RTSH reveals 28 contestants for “Festivali i Këngës 65”, including Eurovision 2009 representative Kejsi Tola
The Albanian national broadcaster RTSH has announced the 28 contestants competing in the 65th edition of “Festivali i Këngës”, which has served as Albania’s national selection for Eurovision since 2004. The expected to take place in December.
Contestant List:
- Adhurim Demiri
- Alegra Jaho
- Algert Sala
- Ana Bushgjokaj
- Ardit Çuni
- Arsi Bako
- Auron Deva & DJ Sardi
- Chip Deva
- Djemtë e Detit
- Eldis Arrnjeti
- Erinda Agolli
- Gigliola Haveriku
- Gjergj Jorgaqi
- Herva Novaku
- Josif Gjipali & Ardita Meni
- Kejsi Jazxhi
- Kejsi Tola
- Khuba-Shkelzen Rexhaj
- Leandra Godaj
- Martina Serreqi
- Michela Paluca
- Orgesa Zaimi
- Petro Fejza & Antonio Papa
- Rei Bezhani
- Sara Bajraktari
- Sigi Bastri
- Vanesa Sono
- Xhoni Jesku
Among the Contestants – Many Familiar Names:
Several familiar names feature among the contestants:
Kejsi Tola – The most prominent name on the list is the singer who represented Albania at Eurovision 2009 with the song “Carry Me in Your Dreams”, after winning the Albanian national selection in 2008. At Eurovision in Moscow, she qualified for the Grand Final and finished in 17th place. Over the years, she returned to compete in several editions of the Albanian national selection, including in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Orgesa Zaimi – The Albanian singer previously competed in the national selection in 2015 and 2017. In 2024, she returned with the song “I parë” and finished eighth in the final. She now returns to compete for another opportunity to represent Albania at Eurovision.
Ardit Çuni – The Albanian singer-songwriter competed in the 2024 Albanian national selection with the song “Amane”, finishing seventh in the final. He now returns to the competition in the hope of securing a ticket to Eurovision.
Djemtë e Detit – The veteran Albanian rock band first competed in the national selection in 1999 and returned in 2024 with the song “Larg”. The band qualified for the final and finished sixth. It now returns to compete once again.
Adhurim Demiri – The singer competed in the Albanian national selection in 2010, during the competition’s 49th edition. He did not qualify for the final that year, and his name has now reappeared on the list of contestants.
Algert Sala – The singer competed in the 2024 Albanian national selection with the song “Bosh”, finishing 11th. He now returns to the competition with another opportunity to try to represent Albania at Eurovision.
Kejsi Jazxhi – The singer made her debut in the Albanian national selection in 2024 with the song “Kur bota hesht”, finishing 12th in the final. She now returns for another edition of the competition.
Martina Serreqi – The singer competed in the 2024 Albanian national selection with the song “Nëse qaj” but failed to qualify for the final. She now returns to the competition for another chance to achieve a stronger result.
What Should We Know About “Festivali i Këngës”?
Held annually since 1961, “Festivali i Këngës” became Albania’s Eurovision selection platform starting from its 43rd edition in 2004. It traditionally spans four nights: three competitive shows and one nostalgia-themed evening, reflecting strong public enthusiasm.
Over the years, the format evolved by adding public voting alongside jury deliberations, stirring debate over artistic merit versus popularity. In 2025, organizers reaffirmed that the festival winner would represent Albania at Eurovision, determined by a combined jury-public system.
As part of the festival rules, all contestants must perform in Albanian, though the winner may choose another language for their Eurovision performance. Participants must hold Albanian citizenship. Albania continues to uphold its cultural identity, regularly sending entries that reflect its musical style, traditions, and language.
Albania at Eurovision 2026
was the song performed by singer Alis Kallaçi, representing Albania as song number In the grand final,on May 16th, in Vienna, Austria. he performed 5th in the running order and ultimately finished in 13th place with 145 points. The song was written by Desara Gjini and composed by Alis Kallaçi himself. This was the creators’ first entry in the competition. The song was performed entirely in Albanian.
Eurovision 2026: This was Albania’s 22nd participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Albania joined the competition in 2004 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2012 when singer Rona Nishliu reached fifth place with the song “Suus”.
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