Английская Википедия:Festivali i Këngës 58
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Good article Шаблон:Infobox song contest
The Festivali i Këngës 2019 was the 58th edition of the annual Albanian music competition Festivali i Këngës. It was organised by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) at the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana, Albania, and consisted of two semi-finals on 19 and 20 December, respectively, and the final on 22 December 2019. The three live shows were hosted by Alketa Vejsiu. The winner of the contest was Arilena Ara with the song "Shaj", after receiving 67 points with two points ahead over Elvana Gjata with the song "Me tana". Ara was then scheduled to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, before its cancellation related to the pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Background and format
The 58th edition of Festivali i Këngës was organised by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) for determining for determining Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. The former consisted of two semi-finals on 19 and 20 December, respectively, and the final on 22 December 2019, and was held at the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana.[1] The three live shows were hosted by Albanian television presenter Alketa Vejsiu.[1]
Interval acts
Related to the interval acts, RTSH released the first details prior to the start of the live shows.[2][3][4] The opening act of the first semi-final featured Albanian singer Jonida Maliqi performing "Ktheju tokës".[5] The interval act featured Italian singer Mahmood, who performed "Barrio" and "Soldi".[6] The second semi-final's interval act included Agim Krajka and Lindita Theodhori who performed "Kafe Flora".[7] During the grand final, Italian singer Giusy Ferreri and Albanian-Greek singer Eleni Foureira performed mashups of several of their songs.[4]
Contestants
Prior to the scheduled event, in October 2019, RTSH published a provisory list of 20 artists shortlisted to compete in the two semi-finals of Festivali i Këngës, with the songs being revealed on 9 December.[8][9] The broadcaster had previously opened a submission period for artists and composers to participate in the competition between May and September 2019.[10]
| Artist(s) | Song | Composer(s) | Lyricist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albërie Hadërgjonaj | "Ku ta gjej dikë ta dua" | Adrian Hila | Timo Flloko |
| Aldo Bardhi | "Melodi" | Antoni Polimeni, Richy Sebastian | Aldo Bardhi |
| Arilena Ara | "Shaj" | Darko Dimitrov, Lazar Cvetkovski | Lindon Berisha |
| Bojken Lako | "Malaseen" | Bojken Lako | |
| Devis Xherahu | "Bisedoj me serenatën" | Devis Xherahu | Jorgo Papingji |
| Eli Fara and Stresi | "Bohem" | Eli Fara | Rozana Radi |
| Elvana Gjata | "Me tana" | Elvana Gjata | |
| Era Rusi | "Eja merre" | Darko Dimitrov | Era Rusi |
| Gena | "Shqiponja e lirë" | Gena | Endrit Mumajesi |
| Genc Tukiçi and Nadia Tukiçi | "Ju flet Tirana" | Genc Tukiçi | Agim Xheka |
| Kamela Islamaj | "Më ngjyros" | Kamela Islamaj | Megi Hasani |
| Kanita Suma | "Ankth" | Boban Apostolov | Lindon Berisha |
| Kastro Zizo | "Asaj" | Gramoz Kozeli, Klevis Bega | |
| Olta Boka | "Botë për dy" | Florent Boshnjaku | Genc Salihu |
| Renis Gjoka | "Loja" | Renis Gjoka | Ilir Krasniqi |
| Robert Berisha | "Ajo nuk është unë" | Filloreta Raci | |
| Sara Bajraktari | "Ajër" | Adrian Hila | |
| Tiri Gjoci | "Me gotën bosh" | Everest Ndreca | Pandi Laço |
| Valon Shehu | "Kutia e Pandorës" | Eugent Bushpepa | Elvis Preni |
| Wendi Mancaku | "Ende" | Wendi Mancaku | Endrit Mumajesi |
Semi-finals
Semi-final 1
The first semi-final of Festivali i Këngës took place on 19 December 2019 and was broadcast live at 21:00 (CET).[11][12] The qualifying songs were selected by a jury panel consisting of two national and three international members with connections to the Eurovision Song Contest.[13] 10 contestants participated in the first semi-final, while the highlighted contestants qualified for the grand final.[12][14][15] The first semi-final was opened by the country's Eurovision Song Contest 2019 representative Jonida Maliqi performing her song "Шаблон:Lang".[16] The interval act included Mahmood performing his songs "Шаблон:Lang" and "Шаблон:Lang".[17]
| Draw | Artist(s) | Song |
|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:Center | Bojken Lako | "Malaseen" |
| Шаблон:Center | Kanita Suma | "Ankth" |
| Шаблон:Center | Devis Xherahu | "Bisedoj me serenatën" |
| Шаблон:Center | Aldo Bardhi | "Melodi" |
| Шаблон:Center | Kamela Islamaj | "Më ngjyros" |
| Шаблон:Center | Genc Tukiçi and Nadia Tukiçi | "Ju flet Tirana" |
| Шаблон:Center | Sara Bajraktari | "Ajër" |
| Шаблон:Center | Elvana Gjata | "Me tana" |
| Шаблон:Center | Renis Gjoka | "Loja" |
