Festivali i Këngës 64
64th edition of Festivali i Këngës
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Festivali i Këngës 64 was the 64th edition of the annual Albanian music competition Festivali i Këngës, organised by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH). It was held between 17 and 20 December 2025 at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana and was hosted by Arilena Ara and Salsano Rrapi. The winner of the competition, Alis with "Nân", represented Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
- 17 December 2025
- 18 December 2025
- 19 December 2025 (Nostalgia night)
- 20 December 2025
| Festivali i Këngës 64 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dates and venue | |
| Semi-final 1 |
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| Semi-final 2 |
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| Semi-final 3 |
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| Final |
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| Venue | Palace of Congresses Tirana, Albania |
| Production | |
| Host broadcaster | Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) |
| Executive producer | Belioza Çoku |
| Artistic director | Elhaida Dani |
| Presenters |
|
| Participants | |
| Number of entries | 28[a] |
| Number of finalists | 23 |
| Vote | |
| Voting system |
|
| Winning song | "Nân" by Alis |
Format
The 64th edition of Festivali i Këngës consisted of two semi-finals on 17 and 18 December 2025, a "nostalgia night" on 19 December 2025 and a final on 20 December 2025.[1]
In July 2025, it was announced that Elhaida Dani – who won Festivali i Këngës 53 – would serve as the artistic director, repeating her function from the previous edition, where she was widely credited with enhancing the quality of the shows.[2] Belioza Çoku was announced as the executive producer in October 2025,[3] while Arilena Ara – who won Festivali i Këngës 58 – and comedian Salsano Rrapi were named the hosts in December 2025.[4]
Broadcasters Andri Xhahu and Antoneta Koçi hosted a special Post Festivali broadcast after each of the shows.[5]
Voting structure
A seven-member jury voted to determine the five newcomers advancing to the final from the qualifying phase, announced at the end of the third night, as well as half of the result of the final, with the remaining half decided by the televote, which also accepted votes from Kosovo.[6][7][8][9] A worldwide online vote officially designated as the "diaspora vote" was originally planned to complement the domestic televote for the second year in a row,[6] but was withheld on the first day of the festival in order to "guarantee transparency".[10]
The members of the jury were Anila Basha, Belinda Budini, Bleona Qereti, Olen Çezari, Rame Lahaj, Valentin Veizi and Zef Çoba.[11]
Contestants
RTSH opened an application period for interested artists and composers on 1 September 2025, with applications open until 30 September; as a novelty, songs created with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence were immediately discarded in order to "preserve the authenticity" of the festival.[12] A total of 28 artists appeared on the list of selected competing acts, which was published on 13 October.[13] On 22 November, Egzon Pireci announced his withdrawal from the contest due to "personal reasons";[14] Lynx was designated as his replacement and announced as a competitor three days later.[15] The genres and titles of the entries were revealed in batches between 21 and 28 October,[16] with the songs eventually released on 1 December.[17]
Key: Withdrawn Replacement entry
| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Farm | "Valle mbi hi" | 2 Farm |
| Alis | "Nân" |
|
