National music festival to pick Eurovision entry

TIRANA, Nov. 12- The National music festival, ‘Festivali i Kenges,’ remains a strong tradition on the Albanian music scene. The 46th edition of the contest will once again select the next Albanian ambassador to the Eurovision Song Contest. Again, Albania will be amongst the first countries to select their 2008 participants with the festival’s two semi-finals taking place on the 14th and 15th of December and the final the next day. Sixty candidates applied for the festival this year, and 30 of them were selected by RTSH, according to the Albanian press. Resounding names from the local music scene can be found among the participants, some of whom took part in the 90’s as well. Many of the participants have competed many times before.
Among them, Rovena Dilo will again try after winning the Festival in 2000 and competing in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, Manjola Nallbani has already participated three times and Mira Kon詠twice in 1994 and 2002. Young, talented artists such as Marisa Ikonomi and Jonida Maliqi can be found in the line-up as well. Mariza has been trying to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest every year since 2003, and Jonida has already auditioned twice before.