Festivali i Këngës, which is the most prestigious music festival in Albania, is preparing itself to choose the representative of Albania at Eurovision once again.
54th Festivali i Këngës will open call for song submits at 29th and 30th of September. After that, the jury will choose and announce the songs which will take place at Festivali i Këngës stage.
We’re expecting the verification of the participance of Albania at this year’s Eurovision in the upcoming weeks. Festivali i Këngës will probably held in the second half of December as last years.
About Festivali i Këngës:
Festivali i Këngës, which is the most prestigious and rooted music festival in Albania, was held in 1962 for the first time in history. They sent the winner of Festivali i Këngës to Eurovision as a representative for the first time 2004 and then it become a tradition. Because of the date of the contest, the song which becomes first in Festivali i Këngës achieves the chance to go to Eurovision for next year.
First times of the contest was neutral but after communism some things had changed. Turning point of the contest was in 1972. Dictator Enver Hoxha qualify the contest as an “immoral aspect” and prosecuted the organisers of Festivali i Këngës.
After the fall of communism in 1991, contest has returned it’s old days. However the popularity has become lower after the competitor Kënga Magjike, untill the announcement of Eurovision debut of Albania in 2003.
First winner of the contest is Anjeza Shahini which has represented her country in Istanbul, Turkey in 2004. She ended up the contest with 106 at 7th place, with her song “The Image of You”. She has participated at Festivali i Këngës in 2010 and 2013 as well, but she has ended up at 2nd place in both of years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMt9CgEswts