| Шаблон:Center | Albërie Hadërgjonaj | "Ku ta gjej dikë ta dua" |
Semi-final 2
The second semi-final of Festivali i Këngës took place on 20 December 2019 and was broadcast live at 21:00 (CET).[11][18] The qualifying songs were selected by a jury panel consisting of two national and three international members with connections to the Eurovision Song Contest.[13] 10 contestants participated in the second semi-final, while the highlighted contestants qualified for the grand final.[15][18] The interval act in the second semi-final featured Agim Krajka and Lindita Theodhori with the song "Шаблон:Lang".[19]
| Draw | Artist(s) | Song |
|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:Center | Robert Berisha | "Ajo nuk është unë" |
| Шаблон:Center | Wendi Mancaku | "Ende" |
| Шаблон:Center | Kastro Zizo | "Asaj" |
| Шаблон:Center | Tiri Gjoci | "Me gotën bosh" |
| Шаблон:Center | Era Rusi | "Eja merre" |
| Шаблон:Center | Olta Boka | "Botë për dy" |
| Шаблон:Center | Valon Shehu | "Kutia e Pandorës" |
| Шаблон:Center | Arilena Ara | "Shaj" |
| Шаблон:Center | Eli Fara and Stresi | "Bohemë" |
| Шаблон:Center | Gena | "Shqiponja e lirë" |
Final
The grand final of the competition took place on 22 December 2019 and was broadcast live at 21:00 (CET).[11][20] The contestants that qualified for the final were announced on 21 December 2019, and the winner was determined by a five-member jury consisting of two Albanian members and three international members with connections to the Eurovision Song Contest.[21][22][23] The five-member jury was made up of Christer Björkman (Sweden), Dimitris Kontopoulos (Greece), Felix Bergsson (Iceland), Mikaela Minga (Albania) and Rita Petro (Albania).[24][25] Each member of the jury voted by assigning scores from 1–10, 13 and 18 points to their preferred songs. Before the end of the show, Arilena Ara emerged as the winner with "Шаблон:Lang" and was simultaneously announced as Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020.[26][27][28]
| Draw | Artist | Song | Шаблон:Small | Шаблон:Small | Шаблон:Small | Шаблон:Small | Шаблон:Small | Total | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valon Shehu | "Шаблон:Lang" | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 8 |
| 2 | Sara Bajraktari | "Шаблон:Lang" | 13 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 50 | 3 |
| 3 | Robert Berisha | "Шаблон:Lang" | 9 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 10 |
| 4 | Tiri Gjoci | "Шаблон:Lang" | 2 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 8 |
| 5 | Bojken Lako | "Шаблон:Lang" | 3 | 8 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 45 | 4 |
| 6 | Arilena Ara | "Шаблон:Lang" | 10 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 67 | 1 |
| 7 | Gena | "Шаблон:Lang" | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 10 |
| 8 | Kamela Islamaj | "Шаблон:Lang" | 6 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 35 | 6 |
| 9 | Albërie Hadërgjonaj | "Шаблон:Lang" | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 27 | 7 |
| 10 | Elvana Gjata | "Шаблон:Lang" | 18 | 18 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 64 | 2 |
| 11 | Olta Boka | "Шаблон:Lang" | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 12 |
| 12 | Era Rusi | "Шаблон:Lang" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 43 | 5 |
Controversy
Following the results of the competition, mixed reactions followed, with multiple individuals criticising the results itself and attributing the singer's victory to arranged voting.[30] All three international jurors ranked runner-up Elvana Gjata first, whereas the two Albanian jurors placed her performance substantially lower.[31][32][33] Host Alketa Vejsiu expressed her dissatisfaction with the Albanian jury members' votes, stating "I believe in meritocracy and I am deeply sorry that in this platform I could not give voice to the public. I am sorry if I disappointed [the public and Elvana], I understand and respect your sensibility please spare me of accusations. I was not the jury and I did not choose the jury."[30] Jury member Mikaela Minga, who awarded "Шаблон:Lang" two points, later stated that she down-voted the song due to its "gypsy influence", stating it wasn't "Albanian enough".[34]
See also
References
- ↑ 1,0 1,1 Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 4,0 4,1 Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ 8,0 8,1 Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ 11,0 11,1 11,2 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 12,0 12,1 12,2 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 13,0 13,1 Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ 15,0 15,1 Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ 18,0 18,1 18,2 Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ 30,0 30,1 Шаблон:Cite web
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