Albania Anxhela Peristeri First Rehearsal Eurovision 2021

It is the long-running song contest that is traditionally the first national final of the Eurovision season. Now Albania‘s broadcaster RTSH has opened submissions for Festivali i Këngës — which will celebrate its 60th edition this year. The broadcaster is accepting entries from songwriters and performers.

RTSH announced details of the FiK60 submission process and promoted the launch with a trailer on social media.

While Festivali i Këngës predates Albania’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and is not strictly a stand-alone national final, RTSH have mentioned Eurovision 2022 as an opportunity for the winner of FiK60.

Interested artists are invited to submit potential entries to the broadcaster.

The Albanian broadcaster has yet not confirmed when will the submission period will close. It has also not confirmed what form the 60th edition of the contest will take and whether the contest will again be held in an open-air location or if it will return to its usual indoor venue.

Dates for Festivali i Këngës 60 have not been confirmed, however the contest usually involves three shows held sometime in the week before Christmas.

Festivali i Këngës and Eurovision

Festivali i Këngës has been held annually since 1962 and is the longest-running TV show in Albania. In 2003, the festival began double duty as Albania’s national selection, with the FiK winner going on to represent Albania at Eurovision.

FiK58 winner Arilena Ara was unable to go onto Eurovision as the 2020 edition of the song contest was cancelled. FiK59 was held under pandemic conditions. The contest was held on an outdoor stage and without the iconic live orchestra.

Festivali i Këngës entries are typically performed in Albanian. In some years, the song has been translated to English for the Eurovision version. However, in recent years Albania has done best with songs left in Albanian. In 2018, Eugent Bushpepa placed 11th with his rock anthem “Mall”. Earlier this year, Anxhela Peristeri placed 21st in the grand final with her song “Karma”.

Are you excited about Festivali i Kenges 60? Which artists you think will take place at the 60th edition of the show? Let us know in the comment section down below!

Read more Albania Eurovision news here

44 Comments
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Mar
Mar
2 years ago

Guys that is off topic BUT Melovin (Ukrainian artist) came out today as a bisexual person. He kissed a man and a woman on stage. This is a hugeee thing for Ukraine. Probably the first ever artist to do so

Kristian
Kristian
2 years ago
Reply to  Mar

I thought he was already out

Mariia
2 years ago
Reply to  Kristian

No, the country is homophobic, so no one comes out really

Joey
Joey
2 years ago

The thing with FiK is that I actually don’t care about the shows at all, but I’m always bored around that time so I end up watching it anyway. They really should change their selection process to make it more interesting. The shows are fine for what they are (even if they take too long, but whatever), but the songs are pretty bad and the jurors/results aren’t transparent enough to believe that everything is going fairly. They should have more youngers juries, as Eurovision is starting to attract younger viewers, and televoting. Then maybe they could elevate their shows and… Read more »

ROXELANA
ROXELANA
2 years ago

I have no words..
I wanted her to host the contest or at least the Green Room.
And now she is not with us anymore. 🙁
Life is so short. We really have no idea what is awaiting us in a day, in an hour or even in a minute.

May she rest in peace. A true icon!!

Last edited 2 years ago by ROXELANA
Alo
Alo
2 years ago

Albania it is time to change direction! No more female big vocalist who is singing a ballad.. We had enough from it..

Giolo
Giolo
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

We had enough of this type of comments actually, at least Albania always brings something different from the “ethnic” generic female “bops” which fans love to hype

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Giolo

But they have become quite predictable with the songs and singers that they select. It’s almost a given that Albania will send a solo female vocalist singing a ballad/power ballad every year.

If that’s what they want to do then they can go for it, but sending the same type of songs will yield the same results, so, if they want to improve their results, they can try something different. Something different btw does not necessarily mean a “generic female bop” btw, there’s plenty of others genres to choose from.

