Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022

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Eurovision Song Contest 2022
Country Albania
National selection
Selection processFestivali i Këngës 60
Selection date(s)Semi-finals:
27 December 2021
28 December 2021
Final:
29 December 2021
Selected entrantRonela Hajati
Selected song"Sekret"
Selected songwriter(s)
  • Ronela Hajati
  • Marko Polo
Finals performance
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (12th, 58 points)
Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2021 • 2022

Albania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy, with the song "Sekret" performed by Ronela Hajati. Its entry was selected through the national selection competition Festivali i Këngës organised by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) in December 2021. To this point, the nation had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest seventeen times since its first entry in 2004. Albania was drawn to compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 10 May 2022. The nation failed to qualify for the contest's final, placing 12th and scoring 58 points, marking Albania's eighth non-qualification in the contest.

Background

Main article: Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2022 contest, Albania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest seventeen times since its first entry in 2004. The nation's highest placing in the contest, to this point, was the fifth place, which was achieved in 2012 with the song "Suus" performed by Rona Nishliu. Albania accomplished its second-highest placing during its first participation in 2004, with the song "The Image of You" performed by Anjeza Shahini, finishing in seventh place. During its tenure in the contest, the nation failed to qualify for the final seven times, with the 2016 and 2017 entries being the most recent non-qualifiers. Since 2018, Albania managed to qualify for the final in both the 2018 and 2019 contests, as well as in the 2021 contest, with Anxhela Peristeri finishing 21st place with "Karma".[1]

The Albanian national broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), broadcasts the Eurovision Song Contest within Albania and organises Festivali i Këngës as the national selection format for the contest.[2] Following the nation's debut in 2004, RTSH has consistently selected the Albanian performers and songs through the latter event, featuring a competition among several artists and songs.[2] The broadcaster confirmed Albania's intention to participate in the 2022 contest on 5 July 2021, with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirming the nation's participation on 20 October 2021.[3][4]

Before Eurovision

Festivali i Këngës

Main article: Festivali i Këngës 60

Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) organised the 60th edition of Festivali i Këngës in order to determine the Albanian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[5] The competition consisted of two semi-finals on 27 and 28 December, respectively, and the final on 29 December 2021.[6] The three live shows were hosted by Albanian presenters Ardit Gjebrea, Isli Islami, Kelvi Kadilli, Xhemi Shehu and singer Jonida Maliqi.[7]

Participants: Established artists[8]
Artist Song Songwriter(s)
Alban Ramosaj "Theje"
  • Marko Polo
  • Alban Ramosaj
Denis Skura "Pse nuk flet, mama?" Petrit Sinameti
Endri and Stefi Prifti "Triumfi i jetës"
  • Jetmir Barbullushi
  • Zhuliana Jorganxhi
Evi Reçi "Më duaj"
  • Flamur Shehu
  • Zhuliana Jorganxhi
Gjergj Kaçinari "Në ëndërr mbete ti" Gjergj Kaçinari
Janex "Deluzional" Janex
Kastro Zizo "Kujë" Kastro Zizo
Kelly "Meteor" Kelly
Mirud "Për dreq"
  • Kledi Bahiti
  • Mirud
Rezarta Smaja "E jemja nuse" Shkodra Elektronike
Ronela Hajati "Sekret"
  • Marko Polo
  • Ronela Hajati
Sajmir Çili "Nën maskë"
  • Sajmir Çili
  • Pandi Laço
Shega "Një" Giorgio Fusco
Urban Band "Padrejtësi" Urban Band
Participants: New artists[8]
Artist Song Songwriter(s)
Eldis Arrnjeti "Refuzoj"
  • Bujar Daci
  • Eldis Arrnjeti
Ester Zahiri "Hiena" Kledi Bahiti
Kejsi Rustja "Vallëzoj me ty" Kejsi Rustja
Olimpia Smajlaj "Dua"
  • Genti Lako
  • Olimpia Smajlaj
Viola Xhemali "Eja si erë" Sokol Marsi
Xhuli Pjetraj "Baladë"
  • Enis Mullaj
  • Eriona Rushiti

