Last month, Albina & familja Kelmendi won the public vote of Festivali i Këngës 61 with the song “Duje”. Albina has since confirmed that the song will be revamped ahead of Eurovision 2023, but will remain in Albanian.
Back in December, Albanian broadcaster RTSH selected their entry for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest via the 61st edition of Festivali i Këngës. Although the festival was won by Elsa Lila with the song “Evita”, it was the Albanian public alone that selected “Duje” by Albina & familja Kelmendi as Albania’s entry for Liverpool.
In a recent interview on RTSH1, Albina Kelmendi confirmed that the song will be revamped for Eurovision. However, the song will remain in Albanian for the contest.
Albania has revamped their Eurovision entry from the Festivali i Këngës version every year since 2016. With the exception of Arilena Ara’s “Shaj” (changed to “Fall From The Sky”) in 2020, Albania’s Eurovision entries have contained Albanian lyrics since 2018.
Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest
Since their debut at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul, Turkey, Albania has participated at the contest a total of 18 times. Their highest placement was in 2012 when Rona Nishliu placed 5th in the Grand Final with her song “Suus”.
In Turin earlier this year, Ronela Hajati represented Albania with her up-tempo banger “Sekret”.The song quickly became a fan-favourite among Eurovision fans worldwide, but failed to qualify to the Grand Final. She placed 12th in the first semi-final with a total of 58 points.
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