#Festivali i Këngës 44

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2006 - Number 42 - Rudi - "Qyteti im"

Rudi, Rudi, Rudi, Rudi. Albania's self-proclaimed king of Hip Hop, real name Rudens Gega, is having a second crack at FiK and thus Eurovision. Most importantly he's presenting me with the ultimate 'I've heard this before' moment I've had with the national finals yet.

I'm sure the central riff at the heart of Qyteti Im (My City), isn't only a sample, but it's a sample that's been used in mainstream hip hop song before. It's not just that it's close to Eminem's Lose Yourself and Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise. I've heard this tune previously, probably as a main theme to a film, and my brain and search skills are failing me - as is Shazam. It's frustratingly on the precipice of recognition, but I'm not there yet.

It may be that Qyteti Im has been used in a much wider context and that's why I know it, but no matter how much I strain the little grey cells attached to my ear drums, I've not worked it out yet.

The song itself is rap over a choral and classical backing (arrangement by Jetmir Mehmeti). Rudi's rap is a little poem of love to his home town of Shkodra near the border with Montenegro in the north of the country, on the shores of the lake that bears its name, Lake Skadar. It speaks of a life spent in a relationship with a place that has seeped into the pores of Rudi, shaped him, consoled him and kept him safe.

Neither Eurovision nor FiK are the natural home of hip hop or rapping. Therefore it will come as no surprise to find that this song - one of Rudi's most famous - did not qualify for the final. He was eliminated for the Festivali i Këngës judges after this is lone semi-final appearance. It could be that this is this because of the proximity to an already famous song, but it's more likely that this is just not what FiK judges like and know. He had made it to the final once before, two years prior rapping alongside Ingrid Jushi

Even if this is a rip-off of other, more famous hip-hop tunes it's still a a fantastic combination of orchestra, choir and rap in honour of a connection we all feel to our homes in one way or another.

Rudi himself has had several albums and collaborations since, though it's difficult to gauge how much success he's had. The comments on his videos are laudatory, but he's made little no impact on any database of music or even Albanian Wikipedia. He's still make music, though to what audience I don't know.

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2006 - Number 62 - Erinda Dhima - "Për ju"

FiK 44 was the usual huge Albanian occasion pre-Christmas with two semi-finals that produced a final of twenty songs and a 100% jury vote. It was a rich and varied affair with many genres of music and singing represented. Among them was Erinda Dhima.

Erinda is a Laïko singer and most of her fans and songs have been released in the Greek market, even though (I think) she's Albanian. Her first claim to fame was appearing alongside Greek folk star Stelios Rokkos on his single Χάντρα Χαντρα (Handra Handra) in which she starts off singing in Albanian.

Her main gig was gigging - all around Greece, singing folk tunes and popular songs at clubs on stages night after night. She had a self-titled album out in 2001 that doesn't appear to have gained much traction, but as live singer, she had more than enough work.

I don't know where the idea to sing at the Festivali i Këngës came from. Perhaps it was because Eurovision was in Athens and RTSH wanted something with local flavour. Perhaps it was someone in the team behind her song. The lyrics to Për tu (For You) were written by Laert Vasili, Albanian actor and director who like Erinda has made a living mostly in Greece, but who has appeared on stages all over south-east Europe from Bosnia to Cyprus. He's something of a regular on Albanian talent shows too.

Për tu itself is a song sung by a woman really needing her man. Love has got her feeling touched by fire and her devotion knows very few limits. The genre is her stock in trade. A song with Greek flavours woven throughout. In a Eurovision context, it's an ethnobop and thus very on brand for 2006. She's afflicted by that mid-2000s costuming decision, the shared skirt that's disposed of when the bridge of the song hits.

Erinda was on last in the running order for FiK, and it would appear that this was because the organisers knew that her song would go over well. Reports suggest that this drew the biggest audience ovation of the evening and I've seen little to suggest otherwise.

However the judges disagreed. FiK only announce the results of the top three finishers and Erinda was not one of them despite the popular reception. With this rejection, she went back to Greece and continued her career. She's still singing today - having spent the past two years performing in Israel