For
the fourth year in a row, Albania was first country to choose its
entry through a national final, when a panel
of experts selected "Balada e Gurit" (Stone Ballad) as
the winner of the 45th annual "Festivali I Kenges"
staged over three nights between the 21st and 23rd December 2006.
The song was performed by the husband and wife duo of Aida &
Frederik Ndoci.
Frederik Ndoci was born
on February 9th 1960 and is a very well known on the Albanian
music scene. Frederik grew up on a very cultural home of artists
from the north Albanian city of Shkodra. His sister, Rita was
loved for her performances as a professional comedian long before
Frederik started his career as singer. Frederik's other sister,
Julia also started a career as a singer right after Frederik, but
she couldn't share so much success as her brother.
Frederick
started writing, acting and singing at an early age and today he
is known around the world to be one of the greatest writers and
singers from Albania. His long and successful career also includes
roles in succesful movies, where he performed as an actor, starring in
leading and supporting roles. Despite his big success, he has had
his share of difficult times mostly caused from the Albanian
communist regime.
Frederik Ndoci was named
"Man Of Thousand Voices" because he sings baritone,
tenor, bass and countertenor. He can sing arias, romantic ballads,
rock songs, Neapolitan all in authentic syle. What sets
Frederik Ndoci apart from the opera stars and crooners in his
versatility both as a multi-instrumentalist and as an accomplished
songwriter, has just released his fourth alkbum
"Canterina". Previously one of the tracks from his
"Corazon De Cristal" (Heart Of Crystal) album has won
the prize in the Independent Music Awards. Another song
"Canterina" was listed for seven Grammy
nominations.
Today Frederic Ndoci is known
to be of the Albanian's greatest representative of modern art with
his revolutionary and radical ideas on music. Before "Canterina"
Frederik released albums like "Canta Frederik" (Italy),
"Sono Gitano" (Italy) and "Frederik And Friends"
(USA). Ndoci has participated in five AL RTV Song Contest, he has
won the AL RTV Song Contest in 2006. This is not the first time
Frederik, who can sing in six different languages, won the
"Festival I Kenges". He
also won the festival in December 1989 with the song "Toka e
Diellit" (Land Of The Sun).
On stage
in Helsinki, Frederick will be accompanied by his wife Aida, who
although given equal billing at the Albanian final now plays a
lesser role in the English language version, which has been
ediited to three minutes in order to comply with the Eurovision
time limit. The song's English title is "Hear My Plea".
The
songwriters behind the 2007 Albanian entry are no strangers to the
Eurovision Song Contest. Composer Adrian Hila and lyricist Pandi
Laço are widely respespected and experienced songwriters and in
2005 their song "Together I Go" finished 16th in Kyiv,
having been performed by Ledina Çelo.
Since
being chosen in December, little has been heard of Fredrick Ndoci
or his song and both internet polls and bookmakers rate it as one
of the outsiders for victory in Helsinki.
ALBANIA @ EUROVISION