The difficult history of Festivali i Këngës
Almost sixty years ago, a new music festival began in the city of Tirana – Festivali i Këngës. This festival would continue for decades, through communism, dictatorship, prosecutions and censorship, before coming the music show known and loved around Europe today.
It’s through the shows long and difficult history that we can see how the contest grew and developed into the festival that now airs today.
Beginning in the December of 1962, the festival was centred around light music, and was won by Vaçe Zela and her song ‘Fëmija I parë’. The song was about a happy mother who was thrilled to have been blessed with a child in her life.