It’s official: Festivali i Këngës (aka FiK) has launched us into the swing of the Eurovision 2026 national final season. While FiK isn’t often considered the most beloved national selection in the fandom, Albania’s national music festival consistently offers us something special: a live orchestra, live vocals, restrained staging, and a sense of authenticity that is undeniably Albanian.
Hosted by Arilena Ara and Salsano Rrapi, FiK 64 landed on a clear winner: “Nân” by Alis. Contrary to the all too common jury-televote standoff we’ve seen in recent years at Eurovision, this year’s Festivali i Këngës final produced a decisive, consensus result.
The Winner: Alis – “Nân”
Alis and his signature sunglasses won Festivali i Këngës 64 with “Nân,” finishing first overall with 152 points, comfortably ahead of the field. As mentioned, Alis placed 1st with both the jury (68 points – 3 points ahead of Sheila with “Zemra e Tokës”) and the public (84 points – 14 points ahead of Inis Neziri’s “Ta kam fal”).
Alis’ performance of “Nân” (“Mom”) is perhaps best defined by what it doesn’t do. From the opening moments, the song plants its emotional roots and stays there. The choir opening, almost reminiscent of Madonna’s ”Like a Prayer”, immediately creates a epic quality to the song. There is no late key change, no sudden dynamic shift, and no attempt to manufacture a “big moment” near the end. Instead, the song moves steadily forward, letting the feeling deepen. The choral motif is repeated again to end the song, with Alis’ vocals becoming more vulnerable within the final seconds of the song.
This approach is reflected in the staging. The performance begins in near darkness, with Alis obscured from view. The camera holds close but avoids dramatic shifts. The visual imagery we get never interrupts the song’s flow — and that seems quite intentional.
Lyrically, “Nân” stays focused on the themes of motherhood and the sacrifice and pain associated with migration in the Balkans. Similar themes were explored by Croatia’s 2024 Eurovision entry, “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” by Baby Lasagna, albeit through a VERY different means. The relationship at the centre of the song is something very specific and authentic to the Balkan region, and simultaneously speaks to the human experience that we can all connect with.
Alis’ victory comes one year after placing 3rd at FiK 63 with “Mjegull”.
How FiK 64 Narrowed Its Field
FiK 64’s four-night format featured two semi-finals, a nostalgia evening, and a grand final. With a full orchestra, a staircase in the middle of the stage, and a qualifying process that was specific to newcomer artists, we won’t blame you if you notice some similarities between FiK and Italy’s longstanding Sanremo Music Festival. The semifinals saw the elimination of 5 entries, including fan favourite “Vite” by ThreeX. Advancing to the finals to join the 18 pre-qualified entries were Rigersa Loka (“Albanian Heart”), Sheila (“Zemra e Tokës”), Ghiti (“Okej!”), Savjana Vjerdha (“Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë”), and Endri Kaçaçi (“Si Unë”).
Opening and Interval Acts
The Festivali i Këngës 64 final opened up with jury member Bleona Qereti’s dynamic performance of the song “Lërmeni”. The 64th edition of the contest marked the 30th anniversary of Qereti’s first appearance on the Fik stage (Source: RTSH), a very fitting opening to a song festival that has become such an engrained part of Albanian culture.
During the voting period, Shkodra Elektronike performed their new song “Fosforon”, followed up by a reprise of their winning entry from last year, “Zjerm”.
Perhaps a surprise to some was the Tommy Cash concert that followed next. Cash did his best to keep the energy in the audience high during his performances of “Ok”, “Uns Uns”, and his 3rd place Eurovision entry, “Espresso Macchiato”.
Rounding Out the Top 5 Were….
2nd place: Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal”
“Ta kam fal” emerged as the fandom favourite and was a clear contender in the competition. The song strikes the balance of contemporary pop and ethnic traditional sounds that often does well with audiences. For lovers of Festivali i Këngës, you may remember Inis’ past FiK entries “Piedestal” (2017) and “Pendesë” (2021).
