Albania: Anxhela Peristeri is off to Rotterdam with her song 'Karma'

Thursday, 24 December 2020

• The Albanian national selection was completed this evening with the Festival i Këngës 59 final, and the first song for Eurovision 2021 is a fact! Anxhela Peristeri won the national final and is off to Rotterdam with her song 'Karma'.

  The iconic music festival that tradionally opens the Eurovsion national finals season, concluded tonight with the last decisive show that selected Anxhela Peristeri as the Albanian Eurovision 2021 hopeful with her entry 'Karma'.  The show was hosted by  Blendi Salaj and Jonida Vokshi and directed by  Martin Leka.

  All three shows of the national selection were held in an open air venue in Tirana due to covid-19 restirctions , while all performances were pre-recorded. A total of 25 acts competed in the first two shows, with 18 of them advancing to this evening's final . The acts that competed in the final were: 

  1. Sardi Strugaj – Ka me t’ba me kajt
  2. Xhesika Polo – Më mbron
  3. Orgesa Zaimi – Valixhja e kujtimeve
  4. Wendi Mancaku –Ves I shpirtit im
  5. Era Rusi – Zjarri im
  6. Gjergj Kaçinari – Më jep jetë
  7. Rosela Gjylbegu – Vashëzo
  8. Devis Xherahu – Peng
  9. MIRUD – Nëse vdes
  10. Giliola Haveriku – E lirë
  11. Viktor Tahiraj – Nënë
  12. Kamela Islamaj – Kujtimet s’kanë formë
  13. Florent Abrashi – Vajzë
  14. Inis Neziri – Pendesë
  15. Evi Reçi – Tjerr
  16. Anxhela Peristeri –Karma
  17. Festina Mejzini – Kush je ti dashuri
  18. Kastro Zizo – Vallja e jetës

  Apart from the contestants the stage took Eugent Bushpepa, the Albanian ESC 2018 representative who finished 11th with his entry "Mall". This evening Eugent perform on the FiK59 stage  Leonard Cohen's song Hallelujah. 

  The final outcome of the final was determined exclusively by a jury , which crowned winner Anxhela Peristeri with her entry "Karma", while 2nd came Sardi Strugaj  performing “Ka me t’ba me kajt” and Festina Mejzini closed the top 3  places with her entry  Kush je ti dashuri. Besides the winner's award , Evi Reçi won the customary Special Award of  Tirana, for her song  Tjerr.

   

  A few words for Anxhela Peristeri

  Anxhela Peristeri  is an Albanian singer, born in Korytsa 24 March 1986, with Greek roots also as her father is of Greek origin. She finished high school in Tirana and after moved to Greece in Athens to continue her University studies. 

  In December 2001, Peristeri participated in Festivali i Këngës with the song "Vetëm ty të kam". In Greece the talented act achieved a significant music career by singing on stage next to big names of the Greek music scene and participated in the Greek x-factor. 

  Despite her rising career in Greece in 2014 she decide to return to Albania. In December 2016, she debuted at Kënga Magjike 2016 with the song “Genjeshtar”, where she finished in 2nd place. Then in December 2017, she won the 19th edition of Kënga Magjike with the song "E Çmendur". In December 2019, she competed in the 21st edition with the song "Dikush i imi" and eventually finished in the third place.

  Enjoy below Anxhela's winning performance of 'Karma': 

   
  Albania in Eurovision

  In 2004 Albania participated for the first time in the contest  with Anjeza Shahini and the entry “The Image of You”, which came 7th . The country hasn’t scored a victory yet in its 16 participations up to date. Its best result was achieved in 2012 with Rona Nishliu and her 5th placing in Baku with her song “Suus”. 

  In 2019 Jonida Maliqi won the Festivali i Kenges 2018   and became the 16th Albanian representative in Eurovision. Her song Ktheju Tokes ended in the 17th place of the Grand final.

  This year Arilena Ara was set to perform her song Fall From Sky on the Eurovision stage in Rotterdam, but saw her journey ending due to the coronavirus outbreak as the contest was cancelled .