Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016
| Eurovision Song Contest 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |
 Albania | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Festivali i Këngës 54 | |||
| Selection date(s) |
Semi-finals: 25 December 2015 26 December 2015 Final: 27 December 2015 | |||
| Selected entrant | Eneda Tarifa | |||
| Selected song | "Fairytale Love" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) |
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| Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
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Albania will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "Fairytale Love", written by Olsa Toqi. The song will be performed by Eneda Tarifa. In December 2015, Albanian broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) organised the national final Festivali i Këngës 54 in order to select the Albanian entry for the 2015 contest in Stockholm, Sweden. After two semi-final rounds and a final, "Përrallë" performed by Eneda Tarifa was selected as the winner by a seven-member jury panel. The song was later translated from Albanian to English for the Eurovision Song Contest and was titled "Fairytale Love".
Background
Prior to the 2016 Contest, Albania had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest twelve times since its first entry in 2004.[1] The nation's best placing in the contest was fifth, which it achieved in 2012 with the song "Suus" performed by Rona Nishliu. Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004 contest, Albania had, to this point, featured in seven finals. In 2015, Albania qualified to the final and placed seventeenth with the song "I'm Alive" performed by Elhaida Dani.
The Albanian national broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), broadcasts the event within Albania and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. The Albanian competition Festivali i Këngës has been organised every year since 1964 and has been used as Albania's Eurovision selection method since its debut in 2004. Details regarding the 54th edition of Festivali i Këngës were announced on 8 August 2015,[2] however the Albanian broadcaster formally confirmed their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 on 24 September 2015.[3]
Before Eurovision
Festivali i Këngës 54
Festivali i Këngës 54 was the 54th annual edition of the Albanian music competition Festivali i Këngës and the thirteenth time the competition was used to determine the artist and song that would represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest, this time selecting their 2016 contest entry.[4] The competition consisted of two semi-finals on 25 and 26 December 2015 and a final on 27 December 2015, held at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana. The artistic director of the show was Elton Deda, the festival director was Bledar Laço, the screenwriter was Pandi Laço and the music production was led by Edmond Zhulali and Sokol Marsi.[5] All three shows were hosted by Pandi Laço and Blerta Tafani.[6]
Format
The two semi-finals each featured fifteen competing entries. The votes of a jury panel selected eleven entries from each semi-final to advance to the final. In the final, the twenty-two competing entries were voted upon by a jury panel in order to select the winner.[7] The seven-person jury panel consisted of:[8]
- Pirro Çako – singer, composer
- Helidon Haliti – artist, painter
- Ilirjan Zhupa – poet, lyricist
- Françesk Radi – singer
- Olta Boka – singer, represented Albania in the 2008 contest
- Jehona Sopi – singer
- Alban Nimani – singer
Competing entries
RTSH invited interested artists and composers to submit their entries between 29 and 30 September 2015.[4] Submission criteria stressed that all songs were to be in the Albanian language, all performers were required to be at least 16 years of age, singers and composers could only submit one song and lyricists could only submit two songs. The broadcaster received approximately 70 submissions.[9] On 16 October 2015, RTSH announced the thirty artists and songs selected for the competition by a special committee and among the competing artists were two previous Albanian Eurovision Song Contest entrants: Luiz Ejlli (2006) and Adrian Lulgjuraj (2013).[5][10] One entry was later withdrawn: "Era" written by Adrian Hila and Pandi Laço and to have been been performed by Edea Demaliaj. "Një shishe në oqean" performed by Orgesa Zaimi was named as the replacement entry.[11]
The competing entries were released to the public online through the broadcaster's website on 4 December 2015.[12] Throughout December 2015, Radio Tirana aired the competing entries and interviewed the artists on the programme Gjithçka Shqip hosted by Andri Xhahu and Artemisa Deda.[13] On 10 December, 40-second promotional video clip montages of all of the entries were released by the broadcaster.[14]
| Artist | Song | English Translation | Music (m) / Lyrics (l) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Lulgjuraj | "Jeto dhe ëndërro" | Live and dream | Adrian Lulgjuraj (m&l) |
| Andi Tanko | "Dielli vazhdon të më ngrohë" | The sun continues to warm me | Etmond Mancaku (m&l) |
| Aslajdon Zaimaj | "Merrmë që sot" | Take me right from today | Briz Musaraj (m) / Gerald Xhari (Big Basta) (l) |
| Besa Krasniqi | "Liroje zemrën" | Free your heart | Besa Krasniqi (m&l) |
| Dilan Reka | "Buzëqesh" | Smile | Endri Sina (m) / Ergisa Cenuka (l) |
| Egert Pano | "Mos ik" | Don't go | Egert Pano (m) / Enrieta Sina (l) |
| Egzon Pireci | "Triumf" | Triumph | Faton Dolaku (m) / Egzon Pireci (l) |
| Eneda Tarifa | "Përrallë" | Fairytale | Olsa Toqi (m&l) |
| Enxhi Nasufi | "Infinit" | Infinite | Klodian Qafoku (m) / Florian Zyka (l) |
| Erga Halilaj | "Monolog" | Monologue | Gjergj Kaçinari (m) / Erga Halilaj (l) |
| Evans Rama | "Flakë" | Flame | Gent Lako (m) / Helena Halilaj (l) |
| Flaka Krelani | "S'je për mua" | You're not for me | Qëndrim Krelani (m&l) |
| Florent Abrashi | "Të ndjek çdo hap" | I follow your every step | Fabian Asllani (m&l) |
| Genc Tukiçi | "Sa të dashuroj" | How much I love you | Genc Tukiçi (m&l) |
| Jozefina Simoni | "Një det me ty" | A sea with you | Enis Mullaj (m) / Sokol Marsi (l) |
| Klajdi Musabelliu | "Ndodh edhe kështu" | It also happens this way | Klajdi Musabelli (m) / Perikli Papingji (l) |
| Klodian Kaçani & Rezarta Smaja | "Dashuri në përjetësi" | Love in eternity | Edmond Zhulali (m) / Agim Doçi (l) |
| Kozma Dushi | "Një kafe" | A coffee | Vladimir Kotani (m) / Jorgo Papingji (l) |
| Kristi Popa | "Ajo çfarë ndjej" | What I feel | Kristi Popa (m) / Jorgo Papingji (l) |
| Lindi Islami | "Për një mrekulli" | For a miracle | Lindi Islami (m) / Gerald Xhari (Big Basta) (l) |
| Luiz Ejlli | "Pa mbarim" | Without end | Marian Deda (m) / Agim Doçi (l) |
| Niku & Entela Zhula | "Muza" | Muse | Entela Zhula (m&l) |
| Nilsa Hysi | "Asaj" | To her | Indri Topi (m) / Nilsa Hysi (l) |
| Orgesa Zaimi | "Një shishe në oqean" | A bottle in the ocean | Diana Ziu (m) / Agron Tufa (l) |
| Renis Gjoka | "Ato që s'ti them dot" | What I cannot tell you | Renis Gjoka (m&l) |
| Revolt Klan | "Dashurinë s'e gjejmë dot" | We can't find love | Grupi “Revolt Klan” (m&l) |
| Sigi Bastri | "Engjëll i lirë" | Free angel | Endrit Shani (m) / Silivi Bastri (l) |
| Simbol | "Artiste" | Artist | Martin Çipi (m) / Grupi “Simbol” (l) |
| Teuta Kurti | "Në sytë e mi" | In my eyes | Sokol Marsi (m&l) |
| Voltan Prodani | "Dëgjoje këngën o Atë" | Listen to the song oh Father | Voltan Prodani (m) / Zhuljana Jorganxhi (l) |
Semi-finals
The first semi-final took place on 25 December 2015 and the second semi-final took place on 26 December 2015. Eleven entries from each semi-final qualified to the final based on the votes of a seven-member jury. The qualifiers for both semi-finals were announced at the conclusion of the second semi-final.[15]
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Final
The final took place on 27 December 2015. Eleven entries that qualified from each of the two semi-finals, all together twenty-two entries, competed. At the conclusion of the show, the top ten competing entries were announced as voted upon by a seven-member jury. "Përrallë" performed by Eneda Tarifa was selected as the winner.[16]
| Final – 27 December 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw[6] | Artist | Song | Place |
| 1 | Sigi Bastri | "Engjëll i lirë" | – |
| 2 | Klodian Kaçani & Rezarta Smaja | "Dashuri në përjetësi" | 4 |
| 3 | Dilan Reka | "Buzëqesh" | 7 |
| 4 | Adrian Lulgjuraj | "Jeto dhe ëndërro" | – |
| 5 | Erga Halilaj | "Monolog" | – |
| 6 | Evans Rama | "Flakë" | 10 |
| 7 | Jozefina Simoni | "Një det me ty" | – |
| 8 | Egert Pano | "Mos ik" | – |
| 9 | Genc Tukiçi | "Sa të dashuroj" | – |
| 10 | Kozma Dushi | "Një kafe" | – |
| 11 | Luiz Ejlli | "Pa mbarim" | – |
| 12 | Teuta Kurti | "Në sytë e mi" | 8 |