Mr X
Mr X
2 years ago
Reply to  Giolo

I liked both Anxhela and Jonida, but the best participant from the land of the eagle beside Rona was Eugent. No more english entries, please ! Albanian sounds so great.

Last edited 2 years ago by Mr X
acp
acp
2 years ago

I know that Albania has not placed too high on the finals these last three years but at least they have qualified and 2 of that times through the bloodbath semis, so i’m happy they are succeding. On the other hand, I wish they continue to hire someone to do their stagings like this year. Not that there isn’t a good Albanian stage director, but their stagings have always been empty and simple except 2021, which in my opinion, if it wasn’t staged like that it would have not qualified.

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  acp

Not to be that person but semi 2 this year wasn’t a bloodbath. They did however stage the song very well.

McRoro
McRoro
2 years ago
Reply to  Escfan

the semis Albania took part in 2018 (semi 1) and 2019 (semi 2) were the strongest and they still qualified, so they have a streak going on

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  McRoro

I know but in 2018, they tried something different, great song btw and therefore they qualified. 2019 was a pretty decent semi and they staged it well, the song appealed to people so it qualified. Many people said however, in relation to the 2 semis this year, that semi 2 was considerably weaker. Yes, 2021 was staged well and styled well but that particular semi wasn’t a bloodbath which was my initial point :). Albania can qualify by sending solo female power ballads/ballads however if they send that type of entry continuously, they’ll get similar results of 18th-22nd. In 2018,… Read more »

acp
acp
2 years ago
Reply to  Escfan

I meant the 2018 and 2019 semis.

Angelos Gkitsalis
Angelos Gkitsalis
2 years ago
Reply to  Escfan

2 of that times through the bloodbath semis”
so we’re going to completely ignore that he said 2 out of the 3 times??

Branko86
Branko86
2 years ago
Reply to  acp

Sean Baptiste really sucked in stagings this year except for Switzerland, no wonder she was seen in Greenroom only with Gjon’s Tears ans Swiss Team!

Jofty
Jofty
2 years ago
Reply to  Branko86

She probably had her eye on their Swiss bank account

Azaad
Azaad
2 years ago

With the usual Albanian penchant for rock and Maneskin’s victory I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the songs have a rock persuasion.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago

The eurofans will be very busy during the days before Christmas this year, Festival i Kenges, Jesc 2021, and maybe the french competing songs for the french NF revealed. Albania will certainly be the starter of the pre contest season as always, it’s almost a tradition now and I’m here for it. Since 2018 Albania has done pretty well in the contest being qualified each years but not having really great results in the finals unfortunately. I hope Albania will be more original and more modern this year, and less predictable, Albania has great potential, they only need to dare… Read more »

Sapphire
Sapphire
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

However, if Albania takes a risk, like in 2013, no one ends up voting for them, sadly

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Sapphire

I agree, Eurovision is complicated but imo it’s better to be original even if it’s risky, because in case of success, this success is more remarkable. Moreover if you are original and good you will stand out in a good way like Ukraine this year for example. Since 2013 the contest has changed a lot, the approach is not the same so I think Albania should dare this year because they didn’t stand out enough the last years.

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Sapphire

Not quite though, 2018 was also a risk (they did something different to what they normally send) and they came 11th.

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

You’re forgetting the national selection of San Marino, which is in November if I remember it correctly.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  GojoSatoru

Ok I didn’t know, my mistake, then this year San Marino will be the starter of the season maybe…

Euro Fan
Euro Fan
2 years ago

Hope it’s either Elvana Gjata or Alban Ramosaj for Albania in 2022.

Last edited 2 years ago by Euro Fan
Edward
Edward
2 years ago

100% ready for an excellent uptempo song (most likely by Era Rusi again) to be snubbed for 2 random runners up and a winner who’s famous in Albania but sends their decent songs to Kenga Magjike with an uninspired ballad.

Last edited 2 years ago by Edward
Azaad
Azaad
2 years ago
Reply to  Edward

Era isn’t a great singer, at least to other Albanian singers (what is with Albanians and Kosovar Albanians having incredible voices?) and her song was the sort of fun trashy bop the juries would’ve killed.

