Profile #1: Aurela Gaçe

Less than three weeks from now and the Festivali i këngës starts. From the 20th December we will be reporting live from Tirana and the Pallati i kongreseve (More info here). 

Until then, we would like to present you most of the participants. Their careers, former participations and relations to the Festivali i këngës and the Eurvision Songcontest, their teams behind the song and our view on their chances of success in the National Final.

Tonight we start with the first episode and the first Team:
Singer: Aurela Gaçe
Composer: Shpetim Saraçi
Text: Sokol Marsi
Song: "Të kam pranë" (I've got you near)

Profile: Aurela Gaçe is no new name to the Festivali i këngës stage. Actually, she is exactly the opposite: Already in the 90's she particpated many times and that very successfully reaching the Top 3 plenty of times. Nevertheless she won her first prize in the late 90's. In 1999 and 2001 she could take the trophy home. By then she had already been a hugely famous Albanian Star. Her surprising comeback to the festivali i këngës is therefore more than welcomed by fans and the festival, that tries to gather big names to recover the old popularity of the Festival.

This year: After the big hit "Origjinale" this summer, that marked her musical comeback, she returns to the Festivali with a song by Shpetim Saraçi, who composed the duet "Një jetë" for Juliana Pasha (ESC '10) and Luiz Ejlli (ESC '06) in 2008, which came second in the FiK in that Kejsi Tola won. Lyricist Sokol Marsi composed last years "Në pasqyre" of Anjeza Shahini.

What is to be expected?: If the Festivali i këngës loves one thing, then it's big comebacks. We have seen this with Ledina Çelo and Frederik Ndoci. The applaude by the audience when she performed together with West Side Family in the duet night in 2008 was impressive. We can expect even more resonance this time, if that is possible at all. The team behind her is not the strongest but can not be ignored by any chance. If Aurela chose the song from Saraçi, it can only be good. She has got audience and juries on her side for sure. If it's going to reach out for position 1 is still very open, as there are at least 2 more favourites for the win and some dark horses in the race. One thing is for sure, she will own that stage on Christmas eve, no matter what the result will be.

Songs:
Hape veten ti ( 1st prize Kënga Magjike 2007 )

FiK 08' West Side Family - Jehonë (feat. Aurela - Duet night Version)

Aurela Gace ft Dr.Flori & Marsel - Origjinale (2010)