Festivali i Këngës 42

Festivali i Këngës 42 took place in the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, Albania. There were two semifinals (18 & 19 December 2003) and a final (20 December 2003). This contest was used to select the first Eurovision Song Contest entry for Albania. 30 songs competed but only 18 made it to the final. In the end, Anjeza Shahini won the first prize and went on to represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul, Turkey. Mariza Ikonomi achieved a disappointing second place and left the stage without receiving her award. The amount of points for each singer was not announced. Instead, only the Top 3 places were made public. The winner was determined by a 50% jury vote and 50% televote. The RTSH orchestra was present, but the option of playback was also available. The director was Pali Kuke, and 2003 Eurovision Song Contest winner Sertab Erener made a guest appearance.