For the first time the Albanian public will have a say in who represents them at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Today at a press conference in Tirana details regarding the 55th edition of Festivali i Kenges were released, including details regarding a new voting system. For the first time since the country debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest, the public will have a say in who will be representing them at Eurovision. Replacing the traditional 100% jury vote will be two different voting methods for the semi finals and the final.

For the semi finals a total of 14 singers will be selected to make it through to the final. A total of 24 songs will be performed over two nights in two different semi finals. 14 qualifiers will then be selected by a jury vote, press vote and public vote. A professional jury will select 8 of the finalists, followed by 3 songs selected by the press and 3 by a jury made up of the public.

In the final of Festivali i Kenges 55, the winner will be decided by 60% professional jury voting and 40% public jury. It has not been revealed as to how a member of the public can be a member of the public jury for Festivali i Kenges 55.

Furthermore it was announced by Rezart Aga the Director of Festivali i Kenges 55, that prizes will also be awarded to the singers and songwriters who finish in 2nd and 3rd place in the final. This decision was made to reward Albanian talent in the music world.

The decision on which 24 songs will be competing in Festivali i Kenges will be made by Shpëtim Saraçi, Alfred Kaçinari, Florent Boshnjaku, Bojken Lako and Gent Rushi. The singer who have made it through to the semi finals are expected to be revealed at the start of December.

Source: Eurovision Albania