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Edward

Sorry but Era Rusi was highly overrated last year, she wouldn’t have done that amazingly at esc with that song.

beccaboo1212
2 years ago
Reply to  Escfan

Era sings just fine!

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  beccaboo1212

I wasn’t saying she sang badly, I was saying that the song itself was highly overrated and imo it would’ve done about the same as Anxela Peristeri, depending on whether they got the staging right.

Janro
Janro
2 years ago
Reply to  Edward

100% ready for salty eurofans to demand yet another Yass kween banger even though outside of the Eurovision fan circle they don’t connect with the general public. And then when their “kween” doesn’t win they go on salty rants like the one above saying Albania only sends uninspired ballads. It’s both extremely funny and really sad to see people act like this. Albania have qualified for the final three years running… what exactly are they doing wrong? Nothing. Can we please just have a national final season where the Eurofans don’t demand a winner and go on a rampage if… Read more »

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Janro

They have qualified but for 2 of those 3 years (2019 and 2021) they sent a solo female vocalist singing a power ballad and finished 17th and 21st which are decent results, however, if they keep sending similar acts/songs to Eurovision, depending on their staging and styling, they are either going to achieve a similar result or struggle to qualify (2014, 2016, 2017). If they want to continue sending acts like this, then that’s perfectly fine, but they aren’t going to be placing much higher. Perhaps some people who have asked for a pop song to win FiK are just… Read more »

esc_fl
esc_fl
2 years ago
Reply to  Escfan

In Jonida’s defense she deserved a much higher place 😉 but I’m all for seeing Albania sending something new

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago

can’t wait for a another albanian woman with good vocals singing a dated ballad and finish around 22nd place in the final.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

kinda tired of this narrative…..how was Jonida dated? how was Eugent both dated and also a woman? how was Elhaida dated? how was rona dated? how were Juliana or Kejsi dated? Olta I will give to you, but even that song wasn’t bad. And the true dated ballads that came from Lindita, Eneda, and Hersi ALL languished in the semis. The only real outlier here is honestly Anxhela, and frankly she only qualified because her semi was unbearably weak.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

my point is that they never send something modern. 2018, 2019 and 2015 may have not been dated but also far from modern.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

oh please, 2015 was very current. 2019 was also current but in a different way – you wouldn’t hear it on the radio because it is very traditionally Albanian, but still had incredibly modern flourishes and modern production. 2015 you could literally hear on the radio that year and I wouldn’t bat an eye

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

and could Albania do more modern things? yeah of course they could. but im just tired of the ‘Albania does nothing but send female screaming ballads’ because there is so much evidence to the contrary

fionn
fionn
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

i think albania have sent one of the most modern and experimental songs of all time in eurovision, suus by rona nishliu in 2012. That song was a masterpiece and in my top 5 favourite eurovision entries of all time. And you can’t say that was dated. It was extremely experimental with elements of jazz even. i personally thought it deserved an even higher placing, maybe 2nd place. it’s an act that the whole of albania should be really proud of sending.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  fionn

yeah but that was like 10 years ago lol. 2015 was semi-modern, everything else was not modern… maybe not dated (2019) but certainly not modern.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

newsflash: just because something isn’t slick radio-pop doesn’t mean it isn’t modern.

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  fionn

I mean definitely experiemental, i’d argue that it’s also a marmite type of song, people loved it or despised it. I’m personally part of the latter but it did well and it was Albania trying something different which for any country trying something different is pretty much always welcomed :).

James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Explain “modern”.

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

Actually, they have a point. Albania for most of the decade have sent women singing ballads/wailing ballads in either Albanian or English that have either just about qualified and come around 22nd in the final or didn’t qualify. It would be nice to see them change it up like they did in 2018.

If they keep sending the same thing, they’ll get roughly the same result.