| Egzon Piereci | "Thirrëm" |
|
| Enxhi Nasufi | "Dritë" |
|
| Erik Lloshi | "Dy pika dashuri" |
|
| Evi Reçi | "Kodi i jetës" |
|
| Fifi and Tiri Gjoci | "Rri" | |
| Frensi | "Tresh" |
|
| Gerta Mahmutaj | "Në krahët e tu" |
|
| Gresa Gjocera and Bledi Kaso | "Busulla e zemrës" |
|
| Inis Neziri | "Ta kam fal" |
|
| Kamela Islamaj | "Pa pretendime" |
|
| Kleansa Susaj | "Hije" |
|
| Luna Çausholli | "Pa kufij" |
|
| Lorenc Hasrama | "Lamtumirë" |
|
| Lynx | "Nuk kthehem pas" | Lynx |
| Rezarta Smaja | "Balukeprera" | Sokol Marsi |
| Sara Kapo | "Të dua shumë" |
|
| Vedat Ademi | "Kur fjala mbaron" |
|
| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Endri Kaçaçi | "Si unë" |
|
| Erand Sojli | "Të kam në fron" | Erand Sojli |
| Ghiti | "Okej!" |
|
| Kimi | "Prap diell del" |
|
| Malvina Likaj | "Përtej shpirtit" |
|
| Rigersa Loka | "Albanian Heart" |
|
| Savjana Vjerdha | "Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë"[b] |
|
| Sheila | "Zemra e tokës" |
|
| Sihana Haxhnikaj | "Horizont" |
|
| Threex | "Vite" |
|
Shows
Semi-finals
The semi-finals took place on 17 and 18 December 2025 at 21:00 CET. Kroni Pula, who represented Albania in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2025, featured as a special guest in semi-final 1.[18]
Key: Automatic Qualifier Qualifier
| R/O | Artist | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigersa Loka | "Albanian Heart" | Qualified |
| 2 | Lorenc Hasrama | "Lamtumirë" | Aut. Qualified |
| 3 | Sara Kapo | "Të dua shumë" | Aut. Qualified |
| 4 | Sheila | "Zemra e tokës" | Qualified |
| 5 | Kleansa Susaj | "Hije" | Aut. Qualified |
| 6 | Gresa Gjocera and Bledi Kaso | "Busulla e zemrës" | Aut. Qualified |
| 7 | Rezarta Smaja | "Balukeprera" | Aut. Qualified |
| 8 | Ghiti | "Okej!" | Qualified |
| 9 | Lynx | "Nuk kthehem pas" | Aut. Qualified |
| 10 | Erand Sojli | "Të kam në fron" | N/a |
| 11 | Inis Neziri | "Ta kam fal" | Aut. Qualified |
| 12 | Kimi | "Prapë dielli del" | N/a |
| 13 | Alis | "Nân" | Aut. Qualified |
| 14 | Enxhi Nasufi | "Dritë" | Aut. Qualified |
| R/O | Artist | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savjana Vjerdha | "Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë" | Qualified |
| 2 | 2 Farm | "Valle mbi hi" | Aut. Qualified |
| 3 | Gerta Mahmutaj | "Në krahët e tu" | Aut. Qualified |
| 4 | Sihana Haxhnikaj | "Horizont" | N/a |
| 5 | Luna Çausholli | "Pa kufij" | Aut. Qualified |
| 6 | Erik Lloshi | "Dy pika dashuri" | Aut. Qualified |
| 7 | Frensi | "Tresh" | Aut. Qualified |
| 8 | Malvina Likaj | "Përtej shpirtit" | N/a |
| 9 | Vedat Ademi | "Kur fjala mbaron" | Aut. Qualified |
| 10 | Kamela Islamaj | "Pa pretendime" | Aut. Qualified |
| 11 | Threex | "Vite" | N/a |
| 12 | Endri Kaçaçi | "Si unë" | Qualified |
| 13 | Fifi and Tiri Gjoci | "Rri" | Aut. Qualified |
| 14 | Evi Reçi | "Kodi i jetës" | Aut. Qualified |
Nostalgia night
The "nostalgia night" took place on 19 December 2025 at 21:00 CET. The 18 established artists performed songs from the history of Festivali i Këngës in duet with guest performers.[5]
| R/O | Artist | Guest artist | Song |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alis | Anxhela Peristeri | "Jon" |
| 2 | Sara Kapo | Eneda Tarifa | "Vajzat e fshatit tim" |
| 3 | Lynx | Altin Goci | "Me ty kaq pranë" |
| 4 | Rezarta Smaja | Sidrit Bejleri | "Lule të bukura sjell pranvera" |
| 5 | Luna Çausholli | Kelly | "Ende ka shpresë" |
| 6 | Kleansa Susaj | Gili | "Xixëllonjë" |
| 7 | Erik Lloshi | Mateus Frroku | "Djaloshi dhe shiu" |
| 8 | Gresa Gjocera and Bledi Kaso | Elton Deda | "Nuk kërkoj tjetër njeri" |
| 9 | Lorenc Hasrama | Vesa Luma | "Shiu" |
| 10 | Evi Reçi | Kastriot Tusha | "Këputa një gjethe dafine" |
| 11 | Enxhi Nasufi | Vikena Kamenica | "Flakë e borë" |
| 12 | Gerta Mahmutaj | Kleiti Mahmutaj | "Valsi i lumturisë" |
| 13 | Frensi | Rosela Gjylbegu | "Në moshën e rinisë" |
| 14 | 2 Farm | Kozma Dushi | "Bardhësi" |
| 15 | Inis Neziri | Jonida Maliqi | "Jetoj" |
| 16 | Vedat Ademi | Teuta Kurti | "Ti nuk më meriton" |
| 17 | Kamela Islamaj | Orgesa Zaimi | "Sot jam 20 vjeç" |
| 18 | Fifi and Tiri Gjoci | Young Zerka | "Jehon" |
Final
The final took place on 20 December 2025 at 21:00 CET. Tommy Cash, who represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, featured as a special guest.[21]
| R/O | Artist | Song | Jury | Televote | Total | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gerta Mahmutaj | "Në krahët e tu" | 0 | 7 | 7 | 16 |
| 2 | Lynx | "Nuk kthehem pas" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 3 | Frensi | "Tresh" | 22 | 0 | 22 | 11 |
| 4 | Evi Reçi | "Kodi i jetës" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 5 | Rezarta Smaja | "Balukeprera" | 15 | 0 | 15 | 13 |
| 6 | Rigersa Loka | "Albanian Heart" | 5 | 0 | 5 | 17 |
| 7 | Vedat Ademi | "Kur fjala mbaron" | 42 | 21 | 63 | 5 |
| 8 | Erik Lloshi | "Dy pika dashuri" | 4 | 0 | 4 | 18 |
| 9 | Kleansa Susaj | "Hije" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 10 | Sara Kapo | "Të dua shumë" | 6 | 49 | 55 | 6 |
| 11 | Sheila | "Zemra e tokës" | 65 | 28 | 93 | 3 |
| 12 | Savjana Vjerdha | "Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë" | 11 | 0 | 11 | 14 |
| 13 | 2 Farm | "Valle mbi hi" | 10 | 42 | 52 | 8 |
| 14 | Kamela Islamaj | "Pa pretendime" | 4 | 0 | 4 | 18 |
| 15 | Gresa Gjocera and Bledi Kaso | "Busulla e zemrës" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 16 | Inis Neziri | "Ta kam fal" | 32 | 70 | 102 | 2 |
| 17 | Lorenc Hasrama | "Lamtumirë" | 10 | 0 | 10 | 15 |
| 18 | Endri Kaçaçi | "Si unë" | 40 | 14 | 54 | 7 |
| 19 | Luna Çausholli | "Pa kufij" | 1 | 35 | 36 | 9 |
| 20 | Alis | "Nân" | 68 | 84 | 152 | 1 |
| 21 | Ghiti | "Okej!" | 17 | 0 | 17 | 12 |
| 22 | Enxhi Nasufi | "Dritë" | 25 | 0 | 25 | 10 |
| 23 | Fifi and Tiri Gjoci | "Rri" | 29 | 56 | 85 | 4 |
| R/O | Song | B. Budini |
V. Veizi |
A. Basha |
Z. Çoba |
O. Çezari |
B. Qereti |
R. Lahaj |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Në krahët e tu" | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | "Nuk kthehem pas" | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | "Tresh" | 4 | 10 | 8 | 22 | ||||
| 4 | "Kodi i jetës" | 0 | |||||||
| 5 | "Balukeprera" | 8 | 7 | 15 | |||||
| 6 | "Albanian Heart" | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||
| 7 | "Kur fjala mbaron" | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 42 | ||
| 8 | "Dy pika dashuri" | 4 | 4 | ||||||
| 9 | "Hije" | 0 | |||||||
| 10 | "Të dua shumë" | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||
| 11 | "Zemra e tokës" | 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 65 |
| 12 | "Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë" | 4 | 5 | 2 | 11 | ||||
| 13 | "Valle mbi hi" | 1 | 7 | 2 | 10 | ||||
| 14 | "Pa pretendime" | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||||
| 15 | "Busulla e zemrës" | 0 | |||||||
| 16 | "Ta kam fal" | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 32 | ||
| 17 | "Lamtumirë" | 6 | 4 | 10 | |||||
| 18 | "Si unë" | 5 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 40 |
| 19 | "Pa kufij" | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 20 | "Nân" | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 68 | |
| 21 | "Okej!" | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
| 22 | "Dritë" | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 25 | |
| 23 | "Rri" | 6 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 29 |