The first season of the Albanian TV series X Factor began on 8 January 2012 on TV Klan.
Based on the British format, the competition consists of auditions, in front of producers and then the judges with a live audience; bootcamp; judges' houses and then the live finals.X Factor format Auditions for the show began in September and concluded in October 2011. The show is hosted by Albanian singer Alketa Vejsiu, while the judging panel consists of the biggest Albanian artists. Albanian famous writer, composer and TV presenter Pandi Laço, Albanian Kosovar pop singer Vesa Luma, Albania's representative at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest Juliana Pasha and the Albanian superstar Alban Skënderaj. The winner of the first season of X factor Albania was Sheila Haxhiraj.
Judges The X Factor's host television Klan invited over 10 Albanian artists to be a part of The X Factor judging panel. It was rumored that Albanian singer Aurela Gaçe will be a judge/mentor. But, after giving birth to her first child, Aurela posted in Facebook that she will be staying with her family the whole month.Aurela Gaçe official Facebook profile Until the show started, the judges were not confirmed. In Vlorë auditions, Besa Kokëdhima was a "Guest-judge" even though, she was rumored to be a part of the judging panel. While the current judge, Vesa Luma to an interview, she told that she was only a guest in X Factor first, but later she was asked to be a part of it.Vesa Luma will be X Factor judge Later that month, Vesa did not continue the contract with Digitalb, where she was signed. In Summer of 2011, Vesa was entertaining Albanian public on "E Diell" in Top Channel, a part of Digitalb platform. After not continuing the contract with Digitalb, she accepted the offer to be a judge on X Factor. Vesa is an Albanian singer from Kosovo, she is known for her hit song, "Jemi dhe S'jemi", which hit the charts in Balkan. In 2006 that song was awarded as the Best Song in Kosovo for 2006 in Videofest.
Albanian singer Juliana Pasha, was on the cover of Eurovision magazines, that she will be a guest judge.Juliana Pasha guest judge in X-Factor Later that week, she was officially asked to be a permanent mentor. Juliana represented Albania in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, Norway. She got through to the final, finishing 16th.2010 Eurovision results
While Pandi Laço was in every audition around Albania, after TV Klan released the news, he was officially a judge. Pandi is an Albanian writer, composer and previously a TV presenter. He is four-time winner in Festivali i Këngës for his songs. He wrote three Albanian Eurovision songs, Tomorrow I Go by Ledina Çelo, Hear My Plea by Frederik Ndoci and Zemrën e lamë peng by Olta Boka. Since a couple of years, Pandi has started his own show in TV Klan, about Albanian culture in film.
The biggest superstar in Albania Alban Skënderaj, was rumored to be a judge, since the beginning of the show. His fiancé Miriam Cani, Albanian-German singer, who is currently a judge in The Voice of Albania, to an interview told that it has been difficult to be away in two major shows in Albania. Skënderaj it is one of the most followed Albanian singers. He's songs "Let Me Die With You", "Vetëm ti" and many more, were hits in Albania in previous years.
Selection process
Auditions Audition process was based on the British and American version. First up were "The Producer's Audition", where the producers chose singers to proceed to the second phase which was "The Audition before the Judging panel". The Auditions took place in the biggest centers of Albania, including Kosovo's capital Pristina. The producer's auditions started in September 2011, while the Auditions before the judging panel started in October. The Producer's auditions took place in over 10 cities of Albania, including Pogradec, Durrës and Korçë.X Factor auditions
The first city to start the auditions was Vlora in 11 and 12 October 2011. It was announced that there was over 3,000 applicants, where 800 got to perform. The auditions were held in the city's Palace of Sports. From the southern capital of Albania, judges traveled to the northern capital of Albania, Shkodër. The auditions in Shkodra took place in 17 and 18 October 2011. The auditions took place in the "Migjeni" theatre. In 25 and 26 October, judges moved to Albania's center city Elbasan. The auditions took place in the city's Palace of Sports.X Factor Albania auditions
After that, the judges left Albania and went to Pristina. The auditions took place in "Palace of Youth Complex" in Amphitheater Studios on 29 October. From the producer's auditions, there were 10 qualifiers.X Factor held auditions in Prishtina
The last city to hold the auditions was Albania's capital and biggest city Tirana. The auditions took place in Klan Television Studios from 1–4 November 2011.
Bootcamp The Bootcamp phase was broadcast on 12 February. There were 150 contestants in Bootcamp from each category. In the first day, the producers of the show decided to test the participants on dancing, by telling them that the only way to proceed in the Judges' houses would be by dancing. But, after the time passed on midnight, the producers told the participants it was just a joke. However, after each contestant performed once and by group performing, the judges advanced 32 participants for the judges houses.
Judges' houses Two days after the phase of Bootcamp was over, the producers of X Factor, telephoned each judge to communicate the category they would coach. Alban Skënderaj took the Boys category, Vesa Luma took the Over 23s, Juliana Pasha got the Girls category while Pandi Laço got the Groups category. The judges traveled to several cities of Albania, while Juliana Pasha traveled to Venice, Italy. Pandi Laço, who got the Groups Category, chose only 7 acts in Bootcamp, making thirty one participants in Judges' houses. The results were shown in the second week of the Judge's houses where 16 acts proceeded to the live shows.
