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'Festivali i Këngës' chooses Albina & Familja Kelmendi for Albania

23 December 2022 at 00:49 CET
Albina & Familja Kelmendi performed 'Duje' at Festivali i Këngës 61
Festivali i Këngës has produced a participant for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest… Albina & Familja Kelmendi will head to Liverpool with their song 'Duje'.

They become the 6th confirmed participant of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, following in the footsteps of Noa Kirel (Israel), Andrew Lambrou (Cyprus), Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper (Netherlands), Joker Out (Slovenia), and TVORCHI (Ukraine). 

This year, the show's overall winner was picked by the Festivali i Këngës juries - that was Elsa Lila with her song Evita - however, the act winning the chance to represent Albania at Eurovision next year had to win the public vote, and so Albina & Familja Kelmendi win the ticket to Liverpool.

Elsa Lila performed 'Evita' at Festivali i Këngës 61

Like TVORCHI, it’s expected that Albina & Familja Kelmendi will take their national final song to Eurovision 2023, though revamps cannot be ruled out, and we expect a final confirmation in 2023.

Festivali i Këngës is one of Europe’s longest running competitions and broadcasts - having started life on Albanian radio in 1962 it has evolved over its 61 years into one of Radio Televizioni Shqiptar’s most innovative and prestigious shows.

Festivali i Këngës (affectionately known by fans as 'FiKmas’ thanks to its traditional broadcast slot coinciding with the holiday season) saw 26 acts compete.

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