| Year: | 2005 |
| Country: | Albania |
| Preselection: | Festivali i Këngës 43 |
| Preselection Date: | Semi-finals: 16 December 2004 17 December 2004 Final: 18 December 2004 |
| Entrant: | Ledina Çelo |
| Song: | Tomorrow I Go |
| Final Result: | 16th, 53 points |
Albania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv, Ukraine, with the song "Tomorrow I Go" performed by Ledina Çelo. Its selected entry was chosen through the national selection competition Festivali i Këngës organised by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) in December 2004. This marked the second time that Albania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since its debut in . Due to the top 10 result in the previous contest, the nation automatically qualified for the grand final, which took place on 21 May 2005. In the final, it performed as number eight and placed 16th out of the 24 participating countries, scoring 53 points.
See main article: Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced in 2003 that Albania would debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in .[1] Therefore, the country's national broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), chose the annual competition Festivali i Këngës as the selection method to determine Albania's representative for the contest.[2] The first entry was performed by Anjeza Shahini with the song "The Image of You" which finished in seventh place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004.[3]
RTSH organised the 43rd edition of Festivali i Këngës to determine Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.[4] The competition consisted of two semi-finals on 16 and 17 December, respectively, and the grand final on 18 December 2004.[5] The three live shows were hosted by Albanian-Sudanese singer Hueyda El Sayed and presenter Leon Menkshi.[4] Guest performances were featured from Albania's Eurovision Song Contest 2004 representative Anjeza Shahini, Italy's Eurovision Song Contest 1988 representative Luca Barbarossa and the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 Ruslana from Ukraine.[6]
| + Participants | |||
| Artist(s) | Song | Composer[7] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agim Poshka | "Të kam, s'të kam" | Agim Poshka | |
| Aleksia Jani | "Zotit" | Aleksia Jani | |
| Aurel Thëllimi | "Erë e marrë" | Erion Sheme | |
| Barbana Dini | "Jeta këtu s'mbaron" | Bardbyl Hysa | |
| Besiana Mehmedi | "Grafitë dashurie" | Nexhat Mujovi | |
| Çlirim Denaj | "Ti ike" | Çlirim Denaj | |
| Elsida Sinaj | "Harresë kujtimesh" | Roland Guli | |
| Stela Risto | "Vështirë të flas, vështirë të puth" | Agron Xhunga | |
| Floriana Muça | "Përtej dashurisë" | Mark Luli | |
| Ingrid Jushi | "Vetëm një natë" | Falmur Shebu | |
| Joe Artid Fejzo | "Me ty" | Joe Artid Fejzo | |
| Jonida Maliqi | "Frikem se më pëlqen" | Adrian Hila | |
| Julian Lekoçaj | "Do të fal" | Julian Lebkoçaj | |
| Klajdi Musabelli | "Puthjen nuk ta kam harruar" | Vladimir Kotani | |
| Kozma Dushi and Ermira Kola | "Të bashkëjetoj më ty" | Petrit Terkuçi | |
| Kujtim Prodani | "Jetën ndryshe e shikoj" | Kujtim Prodani | |
| Ledina Çelo | "Nesër shkoj" | Adrian Hila | |
| Luiz Ejlli | "Hëna dhe yjet dashurojnë" | Shpetim Saraci | |
| Mariza Ikonomi | "Kur dashuron" | Edmond Zhulali | |
| Marsida Saraçi | "Më duaj gjatë" | Edmond Rrapi | |
| Monika Trungu | "Ti më bën të pasur" | Gazmend Mullhi | |
| Olsa Spata | "Pritje" | Spartak Tili | |
| Redon Makashi | "Ndjej" | Redon Makashi | |
| Rosela Gjylbegu and Arbër Arapi | "Pëshpëritje zemrash" | Shpetim Saraçi | |
| Rovena Stefa | "Kthehem prap" | Alfred Kaçinari | |
| Saimir Çili | "Ëndërr e gjallë" | Saimir Çili | |
| Saimir Braho and Enkela Braho | "Përpara se ti të vish në këtë botë" | Saimir Braho | |
| Samanta Karavella | "Buzëqeshja" | Valentin Veizi | |
| Shpat Kasapi | "Jam, kam të fal" | Gramoz Kozeli | |
| Soni Malaj | "Eja ne Ballkan" | Shefqet Hoxha | |
| Tergita Gusta | "Me ty, pa ty" | Endri Sina | |
| Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti and Rona Nishliu | "Flakaresh" | Armend Rexhepagiq |
