It’s the first national final of the season, and in just over two weeks the winner of Festivali i Këngës 56 will also be declared Albania‘s entry for Eurovision 2018. But which acts are your favourites? Have your say in the FiK56 Wiwi Poll!
Festivali i Këngës 56 will kick off with semi-finals on 21 and 22 December, leading up to the grand final on 23 December.
Earlier in November, broadcaster RTSH announced the names of the 22 competing acts. Then yesterday, RTSH released the songs.
Unlike in previous years, where the songs were only heard for the first time in the semi-finals, RTSH has not only released the songs early, but they’ve also uploaded performance videos for each song. Oh, they do spoil us!
The line-up includes familiar faces from the Albanian song contest scene, as well as newcomers making their FiK debut. And as always, the trademark Albanian guitar solo is there in abundance. You cannot escape it.
But which songs are your favourites? Listen to the tracks below and vote for your favourites. You can vote for as many songs as you like, but you can only vote once — so make your vote count!
Festivali – Këngës 56 – competing acts
Click on the song titles to watch the video.
- AkullThyesit – “Divorci” (The divorce)
- Artemisa Mithi – “E dua botën” (I love the world)
- Bojken Lako – “Sytë e shpirtit” (The eyes of the soul)
- Denisa Gjezo – “Zemër ku je” (My love, where are you)
- Elton Deda – “Fjalët” (The words)
- Endri & Stefi – “Mesazh” (Message)
- Ergi Bregu – “Bum bum” (Boom boom)
- Eugent Bushpepa – “Mall” (Yearning)
- Evans Rama – “Gjurmët” (The traces)
- Genc & David Tukiçi – “Të pandarë” (Inseparable)
- Inis Neziri – “Piedestal” (Pedestal)
- Lorela Sejdini – “Pritëm edhe pak” (Wait for me some more)
- Luiz Ejlli & Rezarta Smaja – “Ra një yll” (A star has fallen)
- LYNX – “Vonë” (Late)
- Manjola Nallbani – “I njëjti qiell” (The same sky)
- Mariza Ikonomi – “Unë” (I)
- NA & Festina Mezini – “Tjetër jetë” (Another life)
- Orgesa Zaimi – “Ngrije zërin” (Raise your voice)
- Redon Makashi – “Ekziston” (It exists)
- Tiri – “Orë e ndalur” (Stopped clock)
- Voltan Prodani – “E pamundur” (Impossible)
- Xhesika Polo – “Përjetë” (Forever)
What are your favourite songs in Albania’s Festivali i Këngës 56?
[polldaddy poll=9891227]What do you think? Which songs are your favourites? Who would you like to see represent Albania in Lisbon? Tell us what you think below!
Top 7: Inis Neziri, Tiri Gjoci, Eugent Bushpepa, Rezarta Smaja & Luiz Ejlli, Artemisa Mithi, Mariza Ikonomi, LYNX. 🙂
Any of them could represent Albania with dignity. The thing is that they should probably not translate it, an advice probably nobody would listen to 🙁
Eugetn bushpepa MALL THE BEST song and best voice
Inis must win. Although I know Inis and she will probably do a revamp in english.
I also would like to see Xhesika win. Her music is outstanding. Not sure about the lyrics though
Inis reminds me of Ana Kodra, but with a better song. If Albania don’t do that stupid language revamp, Inis may have a chance of winning ESC.
hahaha
Eurovision 2018 – Albania Inis Neziri with “PIEDESTAL” ….!!! AMAZING !!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sEdGED920
Only “Mall”, not “Piedestal”, we don’t need another Lindita-like flop, thank you.
Mall is boring
Really mark mall is boring ??? Go sleep
Albania should definitely go rock this year.
