This year, Alabania will be represented at Junior Eurovision 2023 by Viola Gjyzeli, performing her soulful mid-tempo ballad ‘Bota Ime’.
Read on below for more details about the entry, the artist, and the history of Albania at Junior Eurovision!
About the artist: Viola Gjyzeli
Viola was born in Italy to Albanian parents and won her first singing contest at the age of 7 in her hometown of Durrës. She enjoys playing sports like basketball and table tennis, as well as spending time with her six dogs (Zago, Era, Tomi, Zara, Boi, and Bora) and her pet cow Dotty.
Viola Gjyzeli was selected through Albania’s national final “Junior Fest 2023”. The results of Junior Fest 2023 were determined wholly by an expert jury panel.
(Source: junioreurovision.tv)
About the song: ‘Bota Ime’
‘Bota Ime’ (My World) is a mid-tempo ballad featuring a contemporary waltz-like backing track against soul/R&B-inspired vocals.
The track was written by Enis Mullaj (music) and Eriona Rushiti (lyrics), the same team who wrote Albina & Familija Kelmendi’s ‘Duje’ performed in Liverpool for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Eriona Rushiti is also credited as the lyricist for Albania’s 2019 entry in Tel Aviv, ‘Ktheju Tokës’.
Albania in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Albania first participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 with the song 'Kam një këngë vetëm për ju' by Igzidora Gjeta, which finished 12th with 35 points. They then took a few years off, returning in 2015 with the song 'Dambaje' by Mishela Rapo, which to date is Albania's best result, finishing 5th with 93 points.
Apart from the 2020 edition, the country has participated every year since, and finished 12th last year with Kejtlin Gjata’s ‘Pakëz Diell’.
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