ALBANIA – It’s time to get your FiK on as we have our first LIVE National Final of Eurovision 2016.

The prestigious Festivali i Kenges is the contest and Tirana in the place for the 22 song national final that will decide who will represent Albania at Eurovision 2016.

It gives us the chance to have our FIRST live Rolling Blog of the 2016 Eurovision Selection season. 2 Semi Finals have taken place and tonight is the Grand Final

How To Watch

The show starts tonight at 20:45 CET

You can watch the final by using the link HERE

Live Rolling Blog 

You know how this works by now. After each performance just refresh the page for our views on the songs and performances. You know we have a lotta love for all the singers and broadcasters out there but we’ve gotta keep it real and ‘Say what we see’. So join us for some fun and see if you agree with us on who should win Festivali i Kenges and fly the Albanian flag in Stockholm.

SO WE START!!!

Some festive songs courtesy of Eurovision’s own Celine Dion in the VT’s.

Ok Peeps we are 5 minutes late so far! Santa would not be impressed. They are luck he has already emptied his sack.

OK We are still waiting for the show to start and it is now 21:00 CET!!! 😦

25 Minutes Late but we begin. I would hate to see a queue at a Fast Food restaurant in Tirana but I’ll guess I’ll forgive them if they give me a cracking Eurovision Song!

Running Order

Sigi Bastri

Our Review

After such a long wait for the show to begin I feel for Sigi. She is fighting an uphill battle to win back the International audience that tuned in. With a stringed intro to the song that reminds one of Cilla Black’s ‘You’re my World’ that is where the positives stopped. A song that starts and goes nowhere. I can’t remember the tune and it was just sung 20 seconds ago. Not going to Stockholm
Rezarta Smaja & Klodjan Kacani

Our Review

Continuing that Eurovision tradition of singing as loud as you can to your duet singer Rezarta and Klodjan aka the Albanian version of Rene and Renata put in a competent performance of Pop and Opera. The audience loved it but I got lost looking at a mince pie left on the dining table. One thinks the juries will like this but not a Eurovision winner.
Dilan Reka

Our Review

Oh he’s pretty! Shame his vocal abilities don’t match his genetic qualities. I’m still waiting to be blown away by an entry tonight! HELP!
Adrian Lulgjuraj

Our Review

What a difference a year makes – sorry what a difference a suit and brushing your hair makes! He looks all slick and ready to take out on a date to Stockholm. Best song so far but the locals were not impressed. What’s wrong with them! He looks like the 5th member of Il Dovo
Erga Halilaj

Our Review

Erga looked angry! Maybe she was annoyed with the 25 minute wait too! Somewhat dated but she can sing for sure. Would get lost in Stockholm like I was looking for the start of tonight’s show!

Evans Rama

Our Review

Evans brings a rock song while looking like he has just gone AWOL from the Albanian National Army! This woke me up but let’s be under no illusion that even though I like this song Europe would not see the brilliance of it bit Evans you #ROCK!
Jozefina Simoni

Our Review

Looks like a butterfly yet stings like a bea. Sounding very Paramore this would look great on a Eurovision stage. Best so far by a country mile! Now that country being Albania and we know how long their time keeping is this could go big!

Egert Pano

Our Review

Ok this sounds like it has come out of a 70’s adult movie but it is old school soul. You just know that Egert is the Albanian answer to Michael Bolton minus the pony tail. He’s a smooth operator!

Time for a TV Advert break – Oh no they didn’t! They kept me waiting for 25 minutes. I could be looking at Mrs. Brown’s Boys I’d have you know! Stick with me – PLEASE!!!

The Olsen Brothers make an appearance at #Fik54

Genc Tukici

Our Review

You can close your eyes all you want Genc but we’re still here watching. This is a Eurovision Winner – if the year was 1960! That says it all but the locals LOVE IT!

Kozma Dushi

Our Review

OMG – He may look like Eddy The Eagle Edwards but I got my disco groove on to this song! Eurovision needs Kosma in Stockholm #Legend I’m a #Kozmanout!

Luiz Ejlli

Our Review

Broody! What is it with the make singers wearing shirt and ties like they are going for an interview in a bank!?! But I could die in his eyes!

Teuta Kurti

Our Review

Now we are getting to the business end and what a cracking song from Teuta. Give that a good remix and Albania are in with a shout of the Final in Stockholm.

Besa Krasniqi

Our Review

Looking like she has just stepped out of the pages of BoHo.com this is a cute song from a cute singer. Is this the dark horse? Liked this one but at this stage Father Ted’s ‘My Lovely Horse’ would sound amazing but I liked Besa! She’s praying for the Kaftan dress to come back into fashion!

Nilsa Hysi

Our Review

Hoping that the uneven bob comes back into fashion Nilsa brings an interesting song to #FiK54 but the hairstyle wasn’t the only uneven thing in that performance – the vocals were off sync!

Kristi Popa

Our Review

Memo to Kristi – You must be over 16 years of age to perform at Eurovision #JustSaying. A strange start to the performance with whom I presume to be his son looking through a telescope on stage. Kristi looks like Dino Merlin but sounded like he was looking for the right key of the song like an astronomer looking for life in the Milky Way. The locals loved it and that’s what makes Eurovision amazing!

Flaka Krelani

Our Review

Diva Alert! Welcome to your winner Peeps! An electro/gospel song that is grabbing me from all sides. Imagine this in English and Albania are sailing to the final in Stockholm. Will Albania be brave enough to pick her. The fact that the hosts are speaking to her after the performance is a good sign! Suggestion – Need to go easy on the make-up!
Enxhi Nasufi

Our Review

Enxhi marks the spot as they say. Disco meets Euro Dance and we have another contender. I could see myself shaking my booty to that song in Stockholm – I apologize Sweden in advance !
Lindi Islami

Our Review

Channeling Belgium’s Tom Dice and his guitar from 2010 this was a cute song from a rather handsome guy. Something very authentic about that performance but one feels it lacks the drama for the Albanian jury!

Florent Abrashi

Our Review

He looks like former X-Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary and sings like Adam Lambert! That is a combination I’d gladly welcome any day! That would be something fresh at Eurovision and 3 minutes of heaven for me!

Eneda Tarifa

Our Review

A contender for sure but my cat has jumped up with Eneda’s screaming at times during the song. It has all the drama that a southern Europe song should have. Not my favorite but I could make a case for it to win tonight!
Renis Gjoka

Our Review

My mother told me never to trust a man who wears shades in doors! It always makes you think what is going on behind those glasses! Bloodshot or a Punch-up. The Albanian’s like their rock!

Aslajdon Zaimaj

Our Review

Bald is beautiful and I say that from experience! A cracking voice on Aslajdon and guess what – it’s a rock song! He knows how to belt out this hard hitting belter. Not a winner but one of my favourites. Something about orchestral rock songs. BRING BACK THE ORCHESTRA!

Our Predictions

1. Enxhi Nasufi
2. Flaka Krelani
3. Kozma Dushi
4. Besa Krasniqi
5. Eneda Tarifa
6. Florent Abrashi

Who gets your vote?

Results

Now we wait for the results with some interval acts!

It seems that the entire population of Albania will perform in the interval act tonight!

The jury have decided and Eneda Tarifa will represent Albania at Eurovision 2016. The song she will perform (but could change) will be ‘Përrallë’

So we want to know if you think that Albania have selected the best song tonight? Do you think Eneda can bring Albania to the Grand Final at Eurovision? Could she give Albania their first win at the contest?

Have your say and let us know!

Author/Editor in Chief Garrett Mulhall

Source : Eurovision Ireland