The 15 eliminated acts were: Boys: Dritan Maraj, Gentian Deda, Leotrim Zejnullahu, Rezart Saliasi Girls: Antonela Çekixhi, Flaka Salihaj, Maria Prifti, Sigi Bastri Over 23s: Anxhela Dusha, Doriana Bircaj, Edmond Themeli, Florian Kollaj Groups: Different Girls, New Born, X Angels
Contestants The top 16 contestants were confirmed as follows;
Key: – Winner – Runner up
Category (mentor)Acts Boys (Skënderaj) Amarildo Shahinaj Anxhelo Miho Arianit BellopojaKristo Thano Girls (Pasha) Festina Mejzini Savjana VjerdhaSheila Haxhiraj Xhesika Polo Over 23s (Luma) Besa Breca Gerald Zyfi Lirije Rashiti Matilda Shushari Groups (Laço) Classic Boys Focus Red Roses X Group
Live shows After four phases of selection and audition, X Factor arrived to the Live Shows. Sixteen acts proceeded to this round, four from each category. The first live show began on 3 March.
Results summary
Color key –Contestant was in the bottom two/three and had to sing again in the final showdown –Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown) –Contestant received the most public votes
+ Weekly results per contestant Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Round One Round Two Sheila Haxhiraj Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Safe Safe SafeWinner Kristo Thano Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe SafeRunner-Up Xhesika Polo Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Safe Bottom two Safe Safe Safe Safe 3rd 3rd Eliminated (week 15) Classic Boys Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 4th 4th Eliminated (week 14) Festina Mejzini Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Safe 5th Eliminated (week 13) Lirije Rashiti Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 12) X Group Safe Safe 14th Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Bottom two Eliminated (week 11) Anxhelo Miho Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 9th Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 10) Savjana Vjerdha Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 9) Amarildo Shahinaj Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Safe 10th Eliminated (week 8) Focus Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 7) Besa Breca Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 6) Gerald Zyfi Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 5) Matilda Shushari Safe Safe Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 4) Arianit Bellopoja Safe Bottom two 15th Eliminated (week 3) Red Roses Safe Bottom two Eliminated (week 2) Final showdown Arianit BellopojaRed Roses Arianit BellopojaX Group Matilda ShushariSavjana Vjerdha Gerald ZyfiKristo Thano Amarildo ShahinajBesa Breca FocusXhesika Polo Amarildo ShahinajAnxhelo Miho Savjana VjerdhaXhesika Polo Anxhelo MihoX Group Festina MejziniX Group Lirije RashitiSheila Haxhiraj Classic BoysFestina Mejzini Classic BoysXhesika Polo No final showdown or judges' vote:results are based on public votes alone Judges voted to: Eliminate Skënderaj's vote Red Roses X Group Matilda Shushari Gerald Zyfi Besa Breca Focus Anxhelo Miho Savjana Vjerdha X Group X Group Lirije Rashiti Classic Boys Xhesika Polo Pasha's vote Red Roses X Group Matilda Shushari Gerald Zyfi Besa Breca Focus Amarildo Shahinaj Savjana Vjerdha Anxhelo Miho X Group Lirije Rashiti Classic Boys Classic Boys Luma's vote Red Roses Arianit Bellopoja Savjana Vjerdha Kristo Thano Amarildo Shahinaj Focus Anxhelo Miho Xhesika Polo Anxhelo Miho X Group Sheila Haxhiraj Festina Mejzini Classic Boys Laço's vote Arianit Bellopoja Arianit Bellopoja Matilda Shushari Gerald Zyfi Besa Breca Xhesika Polo Amarildo Shahinaj Savjana Vjerdha Anxhelo Miho Festina Mejzini Lirije Rashiti Festina Mejzini Xhesika Polo Eliminated None Red Roses 3 of 4 votes Majority Arianit Bellopoja 2 of 4 votes Deadlock Matilda Shushari 3 of 4 votes Majority Gerald Zyfi 3 of 4 votes Majority Besa Breca 3 of 4 votes Majority Focus 3 of 4 votes Majority Amarildo Shahinaj 2 of 4 votes Deadlock Savjana Vjerdha 3 of 4 votes Majority Anxhelo Miho 3 of 4 votes Majority X Group 3 of 4 votes Majority Lirije Rashiti 3 of 4 votes Majority Festina Mejzini 2 of 4 votes Deadlock Classic Boys 2 of 4 votes Deadlock Xhesika Polo Third Place Kritso Thano Runner-Up Sheila Haxhiraj Winner
Live show details
Week 1 (4 March 2012) The first live show was held on 4 March in Klan Studios in Tirana. For the first time, X Factor debuted a high definition format in TV Klan; the show was broadcast entirely in 1080i HD. After sixteen artists performed, the host of the show, Alketa Vejsiu, communicated to the public that the X Factor Albania producers, in collaboration with the producers of The X Factor, decided to eliminate none of the performers.
+ Contestants' performances on the first live show Act Order Song Result Classic Boys 1 "New York, New York" Safe Anxhelo Miho 2 "Bad Day" Safe Gerald Zyfi 3 "Baby One More Time" Safe Festina Mejzini 4 "Just the Way You Are" Safe Saviana Vjerdha 5 "When You Believe" Safe Amarildo Shahinaj 6 "Incomplete" Safe Red Roses 7 "I'm So Excited" Safe Matilda Shushari 8 "Hush Hush" Safe Arianit Bellopoja 9 "Jar of Hearts" Safe X Group 10 "You Raise Me Up" Safe Xhesika Polo 11 "Sober" Safe Lirije Rashiti 12 "At Last" Safe Besa Breca 13 "I Surrender" Safe Focus 14 "Don't Let Go (Love)" Safe Sheila Haxhiraj 15 "Firework" Safe Kristo Thano 16 "You Can Leave Your Hat On" Safe No Final Showdown
Week 2 (11 March 2012)