Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Richard Edwards, another one from the talented and musical Micallef family (check out yesterday's Wayne William). He also tried to get to Eurovision as solo artist several times ( Finally , Look at me now , Fall like Rome ) until making it with the family in Firelight . His latest solo is Burning . Check out also fantastic   My mistake . Another very talented singer-songwriter. And maybe, just maybe I will have some news for you when I return.... 

Wayne William, or Wayne Micallef, released his album two years ago, a collaboration of songs he's been working on for the past five years when he has also participated in the Maltese Eurovision selections with Where you belong , Save a life , Everybody sing , Time and Some kind of wonderful , but ended up representing Malta with the rest of Micallef family in the band Firelight and Coming home in 2014. Anyways, the title track of the album is his latest video.... Check out also Don't fade away . Excellent voice and beautiful ballads with some uptempo. That's Wayne. One of this blogger's long time Maltese favorites. And when I return from holidays I just may have some news for you.....

Eurovision 2014 has been a success. The iTunes in various countries were taken over my the songs right after the final and today we got the new from the official UK charts; 13 songs from the show made the Top-100. The Common Linnets even enter the Top-10, is this a first for a non-winning, non-UK song? Anyways, even Finland's Softengine made it! Something better than that?  Maybe the over one million views of Youtube and over one million streams on Spotify?

Maltese Firelight totally came home on the stage of EuroClub on May 3, 2014.

Firelight are Coming home, but maybe they moved to San Marino? Maybe? Good luck to Malta!

San Marino had its first technical rehearsal this morning as the second country after Moldova. It ment also a very early wake up and pick up to the venue "just to be sure". It sure was sure as the ride took 15 minutes instead of 1 h 40 min scheduled.... Anyways, the rest went on smoothly and Valentina had time to reconnect with Cristina Scarlat and later Suzy from Portugal joined in and by the time we were ready to leave also the Netherlands, Montenegro, Hungary and Malta had arrived. In the 40 minutes of rehearsal the song was performed four times, each performance followed immediate rescreening for changes. Smoke and wind machine were tested as well as different colors. More changes and minor hickups will be fine tuned for the second rehearsal on Friday. Valentina stands on a giant sea shell like a Botticelli's Venus while her four backing singers (Giovanna Naber, Giacomo Di Benedetto, Sandrina Sedona and Paulo Alves) are placed in the bachround by the side o...

Waiting and waiting. That's what it is all about. But while you wait you may meet some cool people, like these in the pics :-)   You may also need ear plugs....

Update: Here's her performance . Valentina Monetta is in Moscow this weekend to attend the Russian Eurovision Preview party with some other stars of this 2014 edition of Eurovision song contest. Before tonight's concert in Karlson, she has had time for some sightseeing, meeting the other artists and the press.... Nice group of them all: Firelight from Malta, Teo from Belarus, Valentina Monetta from San Marino, Mei Finegold from Israel, Cristina Scarlat from Moldova and... oh, look! It's Pasha Parfeni! Valentina with Cristina... ...and with Pasha..... ... and Teo.... ...and with Mei! And there have been interviews .... ... and sightseeing! And as we are in Russia an ice sculpture is a must! Photos by Deban Aderemi

Malta had its usual pretty good selection of Eurovision tunes and finally the Micallef clan took home the trophy! Richard Micallef aka Richard Edwards fronts Firelight that includes sister Michelle and also his brothers Daniel in acoustic guitar and Wayne, who joins this Eurovision adventure as a backing singer. The brothers plus Michelle formed the group The Mics that took part in 2003 and 2005. In 2011 Richard was already a runner up with Finally and last year he tried with Fall like Rome . But now it's all about Firelight and Coming home . Robert: Malta for a change had a really strong preselection with many good songs this year that did not sound as amateur demos anymore. Firelight was my number 2 to win the Maltese ticket so I'm quite happy about it. Its a great song and done by really good singers. I expect them to do well: Certainly final and most probably top 10. My personal favourite to win the Maltese preselection however was De Bee's Pin the middle becau...

Malta takes a move back from plastic pop when Firelight's folksy Coming home won the national final last night. Or to tell the truth, Maltese televoters went for Jessica's Hypnotica and Daniel Testa's One last ride and even De Bee's Pin the middle before Firelight, but as they counted only 1/7 of the total votes the international jury pushed Firelight to the top. But who's complaining? I'm certainly not! This blogger's been waiting for years the Micallef clan to take over and finally it happened! Firelight is a new project fronted by Richard Micallef (aka Richard Edwards, already a runner up in this contest) and Michelle Mifsud and includes also Tony Polidano, Matthew Ellul and Leslie Decesare. Richard Edwards took part as solo last year with Fall like Rome (13th), 2012 with Look at me now (5th), 2011 with Finally (2nd) Televoting results: 1. Jessica - Hypnotika ,  2. Daniel Testa - One last ride , 3. De Bee - Pin the middle , 4. Firelight - ...

Malta will have it's national selection once again for 2012 and it will take place on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th of February at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre in Ta’ Qal. As usual many familiar names among the artists and songwriters including even two previous winners Fabrizio Faniello (ESC 2001 and 2006 ) and Mirian Christine ( ESC 1996 ). The 20 in semifinal become 14 for the final. I have listened the songs a couple of times and here's my wild guess for the ones that will stay in semifinal: Andreana Debattista, Corazon, Amber, Ryan Paul Abela, Pamela and Deborah C . They just didn't pull any strings in me that would indicate Eurovision success or that I'd would particlarly want to listen them over and over again.  I don't have a clear favorite either, the live performance will be crucial me thinks. A the moment my favorites are (in no particular order) De Bee, Romina Mamo, Chris Grech, Miriam Christine, