Festivali i Këngës 61 has given us two winners this year...
For the purposes of Eurovision,
Albina & Familja Kelmendi are taking "Duje" to Liverpool!
Four nights of what is normally the first complete selection process of each Eurovision season saw Albanian music professionals decide who won Festivali i Këngës and Albania's public decide who would go to Eurovision. And they weren't the same artists!
If you watched any of the night's performances (I managed night 1,2 and 4) then you will have seen that Albina and her family had huge vocal support in the venue each night they performed, whereas this lady had the plaudits of jurors, the orchestra, the host and the respect of the audience:
Elsa Lila was the star of the Festival, picking up a third win at FiK after wins in 1996 & 1997 - I had her as my #1 after listening to all the Finalists perform (Albina & Familja Kelmendi were up there in my rankings too)...
One of the early WOW moments for me this season was Elsa's performance of "Evita" and I think it is worthy of being shown again here - perhaps OGAE Albania might use it for their OGAE Second Chance Contest choice:
Incredibly atmospheric, all the emphasis and focus was on her and that whistle at the end just completed absolute perfection. It was no surprise that she won the jury vote for the award for the Festival and given the vocal support for Albina, it was not a surprise that "Duje" was the song and performance that got the public vote for Liverpool. Another excellent vocal show by all the six singers on stage and the stagecraft gave that interest that many of the other entries lacked, at least as far as television viewers would have been concerned. This might end up being revamped but I'm not sure much needs changing:
It is the right length for Eurovision and appears to be the finished article but Albina has said that there will be a revamp but that "Duje" will stay in Albanian. 'Revamp' could just mean alteration of some of the music but hopefully not for the lyrics:
Diçka mrena frymen ma nal
S’di çka bohet, bohet
Po du me nal
(Çka o ka bohet)
Krejt tuj pas,
E krejt tuj pas,
S’po muj mu knaq
Jan tu u nda
Veç për nje fjalë
Janë tu u nda, dashnin’ kanë vra
Janë tu u nda,
E kane harru se kan nje shpi
Sofër me fmi...
Duje, si dikur ti duje,
At dashni ti ruje,
Si jeten, ti ruje
Mos e gjuj me gure,
Si dikur ti duje,
At dashni ti ruje,
Si jetën ti duje
Jan tu u nda
Veç për nje fjalë
Janë tu u nda, dashnin’ kanë vra
Janë tu u nda,
E kanë harru se kanë nje shpi
Sofër me fmi
Ti duje, si dikur ti duje,
At dashni ti ruje,
Si jetën, ti duje
Mos e gjuj me gure,
Si dikur ti duje,
At dashni ti ruje,
Si jetën ti duje
(Duje, duje)
Jan tu u nda
(Duje, duje)
Veç për nji fjalë
Janë tu u nda, dashnin’ kanë vra
(Duje,duje)
Janë tu u nda
(Duje, duje)
E kanë harru se kanë nje shpi
Sofër me fmi
(Duje, duje)
English version
Something inside is holding my breath
I don't know what it is
I want to stop it
(What's happening)
Having everything
And having everything
But not being happy
They are breaking up
Just for a word
They are breaking up, they killed the love
They are breaking up,
They forgot they have a home
A table with kids...
Love her/him, like before
Save the love
Save it for your life
Don't hit it with stones
Love her/him like before
Save the love
Save it for your life
They are breaking up
Just for a word
They are breaking up, they killed the love
They are breaking up,
They forgot they have a home
A table with kids...
Love her/him, like before
Save the love
Save it for your life
Don't hit it with stones
Love her/him like before
Save the love
Save it for your life
(Love her/him)
They are breaking up
(Love her/him)
Just for a word
They are breaking up, they killed the love
(Love her/him)
They are breaking up
(Love her/him)
They forgot they have a home
A table with kids...
(Love her/him)
The revamp will be something to watch out for - when the Eurovision version is released, it will be played on LET ME BE THE ONE. The one other important aspect of Albania's selection process this year? The host, Arbana Osmani:
She was excellent - on top of everything, word perfect, great interaction with artists/tv audience/special guests, plus she kept all four nights running as smoothly as possible. If Albania do ever win Eurovision, I would hope that Arbana would be one of the hosts. She didn't obviously make it onto the radio show, but Albina and Elsa did - have a listen:
And the playlist?
"Duje" - Albina & Familja Kelmendi
"Evita" - Elsa Lila
"Tyruos" - Vaidas Baumila
"Mami" - Noa Kirel & Odeya
"Jingle Bells" (Amazon Original) - Sam Ryder
"Мене створив" - Alyosha
"Šiluma" - THE ROOP
"W zimnych dłoniach chęć" - Rafał Brzozowski
"Husavik (My Hometown)" - Molly Sandén & Will Ferrell
"Passe-partout" - Bárbara Tinoco
"Occidentali's Karma" (Eurovision edit) - Francesco Gabbani
"Contigo" - Mirela
"You Need To Move On" - Anett x Fredi
"Pretty Girl" - Ellip
"Why Do You Love Me" - Andreas
"Whiskey Won't Forget" - Carlos Ukareda
"Salalik" - Wiiralt
"Awaiting You" - Inger
"Bang My Head" - Klara Hammarström & Rasmus Gozzi
"Dark Horse Running" - Sinplus
"Niets voor Lief" - Waylon
"Sunce Moje" - Mia Dimšić
"I'm Good" - Eline Noelia
"Let Me Be The One" - The Shadows
Apart from FiK, Eesti Laul 2023 provided quarter of the music for this week's show but there was one song in the playlist linked to a competition in Iceland - here is the link, well worth a read through, even if you don't want to enter it:
It did allow me to play THE song from 'Eurovision Song Contest : The Story Of Fire Saga'...
Good luck if you put yourself forward for that - if you win, let me know and perhaps we'll chat about it on the show!
Recognise these artists? Jason was the new member of the LET ME BE THE ONE Eurovision Facebook group and he chose Francesco Gabbani's "Occidentali's Karma" as his favourite ever Eurovision entry and Mirela's "Contigo" for his National Final fav. His wife Clare called him a copycat, no idea why!
Show 230 will be the first show of 2023 on Tuesday 3rd January - it will also be the first show AFTER the traditional ESC Top 250, played out on Saturday 31st December! This singer has won the last TEN charts, ever since she won Eurovision in Baku...
Can anyone stop Loreen taking her 11th title?
Listen in next week to find out what happened
plus find out which ten ESC entries I voted for this year...
Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!