The 26 songs that will participate in Festivali i Këngës 59 have been revealed. And that means we’re ready to ask you a very important question: Who should win FiK and represent Albania at Eurovision 2021?
This year’s Albanian selection is a sea of queens and kings all gunning for the chance to sing in Rotterdam (or from a remote studio location). The contest has lots of fresh and familiar faces and, as usual, plenty of rock singers and divas. And they’re all getting fans excited.
Festivali i Këngës 59 acts
Plenty of names have set tongues wagging.
The glamorous Anxhela Peristeri boasts an Instagram following above a quarter of a million. The X Factor Greece alum last competed at FiK in 2001, before it was Albania’s Eurovision selection show. Since then, her star has risen steadily, culminating in a Kënga Magjike victory in 2017. She returned in 2019 and placed third.
There are, of course, many alums recent editions of the festival. Fan favourites from 2019 Era Rusi and Kamela Islamaj return, as do Orgesa Zaimi and Mirud from the year before.
Inis Neziri last appeared at the 56th edition. In the interim, she has won the prestigious Golden Stag and New Wave competitions in Romania and Russia respectively.
Or perhaps one of the other acts is your favourite?
Poll: Who should win Albania’s Festivali i Këngës 59?
It’s time to vote in our poll! You can listen to all 26 songs in the playlist embedded below. Remember to choose wisely, you can only vote ONE time. Voting will close just before the live shows take place.
Poll is now closed. Results available here.
Who did you vote for? Let us know in the comments.
Anxhella winning by buying 2000 votes in 2 days is comic :))) hahahahahahahah
she really believes the lie in which she is living hahahaha
Did she also buy the FIK jurors, the names of which were not even released up until the last minute? Get real.
Haahahaa pathetic peristeri buying thousands of votes in 24hrs to keep “glamorous” hhaha beyond pathetic
Seriozisht ?! Hahahahaha
Lol .. ridiculous Anxhela buying 1000 votes in one night . Lol this is so funny for how fake it is
Would really want Rosela to win
Vashezo is my favourite of all
Albania’s best choice this time .
The final battle according to me is between Vashezo and Zjarri im .
For me Inis Neziri= Pendese.
She is the best talented. Amazing voice. Winner
Enough with ballads; Era for the win!
My favorites so far are Klinti. Xhesika. Giliola. Vashezo
Vashezo has the right vibe and folk & modern beat of albanian music. To my opinion Rosela gjylbegu has the best song together with Era Rusi Zjarri im
It’s unpopular opinion, but I would be happy if Erik Lloshi won
I love the song and Erik’s voice but the only thing unpopular about it is the lyrics. It’s a song strongly against the right of women to abort.
Yea, it’s very conservative topic
Yep and it’s no easy to sing a song like that for a European public. The song is meaningful to him perhaps but not for all is the same. It’s a pity. He’s a great singer. Definitely one of my favorites this year.
So obviously there are vote dumps going for Inis and Rosela and shrinking Anxhela’s lead by 800 votes within a week. That’s why FIK is by jury.
Wrote about this one week ago, the same thing was happening between Angjela and Iniz votes. Actually my comment was NEVER published, while yours yes, what a “strange” coincidence, isn’t it ? Oh by the way, Rosela’s VASHEZO is first on all polls online 🙂 Deal with it 😉
Poll hackers and FIK jurors are two very different groups, with very different powers.
I guess you are right. Angela is hacking this poll and it’s a total shame. Never thought these things happen here, but as you wrote it’s all about “power” or the illusion of it.
I think the vote pumping is happening from Rosela’s side to be quite honest, everyone else knows this is an Inis vs. Anxhela race. The only power that matters at the end of the day is the power of the jury vote. Albania has got this part of the selection process right.
As I see it this is a dirty game from iniz and angela. For the other singers including rosela this is only a festival like many others before and this makes a huuuge difference. Rosela is only showing you and them that if you want to play, she’s in the game. The jury knows best definitely, mostly when it comes to self declared winners of the festival when the show is still about to happen.