| 13 | Besa Krasniqi | "Liroje zemrën" | – |
| 14 | Nilsa Hysi | "Asaj" | 6 |
| 15 | Kristi Popa | "Ajo çfarë ndjej" | – |
| 16 | Flaka Krelani | "S'je për mua" | 3 |
| 17 | Enxhi Nasufi | "Infinit" | 5 |
| 18 | Lindi Islami | "Për një mrekulli" | – |
| 19 | Florent Abrashi | "Të ndjek çdo hap" | – |
| 20 | Eneda Tarifa | "Përrallë" | 1 |
| 21 | Renis Gjoka | "Ato që s'ti them dot" | 9 |
| 22 | Aslajdon Zaimaj | "Merrmë që sot" | 2 |
Preparation
Following Tarifa's win at Festivali i Këngës, the singer was interviewed for the official Eurovision Song Contest website where she revealed that the song would likely be translated from Albanian to English for the Eurovision Song Contest.[17] On 28 January 2016, it was announced that the Eurovision version of the song was being prepared and that the title of the song would be "Fairytale Love".[18]
At Eurovision
According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big 5" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) 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 six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot.[19]On 25 January 2016, a special 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 second semi-final, to be held on 12 May 2016, and was scheduled to perform in the second half of the show.[20]
References
- ↑ "Albania Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ↑ Lako, Niko (8 August 2015). "Festivali i këngës në RTSH, fillojnë përgatitet për edicionin e 54-tërt. Ja kushtet e aplikimit!". imalbania.com (in Albanian). Infomedia Albania. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Granger, Anthony (16 October 2015). "Albania: Eurovision 2016 Participation Confirmed". Eurovoix. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- 1 2 Brey, Marco (18 August 2015). "Albania: Festivali i Këngës starts with call for entries". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Festivali në RTSH, ja stafi dhe këngëtarët sipas netëve". kohajone.com (in Albanian). Koha Jone. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- 1 2 Brey, Marco (27 December 2015). "Watch live tonight: The Albanian national final". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ "Festivali i RTSH, 30 këngë në garë, ja këngëtarët". panorama.com.al. Panorama. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ↑ Vrapi, Julia (26 December 2015). "Nis Festivali i Këngës në RTSH, 15 këngëtarë konkurojnë live në skenë". sot.com.al (in Albanian). Agjencia e Lajmeve SOT News. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Granger, Anthony (9 August 2015). "Albania: Albania: FiK 54 Call For Submissions". Eurovoix. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
- ↑ Brey, Marco (16 October 2015). "Albania: National final entries presented". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Juhász, Ervin (11 December 2015). "Orgesa Zaimi replaces Edea Demaliaj in Festivali i Kenges!". escbubble.com. ESCBubble. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Knoops, Roy (4 December 2015). "Albania: Festivali I Këngës 54 songs released". esctoday.com. ESCToday.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Lako, Niko (3 December 2015). "Fest 54: Fillon transmetimi i këngëve në Radio Tirana". imalbania.com (in Albanian). Infomedia Albania. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Laufer, Gil (11 December 2015). "Albania: Watch the Festivali i Këngës 54 Miniclips". esctoday.com. ESCToday.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Lynch, Danny (26 December 2015). "The Albanian qualifiers are revealed!". escbubble.com. ESCBubble. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Brey, Marco (27 December 2015). "Eneda Tarifa to represent Albania with a "Fairytale"". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ↑ Brey, Marco (28 December 2015). "Eneda Tarifa (Albania): "I feel like a queen"". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ↑ Lako, Niko (28 January 2016). "‘Fairytale Love’, kënga e Eneda Tarifes në Eurovision do të këndohet në anglisht". imalbania.com (in Albanian). Infomedia Albania. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ↑ Jordan, Paul (21 January 2016). "Semi-Final Allocation Draw on Monday, pots revealed". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ↑ Jordan, Paul (25 January 2016). "Allocation Draw: The results!". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
External links
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