With the first national selection of the season fast approaching, details of the 58th edition of Festivali i Këngës are continuing to emerge. We know the 20 acts participating in the festival. We also have the dates for the three-night event, which begins on the 19th of December. As the songs are yet to drop, attention has turned onto who else will be taking to the FiK stage…
Albanian media are reporting that Eurovision all-star Eleni Foureira will be performing on the Festivali i Këngës stage for the first time! The exact details of how many songs she will be performing, if she’ll be performing alone and which songs she will perform are yet to be announced. However, it is expected that she will be performing on either the first (19th December) or second (20th December) night of the festival.
It is not uncommon for the festival to showcase former Eurovision acts who originated from then Albanian diaspora. Last year Ermal Meta, having represented Italy at the 2018 contest, performed as a special guest. Both Eleni and Ermal were born in the city of Fier in South West Albania, 100 kilometres (62 Miles) south of Tirana. As children, they moved to Greece and Italy, respectively and became stars in their new home countries. Still close to her roots, Eleni was awarded a key to the city of Tirana last year!
Festivali i Këngës 58
This year will see twenty acts take part in Albania’s longest-running music festival. Whereafter the winner will be the selected representative for Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. Before the live reveal during the RTSH news, a jury headed by conductor Zani Ciko chose the competing artists. These are as follows:
- Albërie Hadërgjonaj
- Aldo Bardhi
- Arilena Ara
- Bojken Lako
- Devis Xherahu
- Eli Fara & Stresi
- Elvana Gjata
- Era Rusi
- Gena
- Genc Tukiqi
- Kanita Suma
- Kamela Islamaj
- Kastro Zizo
- Olta Boka
- Renis Gjoka
- Robert Berisha
- Sara Bajraktari
- Tiri Gjoci
- Valon Shehu
- Wendi Mancaku
The format is expected to follow that of last year’s festival – two nights of performances (with and without orchestra), an elimination-by-jury, and then the Grand Final, where the winner will be crowned. A jury will decide the winner, and therefore, Albania’s representative for Eurovision 2020.
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