Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Yet another onee for tonight: Malta's Christabelle has published her video for Taboo. ... Enjoy!

Here they are. The lucky 16. As it is Malta the list is filled with seasonal veterans (Deborah C for the 7th year in a row, for example) and even one previous winner (Richard Micallef aka Edwards aka Firelight 2014 frontman), some newcomers and some comebacks after years, like Eleanor Cassar. And not forgetting previous runner ups Lawrence Gray,  Brooke and Christabelle looking for another shot. Thomas G:son, not welcome in Cyprus anymore has squeezed in a song in Malta instead, the Christabelle's one. Sadly quite a few other foreign composers in the list, too. The real veterans in this editions are Lawrence Gray reaching his 14th entry, Eleanor Cassar her 12th and Richard Micallef (in various combos or solo) 9th. This  time he brings along his dad! Keep the family together, after doing Eurovision with brothers and sister.  Aidan - Dai Laga  (Aidan Cassar) Avenue Sky - We Can Run  (Jonas Gladnikoff, Matthew Ker, Glen Vella) Brooke Borg - He...

Here it is! The very first short list for the possible Eurovision song contest 2018 entries and among these also the very first known artist. Will it be a Borg, a Cassar, a Celleja or a Micallef, or some other name? These 30 were selected among the 129 submitted songs, and next they will be cyt down to 16 for the February 2018 final. As always among the names quite a few familiar names..... Brooke, Christabelle, Deborah C, Eleanor, Lawrence, Rhiannon just to name a few. Not forgetting Malcolm Pisani - watch video below. Abire – Casablanca Love Aidan – Dai Laga Aidan – See You Avenue Sky – We Can Run Brooke Borg – Heart of Gold Christabelle Borg – Taboo Dan – If Only Danica Muscat – One Step At A Time Deborah C – Turn It Up Deborah C & Joseph Tabone – Human Dominic Cini – Picture I Draw Eleanor Cassar – Back To Life Ishmael Grech – Good Times Jasmine Abela – Supernovas Kelsey Bellante – Super Woman Kevin Paul Calleja – Great Adventure Kimberley ...

You may know Gerard James Borg as the Maltese songwriter (six entries to date plus one Russian and countless national final entries) but he's a lot more; concept creator, reviewer, writer.... He has written two novels so far: Sliema Wifes and Madliena married men , both overnight successes and with titles like that this blogger thinks I need to get them! Unputdownable (sounds like an entry he might have written) as described by popular local online magazine. But now folks, it's going to get even saucier. #Morethanyouimagine . Behind the scenes drama of Malta's most popular song contest, drugs, sex, drama, scandals - more than you imagine! Being published in October! Santa, hello? Check out the preview video here and some of my favourite Borg songs below

After last night's semifinal where Stefan Galea, Domenique Azzopardi, Dario Mifsud Bonnici, Sarah Chrystal, Danica Muscat and Ira Losco's second song were voted out the other 14 continue the race for Stockholm 2016 Eurovision song contest. Ira Losco is the front runner, even more so now when the second song is out of the picture. Or could last year's runner up Christabelle beat her? Or the newcomer Brooke? Corazon, whose performance was as messy as Ira's? (Generally this year's #MESC has been the worst styled, staged and choreographed ever! What were they thinking?! Most entries are totally ruined by bad staging, or lack of styling or whatsoever.....) Or will young love conquer all? Watch here from 20.45 CET All Around The World - Deborah C Little Love - Franklin Calleja Under The Sun - Daniel Testa Golden - Brooke Flashing Lights - Raquel Galdes Kingdom - Christabelle Borg Falling Glass - Corazon (Mizzi) Fire Burn - Dominic The Flame - Je...

Malta announced last night the 20 songs that made the cut and once again there are a lot of familiar names, most of all Ira Losco, who strangely is there with two songs. Will that be a fatal mistake (ask Claudia Faniello for example....) will be seen later. Anyways listen bits of the songs by clicking the title or go  here . Hard to judge the short snippets and crappy audio, but it sounds like we have a pretty decent selection of songs. And a very Melodifestivalesque one. All artists but Ira were present at the announcement show.  Jasmine Abela – Alive Deborah C – All Around the World Ira Losco – Chameleon (Invincible) Ira Losco – That’s why I Love you Domenique Azzopardi – Empty hearted Corazon – Falling Glass Dominic – Fire burn Raquel Galdes – Flashing lights Danica Muscat – Frontline Brooke – Golden Dario Bonnici – I love you Christabelle Borg – Kingdom Stefan Galea – Light up my Life Kimberley Cortis – Lighthouse Franklin Calleja – Little...

Malta is about to announce the 20 semifinalists very soon and now there is a list of 49 songs and artists who have made it this far from the 153 songs sent it. And there are many familiar names as always. Fans are most excited about Ira Losco who finally makes a comeback, and we have also Jessika, Deborah C, Danica Muscat, Christabelle, Lawrence Gray, Corazon, Raquel Galdes, Franklin Calleja, Klinsmann Coleiro.....  Let's see if they all make the cut. The semifinal takes place on January 22 and 14 songs will make it to the final the day after. Once again there will be jurors and televoters will act as one juror.

The Junior Eurovision song contest ended with Italy's victory in Marsa Shipyard's stage and the day after the rehearsals started for Malta Eurovision song contest, aka their national selection for the real thing in Vienna next May. A clever planning of using the same stage and venue for two different festivals - something that YLE did ages ago when hosting Euroviisut and Emma Gala (the Finnish Grammys) on same stage, but even on the same night! But that's another story... Malta is also making propably a certain kind of history as they are having the second national final this year, as the one for 2014 was held on February 8, some nine months ago! The special guest for the final is none other than reigning Eurovision Queen Conchita Wurst.   Twenty entries will battle the 14 final places on Friday night (see the running order below). Some previous entrants are trying to win again: Glen Vella (2011), Ludwig Galea of Trilogy (2004), Gianluca Bezzina of L-Ahwa (2013). Fiv...

I have been following the Maltese selection closely for years now and generally liked it quite a lot but this year seems to be the weakest effort so far. I mean, the songs aren't bad but they are very even, bland. No particular highlights - except a couple that stood out with the first snippet hearing -  nor lows. It feels like these are mostly songs that didn't make the selection this spring considering these exceptional circumstances this time. I may be wrong but that's my impression. At this point every song could make the final and any song can drop out. Propably it all comes to the staging, live performance and shining on stage when it matters come semifinal time. And talking about nuns. Sister Cristina in Italy is from another planet compared to these Maltese sisters. The whole affair is lacking the heavenly inspiration of any kind. If the song was sung by anyone else it would have never made the cut, I think. I wasn't a fan of Bezzina's last effort and ...