Albania was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 with the song "Tomorrow I Go", composed by Adrian Hila, with lyrics by Pandi Laço, and performed by Ledina Çelo. The Albanian participating broadcaster, (RTSH), selected its entry through the national selection competition Festivali i Këngës in December 2004. This marked the second time that Albania participated in the contest since its debut in . Due to the top 10 result in the previous contest, the nation automatically qualified for the grand final, which took place on 21 May 2005. In the final, it performed as number eight and placed 16th out of the 24 participating countries, scoring 53 points.
Background
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced in 2003 that would debut at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. Therefore, (RTSH) chose the annual competition Festivali i Këngës as the selection method to determine its entry for the contest. Its first entry was the song "The Image of You" performed by Anjeza Shahini which finished in seventh place in 2004.
Before Eurovision
Festivali i Këngës
RTSH organised the 43rd edition of Festivali i Këngës to determine its representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. The competition consisted of two semi-finals on 16 and 17 December, respectively, and the grand final on 18 December 2004. The three live shows were hosted by Albanian-Sudanese singer Hueyda El Sayed and presenter Leon Menkshi. Guest performances were featured by Anjeza Shahini (who represented ), Luca Barbarossa (who represented ), and Ruslana (who won Eurovision for ).
Competing entries
+ Participants Artist(s) Song Composer Agim Poshka "Të kam, s'të kam" Agim Poshka Aleksia Jani "Zotit" Aleksia Jani Aurel Thëllimi "Erë e marrë" Erion Sheme Barbana Dini "Jeta këtu s'mbaron" Bardbyl Hysa Besiana Mehmedi "Grafitë dashurie" Nexhat Mujovi Çlirim Denaj "Ti ike" Çlirim Denaj Elsida Sinaj "Harresë kujtimesh" Roland Guli Stela Risto "Vështirë të flas, vështirë të puth" Agron Xhunga Floriana Muça "Përtej dashurisë" Mark Luli Ingrid Jushi "Vetëm një natë" Falmur Shebu Joe Artid Fejzo "Me ty" Joe Artid Fejzo Jonida Maliqi "Frikem se më pëlqen" Adrian Hila Julian Lekoçaj "Do të fal" Julian Lebkoçaj Klajdi Musabelli "Puthjen nuk ta kam harruar" Vladimir Kotani Kozma Dushi and Ermira Kola "Të bashkëjetoj më ty" Petrit Terkuçi Kujtim Prodani "Jetën ndryshe e shikoj" Kujtim Prodani Ledina Çelo "Nesër shkoj" Adrian Hila Luiz Ejlli "Hëna dhe yjet dashurojnë" Shpetim Saraci Mariza Ikonomi "Kur dashuron" Edmond Zhulali Marsida Saraçi "Më duaj gjatë" Edmond Rrapi Monika Trungu "Ti më bën të pasur" Gazmend Mullhi Olsa Spata "Pritje" Spartak Tili Redon Makashi "Ndjej" Redon Makashi Rosela Gjylbegu and Arbër Arapi "Pëshpëritje zemrash" Shpetim Saraçi Rovena Stefa "Kthehem prap" Alfred Kaçinari Saimir Çili "Ëndërr e gjallë" Saimir Çili Saimir Braho and Enkela Braho "Përpara se ti të vish në këtë botë" Saimir Braho Samanta Karavella "Buzëqeshja" Valentin Veizi Shpat Kasapi "Jam, kam të fal" Gramoz Kozeli Soni Malaj "Eja ne Ballkan" Shefqet Hoxha Tergita Gusta "Me ty, pa ty" Endri Sina Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti and Rona Nishliu "Flakaresh" Armend Rexhepagiq
Shows Semi-finals The semi-finals of Festivali i Këngës took place on 16 December and 17 December 2004, respectively. 16 contestants participated in each semi-final, with the highlighted ones progressing to the grand final.
