Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015
| Eurovision Song Contest 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |
 Albania | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process |
Artist: Festivali i Këngës 53 Song: Internal Selection | |||
| Selection date(s) |
Semi-finals: 26 December 2014 27 December 2014 Final: 28 December 2014 | |||
| Selected entrant | Elhaida Dani | |||
| Selected song | "I'm Alive" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) | Zzap and Chris | |||
| Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Albania will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna, Austria. Their entry has been selected through the national final Festivali i Këngës 53, organised by the Albanian broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH).[1] Albania was originally going to be represented by the song "Diell" in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria. The entry would've been performed by Elhaida Dani, and was written by Aldo Shllaku, Viola Trebicka and Sokol Marsi.[2] On 23 February 2015 it was announced that the songwriters decided to withdraw the song and Dani will perform something else at Eurovision.[3] The following day it was revealed that Dani will perform "I'm Alive".[4]
Background
Prior to the 2015 Contest, Albania had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest eleven times since its first entry in 2004.[5] Its best placing in the contest was fifth, which it achieved in 2012 with the song "Suus" performed by Rona Nishliu. Albania's worst placing came in 2007 where Frederik Ndoci performing the song "Hear My Plea" came seventeenth in the semi-final. Festivali i Këngës has been organised every year since 1964 and has been used as Albania's Eurovision selection method since its début in 2004. In 2014, Hersi Matmuja won Festivali i Këngës 52 with the song "Zemërimi i një nate". It was performed in Copenhagen completely in English under its new title "One Night's Anger" and placed fifteenth in the semi-final, not advancing to the finals.
Details regarding the 53rd edition of Festivali i Këngës were announced on 12 September 2014,[6] however the official confirmation that the Albanian broadcaster would participate in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest only came on 1 November 2014, despite previously announcing they'd "most likely" be present.[7]
Festivali i Këngës 53
Festivali i Këngës 53 is a song contest organised by RTSH that served as Albania's national final to select their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. The competition was held on 28 December 2014 at the Palace of Congreses in Tirana.[1] The hosts for this event were Turjan Hyska, Floriana Garo and Liberta Spahiu.
The seven-person jury consisted of lyricist Agim Doçi, Eurovision 2012 singer Rona Nishliu, singer and composer David Tukiçi, musician Genc Dashi, singer Evi Reçi, singer Alida Hisku and journalist and filmmaker Fatos Baxhaku.[8]
Competing entries
A submission period for interested artists and composers to submit their entries was opened on 14 October 2014 and closed the following day. [6] All composers and artists must have Albanian citizenship and all songs must have been 100% in the Albanian language. The twenty-eight competing songs and artists were announced on 30 October 2014.[9][10]
| Artist | Song | English Translation | Music (m) / Lyrics (l) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agim Poshka | "Në rrugën tonë" | In our street | Agim Poshka (m) / Olsa Poshka (l) |
| Altin Goci | "Rock për gjithë jetën" | Rock for all of eternity | Altin Goci (m) / Klodi Shehu (l) |
| Ana Gramo | "Në koma" | In a coma | Genti Lako (m) / Ida Nurçe (l) |
| Besiana Mehmeti & Shkodran Tolaj | "Kështjella" | The castle | Adrian Hila (m) / Pandi Laço (l) |
| Bojken Lako Band | "Të ndjej" | I feel you | Bojken Lako Band (m&l) |
| Elhaida Dani | "Diell" | Sun | Aldo Shllaku (m) / Viola Trebicka & Sokol Marsi (l) |
| Emi Bogdo | "Një femër" | A woman | Lambert Jorganxhi (m) / Florian Zyka (l) |
| Enver Petrovci | "Të vranë bukuri" | Beauty they killed you | Enver Petrovci (m&l) |
