Albania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia, with the song "Carry Me in Your Dreams" performed by Kejsi Tola. Its selected entry was chosen through the national selection competition Festivali i Këngës organised by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) in December 2008. To this point, the nation had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest five times since its first entry in 2004. Albania was drawn to compete in the second semi-final of the contest, which took place on 14 May 2009. Performing as number 16, the nation was announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore qualified to compete in the grand final. In the final on 16 May 2009, it performed as number 19 and placed 17th out of the 25 participating countries, scoring 48 points.
Background
Prior to the 2009 contest, Albania had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest five times since its first entry in 2004.[1] The nation's highest placing in the contest, to this point, had been the seventh place, which it achieved in 2004 with the song "The Image of You" performed by Anjeza Shahini.[1] Albania's national broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), has organised Festivali i Këngës since its inauguration in 1962.[2] Since 2003, the winner of the competition has simultaneously won the right to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest.[2]
Before Eurovision
Festivali i Këngës
RTSH organised the 47th edition of Festivali i Këngës to determine Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009.[3][4] The competition consisted of two semi-finals on 19 and 20 December, respectively, and the grand final on 21 December 2008.[5][6] The three live shows were hosted by Albanian singer Elsa Lila, composer Julian Deda and actor Gentian Zenelaj.[7]
The semi-finals of Festivali i Këngës took place on 19 December and 20 December 2008, and were broadcast live at 20.45 (CET) on the respective dates.[8][9] The first semi-final featured all 20 artists performing their entries, while in the second one each artist performed a duet with an other Albanian artist.[5][6]
The grand final of Festivali i Këngës took place on 21 December 2008 and was broadcast live at 20.45 (CET).[11] The winner was determined by the combination of the votes from a seven-member jury, consisting of E. Koço, G. Bojaxhi, F. Boshnjaku, G. Demaliaj, N. Çashku, M. Laze and L. Leopoldi. Kejsi Tola emerged as the winner with "Më merr në ëndërr" and was simultaneously announced as Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009.[12]
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 took place at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia and consisted of two semi-finals held on 12 and 14 May, respectively, and the grand final on 16 May 2009.[13] According to the Eurovision rules, all participating countries, except the host nation and the "Big Four", consisting of France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, were required to qualify from one of the two semi-finals to compete for the grand final, although the top 10 countries from the respective semi-final progress to the grand final of the contest.[14]
On 30 January 2009, a special allocation draw was held that placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, with Albania being placed into the second, to be held on 14 May.[15] Once all the competing songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the delegation heads of the 42 participating countries rather than through another draw; the nation was set to perform at position 16, following Moldova and preceding Ukraine.[16] In the grand final, it was announced that Albania would be performing 19th, following Turkey and preceding Norway.[17]
Voting
The tables below visualise a breakdown of points awarded to Albania in the second semi-final and grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, as well as by the nation on both occasions. In the semi-final, Albania finished in seventh place with a total of 73 points, including 10 from both Croatia and Greece.[18] In the grand final, Albania finished in 17th place, being awarded a total of 48 points, including 10 from Turkey and 7 from Greece, Macedonia and Montenegro.[19] The nation awarded its 12 points to Greece in both the semi-final and final of the contest.[18][19]
^ ab"Countries: Albania". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abKnoops, Roy (21 December 2017). "Watch now: Albania's Festivali i Këngës 56 kicks off with semi-final 1". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Laufer, Gil (18 December 2008). "Albania: FiK song titles and running order known". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Konstantopoulos, Fotis. "Festivali i Kenges dates and participants announced". OikoTimes. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abcdLaufer, Gil (19 December 2008). "Live: first presentation show in Albania". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abcLaufer, Gil (20 December 2008). "Replay: second presentation show in Albania". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abRomkes, René (4 December 2008). "Albania: Complete line-up revealed". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Wells, Simon. "Festivali i Kenges semifinals live from Tirana". OikoTimes. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Wells, Simon. "Festivali i Kenges 2nd semifinal live from Tirana". OikoTimes. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Wells, Simon. "Running order for Festivali i Kenges announced". OikoTimes. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abKlier, Marcus (21 December 2008). "Tonight: National final in Albania". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abKlier, Marcus (22 December 2008). "Albania decided: Kejsi Tola to Eurovision!". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^"Eurovision Song Contest–Moscow 2009". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Moscow, Russia: European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 12–16 May 2009.
^"The Semi-Final Allocation Draw results!". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^"Moscow 2009: Draw for the Running Order completed!". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^Colclough, Phil (14 May 2009). "Eurovision 2009 – The draw for running order". OnEurope. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ abcd"Results of the Second Semi-Final of Moscow 2009". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^ abcd"Results of the Grand Final of Moscow 2009". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^Bakker, Sietse (31 July 2009). "Exclusive: Split jury/televoting results out!". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^"Eurovision Song Contest 2009 - Full Results". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original (XLS) on 6 June 2011.
Lithuania 
Israel 
France 
Sweden 
Croatia 
Portugal 
Iceland 
Greece 
Armenia 
Russia 
Azerbaijan 
Bosnia and Herzegovina 
Moldova 
Malta 
Estonia 
Denmark 
Germany 
Turkey 
Albania 
Norway 
Ukraine 
Romania 
United Kingdom 
Finland 
Spain 
