Albanian broadcaster RTSH released today the full line-up of entries for the 64th Festivali i Këngës. Once again, the Festivali will be used to select the Albanian Eurovision entry for the 2026 Contest, in Vienna. The reveal was delayed by a few days, having originally been planned for 21 November.
28 songs released
The 28 songs which have been released today are:
- 2Farm – “Valle mbi hi“
- Alis – “Nân“
- Endri Kaçaçi – “Si Unë“
- Enxhi Nasufi – “Dritë“
- Erand Sojli – “Të kam në fron“
- Erik Lloshi – “Dy pika dashuri“
- Evi Reçi – “Kodi i jetës“
- Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri“
- Frensi – “Tresh“
- Gerta Mahmutaj – “Në krahët e tu“
- Ghiti – “Okej“
- Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso – “Busulla e zemrës“
- Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal“
- Kamela Islamaj – “Pa pretendime“
- Kimi – “Prap diell del“
- Kleansa Susaj – “Hije“
- Lorenc Hasrama – “Lamtumirë“
- Luna Çausholli – “Pa kufij“
- Lynx – “Nuk kthehem pas“
- Malvina Likaj – “Përtej shpirtit“
- Rezarta Smaja – “Balukeprera“
- Rigersa Loka – “Albanian Heart“
- Sara Kapo – “Të dua shumë“
- Savjana Vjerdha – “ID“
- Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës“
- Sihana Haxhnikaj – “Horizont“
- ThreeX – “Vite“
- Vedat Ademi – “Kur Fjala Mbaron“
Lynx was added to the line-up after Egzon Pireci withdrew from the Festivali for personal reason. Pireci’s song, “Thirrëm”, will be released separately with a music video.
“Fikmas” comes early
Usually held at the end of December, the few days during which the Festival is held have been dubbed “FiKmas” by fans. This year, it will take place over four days starting on 17 December:
- 17 & 18 December – Semi-finals
- 19 December – Nostalgia night
- 20 December – Final
The winner will be determined by a 50/50 split of jury and public voting, with the public voting itself made up of classic televoting from Albanians in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia (50%) and online voting through the FiK app (50%)-
With these dates, Festivali i Këngës will once again be the first national selection of the season. Last year, Montenegro’s Montesong took place as early as November, beating Albania to the spot, but this time it will be broadcast on 21 December, a day after the Festivali’s final.
Did you listen to some of the songs? Which one is your favourite? How excited are you now that the selection season can finally start? Tell us more in the comments below or on social media, at @escxtra!
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