In less than 24 hrs the 50th edition of “Festivali i Këngës” will be kicked-off.  Since 2003 the contests selects the Albanian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest but it was founded much earlier ago in 1962, and has survived  social, political and financial problems as well as the repression during Albanian dictatorship which did not stop the contest to be hosted continuously in the last 50 years which makes it the 4th oldest song-contest in Europe.

On 21st December 1962 began the first edition where 20 songs, some of them performed by two or three different artists, competed in the semifinal but only 12 made it to the big final which conquered Vaçe Zela. She is also the one that has achieved more victories, 11 in total, two years later she won again but as second best since the jury decided that no first place will be awarded, due to the low quality of the songs .

http://youtu.be/V_2k7NaMhPI

(Vaçe Zela performing her first victory Femija i Pare)

The competition has been part of Albanian history and evolution, the first editions there was not political topics among the songs but in 1972 Enver Hoxha decided to make the contest a political propaganda for the system, by controlling its participants, manipulating the lyrics and imprisoning its organizers which were accused of enemies of the state. During this dark times the songs highlighted the values of the Communist system and the eventual development of Albanian society; even in 1980 it was decided to change the winner in a last minute political decision same as in 1987 were the first Albanian Lady forced the jury to change their decision and picked her own favorite.

http://youtu.be/63vTsyHohLQ

(Irma Libohova & Eranda Libohova 1987 winner)

Wind of changes arrived during the 1990s with the death of Hoxha which brought back freedom to the contest and the first participants born in the exile outside Albanian borders, the word “God” was also introduced to the lyrics since religion was forbidden during the regime. Most of the winning songs talked about freedom, immigration or democracy, as well as the troubled times that Albania faced due to the collapse of the system.

On 1994 Mariza Ikonomi debuted in the contest with only 12 years old  being till today the youngest contestant,  on 1998 arrived the first winner from Kosovo, Albërie Hadërgjonaj, with a song about the  Kosovo War; and the last edition of the decade gave the first victory, from the three achieved so far, to Aurela Gaçe.

http://youtu.be/Y1Y7-06RrK0

(Aurela Gaçe  performs her first victory in 1999)

The new Millenium arrived with a lost of interest in the contest which was no longer the big event of year, but the announcement in 2003 of Albanian participation in Eurovision reactivated the audiences. This decade was plenty of scandals like the abruptly leaving of Mariza Ikonomi when  Anjeza Shanini was announced winner , Mariza wanted so bad to be the first representing Albania, the not attendance to rehearsals of Ledina Celo in 2004 or the corruption, sabotage and money exchange for votes accusations which lead several participants to drop the 2007 competition.

http://youtu.be/bRomplTQeqk

(Anjeza Shanini performing “Imazhi yt” prototype of the first Albanian entry in Eurovision)

http://youtu.be/9Hi8rLHD8eo

(Mariza Ikonomi achieved the 3rd price in a polemic 2007)

The contest will be host at the  Tirana Palace of Congresses which has been hosting the contest since 1989, prior it was also celebrated in the ILA between 1962 and 1969 and then at the Opera and Ballet Theater till 1988. Vaçé Zela has the most wins so far, 11, and among other multiple winners we have  Aurela Gaçe with  3 (1999,2001 y 2010)  and  Frederik Noci with 2 (1989 y 2006) coincidentally both songs failed to qualified to Eurovision Final.

Once again Festivali i Këngës will bring the best Albanian artists to compete for a ticket to Baku.