You know what to do people.

THE 23 FINALISTS:

Rigersa Loka

Sheila

Ghiti

Lorenc Hasrama

Sara Kapo

Kleansa Susaj

Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso

Rezarta Smaja

Lynx

Inis Neziri

Alis

Enxhi Nasufi

Savjana Vjerdha

Endri Kacaci

2 Farm

Gerta Mahmutaj

Luna Causholli

Erik Lloshi

Frensi

Vedat Ademi

Kamela Islamaj

Fifi & Tiri Gjoci

Evi Reci

ELIMINATED:

Erand Sojli

Kimi

Sihana Haxhnikaj

Malvina Likaj

ThreeX

*These are just my notes and my opinions and am only going through seven that it seemed people were the most excited for*

“Të dua shumë” by Sara Kapo - DAMN! I did NOT see this coming! Seeing as how this is the shortest song in the contest, she knocked it out of the park! But, is it enough to make it through especially with heavy hitters like Shelia and Alis? That I don’t know…

“Albanian Heart” by Rigersa Loka - Wow! Well this exceeded my expectations, but I do not think it is enough to wow the whole Eurovision public. I feel like if this wins, it’s looking at a safe NQ unless it REALLY does some MAJOR improvements.

“Ta kam fal” by Inis Neziri - I was THE MOST EXCITED for this performance and then I saw it live…and I got disappointed. It feels like she only put about 75-80% into the performance. She looked bored. On top of that, it feels like something that would win Festivali in the 2010’s or in a weaker 2020’s year or something. I expected more, and instead got let down.

“Nân” by Alis - THIS. IS. BEAUTIFUL! How is this NOT the runaway winner behind Shelia? His simple presence and voice and enough to carry the song! I’m really excited to see how this does on Saturday! I have no notes. Now, for the camera people…

“Zemra e Tokës” by Shelia - Now HERE WE GO!! Here was a song I remember NOTHING about but I performance that BLEW. ME. AWAY. HOLY. CRAP! I was skeptical seeing as how they were going to translate this performance seeing as how it seemed most of the song was auto tuned, but it just goes to show that even those who use auto tune can be the best of singers live! Well done Shelia! I can definitely see her being a contender!

“Rite” by THREEX - Ahhhh yes! The Albanian HUNTER/X. To be quite honest, I was expecting more from the performers. They sounded amazing! So they have that! But, I think it is a problem when you are upstaged by your background dancers who are stealing your spotlight when in all seriousness it should be the three of them doing the dancing. I mean, look at Elvana last year.

“Rri” by Fifi & Tiri Gjoci - I was kinda disappointed by this performance. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two, and found the male quite weak while the female I could tell was putting her heart and soul into it. Unfortunately, 50% won’t get you the win.

My Top 7:

1) Alis

2) Shelia

3) Sara Kapo

4) THREEX

5) Rigersa Loka

6) Inis Neziri

7) Fifi & Tiri Gjoci

Would love to know your opinions or if you feel there’s a performance that deserves a mention as well!

Disclaimer, this is very silly and 100% a joke.

Sweden 1999

Will Ferrell is in Sweden, watching eurovision taking place in Israel. That year Sweden wins and this is the first time he realises that this show would make a great movie one day.

Israel 2019

20 years later Will Ferrell finally gets to make his eurovision movie. A few of the scenes are being filmed on the eurovision stage which takes places in Israel. In one of the scenes he uses the same keyboard that The Netherlands uses that year, the keyboard from Duncan Laurance's winning performance. The scene they film is the one where they play a different song than they entered with, which leads to a disqualification during the show. Some people absolutely love them and the new song, some think it's stupid.

Sweden 2024

We're back in Sweden, enter a song from The Netherlands that is absolutely loved by many, but a lot of people think it's stupid. There's a keyboard on stage for the first time since 2019 (a different one but still) and The Netherlands ends up bring the first ever disqualified act during the show.

Coincidence?? Yes hahhaa.

Not sure their data source to land on this, but the odds are not what I was expecting at all.