| Enxhi & Xhejn Kumrija | "Njeri" | Human | Enxhi & Xhejn Kumrija (m) / Xhejn Kumrija (l) |
| Erga Halilaj | "Ti s'më njeh" | You don't know me | Kristi Popa (m) / Ronela Hajati (l) |
| Estela Brahimllari | "Kjo natë" | This night | Edmond Veizaj (m&l) |
| Florent Abrashi & Sigi Bastri | "Eklips mbi oqean" | Eclipse over the ocean | Sokol Marsi (m) / Florent Abrashi (l) |
| Gjergj Leka | "Himn" | Hymn | Gjergj Leka (m) / Zhuljana Jorganxhi (l) |
| Gr. Aurora | "Maria" | Maria | Gr. Aurora (m&l) |
| Gr. Offchestra | "Bajram" | Bajram | Faruk Banjska (m) / Gr. Offchestra (l) |
| Jozefina Simoni | "Mendje trazi" | Stirred mind | Bledar Sejko & Markeljan Kapedani (m) / Eda Sejko (l) |
| Julian Gjojdeshi | "Himn jetës" | Hymn to life | Vasil S. Tole (m) / Fatos Arapi (l) |
| Kelly | "Nëse ti do" | If you want | Kelly (m&l) |
| Klajdi Musabelliu | "Vetëm te ti besoj" | I only believe in you | Klajdi Musabelliu (m) / Jorgo Papingji (l) |
| Lindita Halimi | "S’të fal" | I don't forgive you | Zzap & Lindita Halimi (m) / Lindita Halimi (l) |
| Marsela Çibukaj | "S'muj" | I can't | Olsa Toqi (m&l) |
| Mjellma Berisha | "Sot jetoj" | Today I live | Enis Mullaj (m&l) |
| Revolt Klan | "Më mungon" | I miss you | Bruno Pollogati (m) / Febi Shkurti (l) |
| Rezarta Smaja | "Më rrëmbe" | Take me away | Klodian Qafoku (m) / Floran Kondi (Dr. Flori) (l) |
| Saimir Braho | "Kristal" | Crystal | Saimir Braho (m&l) |
| Venera Lumani | "Dua të jetoj" | I want to live | Endrit Shani (m) / Gerald Xhari (Big Basta) (l) |
Withdrawn entries
| Artist | Song | English Translation | Music (m) / Lyrics (l) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andos Sinani | "Më shiko drejt në sy" | Look me straight in the eye | Andos Sinani (m&l) |
| Besa Krasniqi | "Koha kalon" | Time goes by | Besa Krasniqi (m&l) |
| Kozma Dushi | "Kënga jeta jonë" | The song, our life | Enver Shëngjergji (m) / Ylli Mestani (l) |
National final
The show consisted of two semi-finals held on 26 and 27 December 2014 and then a final of 18 songs on 28 December.[11]
Semi-final 1
| Draw[12] | Artist | Song | Result[13] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enver Petrovci | "Të vranë bukuri" | Advanced |
| 2 | Revolt Klan | "Më mungon" | Eliminated |
| 3 | Julian Gjojdeshi | "Himn jetës" | Eliminated |
| 4 | Florent Abrashi & Sigi Bastri | "Eklips mbi oqean" | Eliminated |
| 5 | Marsela Çibukaj | "S'muj" | Advanced |
| 6 | Erga Halilaj | "Ti s'më njeh" | Advanced |
| 7 | Saimir Braho | "Kristal" | Advanced |
| 8 | Klajdi Musabelliu | "Vetëm te ti besoj" | Advanced |
| 9 | Besiana Mehmeti & Shkodran Tolaj | "Kështjella" | Advanced |
| 10 | Estela Brahimllari | "Kjo natë" | Advanced |
| 11 | Lindita Halimi | "S’të fal" | Advanced |
| 12 | Gr. Offchestra | "Bajram" | Eliminated |
| 13 | Venera Lumani | "Dua të jetoj" | Advanced |
Semi-final 2
| Draw[12] | Artist | Song | Result[14] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jozefina Simoni | "Mendje trazi" | Advanced |
| 2 | Altin Goci | "Rock për gjithë jetën" | Advanced |
| 3 | Bojken Lako Band | "Të ndjej" | Advanced |
| 4 | Elhaida Dani | "Diell" | Advanced |
| 5 | Kelly | "Nëse ti do" | Eliminated |
| 6 | Rezarta Smaja | "Më rrëmbe" | Advanced |
| 7 | Gr. Aurora | "Maria" | Eliminated |
| 8 | Ana Gramo | "Në koma" | Eliminated |
| 9 | Mjellma Berisha | "Sot jetoj" | Advanced |
| 10 | Emi Bogdo | "Një femër" | Advanced |
| 11 | Agim Poshka | "Në rrugën tonë" | Advanced |
| 12 | Enxhi & Xhejn Kumrija | "Njeri" | Eliminated |
| 13 | Gjergj Leka | "Himn" | Advanced |
Final
| Draw | Artist | Song | E. Reçi | F. Baxhaku | R. Nishliu | D. Tukiçi | A. Hisku | G. Dashi | A. Doçi | Total | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Besiana Mehmeti & Shkodran Tolaj | "Kështjella" | – | 8 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 8 | – | 31 | 4 |
| 2 | Bojken Lako Band | "Të ndjej" | 10 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 62 | 2 |
| 3 | Emi Bogdo | "Një femër" | – | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 10 |
| 4 | Lindita Halimi | "S'të fal" | 8 | – | 8 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 45 | 3 |
| 5 | Mjellma Berisha | "Sot jetoj" | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | 22 | 8 |
