Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009

Albania and Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) were present at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, marking their sixth performance at the contest.[1] They used the Festivali i Këngës competition to select the Albanian entrant and this year's contest was fronted by a new artistic director, Albanian composer and singer Pirro Çako.[1]

Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Country Albania
National selection
Selection processFestivali i Këngës 47
Selection date(s)Semi-finals
19 December 2008
20 December 2008
Final
21 December 2008
Selected entrantKejsi Tola
Selected song"Më merr në ëndërr"
Finals performance
Semi-final resultQualified (7th, 73 points)
Final result17th, 48 points
Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2008 • 2009 • 2010►

The winner of Festivali i Këngës 47 was Kejsi Tola, with the song "Më merr në ëndërr" (Take Me in Your Dreams), which was performed at Eurovision in English as "Carry Me in Your Dreams".[2] The song was composed by Edmond Zhulali and Agim Doçi, the composers of Albania's first Eurovision entry, "The Image of You" by Anjeza Shahini, which came 7th at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, Albania's best placing to date.[3]

Before Eurovision

Festivali i Këngës 47

RTSH set the provisional dates for the final of the 47th Festivali i Këngës at 21 December 2008, again being the first country to select their entry for Eurovision. Two semi-finals were held before the final on 19 and 20 December 2008. The contest was hosted by Elsa Lila, Julian Deda and Gentian Zenelaj.[4]

Semi-finals

The two semi-finals of Festivali i Këngës 47 were held on 19 and 20 December 2008. Due to criticism of last year's contest, changes have been made to the format of Festivali i Këngës. Firstly, 20 artists performed their selected songs in the first semi-final on 19 December 2008. The songs were then repeated on 20 December, this time with other famous Albanian artists. All 20 songs were in the final on 21 December, performed by their original artists. The winner was again selected by the votes of seven jury members, as in last year.[4][5] The song titles and running order for both the semi-finals and final were released on 18 December 2008.[6][7]

Night 1

All of the songs were presented on 19 December 2008 by their original artists in advance to the final of the contest on 21 December 2008.[8][9]

Presentation Evening 1 – 19 December 2008
Draw Artist Song Songwriter(s)
1 Dorina Garuci "Dite një jetë" Dorian Nini, Pandi Laço
2 Endri & Stefi Prifti "Ti bere faj" Josif Minga, Skender Rusi
3 Evis Mula "Unë jam dashuria" Luan Zhegu, Agim Doçi
4 Juliana Pasha & Luiz Ejlli "Nje jetë" Shpetim Saraçi, Turian Hyskaj
5 West Side Family "Jehonë" Dr. Flori, Klodian Qafoku
6 Shpat Kasapi "Aromë mediterane" Gent Myftarai, Pandi Laço
7 Kejsi Tola "Më merr në ëndërr" Edmond Zhulali, Agim Doçi
8 Marjeta Billo "Era e tokës" Adrian Hila, Pandi Laço
9 Rovena Dilo & Eugent Bushpepa "S'jam balade" Armend Rexhepagiqi, Aida Baraku
10 Agim Poshka "Fajtor për ngrohjen globale" Agim Poshka, Olsen Maze
11 Julian Lekoçaj "Nuk je ti" Julian Lekoçaj
12 Burn "Jam i pari i jettes sime" Stivart Cela & Renis Gjoka, Big Basta
13 Erga Halilaj "Dikush mungon" Kristi Popa, Florion Zyko
14 Emi Bogdo "Kur buzet henen e kafshojn" Emi Bogdo, Klodian Qafoku
15 Kujtim Prodani "Nostalgji" Kujtim Prodani, Agim Doci
16 Adelina Thaci "Oret e fundit" Alfred Kacinari
17 Era Rusi "Shpirt i humbur" Arsen Nasi & Bledar Skenderi, Irma Libohova
18 Vedat Ademi "Po me prite ti" Kledi Bahiti, Alban Male
19 Besa Kokedhima "Ajer" Alban Male, Olti Curri
20 Soni Malaj "Zona zero" Flori Mumajesi