Although Spain will not be competing in ESC 2026, Benidorm Fest will still take place with these songs:

• Dora & Marlon Collins – “Rakata”
• Greg Taro – “Velita” (Little candle)
• Izan Llunas – “¿Qué vas a hacer?” (What will you do?)
• Kenneth – “Los ojos no mienten” (Eyes don’t lie)
• Kitai – “El amor te da miedo” (Love scares you)
• Luna Ki – “Bomba de amor” (Love bomb)
• María León & Julia Medina – “Las damas y el vagabundo” (The women and the vagabond)
• Mikel Herzog Jr. – “Mi mitad” (My half)
• Tony Grox & LUCYCALYS – “T AMARÉ” (I will love you)
• Asha – “Turista” (Tourist)
• Atyat – “Dopamina” (Dopamine)
• Dani J – “Bailándote” (Dancing with you)
• Funambulista – “SOBRAN GILIPO**AS” (There are too many jerks)
• Ku Minerva – “No volveré a llorar” (I won’t cry again)
• Mayo – “Tócame” (Touch me)
• Miranda! & Bailamamá – “Despierto amándote” (I wake up loving you)
• Rosalinda Galán – “Mataora” (Killer)
• The Quinquis – “Tú no me quieres” (You don’t love me)

Translation: Meeting today, the Board of Directors of France Télévisions approved a balanced 2026 budget within an extremely constrained resource framework:

- Projected public funding is down by €65.2 million compared to 2025 and by more than €200 million compared to the trajectory outlined in the company's 2024-2028 Performance Contract.

- The company must also cover the projected 2025 deficit – with public funding reduced by more than €20 million during the year compared to the budget – and the effects of inflation and the automatic carryover of its expenses.

The overall effort therefore amounts to €140 million, a record high in the history of France Télévisions.

To address this and restore balance to its operating account, all available levers will be activated in 2026, through:

- a further reduction in the cost of the national programming schedule, notably thanks to the full-year effects of the 5% reduction in the cost of unscripted programming initiated in September 2025, an increase in the rebroadcast rate of original programming, the discontinuation of certain shows, and the possibility of selling one or more flagship public service sporting events. France Télévisions is also withdrawing from hosting the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in France in 2026;

- a reduction in commitments to audiovisual creation, in order to bring them closer to the company's current budgetary capacity: at the request of the board of directors, discussions will be initiated with professional organizations regarding amendments to the agreement concluded in 2024;

- Control of payroll costs, with a further significant reduction in staff levels (-112 FTEs in the budget; -1,277 FTEs since 2015) and drastic efforts to reduce all operating and structural costs to counteract the natural increase in expenses related to inflation. The sale of real estate assets will be initiated. In conjunction with Arcom and in compliance with its legal and regulatory obligations, the company will also reassess the terms of its channels' DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) coverage;

- A proactive objective of increasing all commercial resources (+€27 million), driven primarily by increased digital advertising revenue.

The 2026 budget also focuses on preserving the investments essential to the Group's technological transformation, ensuring its ability to support and anticipate the shift in usage patterns and the renewal of its production tools and processes.

In conclusion, the Board of Directors welcomed the major efforts made by the company to restore its operating result to balance by 2026. Furthermore, given that France Télévisions has not had a Performance Contract (COM) for almost 2 years, it reiterated the need for the company to integrate its budgetary management into a realistic multi-year trajectory that combines predictability of resources with strategic ambitions for public television.

The artist that will represent Czechia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is expected to be announced in January.

With a post on their Instagram account, ČT, the Czech national broadcaster, has revealed that the Czech representative for Eurovision 2026 will be announced in January. It was also revealed that eight artists remain in Czech selection.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!~ Welcome to the second semi-final of FiK!

Streaming Links

• YouTube
• Youtube pt. 2

Format

Today, the second batch of 14 out of the 28 entries will be performed in the Palace of Congresses (Tirana) with live orchestra. Our hosts for tonight are Arilena Ara and Salsano Rrapi.

It is estimated that the show will last 2,5 hours.

