Albania’s Festivali i Këngës 61 — the second national final of the Eurovision 2023 season — finally kicks off this evening, Monday 19 December.
And while local fans in Albania and Kosovo can catch it by switching on their TVs, international viewers will need to try alternative means. Here’s when and how you can watch all four FiK 61 shows.
This year’s songs won’t be revealed until the live broadcast, so there’s even more reason to tune in.
If you’re watching the show live, feel free to comment in our comments box below. Just hit “newest” or refresh the page to see the latest comments.
As previously reported, the winner of the festival, as chosen by the jury, does not automatically get the ticket to Eurovision. It’s the public who get to choose the Eurovision song and artist.
That means it’s possible for the festival’s jury to have one winner, and the public to choose someone else for Eurovision.
What time is Festivali i Këngës 61?
- Semi-Final 1 — 21:00 CET on Monday 19 December
- Semi-Final 2 — 21:00 CET on Tuesday 20 December
- Nostalgia Night – 21:00 CET on Wednesday 21 December
- Grand final — 21:00 CET on Thursday 22 December
All four shows will be broadcast live from The Palace of Congresses (Pallati i Kongreseve) in the capital Tirana.
During nostalgia night, special guests will sing some of the greatest hits from the festival.
Watch Festivali i Këngës 61 online
All four programmes will be broadcast on Albania’s RTSH 1 and Kosovo’s RTK.
The online live stream from RTSH doesn’t work. But you can watch RTSH using the app of rival network Klan TV. Just search for “Klani Im” in the app store and then proceed to the RTSH stream.
You can also watch on this YouTube link.
FiK 61 songs
Semi-Final 1 running order
- Enxhi Nasufi – “Burrë” (Man)
- Erma Mici – “Kozmosi i dashurisë” (The cosmos of love)
- Fabian Basha – “Një gotë” (A glass)
- Anduel Kovaçi – “Malli” (Longing)
- Fifi (Filloreta Raçi) – “Stop”
- Urban Band – “Në çdo hap” (At every step)
- 2 Farm – “Atomike” (Atomic)
- Sara Kapo – “Para teje” (Before you)
- Rezearta Smaja – “N’Eden” (In Eden)
- Albina Kelmendi – “Duje” (Love It)
- Serxhio Hajdini – “Vështirë” (Difficult)
- Luna Causholli – “Jetën ta fal” (I give my life to you)
- Rovena Dilo – “Motit” (It’s been a while)
Semi-Final 2 running order
- Melodajna Mancaku – “Gjysma e zemrës sime” (Half of my heart)
- Permit of Stay – “Fobia” (Phobias)
- Aris Bako – “Sonte dua të jem me ty” (Tonight I want to be with you)
- Gjergj Kaçinari – “Dje” (Yesterday)
- Franc Koruni – “Në pritje” (Waiting)
- Petrit Çarkaxhiu – “Emri yt mirësi” (Your name is good)
- Elisa Lila – “Evita”
- Genti Hoxha – “Ajër” (Air)
- Evi Reçi – “Ma kthe” (Give me back)
- Manjola Nallbani – “Dua” (Love)
- LYNX – “Nëse ke besim” (If you have faith)
- Alban Kondi & Lorela Karoshi – “Melodi” (Melody)
- Vanesa Sono – “Aroma jonë” (Our fragrance)
Will you be tuning in? Have you picked your winner? Let us know in the comments.
Fifi’s Stop was super captivating and catchy but something just didn’t fully materialize with the live orchestra. But the live vocals with studio backing music and some small edits here and there would make this a great entry!
Malli and Atomike are the best ones and I also like Eden and Duje.
Albina and Fifi for me
I hope Fifi is gonna win because the revamp for „Stop“ will be then so so good!
I like Fifi’s song the most from the first night. I need to be honest, I expected more. I don’t like the stage, it’s so monotonous and with a bunch of ballads.
There were some really good songs in this semi final. The hot favourite before tonight was Fifi I think, but after this first night I’d say that Albina Kelmendi is the best choice for Albania: her song (& the message of it) and her vocals are amazing. Fifi’s song is fine, but the chorus really lacks something (even tho I love the ethnic instrumentation).
semi 1 was high level music quality – no idea what’s coming up in semi 2 but duje seems to be the boss and first contender for the win.
my music favorite was 2 farm with mister kastro zizo inside.
progressive like hell and very nice glasses.
Erma Mici, I suppose. Nothing to get too worked up over.
I am really disappointed that Ronela hadn‘t sing 🙁
Maybe she will sing on the final night or at the nostalgia night! Do anyone know something about Ronela?
My favourite tonight was Fifi! Good luck to the queen!
I have no passion for any of them, really, but they’re not bad.
Overall, a really fine semi-final. More of my first impressions are good than not. Then again, this classy setting helps setting the tone. If I had to pick top 5 right now, I’d probably say (in the order of performances): Erma Mici, Arduel Kovaci, 2Farm, Rezarta Smaja, Rovena Dilo. Albina’s is a polarizing one – Was this *too much*, or just right? Not impressed with Fifi’s song, honestly.