Juliana Pasha endorses Eugent Bushpepa for FIK56 win: https://www.instagram.com/p/BcprrZ1hz1j/?taken-by=julianapasha
Gives special mentions to Orgesa and Mariza. Orgesa replied, saying if Eugent wins, he should take her and Mariza with him. 🙂
Nuk do ta prisja nga Juliana Pasha qe te mos votonte per PIEDESTAL. Teper i zhgenjyer . Te gjithe specialistet jashte po flasin per PIEDESTAL edhe si pretendente per te fituar edhe EUROVISION 2018.
ALBANIA ju lutem votoni Inis Neziri me PIEDESTAL…
Eurovision 2018 – Albania Inis Neziri with “PIEDESTAL” ….!!! AMAZING !!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sEdGED920
# 1 – “Piedestal” – is Masterpiece !!!!
GO Albania !!!!!
GO Inis !!!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sEdGED920
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLxkK6oL0sk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guy5k8moUBE
If you can this are you the number # 1.. She’s AMAZING & allround….
Checkout please !!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guy5k8moUBE
this year go for Albanien….Inis Neziri with “Piedestal ” is one Masterpiece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sEdGED920
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guy5k8moUBE?
BEANTWOORDEN
I am looking forward to FIK. Several songs sound really good. The only catch is, that with Albania, you are never truly sure is it what you actually get. Maybe a song that sounds great in Albanian will be washed out and boring in English (Fairytale ’16). I am just hoping that, whoever wins, will keep their song in Albanian, or at least go for a bilingual version.
I think Orgesa’s song sounds like a cheap albanian version of “Powerless” by Rudimental ft. Becky Hill
“Piedestal” sounds nice, but like “Botë” it wont be able to stand out and go to the final. “Mall” from Eugent as it is gets boring at some point, but with a 3 mins Remake and an english version it has a lot of potential!
It’s ironic that these songs are better than the actual winning songs of the last 2 years (Ukraine and Portugal) and they still might have difficulty to qualify cus not a lot of people vote for Albania 😛
Whatch eugent bushpeta and band THE BEST ?
It would be interesting to see Orgesa in Lisbon. Her look would make her the Dihaj of 2017.
Mall sounds like Aerosmith singing some happy Coldplay song =)
It’s apparent to me that “Ngrije zërin” and “Orë e ndalur” are the finer entries, but unfortunately I doubt they’ll get anywhere since they contradict Albania’s MO of “melodramatic ballad or middle-of-the-road rock”. Of those, ‘Përjetë’ is probably the best option.
I love Mall. It sounds so Nordic 🙂
..But because of that I fear that this song won’t win. Piedestal is far more likely to win because it sounds like most other Albanian entries. Hopefully Mall still wins. 🙂
Host Adi Krasta said in an interview that the jury will be composed of just 3 people, and there might not be points used so that singers are not ranked (they might not want to offend them). They will just deliberate on a winner instead. So it might not be a traditional FIK in terms of results.
Fik needs to use an International Jury and televote that matches Melodifestivalen standards.
In 2015 Elhaida Dani won over Lindita Halimi because the judges didn’t want a pop song at Eurovision… Then she changed the song anyway. These judges need to ‘get with it.’
I really like this selection. So much emotion in the songs. 🙂
Eugent Bushpepa – WOW, what a voice! If he can do THAT live, it should win. But…
There are also some great ballads sung by women, and there is LYNX.
Also, I really like “Divorci” as a song – it’s really edgy and could spring a surprise. This FiK is gonna be great fun. 🙂
Ballads, ballads and ballads. So many ballads!
There are a few songs I like: “Mall”, “Piedestal”, “Vonë”, “Ngrije zërin” and “Orë e ndalur”.
My favorite song is definitely Mall ! It sounds very current for FiK, that kind of folk-rock isn’t common in ESC so it might stand out, and he sings well. I don’t know if he will translate the song into English (if he wins) but it wouldn’t hurt to so much, the song has a very “sing-along” chorus. Orgesa’s song is also very nice. Out of the traditional FiK dramatic ballads Piedestal is the best but I’d like to see something else for Albania. I also quite like LYNX although the synth sound in the background doesn’t sound very well… Read more »
I think if the Jury gives points to Orgesa would be a huge mistake, since she’s notorious of being extremely homophobic.