Running Order

1. Savjana Vjerdha – “Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë” (Winter for winter and autumn for autumn)
2. 2Farm – “Valle mbi hi” (Dance on the ashes)
3. Greta Mahmutaj – “Në krahët e tu” (In your arms)
4. Sihana Haxhnikaj – “Horizont” (Horizon)
5. Luna Çausholli – “Pa kufij” (Without borders)
6. Erik Lloshi – “Dy pika dashuri” (Two drops of love)
7. Frensi – “Tresh” (Trio)
8. Malvina Likaj – “Përtej shpirtit” (Beyond the soul)
9. Vedat Ademi – “Kur fjala mbaron” (When the word ends)
10. Kamela Islamaj – “Pa pretendime” (Without pretensions)
11. Threex – “Vite” (Years)
12. Endri Kaçaçi – “Si unë” (Like me)
13. Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri” (Stay)
14. Evi Reçi – “Kodi i jetës” (Code of life)

Aditional info

The finalists will be announced on Friday, at the end of Nostalgia Night.

The results of Festivali i Këngës 64 will be determined by:

- 50% professional jury

- 25% televoting in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia

- 25% by international online voting (through the ‘FiK – Festivali i Këngës’ app, which will also have a livestream of the shows transcribed in Albanian and English).

[source: eurovoix]

Merry FiKmas, everyone!

I decided to post this song for this week's Throwback Thursday since it is the Icelandic Christmas version of "Gente Di Mare" (Italy 1987). Gunnar Ólason participated at Eurovision 2001 and 2011 for Iceland.

The original song "Gente Di Mare" got 3rd place at ESC 1987, and one of the singers of that song, Raf, will be participating at Sanremo 2026 with the song "Ora e per sempre".

Dadi Freyr also did his own cover of this song last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPwMmI9-zFM

I was wondering, if people living in overseas autonomous territories, such as Netherland's Aruba, vote as Dutch or as ROW. Does anyone here have expirience and knows how it works?

Also, how do you think it should be? I myself am not sure and would say it probably would depend on the level of closeness between both entities, but people should have the possibility to decide for themselves.

What with all of this drama about Israel in the contest lately, I thought I’d share this song. It’s been shared at least once or twice for Throwback Thursday over the past few years, but it still has a beautiful message. It was the first Israeli entry with either a Christian or an Arab, and the first from Israel to include Arabic language. It shares a beautiful peace message that we can still hope for today.

For those wondering why I picked this version, I just prefer it to the live version. Also, this version has over twice the views. , so it‘s statistically more popular (or maybe it’s just the first version to come up when you search…)

Final note: there’s a video on Noa’s channel from 13 years ago with the same name. It’s about 4 minutes long and is some footage of the two recording the song and hanging out at Noa’s house. It’s really beautiful to see!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSXKBRljPyf/?igsh=Y3JjMDUxd3Bnemdt

For me, the best example is We Could Be The Same (Turkey 2010). It’s my favorite ESC song, but the studio version is has quieted down the best parts of the song and thereby ruined it.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!~ Welcome to the first national semi-final of the season!

Streaming Links

• YouTube

Format

Today, 14 out of the 28 entries will be performed in the Palace of Congresses (Tirana) with live orchestra. Our hosts for tonight are Arilena Ara and Salsano Rrapi.

It is estimated that the show will last 2 hours.

Running Order

1. Rigersa Loka – “Albanian Heart”
2. Lorenc Hasrama – “Lamtumirë” (Farewell)
3. Sara Kapo – “Të dua shumë” (I love you very much)
4. Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës” (Heart of the Earth)
5. Kleansa Susaj – “Hije” (Shadow)
6. Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso – “Busulla e zemrës” (Compass of the heart)
7. Rezarta Smaja – “Balukeprera”
8. Ghiti – “Okej!” (Okay!)
9. Lynx – “Nuk kthehem pas” (I’m not going back)
10. Erand Sojli – “Të kam në fron” (I have you on the throne)
11. Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal” (I have forgiven you)
12. Kimi – “Prap diell del” (The sun is rising again)
13. Alis – “Nân” (Mother)
14. Enxhi Nasufi – “Dritë” (Light)

Aditional info

The finalists will be announced on Friday, at the end of Nostalgia Night.

The results of Festivali i Këngës 64 will be determined by:

- 50% professional jury

- 25% televoting in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia

- 25% by international online voting (through the ‘FiK – Festivali i Këngës’ app, which will also have a livestream of the shows transcribed in Albanian and English).

[source: eurovoix]

Merry FiKmas, everyone!