Writing that Rossela is pumping votes is like pretending that Anxhela and Inis are two holy virgins in all this which is obvious to all here that they are not.lol .. Probably you and everyone that you know think that this is a race between the two …because everybody including the jury believe this is still the Festival of the Albanian song where 20+ singers partecipate . This is not a wiwibloggs race between the two you like lol . This is a music festival among the many and good albanian artists and thank God the jury knows this very… Read more »
By the way where were u when Anxehla was pumping votes weekz ago????? ’cause we were here & saw her frauding votes everyday til today. I wouldn’t say that of Rosela. Her fans online totalize more thwn 350k so if she really wants to pump votes in here Anexhla would be th last of the list loool 😀
you are right.. the jury will not vote with a VPN lol!
Don’t know what vpn means but there’s nothing to laugh about. If Iniz or Angela think they can win by hacking polls and buying YouTube views and comments and pretending to be winners with the festival still about to happen, then I must say they’re beyond the ridiculous. It’s offensive to the other artists, to the jury and most of all to all of us.
Manjola, get well soon.
OMG.. Only WENDY.. SUCH AS DIFFERENT VOICE AND SONG.. LOVE IT!
I would have wanted Era to win but this song is nowhere near Eja mere in terms of immediate impact. And karma is not very good for me.
Inis would probably come the closest to something decent. Fatos , Enxhi and Rosela are the only other ones I listened to in full on first listen.
I’m pretty sure Albania will go with Inis, but let’s see. I expect it to be a ballad, even though there are few bops in this selection. In my opinion, Mirud has the best song, but I like Era’s song as well. If they really need to go with a ballad then Anxhela or Xhesika would be better choice. I wouldn’t mind Orgesa going to Rotterdam, but her previous attempts were far better than this one. Also, Manjola’s song is quite interesting.
Live will change everything. the song that meh in studio version usually come alive in live.
Totally agree, but Live and outdoors?! On December?! During COVID19?! In winter?! I think it’s a festival not a torture for the artists. They’re probably all going to get sick. Total nonsense to me the outdoor choice. Live & Indoor with no public makes sense to me.
If anyone wants the translation of any song you can reply here I’d be happy to give it to you
I’d like that very much, thanks. 🙂 Could you perhaps to start with Klinti’s and Xhesika’s songs?
Klinti Collaku- I will make it Between the waves in the sea, Where the wind screams I raised my voice. Do you hear it? And the (????) is echoing Abandoned in this life In the emptiest place I raised my voice once again. Do you hear it? It echos. It thunders. Everytime I have fallen on my knees Everytime I didn’t believe in myself Everytime I’ve been mistaken in a way I’ve rised up once again like a storm Everytime they told me I don’t deserve it Everytime they told me “you’re too late” Everytime my soul has been wounded… Read more »
Xhesika Polo- Protects Me Broken, my heart, I don’t have you The pieces, I attach them, little by little Where are you, pain, you gave me In my soul, I feel fear, again No, I can’t hide it from you This much pain that I’m feeling You give me strength, you protect every step I have so many words that I never got to tell you You give me strength, you protect every step I have so many words that I never got to tell you Warm me, only with, a word I have fear, I have tears, forgive me… Read more »
Thank you very much. ? These lyrics are really good. Both of these songs are great. ?
Yeah both songs are amazing 🙂
Sardi Strugaj- She Will Make You Cry If you look at her eyes She will make you cry You will know her story The weight she’s carried She never rewinds back time Only reverses the clock But 12 and 6 Can’t go together I didn’t deserve the mistakes, I was afraid Like words, without a sound her fragile eyes speak It’s not hard for you to see that her heart has a knife You look at her soul, if you look at her eyes -If you look at her eyes She will make you cry You will know her story… Read more »
I know she’s not going to win, but I voted for Gigliola with E lire. It’s the only one that captivated me from the first listen.
I think its between Inis and Anxhela. Anxhela has a slight advantage over Inis when coming to juries because she’s more known in Albania. Personally i like Inis over Anxhela, Karma sounds a bit messy and doesn’t attract me as much as Pendese do, but im not sure which would be a better option.
Who you think would do better at Eurovision: Anxhela or Inis?
Ju flisni çte doni eshte e drejta juaj por ne gjith kete liste vetem nje eshte artiste internacionale e famshme me 2 çmime te para nderkombetare qe eshte Inis Neziri.Nje vajze e re teper e talentuar qe ka treguar qe di tjua rrembeje zemrat dhe fitoren te huajve ne vendin e tyre. Ajo vjen me nje kenge te fuqishme dhe te madhe taman ne parametra per eurivision. Jam e bindur qe po shkoj ne eueovivision do jete ne top 3. Per mos te thene e fiton. Kaq di te them. Respekte. Shqip ,paster, bukur.
