My FIrst Albania 2012

 

Albanian broadcaster RTSH once again chose to use their Traditional annual Music Contest, Festivali I Këngës (Festival Of Songs), to select their Eurovision entry. This year was a special year, as it was the 50^th anniversary of FiK (Festivali I Këngës), and as such RTSH decided to put forth every effort to make this years contest a banner year. They selected 28 Songs to compete for the right to fly the Albanian Flag in Baku. They divided the 28 Songs into 2 Semi Finals, which took place on December 26^th and 27^th. In each Semi Final, a combination of “Expert” Juries and Televoting selected the 10 Advancing songs. The Final took place on December 29^th. In the Final, an “Expert” Jury  selected the Winner.

Songs –

Title	Translation	Artist(s)
Pyete Zemrën	Ask Your Heart	Gerta Mahmutaj
Ndjehem Bosh	I Feel Empty	Entela Zhula
Këngën Time Merr Me Vehtë	Take My Song With You	Bashkim Alibali
Zgjomë Një Tjetë Ëndër	Wake Me Up In Another Dream	Samanta Karavello
Mbi Çdo Iluzion	With Every Illusion	Endri And Stefi Prifti
Suus	Personal	Rona Nishliu
Më Kërko	Search For Me	Rudina Delia
Vlen Sa Një Jetë	A Life Worth	Marjeta Billo
Kur Të Pasha	When I See You	Claudio La Regina
Aty Ku Më Le	There Where You Left Me	Hersi Matmuja
Dorëzohem	I Surrender	Orinda Huta
Kthehem Prapë	I’ll Be Back	Altin Goci
Kristal	Crystal	Elton Deda
Ti Nuk Mundesh	You Can’t	Evans Rama
Ëndrra E Parë	The First Dream	Toni Mehmetaj
Personale	Personal	Dr. Flori
Mbi Yje	On The Stars	Kamela Islami
Oh Jeta Ime	Oh My Life	Frederik Ndoci
Eja Më Merr	Come Take Me	Marsida Saraçi
Të Zakonshëm	No Difference	Bojken Lako
Braktisur	Abandoned	Sindi Berisha
Më Ler Të Të Dua	Let Me Love You	Mariza Ikonomi
Digjem	I’m Burning	Kujtim Prodani
Pa Ty…Asnjë Sekond	Without You…Any Second	Iris Hoxha
Ajër	Air	Saimir Braho
Rroj Për Dashurinë	I Live For Love	Goldi Halili
Lulet Mbledh Për Hënën	Pick Flowers For The Moon	Xhensila Myrtezaj
Mirjëra Vjet	Thousands Of Years	Elhaida Dani

My Contest –

To Select my Favorite, I created my own Contest.

01 – Semi Finals –

First, I divided the 28 Songs into 2 Semi Finals. In each Semi Final, I awarded points twice. I awarded the First Set of Points after listening to all 14 Songs Four times. I awarded the Second Set of Points after viewing the Performances of all 14 Songs. The top 4 Scoring songs from each Semi Final advanced to the Final. The 5^th – 8^th Place songs from each Semi Final advanced to a 3^rd Semi Final. In the Third Semi Final, I selected the 2 Advancing songs through 2 Rounds of Voting. In the First Round, I awarded “Televotes” (after listening to all 8 songs 3 Times) to select the top 4 Songs. In the Second Round, I awarded “Televotes” after watching the Performances of the 4 Songs to select the 2 Advancing Songs.

Semi Final 01 –

Number	Title	Jury	Televote	Total	Place
01.	Pyete	14	16	30	1st =
02.	Ndjehem	11	12	23	3rd =
03.	Këngën	06	08	14	8th
04.	Zgjomë	10	10	20	5th
05.	Mbi Çdo	08	07	15	7th
06.	Suus	12	11	23	3rd =
07.	Më Kërko	09	09	18	6th
08.	Vlen Sa	16	14	30	1st =
09.	Kur Të	04	04	08	11th
10.	Aty Ku	05	05	10	10th
11.	Dorëzohem	03	03	06	12th
12.	Kthehem	07	06	13	9th
13.	Kristal	02	02	04	13th
14.	Ti Nuk	01	01	02	14th

Comments –

“Pyete Zemrën” – 

This song was my first “Love” song of Albania 2012. It really got me in the FiK mood. It’s a great up tempo pop song and totally just “Albania”. It starts with a bunch of strings playing along with a dance backing track. Gerta comes in as the strings die down. The first verse builds up to the bridge. The song explodes with the chorus, as Gerta throws her arms around and sways powerfully as she sings out the chorus. The song dies down again for the second verse, but once again explodes at the chorus. Gerta does an excellent job of expressively throwing her arms around while swaying back and forth. I adore this song, simply adore it!

“Ndjehem Bosh” – 

There’s something very unique and special about this song. Uncharacteristically for ESC, it’s a gospelish number, with a strong jazz beat. Entela lets her voice shine throughout this entire number. I love the smooth melody and just ever so flowly feel of the whole song. With a song like this, you really need to have a voice that can cash the checks the music is writing, and Entela has no problems there. She works beautifully with the music, fading in and out in harmony with the music, and then belting out when the song requires it. I just love, adore, am completely infatuated with this song.

“Suus” – 

Rona was one of the most talked about singers going into FiK. Originally from Kosovo, she came to the attention of the Albanian people when she placed in the top 5 of Albanian Idol 2004. She brings us a mournful and hauntingly beautiful ballad. It took me a few listens to appreciate this song, but now I quite like it. The most striking thing about this song is Rona’s voice. Her voice carries this song completely, the music is only there as background noise. Her performance is strikingly fantastic. She performs in a costume of, well, basically rags, with her hair thrown up in a mess on top of her head. The effect is quite striking. Her voice is absolutely the star of this show. It goes high and strong and then quiet and subtle. An extremely interesting and wonderful song.

“Vlen Sa Një Jetë” – 

I simply adore this song. Marjeta really is a forced to be reckoned with this year! She brings her A – Game with this powerful, up beat Pop Ballad with just a hint of that Ethnic feel that does ever so well at ESC. This song starts off a bit slow, with her vocals, some quiet strings and a soft piano setting the stage. After the Intro, the song builds with her voice until it climaxes at the “Të Dua, Të Dua”. Then it explodes into a fantastic melody of sound and music and melody that just sweeps you away. The chorus is just a wonderfulness of delight. She quickly switches from the full sound, up beat chorus to the quick bridge, where she lets her voice really shine. Her amazing vocals carry the song further, into another climax of chorus. She ends the song with a fantastic key change and singing over her backing singers, who repeat the chorus. UGH! Fantastic! Brilliant!

Semi Final 02 –

Number	Title	Jury	Televote	Total	Place
01.	Ëndrra E	11	11	22	4th
02.	Personale	10	10	20	5th
03.	Mbi Yje	03	05	08	11th
04.	Oh Jeta	02	02	04	13th
05.	Eja Më	09	07	16	7th
06.	Zakonshëm	05	04	09	10th
07.	Braktisur	07	08	15	8th
08.	Më Ler Të	14	14	28	2nd
09.	Digjem	08	09	17	6th
10.	Pa Ty	12	12	24	3rd
11.	Ajër	01	01	02	14th
12.	Rroj Për	16	16	32	1st
13.	Lulet	04	03	07	12th
14.	Mirjëra	06	06	12	9th

Comments –

“Ëndrra E Parë” – 

Wow! A Saxophone! When was the last time you heard that? Anywho, this song is pretty fantastic. The saxophone solo start tumbles into a huge mess of noise as we get into the song. Toni gives us a nice solo introduction (oh and is he ever cute!) and then gives into the fast, energetic chorus. A steady, constant beat keeps us happy and energetic as this song goes on. Another saxophone highlight brings us over the melodic bridge to a nice, up beat bridge into the final chorus, where this song goes all out in a fantastic upheaval of strings and drums and his flawless vocals. Great song!

“Më Ler Të Të Dua” – 

This may finally be Mariza’s year! After many attempts (2^nd at FIK 2003, Semi Final Placings at FIK 2004 And 2005, 3^rd at FIK 2006, followed by 9^th place at both FIk 2007 and 2009), Mariza has clearly set her sights on victory, with a song that may finally appeal to the tastes of Albanians. She starts of subtle and slow, letting her vocal prowess take the spot light. She croons along with a drum beat, until she arrives at the chorus, when she explodes into her huge, powerful voice. Her voice carries this song from verse to bridge to chorus and back again. A nice ballad, in my opinion nothing that special, but I think the Albanians will like it.

“Pa Ty…Asnjë Sekond” – 

Iris gives us a simple, slow start with a nice guitar riff leading into her first verse, where she sings over a simple drum beat. The bridge gives us a nice build as the orchestra sinks in. Finally we arrive at the chorus, where her powerful voice gives us all something to remember. A nice, traditional Pop song…well…everyone likes that sort of thing now and again. Iris does a fantastic job of being expressive and connecting with the audience as she takes us from verse to bridge to chorus. Her vocals are flawless. I really dig her slightly deep voice and really enjoy the feeling it gives this song. Not a bad song at all.

“Rroj Për Dashurinë” – 

This song is by leaps and bounds my current favorite and song to beat for Albania 2012. It has everything I could ever want in a song. Strong Dance Beat? Check. Female singer? Check. Non – English Language? Check. Attractive Songtress in a revealing and fabulous outfit? Check. This song starts with a heavy dance beat, leading into an unseen choir singing “Oh – Ohhhhh – Oh”. Goldi enters singing against the heavy, electronic beat. Her voice follows the beat as it goes up and down during the first verse. She sways and shifts with the beat, connecting perfectly with the audience. This leads into a synthesized bridge as her voices joins in with the choir going “Ohhhh – oh – oh – oh”. This leads into the chorus of her mixing perfectly with the huge music, once again going up and down perfectly. After the chorus, she returns to the verse, before moving into another chorus. Then we come to a different bridge, where the music softens and she quiets a little bit quiet as well, getting ready for the key change (which she pulls off flawlessly). She then breaks out into another chorus…ugh…just amazing. I adore this song completely.

Semi Final 03 –

Number	Title	Round 01	Round 02	Place
01.	Eja Më Merr	30 943	51 041	2nd
02.	Zgjomë Një	39 124	44 928	3rd
03.	Digjem	25 245	X	6
04.	Mbi Çdo	19 571	X	8
05.	Braktisur	35 915	63 395	1st
06.	Këngën Time	23 209	X	7
07.	Personale	32 472	38 724	4th
08.	Më Kërko	28 418	X	5

Comments –

“Eja Më Merr” – 

Marsida gives us a wonderfully, traditionally Albanian ballad. She starts slow and soft, hugging the microphone in an almost obscene fashion. When the chorus comes, she expertly throws out her arms along with the outbreak of music and melody. At the end of the chorus, she expertly fades back into the next verse. She does an unbeatable job of being expressive, sincere and emotional with her motions. A fantastically Albanian Ballad.

“Braktisur” – 

Sindi sings this powerful and hauntingly beautiful ballad. Her costume and overall look is flawless, as are her vocals. This ballad starts off slow and longingly until she arrives at the mournful and beautiful chorus. At first, I overlooked this song, thinking it was just another lame Albanian ballad, but after a few listens, I adore it. It’s powerful and gorgeous and perfect and sincere. Love.

02 – Final –

In the Final, I chose my Winner through 2 Rounds of Voting. In the First Round, I awarded points a total of 5 Times. I awarded the First set of Points after listening to all 10 Songs 4 times. I awarded the Second set of Points after watching the Performances of all 10 Songs. I awarded the Third set of Points after listening to all 10 songs another 4 Times. I awarded the Fourth set of Points after viewing the Performances of all 10 Songs. I awarded the Fifth set of Points (Worth Triple) based on my overall feeling. The top 5 Songs advanced to the Second Round. In the Second Round, I awarded “Televotes” to select my Winner.

Round 01 –

Number	Title	Vote 01	Vote 02	Vote 03	Vote 04
01.	Vlen Sa	08	10	12	07
02.	Pa Ty…	03	02	06	04
03.	Eja Më	04	01	02	01
04.	Suus	01	05	05	08
05.	Më Ler Të	06	03	01	03
06.	Pyete	12	08	07	10
07.	Ëndrra E	02	04	03	06
08.	Ndjehem	05	06	10	05
09.	Braktisur	07	07	04	02
10.	Rroj Për	10	12	08	12

Number	Title	Vote 05	Total	Place
01.	Vlen Sa	30	67	2nd
02.	Pa Ty…	12	27	7th
03.	Eja Më	03	11	10th
04.	Suus	18	37	5th
05.	Më Ler Të	06	19	9th
06.	Pyete	24	61	3rd
07.	Ëndrra E	09	24	8th
08.	Ndjehem	21	47	4th
09.	Braktisur	15	35	6th
10.	Rroj Për	36	78	1st

Round 02 –

Number	Title	Televote	Place
01.	Vlen Sa Një Jetë	67 536	2nd
02.	Suus	42 189	5th
03.	Pyete Zemrën	49 527	4th
04.	Ndjehem Bosh	56 494	3rd
05.	Rroj Për	73 268	1st

Comments –

In the end, there was no question about my winner. “Rroj Për Dashurinë” is by leaps and bounds my favorite of Albania 2012. My second spot goes to “Vlen Sa Një Jetë”, with it’s drama and ethnic touches, how could I resist? The jazziness of “Ndjehem Bosh” moves it into 3^rd place, for now. Right on it’s heels is “Pyete Zemrën” in 4^th place. And bringing up the rear, is the power ballad “Suus”, which ended up winning FIK and will be the Albanian entry in Baku.