3rd place: Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës”
Newcomer Sheila’s “Zemra e Tokës” prioritised atmosphere and depth over accessibility. The hypnotic song unfolds slowly, leaving listeners in a trance. The deep house elements mixed with traditional ethnopop really made its mark with jurors, but unfortunately received a lower public score. This performance felt like art.
4th place: Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri”
“Rri” succeeded most through the chemistry of Fifi and Tiri. The song’s emotional pull came from the interaction between its two performers rather than from a tightly defined musical arc. While Rri resonated with a large portion of the public, the jury placed it outside of its Top 5.
5th place: Vedat Ademi – “Kur Fjala Mbaron”
“Kur Fjala Mbaron” represented the most traditional entry in the top five. Vocally secure, this song fits well within FiK’s historical rolodex of songs. Unsurprisingly, Vedat saw most of his points come from the jury, while still placing a respectable 8th with the public.
Full Results:
Overall Ranking (Jury + Public)
- Alis – “Nân”: 152 points
- Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal”: 102 points
- Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës”: 93 points
- Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri”: 85 points
- Vedat Ademi – “Kur Fjala Mbaron”: 63 points
- Sara Kapo – “Të dua shumë”: 55 points
- Endri Kaçaçi – “Si Unë”: 54 points
- 2 Farm – “Valle mbi hi”: 52 points
- Luna Çausholli – “Pa kufij”: 36 points
- Enxhi Nasufi – “Dritë”: 25 points
- Frensi – “Tresh”: 22 points
- Ghiti – “Okej!”: 17 points
- Rezarta Smaja – “Balukeprera”: 15 points
- Savjana Vjerdha – “Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë”: 11 points
- Lorenc Hasrama – “Lamtumirë”: 10 points
- Gerta Mahmutaj – “Në krahët e tu”: 7 points
- Rigersa Loka – “Albanian Heart”: 5 points
- Erik Lloshi – “Dy pika dashuri”: 4 points
- Kamela Islamaj – “Pa pretendime”: 4 points
- Lynx – “Nuk kthehem pas”: 0 points
- Evi Reçi – “Kodi i jetës”: 0 points
- Kleansa Susaj – “Hije”: 0 points
- Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso – “Busulla e zemrës”: 0 points
Jury Ranking
- Alis – “Nân”: 68 points
- Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës”: 65 points
- Vedat Ademi – “Kur Fjala Mbaron”: 42 points
- Endri Kaçaçi – “Si Unë”: 40 points
- Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal”: 32 points
- Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri”: 29 points
- Enxhi Nasufi – “Dritë”: 25 points
- Frensi – “Tresh”: 22 points
- Ghiti – Okej!”: 17 points
- Rezarta Smaja – “Balukeprera”: 15 points
- Savjana Vjerdha – “Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë”: 11 points
- 2 Farm – “Valle mbi hi”: 10 points
- Lorenc Hasrama – “Lamtumirë”: 10 points
- Sara Kapo – “Të dua shumë”: 6 points
- Rigersa Loka – “Albanian Heart”: 5 points
- Erik Lloshi – “Dy pika dashuri”: 4 points
- Kamela Islamaj – “Pa pretendime”: 4 points
- Luna Çausholli – “Pa kufij”: 1 point
- All other entries: 0 points
Public / SMS Ranking
- Alis – “Nân”: 84 points
- Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal”: 70 points
- Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri”: 56 points
- Sara Kapo – “Të dua shumë”: 49 points
- 2 Farm – “Valle mbi hi”: 42 points
- Luna Çausholli – “Pa kufij”: 35 points
- Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës”: 28 points
- Vedat Ademi – “Kur Fjala Mbaron”: 21 points
- Endri Kaçaçi – “Si Unë”: 14 points
- Gerta Mahmutaj – “Në krahët e tu”: 7 points
- All other entries: 0 points