As usual, Albania gives us the first entry for the Eurovision song contest of the season as the 59th Festivali i Këngës was held over three days just before Christmas. Only that this time it was outside and without public. That didn't stop the Albanian television giving us great looking show with a pretty stage in Sheshi Italia with a modern touch when backing tracks were used instead of the traditional live orchestra.
Out of 25 entries 18 made the final and each song was performed in two versions; one of them being unplugged version.
Anxhela Peristeri (34) won the contest with her Karma, a song with strong ethnic sound and apparently the song will stay in Albanian also in Rotterdam, hooray for that! She first participated in the festival already back in 2001 without success, but has placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the past few years in the other big Albanian festival, Kënga Magjike.
And here's the unplugged version, which I actually prefer:
Comments