+ Semi-final 116 December 2004 Artist(s) Song Result 1 Marsida Saraçi "Më duaj gjatë" Qualified 2 Julian Lekoçaj "Do të fal" Qualified 3 Stela Risto "Vështirë të flas, vështirë të puth" 4 Aleksia Jani "Zotit" 5 Soni "Eja në ballkan" 6 Aurel Thëllimi "Erë e marrë" 7 Rovena Stefa "Kthehem prapë" Qualified 8 Floriana Muça "Përtej dashurisë" 9 Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti and Rona Nishliu "Flakareshë" Qualified 10 Joe Artid Fejzo "Me ty" Qualified 11 Besiana Mehmeti "Grafitë dashurie" 12 Mariza Ikonomi "Kur dashuron" Qualified 13 Klajdi Musabelliu "Puthjen nuk ta kam harruar" Qualified 14 Jonida Maliqi "Frikem se më pëlqen" Qualified 15 Agim Poshka "Të kam, s’të kam'" 16 Rosela Gjylbegu and Arbër Arapi "Pëshperitje zemrash" Qualified
+ Semi-final 217 December 2004 Artist(s) Song Result 1 Barbana Dini "Jeta këtu s'mbaron" 2 Kujtim Prodani "Jetën ndryshe e shikoj" Qualified 3 Olsa Spata "Pritje" 4 Shpat Kasapi "Jam, kam të fal" 5 Monika Trungu "Ti më bën të pasur" Qualified 6 Samanta Karavella "Buzëqeshje" Qualified 7 Çlirim Denaj "Ti ike" 8 Tergita Gusta "Me ty, pa ty" Qualified 9 Luiz Ejlli "Hëna dhe yjet dashurojnë" Qualified 10 Elsida Sinaj "Harresë kujtimesh" 11 Sajmir Çili "Ëndërr e gjallë" 12 Redon Makashi "Ndjenjë" Qualified 13 Ingrid Jushi "Vetëm një natë" Qualified 14 Kozma Dushi and Ermira Kola "Të bashkëjetoj me ty" 15 Ledina Çelo "Nesër shkoj" Qualified 16 Sajmir and Enkela Braho "Para se të vish në këtë botë" Qualified
Final The grand final of Festivali i Këngës took place on 18 December 2004. "Nesër shkoj" performed by Ledina Çelo emerged as the winning entry and was simultaneously announced as the Albanian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.
Key: Winner Second place Third place
+ Final18 December 2004 Artist(s) Song Place 1 Kujtim Prodani "Jetën ndryshe e shikoj" 2 Redon Makashi "Ndjenjë" 3 Rovena Stefa "Kthehem prapë" 4 Sajmir and Enkela Braho "Para se të vish në këtë botë" 5 Joe Artid Fejzo "Me ty" 6 Tergita Gusta "Me ty, pa ty" 7 Marsida Saraçi "Më duaj gjatë" 8 Luiz Ejlli "Hëna dhe yjet dashurojnë" 2 9 Julian Lekoçaj "Do të fal" 10 Mariza Ikonomi "Kur dashuron" 11 Samanta Karavella "Buzëqeshje" 12 Ledina Çelo "Nesër shkoj" 1 13 Jonida Maliqi "Frikem se më pëlqen" 3 14 Klajdi Musabelliu "Puthjen nuk ta kam harruar" 15 Monika Trungu "Ti më bën të pasur" 16 Rosela Gjylbegu and Arbër Arapi "Pëshperitje zemrash" 17 Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti and Rona Nishliu "Flakareshë" 18 Ingrid Jushi "Vetëm një natë"
At Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 took place at the Palace of Sports in Kyiv, Ukraine, and consisted of a semi-final on 19 May and the grand final on 21 May 2005. According to the Eurovision rules, all participating countries, except the host nation and the "Big Four", consisting of , , and the , were required to qualify from the semi-final to compete for the final, although the top 10 countries from the semi-final progress to the final. Due to the top 11 result in the previous year, Albania automatically qualified for the contest's grand final and performed eighth, following and preceding .
Voting The tables below visualise a breakdown of points awarded to Albania in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, as well as by the nation in the semi-final and final, respectively. In the grand final, Albania finished in 16th place, being awarded a total of 53 points, including 12 from and 10 from both and . The nation awarded its 12 points to Macedonia in the semi-final and to Greece in the grand final of the contest.
Points awarded to Albania + Points awarded to Albania (Final) Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Points awarded by Albania
+ Points awarded by Albania (Semi-final) Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
+ Points awarded by Albania (Final) Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
References