Festivali i Këngës 2019

Festivali i Këngës 2019
Preliminary decision data
country	Albania
Broadcasting station
Producing broadcaster
place	Pallati i Kongreseve , Tirana
date	22nd December 2019
Time	8:30 p.m. ( CET )
Duration	about 150 minutes
Number of participants	20th
Number of contributions	20th
Preliminary rounds	2
Preliminary round dates	Semi-finals: December 19, 2019 December 20, 2019
poll	100% jury voting
Opening act	First semi-final: Jonida Maliqi : Ktheju tokës (Music / Text: Eriona Rushiti)
Pause filler	First semi-final: Mahmood : Barrio (music: Paolo Alberto Monachetti, Dario Faini; text: Alessandro Mahmoud, Davide Petrella) , Soldi (music: Mahmood , Dardust , Charlie Charles ; text: Mahmood , Dardust ) Second semi-final: Lindita Theodhori: Kafe Flora Finale: Giusy Ferreri , Eleni Foureira : Mashup ( El Ritmo Psicodélico , Dancing Lasha Tumbai , Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) , What Is Love , Loquita , Fuego )
Moderation
Alketa Vejsiu

The 58th Festivali i Këngës took place from December 19-22, 2019 and is the Albanian preliminary decision for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam ( Netherlands ). Alketa Vejsiu moderated all three programs. The singer Arilena Ara won with her song Shaj .

concept

format

According to the public broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), the format for 2020 should remain the same. Each interpreter will appear again in the two semi-finals before a jury determines the finalists. The jury consists of the following members:

• - Christer Björkman
• - Dimitris Kontopoulos
• - Mikaela Minga
• - Felix Bergsson
• - Rita Petro

Dimitris Kontopoulos has already composed many entries for the Eurovision Song Contest and was able to achieve third place for Russia in 2019 as the composer of Sergej Lasarew's song Scream . Christer Björkman is the producer of Melodifestivalen , Felix Bergsson head of the Icelandic delegation, Mikaela Minga and the composer Pita Petro are the only Albanian jury members.

The director Vera Grabocka, who last directed in 1994, will take over the direction in 2019.

Choice of contribution

From May 28 to September 15, 2019, composers had the opportunity to submit a contribution to the Albanian television station RTSH. How many entries reached RTSH 2019 was not disclosed.

Attendees

On October 24, 2019, RTSH presented the 20 participants who will take part in the Festivali i Këngës 2019.

On December 8, 2019, RTSH published the song titles of the performers and the associated composers. Among them is the winner of the Festivali i Këngës 2017 Eugent Bushpepa , who composed the song Kutia e Pandorës by Valon Shehu. On December 9, 2019, the songs were released in full.

Returning performers

A number of performers will return to the competition in 2019. Among them is Olta Boka , who won the Festivali i Këngës in 2007 and represented Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade ( Serbia ).

Interpreter	Previous year of participation
Albërie Hadërgjonaj	1995, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2006
Boyken Lako	1999, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 , 2018
Devis Xherahu	2007
Elvana Gjata	2003
Era Rusi	2005, 2008, 2009
Genc Tukiçi	2015, 2017
Olta Boka	2007
Renis Gjoka	2013, 2015
Tiri Gjoçi	2012, 2016, 2017
Valon Shehu	2012

Semifinals

First semi-final

The first semi-final (Gjysmëfinal 1) took place on December 19, 2019 at 8:30 p.m. ( CET ) in the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana . Five performers qualified for the final. Last year's winner , Jonida Maliqi , opened the semi-finals with her winning song Ktheju tokës . Mahmood performed his song Soldi after presenting all ten tracks .

Start number	Interpreter	Song Music (M) and Text (T)	language	Translation (unofficial)
01	Nadia & Genc Tukiçi	Ju flet Tirana M: Genc Tukiçi; T: Agim Xheka	Albanian	Tirana calls
02	Sara Bajraktari	Ajër M / T: Adrian Hila	Albanian	air
03	Devis Xherahu	Bisedoj me serenatën M: Devis Xherahu; T: Jorgo Papingji	Albanian	Serenade speaking
04th	Kanita	Ankth M: Boban Apostolov; T: Lindon Berisha	Albanian	fear
05	Kamela Islamaj	Më ngjyros M: Kamela Islamaj; T: Megi Hasani	Albanian	Color me
06th	Boyken Lako	Malaseen M / T: Bojken Lako	Albanian	She left me unseen
07th	Elvana Gjata	Me tana M / T: Elvana Gjata	Albanian	With ALL
08th	Aldo Bardhi	Melodi M: Aldo Bardhi; T: Naxhije Berisha	Albanian, English	melody
09	Renis Gjoka	Loja M: Renis Gjoka; T: Ilir Krasniqi	Albanian	The game
10	Albërie Hadërgjonaj	Ku ta gjej dikë ta dua M: Adrian Hila; T: Timo Flloko	Albanian	Where can I find someone to love

 Candidate has qualified for the final.

Second semi-final

The second semi-final (Gjysmëfinal 2) took place on December 20, 2019 at 8:30 p.m. ( CET ) in the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana . Seven performers qualified for the final.

