Orgesa Zaimi is coming back to Festivali i Kenges this year for the third time. After a great success last year with “Ngrije zërin” (which was our readers’ favorite song in Festivali i Kenges), she is back in the competition this year, with the song called “Hije”.

We were pleased to catch up with Orgesa before she takes to the stage later this week to talk to her about why she’s decided to enter Festivali i Kenges once again this year, the meaning of her new song and what she intends to bring to the stage.

Orgesa, welcome back to Festivali i Kenges once again!  It is commonly known that “third time’s the charm 🙂 Is this normally your case as well?

Hello, thank you. Well I don’t know if it really works the third time, we have to wait and see 😀

How was your experience last year with “Ngrije zërin” and why did you decide to enter Festivali i Kenges again this year?

Last year was a blessing, I had the most memorable time,the reviews and the feedback from all Albanians and Eurovision fans was huge and it has still a big impact. I made a lot of fans from Europe that I am proud they still support me, so everything was a great experience. I didn’t want to take part this year but it was a phone call from musician Genti Lako who wanted badly to have a song this year with me, I said “Well I am very selective, it better be good as Ngrije Zerin or even better”. He send to me the demo and I was blown away cause its my favorite musical style. I am one of the few alternative artists that Albania has, I always was that way, I always loved and produced alternative music. So I was impressed from the start by this song…

What can you tell us about “Hije”?

First came the music and then the lyrics, I was very happy to collaborate with Genti Lako who produced everything, I wanted the song to be very spiritual, very catchy and also the subject very mysterious cause we always think “Is there life after death?” “Do ghost exist?” so the song is called “Shadow” (But it refers to the ghosts, people who are not realized or they have something left to do while they were still alive, so they wander around trying to be heard).

The rules of this year’s festival have changed. How do you see these changes?

I am used to them cause just like a chameleon, I can adapt to everything. I am very pleased to sing live with the big orchestra, I have all it takes.

The Albanian version of your song already has some English lyrics -“I’m not gonna lose my cool”, so I would guess you’d change the language of your song, in case you win?

Well that part of the song came very natural, without any doubt or pre–plan 😀 … As a cool girl that I am that was very into me so we decided to keep it that way, it doesn’t mean that I am in only for the win…

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

We have a performance night, which is the second night 21 December. Festivali i Kenges will be Eurovision style, we will sing a version of how we like to do it if we were representing our country. It’s challenging, I already made the outfit and also I have a special and very simple idea for the performance, you will see 😀

What are you most looking forward to about your participation?

I just want to have fun 😀

Have you had a chance to hear any of the other competing songs in this year’s Festivali i Kenges? Who do you think is that one act, who is going to be your biggest competition?

Yes I have, and I liked some of them. Mostly cause they are my friends too, some of them I have friendly relations so we exchange the cuffs to hear each other’s song. I can’t tell about a big competition there. I will do the best I can, and let the jury decide.

I know that you are performing almost non-stop all over Albania. Can you tell us a bit more about these other projects you are involved with?

Apart from gigs and live shows, I have a radio show which I love, and right now I did something new, I recorded a soundtrack for a comedy,an Albanian movie, so I am very excited to see the reactions…

Thank you very much for your time Orgesa. We wish you the best of luck at Festivali i Kenges, and hope to see you in Tel Aviv!

Thank you it was a pleasure… Keep it cool 😀

Orgesa Zaimi is going to perform last in the first night of Festivali i Kenges on Thursday. Give a listen to her entry “Hije”, right here:

If Orgesa is one of your favorites in this year’s Festivali i Kenges, make sure you cast your vote for her, and up to two other entries in our poll here: