RTSH, the Albanian broadcaster, has announced the full lineup of artists and songs that will compete in the 54th Festivali I Këngës. The winner of the festival will go to represent Albania in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.

Semifinal 1 – 25 December:

1. Egzon Pireci – Triumf
2. Simbol – Artiste
3. Voltan Prodani – Dëgjoje këngën o atë
4. Adrian Lulgjuraj – Jeto dhe ëndërro
5. Sigi Bastri – Engjëll i lirë
6. Dilan Reka – Buzëqesh
7. Luiz Ejlli – Pa mbarim
8. Nilsa Hysa – Asaj
9. Edea Demaliaj – Era
10. Erga Halilaj – Monolog
11. Florent Abrashi – Të ndjek çdo hap
12. Teuta Kurti – Në sytë e mi
13. Kozma Dushi – Një kafe
14. Aslajdon Zaimaj – Merrmë që sot
15. Egert Pano – Mos ik

Semifinal 2 – 26 December:

1. Kristi Popa – Ajo çfarë ndjej
2. Rezart Smaja & Klodian Kaçani – Dashuri në përjetësi
3. Revolt Klan – Dashurinë s’e gjejmë dot
4. Jozefina Simoni – Një det me ty
5. Andi Tanko – Dielli vazhdon të më ngrohë
6. Niku & Entela Zhula – Muza
7. Genc Tukiçi – Sa të dashuroj
8. Evans Rama – Flakë
9. Besa Krasniqi – Liroje zemrën
10. Enxhi Nasufi – Infinit
11. Flaka Krelani – S’je për mua
12. Renis Gjoka – Ato që s’ti them dot
13. Lindi Islami – Për një mrekulli
14. Enada Tarifa – Përrallë
15. Klajdi Musabelli – Ndodh edhe kështu

The top 9 songs from each semifinal will qualify to the grand final that will be held on 27 December. The winner will go on to represent Albania in Eurovision 2016. As the Festivali i Kenges has no time limit for the participating songs, the winning entry will probably be shortened, re-produced and maybe translated to English.

Luiz Ejlli and Andrian Lulgjuraj have already represented Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest of 2006 and 2013 respectively. The followers of the festival will probably recognise a lot of familiar names among this lienup, as Kozma Dushi, Erga Halilaj, Flaka Krelani, Entela Zhula, Enada Tarifa and more.

Watch Luiz Ejlli winning Festivali i Kenges 44 with Zjarr e ftothë:

Albania has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest for 12 times already, missing the grand final only five times. The country’s best placing so far is 5th place in 2012 with Rona Nishliu‘s Suus.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for more news regarding Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest!