Albania08



				"This a major career boost for Olta Boka, who is until now almost unknown".

	The Spin 16 years old Olta Boka will represent Albania with "Zemren e lame peng", written by Adrian Hila and Pandi Laco. Songs of these authors have already represented Albania at Eurovisions 2005 and 2007. Olta began her singing career at the tender age of nine, with the formation of Choir of Angels led by National Opera Music Master Suzana Turku. In the period between 2002 and 2005 Olta took part and received many prizes in a number of children's festivals, organized in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Kosovo. Olta's career made a huge leap forward following her participation at the Albanian Radio TelevisionSong Festival 2007, where she captured the spotlight by winning the first prize and securing her participation at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Zemrën E Lamë Peng which translates in to English as Hearts Trapped In Time. Olta, the youngest contestant of the festival (we think 16) won the 46th Edition of the RTSH Festival Show with 67 points, followed by Flaka & Doruntina, with 57 points and Juliana Pasha, with 54 points. The winner song, at the same time, is the Albania's entry song to the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 to be held in Belgrade next year. This a major career boost for Olta Boka, who is until now almost unknown. She couldn't hide her tears of joy as she became over emotional when she was announced the winner of the festival.
















	The Singer The 16 year old Olta is as you would expect, a svelte figure, with a Balkan glaze on her burgeoning breastplate. She arrives like many before her an unknown, but an unknown within Albania itself which is some achievement.












	The Past Well, they didn't have a history in the contest before last year, but my lord didn't they come out from under the cloud of Norman Wisdom. It almost started to look like an incredible turn of events would occur and they would win, but it was better that they didn't, since I don't think even the largest available underground bunker will be suitable to host the event.



	The Song Albania have produced a low budget arm gesture heavy promo video this year with Ms Boka twirling in chiffon as she stands within a swirl of prostrate ladies swathed in blue. A simple effect which rapidly becomes as interesting as the song itself. Which is dull. One of the songs this year on which I can't really stake an opinion, being a soporific ballard of love and loss, the type of mediocre spong we could well do without.






	Overall