I am citing from an article:
Orgesa Zaimi attacks homosexuals: They are dangerous, they can kill – Orgesa Zaimi has attacked homosexuals, considering them really dangerous. The singer, though explaining that she is not at all homophobic, has said, “In Albania, the most dangerous people are the Gays” Orgesa went on to say that the most dangerous are, in particular, the most visible ones, “who are and pretend they are not,” the singer said.
Source: http://www.balkanweb.com/site/orgesa-zaimi-sulmon-homoseksualet-jane-te-rrezikshem-mund-te-vrasin/
to be honest there are many great songs and I didn’t expect it from FiK, but Orgesa is clearly my favourite and I think it can easily qualify to Grand Final at Eurovision if it wins
winer Mariza Ikonomi eshte fituese
winer Mariza Ikonomi
Of course will be another dramatic ballad. Countries like Albania and Malta are so melancholic, they always pick a ballad sung by a great vocalist (usually a female), and sometimes it works, but most of the times the formula is unsuccessful… “Hear My Plea” (2008), “Zemrën e lamë peng” (2009), “Feel the Passion” (2011), “Suus” (2012), “Përrallë” (2016), “Botë” (2017)…. They should go for a different direction, something up-tempo or mid-tempo. Rock doesn’t work, as well (see “Identitet” failing to qualify in 2013)…
It’s very difficult to win a FIK jury over with uptempo. The success of Anjeza, Ledina, Kejsi and Juliana is very difficult to replicate. Lindita could have sung an uptempo too, but last year the theme revolved around the refugee flows into Europe, so “Bote” was the natural winner. Sometimes themes also gets in the way. FIK is notorious for “themed years”, where multiple songs talk about the same topic. This year too is a kind of themed year, where multiple rockers have made a comeback. It will be one of them winning.
It’s not the country, its the JURY melancholic choosing voices and not songs, most of the time famous or successful artists form last decade or so. Fik has stopped in 1995.
I think it stopped in 1999, but it did have some bouncebacks. Like Rona’s year was really good. What has really happened I think is that FIK no longer has the monopoly of shaping values through music. It’s run by public funds, which pale in comparison to other private sponsored events. It no longer shapes values, it just reiterates what older people already know, since they’re the default audience for FIK. I also think that their approach to not sending ESC-friendly songs is wrong. They say it’s to preserve good Albanian music, but bringing in the money flow that comes… Read more »
PLEASE ALBANIA CHOOSE EUGENT !!
I really dislike Orgesa. Cheep drum&bass trying hard to draw attention, IMHO.
It’s her fashion style that kills it for me. Plus her song is one of the only upbeat ones, Albania should give her a chance not another female ballad.
One of my favourites. =(
I really dislike Orgesa. Cheep drum&bass trying hard to draw attention, IMHO.
I think Piedestal would be the typical FiK winning song but I’d love to see LYNX win it.
Piedestal, Mall, Perjete and Une are really good.
Lots of good songs, but why it it always either old men or young girls that participate? xD
Eugent, Tiri, Manjola, Mariza, Denisa, Luiz & Rezarta, Xhesika, LYNX and Orgesa are 9 acts that don’t fit those groups. They still are in the minority though lol.
I like Ngrije zërin, Mall, Perjete, Vone and Piedestal the most. However i even if i like the songs i don’t want Perjete and Piedestal to win! I want a change from Albania and not another ballad.
‘Divorci’ is by far the best out of all of them, it has a lot of interesting elements. However, I am quite afraid how the song’s going to translate to the stage.
I must admit that I quite like ‘Mall’ too, but the composition of the song is pretty basic. ‘Ngrije zërin’ could’ve been a bit more with that theme and artist, but the execution failed. They should’ve gone full electro or add a bit more edge to that song.
The quality-wise “Piedestal” is the best choice for Albania, in my opinion. She gives me some Olta Boka (ALB 2008) vibes, which was one of my favourites in ESC 2008.
