The 54th edition of Festivali i Kenges will take place in Tirana from the 25th until the 27th of December, and this festival will once again bring us the Albanian entrant in the next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. A total of 30 acts are going to be competing for this title, one of who is an internationally known pianist – Genc Tukici.

After playing in Gstaad, Paris, and New York in between other places, Genc Tukici is now entering Festivali i Kenges with the song “Sa të dashuroj” which he composed all by himself. He spoke to us about his song and his participation in Festivali i Kenges, and here is what he told us:

First of all, what was your first reaction when you found out your song made it to Festivali i Kenges?

I was really happy but I also had in my mind that it was just the beginning.

You are a very well known pianist around the world. What does it mean to you to enter a contest such as Festivali i Kenges?

First of all it’s a great honour for me. I grew up with this festival, my brother David Tukiçi even won the first price a few years ago. I was several times the pianist at this festival, and I once won the first price as an arranger. Last year, I was invited to participate in the festival by the artistic director Shpetim Saraçi who is also my friend. Regarding all my commitments with this festival, I see my participation this year like the natural continuation of my career…

Is this the first time you are trying out as a singer?

Yes, it is, even though I worked with the club of “French variety songs” back in Paris, where I had the opportunity to sing in public. I also sang in a duet with the famous Albanian singer Ardit Gjebrea “Ne me quitte pas” at KLAN TV.

Can you tell us more about the meaning of your song “Sa të dashuroj”? Also, why did you decide to sing it yourself?

This is a song about love. About THE one true love, the one you meet once in your life and you wish it to be yours forever. I wrote the lyrics, the music, the orchestration… I did it all with my whole heart… And it only seems natural to me to sing it as well…

What sort of a song can we expect?

It’s a song about mad love, about the one true love..other significations are so much less important than that…

How are your preparations for FiK going? Do you have some ideas about your stage performance, outfit, how is everything going to look like?

I’m working on my song every day. My ideas about my performance are clear, and my goal is that everything goes in the same direction: the one that will give and carry the emotions to the public.

If you win Festivali i Kenges, and represent Albania in Eurovision – would you sing your song in English or Albanian?

And why not in French? I have the double nationality, France is also my country. Anyways, I will choose the language that will fit with the music the best, in order to transmit the emotional message.  

Do you usually follow the Eurovision Song Contest, and have you got a favourite Eurovision song?

Yes, every single year ever since I was a child. I only missed the live transmission once, last year, because I was in concert at the time of the final. My favorite songs are “Après toi” et “L’oiseau et l’enfant“… Both sung in French…

What are your thoughts on the past Albanian Eurovision participants?

From its first participation, Albania made a huge impression in Eurovision, and not only because of the admirable level of its singers, but also thanks to the compositors, writers and arrangers…

Are you engaged in any other projects currently, apart from Festivali i Kenges?

Actually, I’m working on a fantasy for piano and orchestra that will be called “Tukiçi March”. I would play this music on the 9th of December at the Exhibition Centre of Tirana during the concert “Three Tenors”. I will also be in concert in Luxembourg on the 17th of December. At the end of December and at the beginning of January 2016, I will be on a tour in the USA with the famous soprano Inva Mula.

Finally, do you have a message for all the Eurovision fans and readers of ESCBubble, who will be watching FiK this year?

Since many years now, Eurovision is in my opinion advancing on the world. Each year, the best songs of several countries are melting in a huge emotional party. Actual Europe and Europe of tomorrow should live more like this. And, who knows, maybe the world should do the same…

Genc Tukici will perform his song in the second semi final of this year’s Festivali i Kenges, on the 26th of December. ESCBubble would like to thank him for taking his time for talking to us, and we wish him the best of luck at Festivali i Kenges!