Albania 2024: Your guide to the 'Festivali i Këngës' final

HOW TO WATCH: The 'Festivali i Këngës' final kicks off at 21:00 CET on Friday 22 December. A live stream will be made available on Albanian broadcaster RTSH's YouTube channel, and it will be open to viewers outside of Albania, too.

It's the 62nd edition of Festivali i Këngës in Albania, and all eyes will be focused on Tirana on Friday night as it comes to a head. 

This year, there have been 31 acts taking part in the prestigious song contest, which was held for the very first time in 1962. One of these artists will be chosen by TV viewers to make the journey north to Malmö in May, with the honour of representing Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

Friday night's final is the culmination of almost a week's worth of Festivali i Këngës to have taken place so far. Half of the songs were performed during night one on Tuesday 19 December, with the other half being performed on night two, on Wednesday. 

During night three on Thursday, audiences got the opportunity to become even more familiar with our 31 talents, as they performed their own versions of songs that have become famous through both Festivali i Këngës and the Eurovision Song Contest. 

At Friday night's final, songs will be performed a second time, before voting decides on a winner. 

However, there are going to be two separate votes taking place. Firstly, a jury vote will be deciding on the traditional winner of Festivali i Këngës, as has happened down through the contest's 62-year history. A second vote, which will be a public vote, will decide the song that gets to represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest in May. 

In Friday night's Festivali i Këngës final, a reduced number of songs will be voted on by the jury as the winner of the festival. But all 31 songs are in the running to be chosen as the Albanian entry to the 68th Eurovision Song Contest, to be voted on by the public.

There are the 31 entries Albania will be voting on:

Stivi Ushe – Askush si ty

Besa Kokëdhima – Zemrën n’dorë

Mal Retkoceri – Çmendur

Eldis Arnjeti – Një kujtim

Shpat Deda – S’mund të fitoj pa ty

Jehona Ponari – Evol

PeterPan Quartet – Edhe nje here

Festina Mejzini – Melos

Kastro Zizo – 2073

Luan Durmishi – Përsëritja

Melodajn Mancaku – Nuk jemi ne

Olsi Ballta – Unë

Andi Tanko – Herë pas here

Sergio Hajdini – Uragan

Santino De Bartolo – Dua të rri me ty

Olimpia Smajlaj – Asaj

Big Basta & Vesa Luma – Mbinatyrale

Elsa Lila – Mars

Jasmina Hako – Ti

Michela Paluca – Për veten

Anduel Kovaci – Nan’

Irma Lepori – Me prit

Eden Baja – Ajër

Erina & The Elementals – Jetën n’Skaj

Kleansa Susaj – Pikturë

Arsi Bako – Zgjohu

Tiri Gjoci – Në ëndërr

Besa Krasniqi – Esenciale

Bledi Kaso – Çdo gjë mbaroi

Troy Band – Horizonti i ëndrrave

Martina Serreqi – Vetëm ty

Festivali i Këngës is being hosted by by Adriana Matoshi and Kledi Kadiu, along with Xhuliano Dule and Krisa Çaushi. The event will be coming to us live from the Palace of Congresses in the country's capital, Tirana. 

Albina and Familja Kelmendi represented Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool. With their song Duje, they reached the Grand Final, where they finished in 22nd place with 76 points.