will unfold in an open air venue, namely next to the  Italia Square in Tirana due to the COVID-19 restrictions in the country. However live will be aired only the jury voting part and the award ceremony. 

   

  How will the show unfold

  Changing slightly the format, during the first two nights of the show all acts will perform their entries. During the first night the contestants will perform the studio version of their songs and how they will deliver them for Eurovision 2021. On the second night the acts will perform an accoustic version of their entries.

  Once the two shows are over the jury will determine which acts advance to the final show on December 23. During the final night the contestants will perform one more time the studio version of their entries with the jury selecting the final winner and the next Albanian Eurovision 2021 hopeful. 

   
  Albania in Eurovision

  In 2004 Albania participated for the first time in the contest  with Anjeza Shahini and the entry “The Image of You”, which came 7th . The country hasn’t scored a victory yet in its 16 participations up to date. Its best result was achieved in 2012 with Rona Nishliu and her 5th placing in Baku with her song “Suus”. 

  In 2019 Jonida Maliqi won the Festivali i Kenges 2018   and became the 16th Albanian representative in Eurovision. Her song Ktheju Tokes ended in the 17th place of the Grand final.

  This year Arilena Ara was set to perform her song Fall From Sky on the Eurovision stage in Rotterdam, but saw her journey ending due to the coronavirus outbreak as the contest was cancelled . 

  News source/Image: RTSH