Start number	Interpreter	Song Music (M) and Text (T)	language	Translation (unofficial)
01	Kastro Zizo	Asaj M / T: Gramoz Kozeli, Kleviz Bega	Albanian	she
02	Tiri Gjoci	Me gotën bosh M: Everest Ndreca; T: Pandi Laço	Albanian	With an empty glass
03	Olta Boka	Shkrime në mur M: Florent Boshnjaku; T: Genc Salihu	Albanian	Writing on the wall
04th	Era Rusi	Eja Merre M: Darko Dimitrov; T: Naxhije Berisha	Albanian	Come and get it
05	Wendi Mancaku	End M: Wendy Mancaku; T: Endrit Mumajesi	Albanian	Still
06th	Robert Berisha	Ajo nuk është unë M / T: Filloreta Raçi	Albanian	She is not me
07th	Gena	Shqiponja e lirë M: Gena; T: Endrit Mumajesi	Albanian	Free eagle
08th	Eli Fara & Stresi	Bohem M: Eli Far; T: Rozana Radi	Albanian	Bohemian
09	Arilena Macaw	Shaj M: Darko Dimitrov, Lazar Cvetkovski; T: Lindon Berisha	Albanian	insult
10	Valon Shehu	Kutia e Pandorës M: Eugent Bushpepa ; T: Elvis Preni	Albanian	Pandora's Box

 Candidate has qualified for the final.

final

The final took place on December 22, 2019 at 8:30 p.m. ( CET ) in the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana . The singer Arilena Ara won ahead of Elvana Gjata with her song Shaj . During the break, Eleni Foureira performed a mashup of past entries from the Eurovision Song Contest and well-known songs. First she sang her song El Ritmo Psicodélico before she sang Verka Serduchka's contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 , Dancing Lasha Tumbai . This was followed by the songs Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) , What Is Love and Loquita . Finally, she sang her song Fuego , with which she took second place in 2018 .

space	Start number	Interpreter	Song Music (M) and Text (T)	language	Translation (unofficial)	Jury voting
						Christer Björkman	Dimitris Kontopoulos	Felix Bergsson	Mikaela Minga	Rita Petro	total
01.	06th	Arilena Macaw	Shaj M: Darko Dimitrov, Lazar Cvetkovski; T: Lindon Berisha	Albanian	insult	10	13	13	13	18th	67
02.	10	Elvana Gjata	Me tana M / T: Elvana Gjata	Albanian	With ALL	18th	18th	18th	2	8th	64
03.	02	Sara Bajraktari	Ajër M / T: Adrian Hila	Albanian	air	13	10	10	8th	9	50
04th	05	Boyken Lako	Malaseen M / T: Bojken Lako	Albanian	She left me unseen	3	8th	3	18th	13	45
05.	12	Era Rusi	Eja Merre M: Darko Dimitrov; T: Naxhije Berisha	Albanian	Come and get it	8th	9	9	10	7th	43
06th	08th	Kamela Islamaj	Më ngjyros M: Kamela Islamaj; T: Megi Hasani	Albanian	Color me	6th	6th	4th	9	10	35
07th	09	Albërie Hadërgjonaj	Ku ta gjej dikë ta dua M: Adrian Hila; T: Timo Flloko	Albanian	Where can I find someone to love	7th	5	6th	5	4th	27
08th.	01	Valon Shehu	Kutia e Pandorës M: Eugent Bushpepa ; T: Elvis Preni	Albanian	Pandora's Box	1	2	7th	7th	6th	23
	04th	Tiri Gjoci	Me gotën bosh M: Everest Ndreca; T: Pandi Laço	Albanian	With an empty glass	2	4th	8th	6th	3	23
10.	03	Robert Berisha	Ajo nuk është unë M / T: Filloreta Raçi	Albanian	She is not me	9	3	2	3	1	18th
	07th	Gena	Shqiponja e lirë M: Gena; T: Endrit Mumajesi	Albanian	Free eagle	4th	7th	1	1	5	18th
12.	11	Olta Boka	Shkrime në mur M: Florent Boshnjaku; T: Genc Salihu	Albanian	Writing on the wall	5	1	5	4th	2	17th

Web links

• Festivali i Këngës website (Albanian)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Radio Televizioni Shqiptar : Jo 3, por plot 15 minutes spectacular, Eleni Foureira premton t'i vërë flakën finales së Festivalit të Këngës! In: festivali.rtsh.al. December 15, 2019, accessed December 19, 2019 (al). 
2. ↑ Emily Herbert: Albania: Eurovision 2020 Participation confirmed. In: eurovoix.com. July 22, 2019, accessed on July 22, 2019 . 
3. ^ Robyn Gallagher: Albania: Elvana Gjata, Arilena Ara and Valon Shehu among grand finalists announced for Festivali i Këngës 58. In: wiwibloggs.com. December 21, 2019, accessed December 21, 2019 (al). 
4. ^ Anthony Granger: Albania: Festivali i Këngës 58 Submissions Open. In: eurovoix.com. May 28, 2019, accessed on July 22, 2019 . 
5. ^ RTSH : Festivali i 58-të i Këngës në RTSH, juria përzgjedh 20 këngëtarët pjesëmarrës. In: rtsh.al. October 24, 2019, accessed October 24, 2019 (al). 
6. ↑ Åri Agam: Albania: Festivali i Këngës 2019 song titles and composers revealed. In: wiwibloggs.com. December 8, 2019, accessed December 8, 2019 .