X Factor (Albanian TV series) season 3

X Factor is an Albanian television music competition to find new singing talents. The third season began on 15 September 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. The producers' auditions for the show began in April 2013 in Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. The winners were later called back to perform in front of the judges, held from May 19–21 in Tirana. However, the auditions were broadcast in September, when the show started airing. The show will be hosted once again by Albanian singer Alketa Vejsiu, while the judging panel consists of pop singer Altuna Sejdiu, Alban Skenderaj, Soni Malaj and Pandi Laço.

This year, the producers have decided to give more attention to the live shows, extending it to 15 weeks, and not airing bootcamp. The auditions were aired in three shows only, and then the show passed to the judges houses, airing only the finalists' bootcamp performance and result. Thus, to make the live shows longer to give the contestants more time to perform.

The other difference this year, is that there is a variety of contestants who come from different places. Sarah Memmola is from Italy, who challenged herself to take part in the X Factor Albania. There are six contestants from Macedonia this year. There is no soloist from Kosovo this year, and there is a singer from Serbia, Donika Nuhiu, for the first time in the show.

Judges' houses

The 15 eliminated acts were:

• Boys: Endri Caci, Genti Sheholli, Ilirian Mertani, Yllnor Kurti
• Girls: Alma Kadria, Anxhela Dano, Arlinda Kovaci, Oreta Leka
• Over 23s: Adelina Bacaj, Ester Abazi, Joana Gjini
• Groups: Divas, New Life, The Fevers, Victorious 4

Contestants

The top 16 contestants were confirmed as follows;

Key:

– Winner

– Runner-up

Live shows

Results summary

Colour key

Live show details

Week 1 (27 October 2013)

• Group performance: "On the Floor"

Week 2 (3 November 2013)

• Group performance: "Counting Stars"

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Ademir Fresku
• Altuna Sejdiu: Dream Girls
• Soni Malaj: Ademir Fresku
• Alban Skënderaj: Ademir Fresku

Week 3 (10 November 2013)

Group performance: "You Are Not Alone"

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Dream Girls
• Soni Malaj: Laura Kërliu
• Alban Skënderaj: Dream Girls
• Altuna Sejdiu: Dream Girls

Week 4 (17 November 2013)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Arissa Rexho
• Altuna Sejdiu: Kristina Leka
• Soni Malaj: Arissa Rexho
• Alban Skënderaj: Kristina Leka

With the acts in the bottom two receiving two votes each, the result was deadlocked and reverted to the earlier public vote. Leka was eliminated as the act with the fewest public votes.

Week 5 (24 November 2013)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Altuna Sejdiu: Nimfat
• Soni Malaj: Amadeo Gjura
• Alban Skënderaj: Nimfat
• Pandi Laço: Nimfat

Week 6 (8 December 2013)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Alban Skënderaj: Fatmir Durmishi
• Altuna Sejdiu: Fatmir Durmishi
• Soni Malaj: Fatmir Durmishi
• Pandi Laço: It was not necessary to vote for Fatmir Durmishi already had the votes necessary for elimination.

Week 7 (15 December 2013)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Soni Malaj: Arissa Rexho
• Pandi Laço: Exception
• Alban Skënderaj: Exception
• Altuna Sejdiu: Arissa Rexho

With the acts in the bottom two receiving two votes each, the result was deadlocked and reverted to the earlier public vote. Rexho was eliminated as the act with the fewest public votes.

Week 8 (22 December 2013)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Altuna Sejdiu: Free Spirit
• Soni Malaj: Amadeo Gjura
• Alban Skënderaj: Amadeo Gjura
• Pandi Laço: Free Spirit

Week 9 (5 January 2014)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Mia Morina
• Alban Skënderaj: Laura Kërliu
• Altuna Sejdiu: Mia Morina
• Soni Malaj: Mia Morina

Week 10 (12 January 2014)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Altuna Sejdiu: Leotrim Zejnullahu
• Alban Skënderaj: Amadeo Gjura
• Soni Malaj: Amadeo Gjura
• Pandi Laço: Leotrim Zejnullahu

Week 11 (19 January 2014)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Exception
• Soni Malaj: Laura Kërliu
• Alban Skënderaj: Laura Kërliu
• Altuna Sejdiu: Laura Kërliu

Week 12 (26 January 2014)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Alban Skënderaj: Leotrim Zejnullahu
• Altuna Sejdiu: Sarah Memmola
• Soni Malaj: Leotrim Zejnullahu
• Pandi Laço: Leotrim Zejnullahu

Week 13 (2 February 2014)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Exception
• Soni Malaj: Enxhi Nasufi
• Alban Skenderaj: Exception
• Altuna Sejdiu: Enxhi Nasufi

Week 14 (9 February 2014)

Week 15: Semi-Final (16 February 2014)

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Pandi Laço: Sarah Memmola
• Soni Malaj: Enxhi Nasufi
• Alban Skenderaj: Enxhi Nasufi
• Altuna Sejdiu: Enxhi Nasufi

References