Daily report 4: Videos, videos, videos

Tomorrow is the first semifinal of the Albanian National Final and on TV the festivali i këngës is highly promoted. For you we have filmed as much as we could, all videos are uploaded onto our youtube channel:

Advertisement for the Festivali i këngës

Rehearsals for the festivali i këngës
In the following video you get to see some stars rehearsing, such as Aurela Gaçe and Kejsi Tola, have a view on the stage and even hear a little bit of some songs if you listen closely. The first woman interviewed is Ingrid Rugji, who works for the first time as a dirigent in this festival and says to be proud of being part of this spectacle now and to give her very best. Kejsi Tola, presented as a former winner of this festival, states that being a winner already does not mean that it's easier to win another time. Also, first she thinks about delivering a satisfying performance and afterwards about winning. See the clip below :D



English video
The following video is in English so no need to summarize and translate it. Enjoy.



Tomorrow it's going to be all about the first semi final.

Profile #6: Kejsi Tola

Only 3 days from now and the Festivali i këngës starts. 

Until then, we would like to present you the most interesting participants. Their careers, former participations and relations to the Festivali i këngës and the Eurovision Songcontest, their teams behind the song and our view on their chances of success in the National Final.We are reporting live from Tirana and the Pallati i kongreseve (More info here). 

Today it's the former ESC participants turn:
Singer:Kejsi Tola
Composer: Kristi Popa
Text:Florian Zyka
Song: Pranë (Near/Close)
Draw: Semi final 2, number 15

Profile: Kejsi Tola won the Albanian Idol format "Ethet" three years ago, right after her success in that show she managed to win the Festivali i këngës 2008 with "Më merr në ëndërr", a composition of Edmond Zhulali, who had also composed the song of Flaka Krelani and Doruntina Disha a year before, finishing "only" second behind Olta Boka, thanks to Alban Skenderaj's jury votes. Kejsi had the audience on her side and this time the jury made Edmond Zhulali win again since 2003, when his composition "Imazhi yt" for Anjeza Shahini made it to Istanbul. Kejsi finished 11th in Moscow, if we only count the televotes. The juries had her on 22th place and she ended up 17th.

This year: After starting studying Kejsi first stated to not take part in the Festivali i këngës in the near future, as she had to concentrate on the studies. It seems she realized that you have enough time as a student. More importantly, she competes with a song by Kristi Popa. Now this is getting interesting, as he's the guarantee for a magical song. His previous compositions for Mariza Ikonomi and Kamela Islami, made their fan bases grow abruptly.

What is to be expected?:You all know of Kejsi's powerful voice. This in combination with Kristi Popa? At least I can feel awesomeness by now, without listening to the song. Even if Kejsi had already won in recent time, she does actually have chances, depending on the song she was given. Maybe the dark horse in this competition. I'm strongz praying Popa does not let us down.


Songs:
 Carry me in your dreams (ESC 2009)

 Ndonjëherë (live at FiK 2009)

Click to read the other profiles

News from the Orient

The Turkish Band "MaNga", that finished second this year at the Eurovision Songcontest is going to be one of the guests at the Festivali i këngës next week. They said to be performing on the first evening, which means on the first semifinal on 23rd December. Earlier we already knew about Juliana Pasha being one of the guest appearances at FiK 2010. MaNga is therefore the second guest act to be announced.

Yesterday, it has been the 5th semifinal show in the Azeri National Final. From each semi final one candidate is voted into the final. The format first searches for voices and afterwards for the right song, just like winning country Germany did for this years ESC. The winner of yesterdays semi final heat, Aynishan Gulijeva, made it into the final with her interpretation of "Carry me into your dreams", Albania's competing song at the ESC 2009.

Whether her vocal skills and performance can reach Kejsi is discutable, but her English skills don't reach out by far. Make up your own opinion below. By the way, here you can see another participant in the Azeri NF singing Juliana Pasha's "It's all about you".

Kejsi Tola returns to Festivali 49!

Kejsi Tola will once again take part in the Albanian national final this year. It seemed unlikely that the Albanian representative in ESC 2009 would take part in the next edition, since she has started studying at the University of Arts and stated to focus on the studies. According to eurovisionary.com, her song will be in an 'alternative style'. This will be the third year in a row that the young artist takes part.


"Ndonjëherë", which Kejsi Tola participated with in FiK 2009, came on 15th place in the final.

News of Juliana and Kejsi.

Juliana Pasha (Esc '10) stated that tomorrow she will present her brandew single, a duet with Luiz Ejlli (Esc '06), with which they will compete in the 'Kënga Magjike' in November, in Ardit Gjebra's show "E diela". Ardit Gjebra is the composer of "It's all about you" and has maybe also created the new duet of Juliana and Luiz. 

Juliana Pasha

To watch "e diela shqiptare" tomorrow at around 16:30 p.m. click this link and click on TV Klan for the channel.

Info to all Albanians: Tonight (25th) she will be singing live in the "Beergarden" in Tirana.

Another news come from esctoday.com who report that Kejsi Tola told a "local newspaper" that due to her start at the University of Arts she won't have much time to concentrate on her musical career in the near future. Therefore a participation at the Festivali i këngës is doubtable though not completly impossible as she stated to see what offers come. We wish Kejsi a wonderful start at the Academy and hope to see her back in the music scene soon! :)