Eurovision night

The third and final night of Festivali i Këngës took place on 29 December 2021 at 21:00 (CET).[9] The winner of the competition was determined by the combination of the votes by a seven-member jury panel, consisting of Anxhela Peristeri, Agim Doçi, Anxhela Faber, Osman Mula, Rozana Radi, Olsa Toqi and Olti Curri.[10][11] Ronela Hajati with the song "Sekret" emerged as the winner and was simultaneously announced as Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[12][13]

Key:   Winner   Second place   Third place

Eurovision night–29 December 2021[14]
Draw Artist Song
1
 Olimpia Smajlaj "Dua"
2
 Denis Skura "Pse nuk flet, mama?"
3
 Kelly "Meteor"
4
 Sajmir Çili "Nën maskë"
5
 Ester Zahiri "Hiena"
6
 Kastro Zizo "Kujë"
7
 Urban Band "Padrejtësi"
8
 Gjergj Kaçinari "Në ëndërr mbete ti"
9
 Evi Reçi "Më duaj"
10
 Mirud "Për dreq"
11
 Endri and Stefi Prifti "Triumfi i jetës"
12
 Ronela Hajati "Sekret"
13
 Shega "Një"
14
 Janex "Deluzional"
15
 Alban Ramosaj "Theje"
16
 Eldis Arrnjeti "Refuzoj"
17
 Rezarta Smaja "E jemja nuse"

Promotion

A music video for "Sekret" premiered on the official YouTube channel of the Eurovision Song Contest on 4 March 2022.[15][16] Prior to the scheduled contest, Hajati made several appearances across Europe between March and April 2022 to specifically promote "Sekret", including at the Eurovision-related events in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid and Tel Aviv.[17][18][19][20] She further performed the song live during Romania's national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, Selecția Națională 2022, on 5 March 2022.[21]

At Eurovision

A 40-second-long video postcard introduced Ronela Hajati's performance in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[22] It was filmed in the Italian town of Su Nuraxi within Barumini in Sardinia and featured virtual projections through chroma keying of Hajati across the location.[22]

The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 took place at the PalaOlimpico in Turin, Italy, and consisted of two semi-finals held on the respective dates of 10 and 12 May and the grand final on 14 May 2022.[23] According to the Eurovision rules, all participating countries, except the host nation and the "Big Five", consisting of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals to compete for the final; the top 10 countries from their respective semi-finals progress to the grand final.[24] Prior to the semi-final allocation draw, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot.[25]

On 25 January 2022, the allocation draw was held at Palazzo Madama in Turin that placed each nation into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in.[25] Therein, it was announced that Albania is scheduled to perform in the first half of the first semi-final of the contest.[26] Once all the competing entries for the 2022 contest had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the producers of the contest rather than through another draw, to prevent similar songs from being placed next to each other.[27] Albania was set to perform at position one, however, the nation failed to qualify for the contest's final, standing as its eighth non-qualification in the contest.[27][28]

Controversy

In the aftermath of the first rehearsal, a controversy emerged when footage of Hajati's rehearsal, showing the singer and her accompanying dancers moving with their hands toward their intimate area, disappeared from the Instagram account of the contest.[29] Despite no official statement by the EBU, the contest's social media team replaced and re-uploaded the photo gallery.[29][30] It was speculated whether the EBU had perceived the performance as too provocative or had required the Albanian delegation to change the performance prior to the second rehearsal.[30][31][32] Subsequently, the Albanian delegation's head of press, Ardit Çuni, revealed that Hajati would proceed with the planned performance.[32]

