Elhaida Dani, Albania’s representative in Eurovision 2015 and one of the country’s most renowned singers, will be the artistic director of the 63rd edition of the Song Festival. Elhaida Dani herself won the festival in the 2014 edition, which earned her a ticket to travel to Vienna. Ten years later, the singer transitions to the other side of the stage and will be one of the directors.

Radio Televizioni Shqiptar aims to extend the contract for more than one year. The General Director of RTSH, Alfred Peza, announced her appointment with these words: “Elhaida’s coming is good news for me, for the staff, and for the entire public opinion, as she will be an added value to the festival, given her distinguished career and her victories in many music competitions. She will also work with Bojken Lako, the director of the 62nd Festival, who organized one of the best festivals RTSH has ever had.”

Elhaida Dani, very excited about her new responsibility, assures that she will convey all her personal and professional experience to the Song Festival, for which she has already begun working. “It is a great pleasure and responsibility. I was born and raised in the RTSH Festival, and thanks to it, I also reached the Eurovision stage. I know what this festival means for Albanian artists. I know its importance. I will do my utmost in this edition, but also in the future ones. It is a golden opportunity to show Albania its best values. Our aim is to select a team as professional and as serious as possible to do an excellent job at this festival and in the future ones.”

Elhaida Dani is 31 years old, but she started her career at the age of 16, winning the talent show Star Academy, and in 2012 she won Top Fest. In 2013, she participated in The Voice of Italy. She participated in the Festivali i Këngës for the first time in 2011, winning the prize for the best melody. She had to wait until 2014 to win the festival, representing Albania in Eurovision with “I’m Alive.” Another notable work in the artist’s career is the role of Esmeralda in the international musical “Notre Dame de Paris.”

/k.s/