Serxhio Hajdini’s lively easy listening tune was also really enjoyable. Luna Çausholli was vocally very shaky, I will have to listen to this in the studio cut to see if I like it. Rovena Dilo had a rather distracting cleavage. The song wasn’t bad at all. Vocally. she also wasn’t all there all the time, but I think I might like this in the studio cut. This is a really solid selection so far, and we’re getting 13 more tomorrow. So far I’d say definitely Sara Kapo, then Urban Band and then either Rezarta Smaja or Rovena Dilo, depending on… Read more »
On second listening I must say I agree on Sara Kapo.
I thought Albanians were known for their stellar vocals?
Yeah, that could have been better. We did hear very few really clean vocals. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking two. Plus the very effective backing vocals of Urban Band, but they were part of the orchestra.
Rezarta’s song last year was far better, but she has a good vocal
I liked her song last year much better, too.
Albina and family were really dramatic, and judging by the reception and encore, I assume that the lyrics hold a powerful message. It was much at times, but Albania knows how to deliver “much” really well.
Rezarta Smaja is physically incapable of hitting a false note. And her song is better than the one she had last year.
Albina Kelmendi’s song is a strange mixture between a folky chorus and a very forceful, driving, rocky instrumental in between. Also very catchy, I didn’t hate that, setting aside the lamentation at the beginning, that was a tad too much for my taste.
I disagree with you on this. The first 30 seconds really gave me goosebumps. In the balkan’s and Turkey (where I’m originally from) these kind of “chants” are used when a person is in pain (emotionally), and given the message of the song (I read somewhere that it is about loved ones breaking apart over a small conflict, for example family ties being cut off by one another) I really think it suited the message of the song. I think if Albania chooses this song, the eastern countries would definitely vote for this!
It’s always fine to disagree with me, of course, but I’m sceptical that a shared cultural tradition of lament will bring you points in Eurovision. Be that as it may, this song is just a tad too much for me personally.
Rezarta’s voice is GOLD! She must me a contender for the first prizes!
I have a new favourite, Sara Kapo’s “Para teje” is a very stripped back gorgeous piece of music. Vocally she was a little flat at times, that’s the thing about minimalistic songs like these, they’re merciless. Commercial break.
Ah, orchestras. They add so much.
2Farm brought the most creative song + performance so far, and I appreciate that. I feel like knowing the lyrics would help a lot.
yeah!
2Farm had very strange costumes, some monk’s cowls and luminous goggles, and they were vocally very off at the beginning. Don’t really know what to make of this. It’s a little wtf, but vaguely entertaining nonetheless.
Kastro Zizo, like last year, I just love what he is doing and his music.
Urban Band gives us an uplifting pop rock tune, surprisingly this might be my favourite so far, a little throwback, but very catchy. I’m not a big fan of the lead singer’s vocals, though.
I honestly preferred Arduel and Erma thus far. Both with very lovely ballads.
Fifi gives us a mid-tempo folk infused pop tune with a little added reggae rythm in the chorus. So she’s the big favourite, hm? Not sure about that song. I already prefer the first two to it.
Okay, and now the lady with the blue folder is making the jokes, apparently.
After Anduel Kovaçi we have the first commercial break. His song was too folky for me, but he was a competent singer. This brandnew FiK format seems like a very streamlined Sanremo version without the jokes and the thousands of guests. So we might be done sooner than I expected tonight.
A lot of drama happening in the scenes at back, if you know what I mean.. #RiggedVotes
Festivali i Këngës has started well. Enxhi Nasufis “Burrë” was a great show opener, more rythmically than melodically engaging, but quite catchy.
Erma Mici’s “Kozmosi i dashurisë” had very soulful verses and then the chorus was a little too loud in comparison. I’ll have to see how this works in the studio cut.
“Një gotë” by Fabian Basha started out as a very classic piano ballad, then violins and drums swept in for the second verse. The backing vocals seemed to be a little off at the beginning. Not really for me.
Tibor! Keep
Tibor! I can’t watch FiK without your great comments.
Anita! You’re in luck, you don’t have to. 😉
Your comments and Sabrinas are the only reason I open wiwibloggs website! Just go on with the wonderful comments.
Do we know how many are qualifying tonight?
So how many will advance from each semi-final, to the final?
Its available on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryzz0qUgUTU
May we just appreciate how RTSH is showing old entries from Fest 57
“Prej nga i vjen e keqja shqiptarit?” “Prej vedvedit” – At Zef Pllumi
May the best song win. At first, I was really underwhelmed by the list of artists. But hoping for a clear winner that can make it past the semi-final.
Sorry I’m slow but will they be releasing the studio cuts of all the songs before the performances or after?
This online stream works for me http://www.freeintertv.com/view/id-3085
Apologies, it’s a different RTSH channel, I found it on RTak Kosovo https://www.rtklive.com/sq/livestream/rtk4/
I’m feeling good about Albania this year. Looking forward to see the entries competing in this year’s festival!
Looking so much forward to Urban Band. Most probably rock Music like last year
will the songs be available afterwards on youtube? or will it be like melfest where u can’t listen until after both semis?
Will be the live-streaming geo-blocked? The link is stil loading
Fifi, Rezarta, Albina! What a first semi!