Introduction

• Participant(s): Jonida Maliqi
• Song: "Ktheju tokës"
  
• Writer(s): Eriona Rushiti
• Composer(s): Eriona Rushiti
• Broadcaster: RTSH
• Social media:      
• Team review: 

The Albanian entry is always the winner of the national music festival “Festival I Këngës”. This year Jonida Maliqi could win this prestigious festival for the first time. She is a well-known face in the Albanian music and entertainment world and had several attempts in this festival.

Jonida Maliqi was born in Albanian capital of Tirana in 1983, studied violin and guitar at the University of Arts in Tirana. She started her career in 1995 with her first participation at the Festivali i Këngës, where she sang “Planeti i fëmijëve”  together with Aleksandër Rrapi. After that she tried her luck as a solo artist with “Frikem se më pëlqen” in 2004, where she could make a third place. Jonida took part in several festivals such as Kënga Magjike, Top Fest and in other show formats like Big Brother, Dancing with the stars and the Voice of Albania.

Beside of her music Jonida has become a famous person in Albania as she is a TV host, style icon, fashion icon and influencer.

The Albanian song “Ktheju tokës” means return to your land. This is another very special song from Albania, which needs a bit to convince after first listening. As usual the Albanian song has been revamped in sound and effects. This is being made to make the most of the song, bringing it to an international level with a professional team. It seems that Jonida will sing the full song in Albanian language.

History

• Debut: 2004
• Participations: 16
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 8
• Top 10: 2
• Chances for Top 10: 13%
• Chances for Final: 50%

This year it has been the 57th time of the Festivali i Këngës - the Albanian music festival. This event is also taken as national final to determine the Albanian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest. Albania joined the ESC in 2004 with a respectable 7th rank in Istanbul with “The image of you” by Anjeza Shahini. Last year in Lisbon, Eugent Bushpepa could reach the Grand Final with “Mall” and made good 11th place. So this year it’s the 15th time for Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon. So far out of 14 participations for Albania, the Grand Final has been reached seven times and a Top10 placing for 2 times, the chance for a Top10 position is approximately 13%. The chances for reaching the Grand Final is about 47%.

Albanian music is not that well known across the European continent, therefore the Eurovision Song Contest is a great opportunity to get a worldwide audience. The songs from Albania in the ESC have mostly preserved the traditional roots with folkloristic elements, even in modern songs there is a traditional part that gives the special Albanian touch. The difficulty is to make popular Albanian music accessible for European ears. In the Albanian pre selection the songs are normally longer than three minutes, therefore the entries are shortened, revamped and translated into English to match the European taste even better.

Biggest success

1x 5th place

• Rona Nishliu - "Suus" (2012)

1x 7th place

• Anjeza Shahini - "The Image Of You" (2004)

Video Nostalgia

• “Carry Me In Your Dreams” | Kejsi Tola , Rank 17, 2009, Moscow
• “Feel The Passion” | Aurela Gaçe , Rank 14 (Semi Final) 2011, Düsseldorf
• “Te kerkoj” | Elhaida Dani , Rank 16, 2015, Vienna