Presentation Evening 2

The second presentation evening of Festivali i Këngës 47 was held on 20 December 2008. The same 20 songs that were presented on 19 December 2008, this time as duets with other famous Albanian artists.[10][11]

Presentation Evening 2 – 20 December 2008
Draw Artist Song Composers
1 Marjeta Billo & Olta Boka "Era e tokës" Adrian Hila, Pandi Laço
2 Besa Kokedhima & Jacky Dachum "Ajer" Alban Male, Olti Curri
3 Shpat Kasapi & Adelina Tahiri "Aromë mediterane" Gent Myftarai, Pandi Laço
4 Emi Bogdo & Xhoi "Kur buzet henen e kafshojn" Emi Bogdo, Klodian Qafoku
5 Evis Mula & Erti Hizmo "Unë jam dashuria" Luan Zhegu, Agim Doçi
6 Era Rusi & Irma Libohova "Shpirt i humbur" Arsen Nasi & Bledar Skenderi, Irma Libohova
7 Rovena Dilo, Eugent Bushpepa & Jonida Maliqi "S'jam balade" Armend Rexhepagiqi, Aida Baraku
8 Endri, Stefi & Maria Prifti "Ti bere faj" Josif Minga, Skender Rusi
9 Juliana Pasha, Luiz Ejlli & Produkt 28 "Nje jetë" Shpetim Saraçi, Turian Hyskaj
10 Erga Halilaj & Kristi Popa "Dikush mungon" Kristi Popa, Florion Zyko
11 Kejsi Tola & Flaka Krelani "Më merr në ëndërr" Edmond Zhulali, Agim Doçi
12 Kujtim Prodani & Jo Artid Fejzo "Nostalgji" Kujtim Prodani, Agim Doci
13 Dorina Garuci, Arber Arapi & Marsida Saraci "Dite një jetë" Dorian Nini, Pandi Laço
14 Burn & Aleksander Gjoka "Jam i pari i jettes sime" Stivart Cela & Renis Gjoka, Big Basta
15 Agim Poshka & Eranda Libohova "Fajtor për ngrohjen globale" Agim Poshka, Olsen Maze
16 West Side Family & Aurela Gaçe "Jehonë" Dr. Flori, Klodian Qafoku
17 Adelina Thaci & Teuta Kurti "Oret e fundit" Alfred Kacinari
18 Vedat Ademi & Samanta Karavello "Po me prite ti" Kledi Bahiti, Alban Male
19 Julian Lekoçaj & Kamela Islamaj "Nuk je ti" Julian Lekoçaj
20 Soni Malaj & Getoar Selimi "Zona zero" Flori Mumajesi

Final

The final of Festivali i Këngës 47 was held on 21 December 2008. The winner was decided here, through the votes of seven jury members. Each jury member gave 1 to 20 points to each song, with 20 points for their favourite song and 1 point for their least favourite song.

"Më Merr Në Ëndërr" performed by Kejsi Tola was the winner of Festivali i Këngës 47, winning with 126 points. The runners-up were "Nje jetë" performed by Juliana Pasha and Luiz Ejlli with 119 points, with "Jehonë" performed by West Side Family coming third with 118 points.

Final – 21 December 2008
Draw Artist Song Points Place
1 West Side Family "Jehonë" 118 3
2 Soni Malaj "Zona zero" 44 16
3 Juliana Pasha & Luiz Ejlli "Nje jetë" 119 2
4 Kujtim Prodani "Nostalgji" 24 18
5 Emi Bogdo "Kur buzet henen e kafshojn" 43 17
6 Erga Halilaj "Dikush mungon" 63 11
7 Marjeta Billo "Era e tokës" 106 5
8 Adelina Thaci "Oret e fundit" 91 8
9 Rovena Dilo & Eugent Bushpepa "S'jam balade" 60 12
10 Dorina Garuci "Dite një jetë" 92 7
11 Endri & Stefi Prifti "Ti bere faj" 91 8
12 Kejsi Tola "Më merr në ëndërr" 126 1
13 Era Rusi "Shpirt i humbur" 50 15
14 Julian Lekoçaj "Nuk je ti" 17 20
15 Shpat Kasapi "Aromë mediterane" 22 19
16 Evis Mula "Unë jam dashuria" 91 8
17 Burn "Jam i pari i jettes sime" 96 6
18 Vedat Ademi "Po me prite ti" 51 14
19 Agim Poshka "Fajtor për ngrohjen globale" 56 13
20 Besa Kokedhima "Ajer" 109 4

