Post Eurovision Depression may be setting in, but fear not! The Junior Eurovision 2016 season has just begun, with Albania becoming the first country to select their representative and song for November’s contest. Earlier tonight, fourteen young hopefuls competed in the 52nd edition of Festivali i Këngës për Fëmijë, the country’s traditional song contest for children. 

After some deliberation from a panel of professional jurors, Klesta Qehaja emerged victorious with “Besoj”. She will join a host of other rising stars in Malta next November, including Kymora, Stefania and Sterre from the Netherlands.

Klesta Qehaja “Besoj”

https://youtu.be/CMwARPWt_Qo

Festivali i Këngës për Fëmijë 2016 participants

1. Zhaklina Veizaj – “Botë mirësie kërkoj”
2. Dario – “We Need Love”
3. Rajan Kukaleshi – “Vetëm nuk je”
4. Jasmina Heko – “Si fluturim”
5. Michelle Prodani – “Prindër”
6. Xhesika Pengili – “Largoje trishtimin”
7. Marko Strazimiri – “Music makes my day”
8. Vivan Biagioti & Xhametino Bollati – “Ne mesh yjesh”
9. Endi Muca – “Dua të jem”
10. Klesta Qehaja – “Besoj”
11. Klea Mema – “Dua të jem e lirë”
12. Eda Muca – “Lulja që më dhurove”
13. Dea Çobo– “Mirë se erdhe flutur”
14. Jasmina Dervishi – “Portat e gëzimit”

Last year’s representative Mishela Rapo was a guest on tonight’s show alongside Junior Eurovision 2015 winner Destiny Chukunyere. She finished fifth in Sofia with “Dambaje”, the country’s best result to date.

Did Albania make the right decision? You can watch the show again on Junioreurovision.tv.

FOLLOW ALL OF OUR JUNIOR EUROVISION COVERAGE.

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(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
8 years ago

I am addicted to this song!!!

albani
albani
8 years ago

besoj

Laburnum
Laburnum
8 years ago

Seeing how Dambaje went from what a horrible mess it was to the masterpiece became, I have really high hopes for this, it is pretty good!

Ramadan Besim
8 years ago

Really happy with the winner.

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

And I just want to express how thankful I am to Tomas Gson for making “Midnight gold” from a piece of mess to a masterpiece.

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

@Tony the song “Midnight gold” is currently my drug. If it doesn’t work, try some other drug. I gotta say I am addicted(a dick-tit) 😉 LOL.
But seriously, with EBU in charge, everything is possible. If not Uruguay, then another random country(most likely China, but everything can happen)

Graph
Graph
8 years ago

@Eugene,
I just looked back at the results of the kids jury and adult jury during 2014-2015, and the results of the two juries were similar. Not enough to suggest anything suspicious, but it appears the children judging have similar opinions as the adults.

Tony
Tony
8 years ago

@oooops On what drugs are you on? I want some too :p

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

But who do you think will win JESC, a country that have already been confirmed, or a surprise(Like Uruguay, as I think)

MK
MK
8 years ago

She performs it as if if she were carrying all the world’s suffering on her shoulders… not quite age appropriate.

That said, I think it’s a typical Hill/Laço song that could have easily made it to the adult FiK (probably without standing a chance of victory).

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

And then EBU will change the age rule, 10 days before contest, and some countries will be disqualified

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

Since EBU kicked out Romania 20 days before contest, and Australia got invited in february last year, we can say that EVERYTHING is possible when EBU is in charge. This is my predicted winner: Uruguay I haven’t heard any JESC interest, but everything is possible. And if they don’t get invited and confirm JESC before the official list of countries is released, it is still possible, because then, 10 days before contest, Jon Ola Sand will send this message on twitter “exciting news tomorrow”. And those exciting news are that Uruguay is debuting this year with a song that screams… Read more »

YoungsterJoey
YoungsterJoey
8 years ago

Lol! The stage looks like the Malta center later this year. I predict Russia will win but this Albania girl could do well.

Foxreyna
Foxreyna
8 years ago

Amazing, so amazing. Her voice is amazing, the song has Albanian flares, I love her folk like voice.
Not going to win (because it’s Albania) but can definitely end higher than Mishela!

Grace Tucker
Grace Tucker
8 years ago

What a great start to the JESC songs! Even though this is the only one released, Albania is my favourite so far! Plus, that voice gave me mega goosebumps.

Graph
Graph
8 years ago

She has an amazing voice! The song is also very good. It’s about as Junior Eurovision as you can get, but I like it! The instrumental accompaniments are great and it’s very dramatic.

oliverisamazing
oliverisamazing
8 years ago

I think Besoj is going to be like a Nina Kraljic situation. Great vocalist, mediocre song, bad stage production. Hopefully i’m wrong because Besoj has exceeded my love for Dambaje, and I really hope that she does well in Valetta.

Renske ten Veen
Editor
8 years ago

@MirkoJoshua – I had the exact same thought! Small girl with a big voice and a strange song. This can end surprisingly well, I think.

Ali
Ali
8 years ago

Wow, that was impressive. Very good, I already have my first favorite and it’s Albania!

Mario = Legend
Mario = Legend
8 years ago

This is great but total opposite to last year’s great song. This will sure go down a storm with jury. I’m not sure for me but she is amazing little singer. Great voice. 🙂

The Brightest Falling Star
The Brightest Falling Star
8 years ago

That’s a simple, yet very beautiful song. It’s dramatic and Klesta has a great voice. I’m not sure about the score yet, but I think it’s something like an 8/10 or even higher.

Paul D.
Paul D.
8 years ago

Great song, better than Fairytale tbh…
Seems like Albania together with Belarus and Malta do better in the junior version than in the actual ESC

MTD
MTD
8 years ago

OMG, that voice! The song is dull as it gets, but T H A T voice!

MirkoJoshua
MirkoJoshua
8 years ago

Am I the only one who thought about Nebo hearing this? It’s impressive

saschee
saschee
8 years ago

beautiful, i like it a lot

Tony
Tony
8 years ago

She won unanimously tonight with every juror giving her the top marks. This means she will do great with the juries. This can really win in November.

Jp
Jp
8 years ago

Good stuff, like junior version of Suus.

Ben Rafter
Ben Rafter
8 years ago

Wow, she is a great singer! I quiet like this actually! Very dramatic.

DenizNL
DenizNL
8 years ago

When I jumped in at the livestream she was the first to perform and I knew right away that this could be the winner. I think the song is very nice. Might even be winnerworthy.

beccaboo1212
8 years ago

Tirana 2017? Could be! Besides, you could tell because Klesta had the audience on its feet with enormous applause once “Besoj” ended. 😀