X Factor Kids (Albanian TV series)

X Factor Kids, also known as X Factor Kids Albania, is an Albanian television reality music competition for children under the ages of 12, based on the concept of the show X Factor Albania.^[1] The show began airing on 7 November 2025 on TV Klan.^[2] Alketa Vejsiu, who also has been hosting the original version, was announced as the host for the kids version.^[3] The judging panel was formed by Bojken Lako, Fifi, Oriola Marashi and Pirro Çako.^[4]

The show features young singers aged up to 12 years from across Albania. The competition begins with open auditions, where children perform in front of a panel of judges and a live audience. Contestants needed three or more 'yeses' from the four judges to progress on the next round. A new feature of the show, called the “Superpower”, allows a judge to save one contestant from elimination during the auditions.^[5] Successful participants advance to the Judges’ Houses stage, where each judge mentors a group of contestants. The participants are divided into four categories: Girls, Boys, Juniors (older children within the eligible age range), and Kids (the youngest contestants). Each act performed one song to their mentor. After the performances, the judges revealed which acts they put through to the live shows.

At the end of this phase, four acts from each category move on to the Live Shows, forming a total of 16 finalists. The Live Shows are broadcast weekly on television. Contestants perform popular songs either solo or in groups, with results determined by SMS voting and judges’ feedback. The final episode features the top three contestants, who compete for the title of X Factor Kids Albania winner. The winner typically receives opportunities such as a recording project or professional mentoring.

The show focuses on encouragement, creativity, and personal development rather than intense competition, aiming to help children gain confidence and stage experience.

The show is hosted by Alketa Vejsiu, who also serves as one of the producers alongside Vera Grabocka.^[6]

During the audition phase, several well-known Albanian artists took part in the selection process, including Pirro Çako, Bojken Lako, Fifi,^[7] Oriola Marashi, Fatma Haxhialiu, Kamela Islamaj, Andi Vrapi, and Eneda Tarifa. From these eight personalities, only four will become the official judges for the season, although the final judging panel has not yet been officially announced.^[8]

During the Judges’ Houses, it was announced that the four judges for the first season would be Bojken Lako, Fifi, Oriola Marashi and Pirro Çako. The judges are expected to mentor different categories of contestants throughout the competition, guiding them from the Judges’ Houses stage to the live performances.

The format for the show was announced on January 2025 by TV Klan.^[9] The show began staging producers' audition on 21 January 2025 and on 9 February 2025 at the premises of TV Klan in Tirana.^[10]

The auditionees chosen by the producers were invited back to the last set of arena auditions that took place in front of the judges. These auditions began filming on 8 October 2025 and were held in Tirana. The three episodes began broadcast on TV Klan from 7 November 2025^[11] until 21 November 2025.^[12] In the first episode, the judging panel included Andi Vrapi, Fatma Haxhialiu, Fifi, and Pirro Çako.^[13] The second episode featured Bojken Lako, Oriola Marashi, Kamela Islamaj, and Eneda Tarifa as judges. In the third episode, the panel consisted of Bojken Lako, Fifi, Oriola Marashi, and Pirro Çako.

During the auditions, the show features a special rule known as the "Superpower", allowing a judge to save one contestant who would otherwise be eliminated.

The final round of the selection process, the judges' houses were filmed in late October 2024. At the start of Judges' Houses, the judges discovered which categories they would mentor: Fifi was given the Boys,^[14] Pirro Çako was given the Juniors,^[15] Bojken Lako was given the Girls^[16] and Oriola Marashi was given the Kids.^[17] On the first two episodes of judges' houses, each act performed one song to their mentor and guest mentor. Fifi was assisted by DJ Dagz,^[18] Pirro Çako was assisted by Xhensila Myrtezaj,^[19] Bojken Lako was assisted by Stine and Oriola Marashi was assisted by Gent Myftaraj. After the performances, on the third episode the judges revealed which acts they put through to the live shows.

The three judges' houses episodes were broadcast on 28 November 2025, on 5 December 2025 and on 12 December 2025.

Key:

  – Winner

  – Runner-Up

  – 3rd Place

Ages shown above correspond to the beginning of the competition.

The Live Shows began airing on 19 December 2025.^[20]

Colour key

  Act in team Fifi (Boys)

  Act in team Pirro (Juniors)

  Act in team Bojken (Girls)

  Act in team Oriola (Kids)

• ^1 In this live show, there was no elimination. Viewers could still vote, and the votes went on and were counted in the next live show, where the elimination took place.
• ^2 Oriola Marashi was not required to vote as there was already a majority.

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Marin Kerri
• Pirro: Aria Krasta
• Fifi: Aria Krasta
• Bojken: Aria Krasta

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Marin Kerri
• Pirro: Marin Kerri
• Fifi: David Kerri
• Bojken: Marin Kerri

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Nikol Çabeli
• Pirro: Evelin Mukaj
• Fifi: Evelin Mukaj
• Bojken: Evelin Mukaj

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Marlon Zela
• Pirro: Marlon Zela
• Fifi: David Kerri
• Bojken: Marlon Zela

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Amal Velaj
• Pirro: Amal Velaj
• Fifi: Kejsi Sinani
• Bojken: Amal Velaj

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola was not required to vote as there was already a majority.
• Pirro: Klea Marku
• Fifi: Klea Marku
• Bojken: Klea Marku

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Rose-May Dardha
• Pirro: Rose-May Dardha
• Fifi: Rose-May Dardha
• Bojken: Eden Dani

Judges' votes to eliminate

• Oriola: Nikol Çabeli
• Pirro: Nikol Çabeli
• Fifi: Eden Dani
• Bojken: Nikol Çabeli