Beni cte doni ÷ === Inisi e meriton te fitoj me ate vokal qe i ka falur i Madhi Zot
There are a few good songs this year. I particulary like the ethnic songs. Here is my top.
1 Rosela Gjylbegu – Vashëzo
2 Klint Çollaku – Do t’ia dal
3 Mirud – Nëse vdes
4 Enxhi Nasufi – Njësoj
5 Evi Reçi – Tjerr
6 Stefan Marena – Meteor
7 Era Rusi – Zjarri im
8 Anxhela Peristeri – Karma
I love your list . thumbs up. Rosela deserves really much .
Couldn’t agree more .Rosela for me is the best this year I love her song too .
Anxhelas vocals are unbeatable in this group!! Enough said
Am I the only one who thinks that Gigliola is the best?
no same opinion and I also like Fatos.
I’m with you!
people sleeping on Sardi
AMEN TO THAT, my 2nd!
This is Anxhela Peristeri’s year.
Inris neziri my absolute favorite
I do not see Angela winning but I do see her stirring controversy like Elvana. This is Jessica Polo’s year.
Anxhela and Inis would be the most probable winners but Era would bring Albania their best ever result since their debut.
period
don’t think it finish higher than 2012
Oh I forgot about Suus. Second best then
Would she? I can’t see the juries embracing it and I don’t think the televote would push it hard enough where she could place in the top 4.
Inis Neziri the best. Amazing song
Amazing talented.
Mirud or Inis Neziri will win.
Top 5:
1. Fatos Shabani – Ty (7)
2. Mirud – Nëse vdes (6.75)
3. Era Rusi – Zjarri im (6.5)
4. Wendi Mancaku – Vesi i shpirti tim (6.25)
5. Rosela Gjylbegu – Vashëzo (6)
I see the safest choice and SF filler is winning. Nervermind. I’m used to that, Albania.
The good thing with most of the songs is that they don’t go over the ESC time limit by a large margin, so you don’t need a wholesome cut/edit for many of them, and readjustments can focus on simply improving the song rather than trying to shave off parts to bring it to 3 minutes.
Don’t think any of them will actually win, but voted for my favorites so far: Erik, Evi and Rosela.
Inis the best. Amazing vocal,amazing song, beatififul girl
Mirud and Era have the best songs. Inis’ song is not bad, but it’s boring choice for Albania.
Xhesika Polo is going to win it all! Make my words!
Jesus nooo …Albania would be cancelled then
KARMA OR PENDESË….
Albania need one of these songs to do good at Eurovision 2021
Unfortunately none of our opinions matter. RTSH has probably already decided the winner like usual.
That is unfortunate to hear. I hope there is a room for some discussion after the performances.
By the way, can you please translate ”Vashezo”? It’s the only song besides Karma (duh!) not to have a translated title. I tried Google translate and nothing comes up. Is it a slang? A name? A place? Thanks in advance.
Yeah, I mean I don’t have hard evidence but history has taught me that. For example the second I learned Jonida was competing I knew she had it in the bag. Same for Lindita, Eneda and Elhaida.
‘Vashëzo’ is a dialect word and it basically means ‘Girl’ or ‘Young Girl’. It is usually used as an endearing term.
Thanks for the translation. 🙂 Do you know are there lyric translations anywhere online?
Np 🙂
No I checked, there aren’t any yet.
It would be nice to know what they are about. I mean, I’m not nitpicking over details, but it would be unfortunate to fall for a song whose lyrics are downright offensive or very poorly written.
You’ve been very helpful, Malo, so I’m not asking anything in particular, but any insight on what these songs are about would be more than useful.
Anyway, thanks a lot. 🙂
Given the Google translate is any good, I found the translations to Pendese, Vashezo, Karma, Jo, E lire and Zjarri im. I’m assuming the others might be updated as well at some point.
https://genius.com/albums/Various-artists/Festivali-i-kenges-59
Rosela is a great vocalist so I’m sure she will kill it live. Unfortunately, unless the jury members will be close peers of hers (a possibility because she is a respected artist and has connections with RTSH), her best shot is a 2nd place.
How do you feel about “Karma”? It’s the only true contender besides “Pendesë”.