The semi-finals of Festivali i Këngës took place on 16 December and 17 December 2004, respectively.[5] 16 contestants participated in each semi-final, with the highlighted ones progressing to the grand final.[5]
| + Semi-final 116 December 2004 | |||
| Draw[8] | Artist(s) | Song | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marsida Saraçi | "Më duaj gjatë" | |
| 2 | Julian Lekoçaj | "Do të fal" | |
| 3 | Stela Risto | "Vështirë të flas, vështirë të puth" | |
| 4 | Aleksia Jani | "Zotit" | |
| 5 | Soni | "Eja në ballkan" | |
| 6 | Aurel Thëllimi | "Erë e marrë" | |
| 7 | Rovena Stefa | "Kthehem prapë" | |
| 8 | Floriana Muça | "Përtej dashurisë" | |
| 9 | Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti and Rona Nishliu | "Flakareshë" | |
| 10 | Joe Artid Fejzo | "Me ty" | |
| 11 | Besiana Mehmeti | "Grafitë dashurie" | |
| 12 | Mariza Ikonomi | "Kur dashuron" | |
| 13 | Klajdi Musabelliu | "Puthjen nuk ta kam harruar" | |
| 14 | Jonida Maliqi | "Frikem se më pëlqen" | |
| 15 | Agim Poshka | "Të kam, s’të kam' | |
| 16 | Rosela Gjylbegu and Arbër Arapi | "Pëshperitje zemrash" |
| + Semi-final 217 December 2004 | |||
| Draw | Artist(s) | Song | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbana Dini | "Jeta këtu s'mbaron" | |
| 2 | Kujtim Prodani | "Jetën ndryshe e shikoj" | |
| 3 | Olsa Spata | "Pritje" | |
| 4 | Shpat Kasapi | "Jam, kam të fal" | |
| 5 | Monika Trungu | "Ti më bën të pasur" | |
| 6 | Samanta Karavella | "Buzëqeshje" | |
| 7 | Çlirim Denaj | "Ti ike" | |
| 8 | Tergita Gusta | "Me ty, pa ty" | |
| 9 | Luiz Ejlli | "Hëna dhe yjet dashurojnë" | |
| 10 | Elsida Sinaj | "Harresë kujtimesh" | |
| 11 | Sajmir Çili | "Ëndërr e gjallë" | |
| 12 | Redon Makashi | "Ndjenjë" | |
| 13 | Ingrid Jushi | "Vetëm një natë" | |
| 14 | Kozma Dushi and Ermira Kola | "Të bashkëjetoj me ty" | |
| 15 | Ledina Çelo | "Nesër shkoj" | |
| 16 | Sajmir and Enkela Braho | "Para se të vish në këtë botë" |
The grand final of Festivali i Këngës took place on 18 December 2004.[5] Ledina Çelo emerged as the winner with "Nesër shkoj" and was simultaneously announced as Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.[6] [9]
Key: Winner Second place Third place
| + Final18 December 2004 | |||
| Draw | Artist(s) | Song | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kujtim Prodani | "Jetën ndryshe e shikoj" | |
| 2 | Redon Makashi | "Ndjenjë" | |
| 3 | Rovena Stefa | "Kthehem prapë" | |
| 4 | Sajmir and Enkela Braho | "Para se të vish në këtë botë" | |
| 5 | Joe Artid Fejzo | "Me ty" | |
| 6 | Tergita Gusta | "Me ty, pa ty" | |
| 7 | Marsida Saraçi | "Më duaj gjatë" | |
| 8 | Luiz Ejlli | "Hëna dhe yjet dashurojnë" | |
| 9 | Julian Lekoçaj | "Do të fal" | |
| 10 | Mariza Ikonomi | "Kur dashuron" | |
| 11 | Samanta Karavella | "Buzëqeshje" | |
| 12 | Ledina Çelo | "Nesër shkoj" | |
| 13 | Jonida Maliqi | "Frikem se më pëlqen" | |
| 14 | Klajdi Musabelliu | "Puthjen nuk ta kam harruar" | |
| 15 | Monika Trungu | "Ti më bën të pasur" | |
| 16 | Rosela Gjylbegu and Arbër Arapi | "Pëshperitje zemrash" | |
| 17 | Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti and Rona Nishliu | "Flakareshë" | |
| 18 | Ingrid Jushi | "Vetëm një natë" |
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 took place at the Palace of Sports in Kyiv, Ukraine, and consisted of a semi-final on 19 May and the grand final on 21 May 2005.[10] According to the Eurovision rules, all participating countries, except the host nation and the "Big Four", consisting of,, and the, were required to qualify from the semi-final to compete for the final, although the top 10 countries from the semi-final progress to the final.[11] Due to the top 11 result in the previous year, Albania automatically qualified for the contest's grand final and performed eighth, following and preceding .[12] [13]
The tables below visualise a breakdown of points awarded to Albania in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, as well as by the nation in the semi-final and final, respectively. In the grand final, Albania finished in 16th place, being awarded a total of 53 points, including 12 from and 10 from both and .[14] The nation awarded its 12 points to Macedonia in the semi-final and to Greece in the grand final of the contest.[15]