Tonight: The first show of Festival i Këngës 59 takes place in Tirana

Monday, 21 December 2020

• Tonight the 59th edition of Festival i Këngës kicks off with the first show in Tirana.
  

  Like every year the first national selection season kicks off with the Albanian national final, Festival i Këngës, marking the beginning of national selection period for Eurovision 2021. 

  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 25 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. 

  Tonight the show will see the 25 acts perform the studio version of their entries and present their respective staging proposal for Eurovision 2021. This evening' show will not have any eliminations and on stage we will get to see the following 25 acts instead of 26 initially planned after Manjola Nallbani's withdrawal.

  The 25 competing acts are: 

  1. Devis Xherahu - Peng
  2. Orgesa Zaimi - Valixhja e kujtimeve
  3. Festina Mejzini - Kush je ti dashuri 
  4. Franc Koruni - E morën botën
  5. Inis Neziri - Pendesë
  6. Sardi Strugaj - Kam me t’ba me kajt 
  7. Gjergj Kaçinari - Më jep jetë
  8. Durim Morina (Mirudi) - Nëse vdes
  9. Evi Reçi - Tjerr
  10. Rosela Gjylbegu - Vashëzo
  11. Klevis Bega (Kastro Ziso) - Vallja e jetës
  12. Klint Çollaku - Do t’ja dal
  13. Anxhela Peristeri - Karma
  14. Wendi Mancaku - Vesi i shpirti tim
  15. Fatos Shabani - Ty 
  16. Florent Abrashi - Vajzë
  17. Enxhi Nasufi - Njësoj
  18. Kamela Islamaj - Kujtimet s'kanë formë
  19. Era Rusi - Zjarri im
  20. Erikson Lloshi - Jo
  21. Xhesika Polo - Më mbron
  22. Giliola Haveriku - E lirë
  23. Viktor Tahiraj - Nënë
  24. Agim Poshka - Vendi im
  25. Stefan Marena - Meteor

   

  The show begins at 20:30 CET and you can watch it on:

  • RTSH 1
  • RTSH HD
  • RTHS 1 webcast
   
  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