Thank you for replying 🙂
I do agree that it’s a heard before melody. Anxhela herself has other very similar songs because she and Karma’s composer have collaborated often.
I say she’s a true contender because she’s the only “big mainstream” name this year, and RTSH tends to pick those, no matter the song.
Haha yeah I do write a lot about that because unfortunately FiK is not really a meritocracy, and I’ve lost all hope in RTSH changing that. Therefore I try to analyse the politics of it. I personally would like Rosela, Era, Sardi or Mirud to win, but again I have very little to no hope on these scenarios happening. Regarding the Anxhela vs. Inis, to be honest I really like them as artists, but I fear their songs wouldn’t bring anything new to Albania’s Eurovision lineup. But again considering their odds, I think they’re fine winners. Edit: There are other… Read more »
I don’t know if I can tell you much about Sardi. I remember him from when he competed in X-Factor AL and he has released a few songs recently, they’re on YouTube. But yeah he’s great. And from I can tell he wrote the song with an unknown young composer, so at least one positive thing about FiK is promoting new/young artists.
Regarding RTSH, peculiar is definitely a fitting word to describe it.
I have little to zero knowledge regarding how the music industry works. I’m guessing in Sardi’s case he must have released his music independently, so maybe he needs a label and such to be in streaming platforms.
I think most people talk about Inis, Anxhela and Mirud and seeing the views on youtube someone could think that the win is going propably to one of these three artists. BUT people dont decide. So in the end Iris and Axhela will fight for the first place (in my opinion always) with the second having a slightly bigger advantage
Fatos shabani ‘ty’!
“Ty” by Fatos Shabani is my absolute favorite 🙂
It’s a tough choice, but I think I’m going with Klinti, Xhesika, Manjola and Wendi. I can understand Inis and Mirud dominating the poll, as both are very talented and their songs are quite competitive. The inspirations from the succeses of Shaj and Me tana are there, but they are pretty solid standalone songs. From the music alone, I can see Xhesika’s ballad being really heartfelt. Klinti probably has the most interesting flow of the chorus. Manjola’s song has that something mystical in a good way. But that’s just me…
PS. Yes, whomever wins, please keep it in Albanian.
Anxhela peristeri
Inris neziri my absolute fav
Mirud is the best.
ANXHELA PERISTERI
DEVIS XHERAHU
Staging is very important.
Those are my 2 favourite songs.:)
I HOPE THEY WON’T CHANGE IT TO ENGLISH! PLEASE DON’T!! NATIVE LANGUAGE IN EUROVISION IS MAGIC. :):):)
It’s Era, Mirud, Inis, Kamela, or Xhesika for me. Inis will probably win, and I’m genuinely upset that she will translate it if she wins. I’m so over Albania translating, can y’all learn that it nearly never works well AND Albanian is so beautiful???
The difference is that Pendese seems similar to Shaj in that it would only need a translation and not a revamp. The production doesn’t have a lot of strictly Albanian motifs.
It doesn’t need either.
Translating the Albanian songs has worked in 2004, 2007 (ultimately it was half English), 2009 and 2010. The first three times it worked because a wonderful translator (from the US I believe) worked on them. I think her name is June Taylor. She also did the 2005 and 2011 translations, and she did a very fine job again but the songs were too ethnic to work in English. While in 2010, the song’s producer hired an English (or American) writer to write the lyrics, and I think that worked again. In my opinion the respective teams did a poor job… Read more »
You bring up excellent points. It always make sense to have a fluent English speaker and Albanian speaker collaborate on a translation, or leave the job to someone who has an excellent command of both (like Lindita).
Speaking of Lindita, the issue wasn’t so much the translation as it was the revamp. Had World retained the orchestral sound of Botë, I believe it would’ve fared better even with English lyrics.
Ah thank you 🙂
Yes, totally agree regarding Botë/World. When I heard it on FiK, I thought this sounds so great and grand already, they can only amplify it for ESC, but they went for a different approach.
It’ll be between Anxhela and Inis. Both have name recognition and seem to be the early favourites, and most winning FiK songs in the past have followed a similar pattern. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Mirud doesn’t make it past the semis again, and it’s got nothing to do with my opinion of the song.
Yep, you nailed it. FiK has become very predictable, RTSH needs an actual revolution for things to change, and that won’t happen anytime soon.