PS. That Orgesa girl reminds me of Dihaj. :p
So true, I love her dark fashion. I love how she puts her shades back on for the final chorus, total slayage.
That Piedestal song is basically a mashup of World and Flashlight… I can’t at y’all wanting to hear it at the Eurovision. It’s so forgettable!
As I said yesterday my favs are:
-Eugent Bushpepa – “Mall” (Yearning)
-Xhesika Polo – “Përjetë” (Forever)
-LYNX – “Vonë”
-Mariza Ikonomi – “Unë”
-Orgesa Zaimi – “Ngrije zërin”
I didn’t listen to “Ngrije zërin” yesterday as seems it was missed. But it’s now part of my favs. All of them appeal to me and I think they have potential to qualify Albania for the Grand Final.
Guys, don’t go easy by choosing “Piedestal” or something like that, which are “Botë”/”Perralle” 2.0
I will write my review/impressions again and score these songs when the wiwi jury for FiK starts!
Eugent Bushpepa – “Mall” and LYNX – “Vonë”
une
i was really excited about lorela when it was announced she’d be competing but i don’t think her entry this year fits her. a shame, i’d love seeing her represent albania one year. piedestal is really the only song this year that has stood out to me, fik is one of my favorite selections too. this is just a weak year, i guess
“Piedestal” sounds like an obvious and safe choice for esc, but it would not stand out from the crowd, just like Eneda and Lindita, another female ballad with strong vocals, in this case I think “Mall” is the right choice as it is exceptionally captivating and well produced as opposed to the other sloppy dated Rock numbers that are included.
Eugent Bushpepa,LYNX or Inest Neziri and I’m happy:))
ZEMER KU JE
i can’t be the only one who loves it
Ngrije Zërin is a BOP! Would love to see it live in lisbon. definitely a different sound for Albania, and something unique for the contest as a whole.
Yaass I love Orgesa’s look.
None of the above, because they’ll all be ruined by the orchestra. 😛
It’s going to be Mall by Eugent Bushpepa that wins. I really don’t see much competition.
Just curious…are you Albania? FiK audiences always seem to for female screaming divas….hope you’re right about Eugene! Absolute fave!
Sorry, meant are you Albanian. 🙂
Hopefully he is! And hopefully Eugent wins.
Yes I am, and I am sure he will win. RTSH has a big number of ex Top Channel employees, and Eugent works for Top Channel as a main singer for their shows. There is a lot of love for him in RTSH, so they might choose a friendly jury to ensure his win.
Thanks. I hope you’re right. I’ve had his song on repeat since I first heard it! Very well done! Please send him!
Woow Albania. This is definitely the best line up of songs in FiK ever. Well, currently there isn’t still an entry that overwhelms me, and where I say “Yes, it has to be this one”. However, there is no clear winner, compared to last year’s editions. So my favorites so far are Eugent Bushpepa with “Mall”. It stands out from the others, and it combines tradtional and modern elements. I also like Ergi Bregu with “Bum Bum”.It was catchy from the first listening, however I need to listen to the live version of it. And last, but not least, I… Read more »
Piedestal might win because it sounds exactly as boring and old-fashioned as their entries from the past two years.
Top 10 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai8Pfkw8mgo
I love Orgesa’s look! He’s song is really good also. I think she or the girl who sings Piedestal should win.
where did manjola’s video go?
Is it me, or is this the best line up of songs in FiK in years? There is no clear winner for me, many of these songs have the potential to win.
The best one is Tiri – Orë e ndalur
For me, Eugent Bushpepa’s song stands out the most of them all–it has both traditional and modern elements, a twist of Celtic and rock edge. Love his voice! Hope FiK doesn’t go for another diva as per usual! Dare to be different, Albania! Cheering for Eugent!
Mall
Une
Vone
Lorela’s song.
Also “Ngrije zërin”. But I think “Unë” or “Mall” would achieve a better result at ESC. Both will need cuts though, which is a good thing for Unë.