Albania: Dates and line-up for national selection confirmed

Frederik Ndoci represented Albania in 2007.

 

Tirana, Albania - Festivali i Këngës, which has been held annually since 1962, will again serve as the Albanian national selection for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, with the final taking place on December 28th. The list of participants features two familiar faces who already stood on the Eurovision stage once - check out the full line-up here on Eurovision.tv!

Festivali i Këngës has a long tradition in Albania. Over 50 years, this annual celebration of music and arts has survived throughout political changes and turmoils. Since 2004, the winners of this competition have each year gained the right to represent their home country in the Eurovision Song Contest, and this year will be no exception.
On December 26th and 27th, two semi-finals will be held in the Palace of Congress in Tirana, with the best acts proceeding to the final, on December 28th, when the winner and thus the Albanian Eurovision representative will be picked.
Until October 22nd, songs could be submitted for the festival. Now the 16 acts competing in the semi-finals have been announced:

1. Ti mungon (You’re missing) - Marjeta Billo
2. Zemërimi i një nate (One night’s anger) - Herciana Matmuja
3. Jeta në orën 4 (Life at 4 o’clock) - Orges Toce
4. Jam larg (I'm far away) - Besiana Mehmeti and Shkodran Tolaj
5. Grua (Wife) - Sajmir Braho
6. Nuk e di (I don’t know) - Renis Gjoka
7. Natë e pare (First night) - Venera Lumani and Lindi Islami
8. Një ditë shprese (One hopeful day) - Frederik Ndoci
9. Në zemër (In the heart) - Rezarta Smaja
10. Mikja ime (My friend) - Blerina Braka
11. Me ty (With you) - Klodian Kacani
12. Kur qielli qan (When the sky cries) - Xhejn & Enxhi Kumrija
13. Kthehu (Come back) - Luiz Ejlli
14. Princesha (The Princess) - Lynx
15. Vetëm për ty (Only for you) - Saviana Verdha and Edmond Mancaku
16. Ëndërrat janë ëndërra (Dreams are dreams) - Xhejsi Jorgaqi

Later on, a draw will determine the running order of the shows. The line-up features two well-known faces to Eurovision fans: Luiz Ejlli represented Albania in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with Zjarr E Ftohtë, and Frederik Ndoci entered in 2007 with Hear My Plea.

What do you think about the Albanian plans?