All those who have followed Eurovision over the years know well: Albania has sometimes had successes that have made us proud, and other times we have said out loud "this is all geopolitical."
Below we remind you of all the cases when Albanian singers have qualified for the grand final, ranked by place achieved:
Those who made us feel like winners – even without the cup:
Rona Nishliu (2012) – with the thrilling ballad “Suus”, Rona grabbed 5th place, Albania’s highest result to date. She gave a thrilling performance that took Europe by storm.
Anjeza Shahini (2004) – Albania's Eurovision debut couldn't have been better. "The Image of You" came in 7th place.
Eugent Bushpepa (2018) – with the song “Mall”, Eugent stood out as one of the best vocalists to ever represent Albania, ranking 11th. He received many high praises from critics.
Those who reached the final, but perhaps deserved more:
Ledina Çelo (2005) – After Anjeza Shahini's success, Ledina automatically had a ticket to the final. "Tomorrow I Go" had drama, rhythm and that typical Ledina "grin". She ranked 16th.
Juliana Pasha (2010) – A brilliant voice, a brilliant performance and a song that was no different from the other countries. However, “It's All About You” ended up in 16th place and we were left with that feeling of “why not higher?!”.
All of the following songs are ranked 17th:
Olta Boka (2008) with "Zemrën e lamë peng" - a heartfelt ballad that we still listen to in moments of nostalgia.
Kejsi Tola (2009) with “Carry Me in Your Dreams” – a dreamy performance that was not properly appreciated.
Elhaida Dani (2015) with "I'm alive" was well received by the public, but the song had no luck with the votes.
Jonida Maliqi (2019) with "Ktheju tokës" - an epic combination between a strong message and Jonida's powerful voice, which should have gone much higher.
Those who fell to the bottom of the ranking (but not in our hearts):
Anxhela Peristeri (2021) with "Karma", a song that combined tradition, Balkan style, and powerful vocals, ranked 21st.
Albina & Familja Kelmendi (2023) with "Duje" which brought a new form of representation at Eurovision.
New hopes:
Shkodra Elektronike (2025) have qualified for this year's final with the song "Zjerm" and have set the internet on fire. Now it remains to be seen where they will rank.
Eurovision 2020, when Albania was to be represented by Arilena Ara and the song "Fall from the Sky", was canceled due to the pandemic.
Below is the list of singers who did not make it to the finals.
