Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Kosovan born Lindita Halimi has won the 55th Festivali i Këngës with Botë   . She will represent Albania in the coming Eurovision song contest in Kyiv. She had made a name of herself in her homecountry by winning TopFest 2006 contest, and placing third in the Festivali i Këngës two years ago. Earlier this year she tried her luck in American Idols where she nearly made the top 24. She's lived in the States since 2013. 

Tonight we will finally get the very first song for the Eurovision song contest 2017, even if it will be most likely revamped and translated into English before May comes but still.  Fourteen songs made it through the semifinals ( here and here ) of the 55th Festivali i këngës and tonight for the first time Albanian public is a part of the jury that selects the winner. Let's see if they can help fan favorites Dilan Reka and Rezerta Smaja, and how the over dramatic performance by Flaka Krelani will do. Or will the classy and easy to digest song by Yll Limani get the ticket to Kyiv? You can watch the show here at 9pm CET Dilan Reka – Mos Harro Edea Demaliaj – Besoj ne Enderra Fabiola Agalliu & Agnesa Çavolli – Shkon e Vjen Flaka Krelani – Osiris Franc Koruni – Macka Genc Salihu - Ketu Lindita Halimi – Bote Lorela – Me Ty LYNX – Sot Orges Toçe – Shi Diamantesh Rezarta Smaja – Pse Prite Gjate XUXI – Metropol Xhesika Polo – Eva Jam Une Yll Liman...

Tonight is the second semifinal time in Albania. You can see watch all the semifinal videos here . Tonight we will also get the results of both semifinal - who will be the lucky qualifiers for tomorro's final? I will update the videos here as they happen and at latest tomorrow :-) Elson Braha – Edhe një herë  Lorela – Me ty  Tiri – Më zgjo  Fabiola Agalliu & Agnesa Çavolli – Shkon e vjen  Rezarta Smaja – Pse prite gjatë  Dilan Reka – Mos harro  Albulena Jashari – Fjalët ia lë zemrës  XUXI – Metropol  Luka & Serxhio Hajdini – Koha plaket Classic Boys – Dashuria për jetën  Linda Rukaj – Vija e lumit  Lindita Halimi – Botë 

It's the most wonderful time of the year...... it's Christmas! And it's time for Festivali i Këngës, the 55th edition. The three day affair starts tonight with the first semifinal, and Friday night we will know the winner and the Albanian represant for Eurovision song contest 2017 in Kyiv. A total of 12 songs will be presented tonight and tomorrow night as well, and seven each night will reach the final. There have been modifications and a slight modernization of the festival with the reduced number of songs, and most of all in the voting. Gone is the old crumpy professional jury and instead we have a Sanremo like affair with a three way voting in the semifinals: professional jury, press jury and televote. In the final it's 40-60 with expert jury-televote. Also an example taken from Sanremo is the top-3 each will get an award, not only the winner.  Kasem Hoxha and Ledina Celo will host the shows. Kasem is an actor who has made a career in Germany, and Ledina we r...