Controversy Surrounds Albania's Festivali i Këngës: Elsa Lila the Predestined Winner?

Elsa Lila në edicionin e 61-të të "Festivali i Këngës", ku fitoi vendin e parë por refuzoi për arsye jo të qarta të merrte pjesë në Eurovision 2022. 

This year's 62nd edition of "Festivali i Këngës," the popular Albanian music festival, has sparked quite a debate within the music community and among fans. What has stirred the pot of controversy? The abrupt withdrawal of two prominent artists, Kejsi Tola, and later Samanta Karavella, from the competition, local media reports.

Initially, the departures of Kejsi Tola and Samanta Karavella raised eyebrows as their withdrawal came after the announcement of the festival's list of winners. However, the latest buzz on the grapevine suggests that the real reason for their exit might be the alleged predestined winner. Unfortunately, both artists have remained tight-lipped about the exact motives behind their decision to withdraw from the competition.

According to speculations and comments from various quarters, Elsa Lila is the presumed winner, and in such a scenario, the involved artists might not have been willing to participate in what they perceive as an unfair competition.

It's worth noting that "Festivali i Këngës" has a rich history, with this year's edition being the 62nd. The festival serves as the platform for selecting Albania's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024. The festival's outcome is determined by a combination of public televoting and the jury's selection of the overall winner and other awards.

The abrupt withdrawals of Kejsi Tola and Samanta Karavella have left many fans and industry insiders speculating about the transparency and fairness of the festival's proceedings. The music community in Albania and beyond eagerly awaits further details and clarifications from the artists themselves or the festival organizers. Whether the allegations of a predestined winner hold any truth or not, one thing is certain: "Festivali i Këngës" remains a focal point of Albanian music and culture, and its outcome continues to be a matter of public interest and discussion.

However, these events do not attract the attention of the Albanian public as much as they should, considering that statistics from various institutions list Albania as one of the most corrupt countries in Europe, and currently one of the former prime ministers has been declared "persona non-grada" by the USA and a former deputy prime minister he escaped because he is wanted by the court for major corruption.