The first national final for season 2020 is over and we have a winner.
Arilena Ara with 'Shaj' has won Festivali i Këngës 58 beating out big favourite Elvana Gjata with 'Me tana' who finished runner-up.
Arilena, a former X Factor Albania winner, won with a jury vote consisting of Mikaela Minga (Albania) Christer Björkman (Sweden) Dimitris Kontopoulos (Greece) Felix Bergsson (Iceland) and Rita Petro (Albania).
Eleni Foureira was an interval act on the night. Eleni, born Entela Fureraj in Albania, made a triumphant return to her birth nation, speaking and singing in Albanian after her show, much to the delight of the home crowd. She performed 'Fuego' as well as a medley of well known songs including 'Like a Prayer', infamously performed by Madonna in Tel Aviv.
Arilena's song 'Shaj' is just under 3 minutes long, which means a major revamp isn't necessarily needed based on time. But still this can change and it may be sung in Albanian or English.
Watch her winning performance below:
Eleni Foureira's performance