
Singers Pirro Çako and Arilena Ara competed in the Magic Song festival with the duet "Zero Gradë", but withdrew from the competition a few hours before the final, without giving any explanation.
After the news of the two artists' withdrawal from the festival spread, producer and presenter Ardit Gjebrea reacted, stating that Pirro Çako was ill, so they could not perform on the final night.
But, after Ardit Gjebrea's statement, singer Arilena Ara also reacted and criticized the producer.
In an Instagram post, the artist thanked fans, while teasing Ardit Gjebrea by saying that "we hope that all this support and care for us will be returned to you only in love and health, which we both enjoy like never before."
" Eternally grateful for the masterpiece that @pirrocako gave to me and the entire Albanian audience and for the invitation we had to perform it together."
Eternally grateful to YOU! You who listened to us, commented on us, applauded us! Grateful for the care, love, emotion, support, affection towards us and our song, making us melt the ice of the competition.
We hope that all this support and care for us will return to you only in love and health, which we both enjoy like never before. Until the next meeting: "FULL degree" love for you , "wrote Arilena Ara.
The pair were in a duet together and were rumored to be candidates for the Magic Song award.
Shortly before the start of the finale of Kënga Magjike, producer Ardit Gjebrea said he was sorry that Pirro Çako would not be at the festival, according to him, because he was ill.
Because the song is a duet, Pirro Çako's withdrawal also led to Arilena Ara's, according to the producer.
"Can you hear my voice? I have a cold too, but at least I won't sing. Unfortunately, Pirro is also sick and as long as he is in a duet, I'm sorry that this duet won't be at the festival tonight, but you can't help the illness," he said.
The winner of the festival was singer Rozana Radi with "Akoma", which she performed in a duet with Greek artist Sany Dimitri.