| 6 | Enver Petrovci | "Të vranë bukuri" | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 12 |
| 7 | Erga Halilaj | "Ti s'më njeh" | 5 | – | – | 6 | 4 | – | – | 15 | 11 |
| 8 | Rezarta Smaja | "Më rrëmbe" | 4 | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 7 |
| 9 | Jozefina Simoni | "Mendje trazi" | 3 | – | 4 | 3 | – | – | 2 | 12 | 12 |
| 10 | Venera Lumani | "Dua të jetoj" | 6 | – | 7 | – | – | 6 | 1 | 20 | 9 |
| 11 | Altin Goci | "Rock për gjithë jetën" | 1 | 7 | – | – | – | 1 | – | 9 | 14 |
| 12 | Gjergj Leka | "Himn" | – | – | – | 4 | 10 | – | 10 | 24 | 6 |
| 13 | Klajdi Musabelliu | "Vetëm te ti besoj" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Saimir Braho | "Kristal" | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 15 |
| 15 | Estela Brahimllari | "Kjo natë" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | Marsela Çibukaj | "S'muj" | 7 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | – | – | 28 | 5 |
| 17 | Agim Poshka | "Në rrugën tonë" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Elhaida Dani | "Diell" | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 82 | 1 |
At Eurovision
All countries except the "Big 5" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the host country, are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into five different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot.[15] On 26 January 2015, an allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Albania was placed into the first semi-final, to be held on 19 May 2015, and was scheduled to perform in the second half of the show.[16] In the first semifinal, the producers of the show decided that Albania would perform 14th, following Denmark and preceding Romania.[17]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Besim, Ramadan (23 October 2014). "Albania: RTSH finally confirms participation for Eurovision 2015". wiwibloggs. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ↑ Besim, Ramadan (28 December 2014). "Albania: Elhaida Dani wins Festivali i Këngës 53 with 'Diell'". wiwibloggs.com. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ↑ Taylor, Richard (23 February 2015). "Albania: "Diell" Withdrawn". Eurovoix.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- ↑ Granger, Anthony (24 February 2015). "Albania: Elhaida To Sing "I’m Alive"". eurovoix. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ↑ "Albania Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Granger, Anthony (12 September 2014). "Albania: Festivali i Kenges Submissions Are Open". Eurovoix. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ↑ Schneider, Patrick (22 October 2014). "Albania: 2015 participation very likely". Eurovoix. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ↑ Besim, Ramadan (26 December 2014). "Albania 2015: Meet the Festivali i Kenges 53 Jury". wiwibloggs.
- ↑ Besim, Ramadan (30 October 2014). "Albania: 28 Festivali i Këngës 53 contestants revealed". wiwibloggs. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ↑ Granger, Anthony (30 October 2014). "Albania: Festivali i Kenges Participants Announced". Eurovoix. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ↑ Brey, Marco (1 November 2014). "Albania: Eurovision entry selected in Festivali i Këngës". EBU. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Qendro, Helio (6 December 2014). "Albania: Festivali i Kenges semi-final order revealed". EscToday. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ↑ Besim, Ramadan (26 December 2014). "ALBANIA 2015: THE FIRST FINALISTS OF FESTIVALI I KËNGËS 53". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ↑ Besim, Ramadan (27 December 2014). "FESTIVALI I KËNGËS 53: 9 ACTS ADVANCE FROM SEMI-FINAL 2". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
- ↑ Brey, Marco (26 January 2015). "Today: The Semi-Final Allocation Draw". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ↑ Escudero, Victor M. (26 January 2015). "Allocation Draw results: Who's in which Semi-Final?". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ↑ "Semi-final 1". Eurovision.tv. 24 March 2015.
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