Before Eurovision

Before her performance at Eurovision Kejsi Tola completed a promotional tour of a number of European countries, between daily work on her performance and vocals, with choreography planned by Greek choreographer Julian Bulku, known for planning the 2008 Greek entry, performed by Kalomoira, as well as collaborating with 2005 winner Elena Paparizou.[12]

In April Tola was invited by Greek broadcaster ANT1 to perform on their morning program, as well as performing in Montenegro, on RTCG. She also traveled to Macedonia, performing on national TV as well as in a concert organised by RTSH for her fans in Skopje. Finally she travelled to the Eurovision Promo Concert in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where she performed alongside over 20 other Eurovision contestants.[13][14]

At Eurovision
Tola at a press conference.

Since Albania was not one of the "Big Four" nor the host of the 2009 contest, it had to compete in one of the two semi-finals. The song competed in the second semi-final on 14 May, where it performed sixteenth in the running order, following Moldova and preceding Ukraine. It qualified to the final where it finished 17th.

"Më merr në ëndërr" was performed in English at Eurovision, under the title of "Carry Me in Your Dreams". The new, 3 minute version of the song, and its promotional video clip, was released on 15 March.[2]

Points awarded by Albania[15]
Split voting results from Albania (final)
Draw Country Jury points Televoting points Scoreboard (Points)
01  Lithuania
02  Israel 1
03  France 3 3 2
04  Sweden 4 1
05  Croatia 4
06  Portugal
07  Iceland 6 2 6
08  Greece 10 10 12
09  Armenia
10  Russia
11  Azerbaijan 7 4
12  Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 5
13  Moldova
14  Malta 1
15  Estonia
16  Denmark
17  Germany 6 3
18  Turkey 7 12 10
19  Albania
20  Norway 5 8 7
21  Ukraine
22  Romania
23  United Kingdom 12 5 8
24  Finland
25  Spain 2
Points awarded to Albania (Semi-final 2)
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Points awarded to Albania (Final)
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point


Points awarded to Albania in Jury Voting(final)
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Points awarded to Albania in Televoting(final)
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
  •  Macedonia
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

See also

References
  1. Romkes, René (22 July 2008). "Albania: First country to pick song for ESC again". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  2. Hondal, Victor (8 March 2009). "Albania: Kejsi Tola to sing Carry me in your dreams". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  3. Klier, Marcus (21 December 2008). "Albania decided: Kejsi Tola to Eurovision!". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  4. Gafurr Sahiti; Gil Laufer (4 December 2008). "Albania: Complete line-up revealed". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  5. Konstantopoulos, Fotis (4 December 2008). "Albania: Festivali i Kenges dates and participants announced". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  6. Wells, Simon (18 December 2008). "Albania: Running order for Festivali i Kenges announced". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  7. Laufer, Gil (18 December 2008). "Albania: FiK song titles and running order known". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  8. Laufer, Gil (19 December 2008). "Live: first presentation show in Albania". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
  9. Wells, Simon (19 December 2008). "Albania: Festivali i Kenges 1st semifinal live from Tirana". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
  10. Wells, Simon (20 December 2008). "Festivali i Kenges 2nd semifinal live from Tirana". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  11. Laufer, Gil (20 December 2008). "Live: Second presentation show in Albania". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  12. Anadioti, Eva (17 March 2009). "Julian Bulku takes over Kejsi Tola". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  13. Romkes, Rene (17 March 2009). "April 18 - Eurovision Promo Concert". ESCToday. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  14. Floras, Stella; Hazizaj, Altin (28 April 2009). "Albania: Kejsi Tola's promo tour". ESCToday. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  15. Eurovision Song Contest 2008
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