Voting

See also: Voting at the Eurovision Song Contest

Voting during the three shows of the Eurovision Song Contest involved each nation awarding two sets of points from 1-8, 10 and 12: one from their professional jury and the other from televoting.[33] The tables below visualise a breakdown of points awarded to Albania in the first semi-final of the 2022 contest, as well as by the nation on the latter occasion and in the final. The detailed results of the Albanian jury vote, consisting of a combination between the individual rankings of Aulon Naçi, Ermira Alliu, Kamela Islamaj, Marsela Çibukaj and Roberto Radoja, and televoting are also listed.[34][35] During the first semi-final, Albania finished 12th with a total of 58 points, receiving 46 televoting points, including 12 from Greece as well as eight from Italy and Switzerland, and only 12 jury points from Greece.[36] The nation awarded its 12 points to Bulgaria (televote) and Ukraine (jury) in the first semi-final, and to Greece (televote) and Italy (jury) in the final.[36][37] For the voting portion of the final, Andri Xhahu served as the Albanian spokesperson announcing the country's jury voting results.[38]

Points awarded to Albania

Points awarded to Albania (Semi-final 1)[36]
Score Televote Jury
12 points  Greece  Greece
10 points
8 points
7 points
6 points  Slovenia
5 points  France
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point  Bulgaria

Points awarded by Albania

Detailed voting results

Detailed voting results from Albania (Semi-final 1)[36]
Draw Country Jury Televote
Juror 1 Juror 2 Juror 3 Juror 4 Juror 5 Average Rank Points Rank Points
01  Albania
02  Latvia 15 7 11 15 9 13 16
03  Lithuania 13 11 7 14 12 14 10 1
04   Switzerland 2 5 6 8 7 5 6 13
05  Slovenia 16 13 10 16 4 12 15
06  Ukraine 11 1 1 3 3 1 12 3 8
07  Bulgaria 14 16 16 5 6 10 1 1 12
08  Netherlands 5 4 2 2 2 2 10 8 3
09  Moldova 10 14 14 13 10 15 11
10  Portugal 8 6 3 6 16 7 4 6 5
11  Croatia 1 10 9 9 13 8 3 5 6
12  Denmark 6 9 13 10 14 11 12
13  Austria 12 15 15 12 15 16 7 4
14  Iceland 4 12 8 11 1 6 5 14
15  Greece 7 3 4 1 5 3 8 2 10
16  Norway 9 8 12 7 11 9 2 9 2
17  Armenia 3 2 5 4 8 4 7 4 7
Detailed voting results from Albania (Final)[37]
Draw Country Jury Televote
Juror 1 Juror 2 Juror 3 Juror 4 Juror 5 Average Rank Points Rank Points
01  Czech Republic 19 14 21 20 18 21 24
02  Romania 18 25 22 25 22 25 12
03  Portugal 20 12 13 5 11 10 1 15
04  Finland 21 19 5 19 20 16 9 2
05   Switzerland 22 11 20 15 13 18 23
06  France 23 23 18 23 21 24 22
07  Norway 17 20 15 18 15 20 16
08  Armenia 8 5 9 9 10 7 4 17
09  Italy 1 2 2 1 2 1 12 3 8
10  Spain 3 9 10 7 9 6 5 4 7
11  Netherlands 5 6 11 3 3 5 6 5 6
12  Ukraine 4 3 3 6 4 4 7 2 10
13  Germany 9 16 16 10 19 17 20
14  Lithuania 16 18 6 14 23 15 19
15  Azerbaijan 6 17 17 12 6 8 3 18
16  Belgium 13 7 8 11 16 9 2 14
17  Greece 15 10 19 8 8 11 1 12
18  Iceland 14 21 7 13 14 14 25
19  Moldova 25 22 14 22 24 23 10 1
20  Sweden 7 1 4 4 5 3 8 11
21  Australia 12 13 23 16 7 13 21
22  United Kingdom 2 4 1 2 1 2 10 7 4
23  Poland 11 15 25 21 17 19 13
24  Serbia 24 24 12 24 25 22 8 3
25  Estonia 10 8 24 17 12 12 6 5

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