Danish singer Emmelie de Forest, the winner of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, and Albanian singer Elhaida Dani, the winner of the 2013 Voice of Italy, were the special guests of the 52nd edition of the Festivali i Kenges contest.
TIRANA, Jan. 7 – Hersi Matmuja will represent Albania in the 2014 Eurovision song contest in Copenhagen after winning the nation song competition in late December. Matmuja, 23, came first among 16 finalists with her Zem쳩mi i Nj롎ate ( A night’s anger) ballad in a tough competition which also featured two former Eurovision representatives.
Matmuja, who studies singing at the Rome Conservatory, started her singing career at a very young age had also participated in previous editions of the Festivali i Kenges contest which serves as Albania’s official selection for the Eurovision.
Danish singer Emmelie de Forest, the winner of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, and Albanian singer Elhaida Dani, the winner of the 2013 Voice of Italy were the special guests of the 52nd edition of the Festivali i Kenges contest.
“Music is fused with lyrics: the intro is very strong, furious, just like Anger, and then everything calms down, turning into a ballad. The music gives message of the verses: calm down, anger destroys everything, think this night, wait for the morning because every morning is smarter than every evening,” Matmuja told the official Eurovision website.
Albania’s public broadcaster, the RTSH, which is the organizer of this event, selected 16 songs to compete in the 52nd edition which will be held for three nights from December 26 to 28.
Back in 2012, Rona Nishliu became the most successful Albanian Eurovision representative after ranking fifth among 26 finalists in the 2012 song contest held in Azerbaijan. Nishliu collected 146 points to see herself rank 5th, the best result since 2004 when Albania made its Eurovision debut with Anjeza Shahini who came sixth.
This year’s Eurovision festival will be held in Demark after Emmelie de Forest victory in the 2013 contest with the “Only Teardrops” song.
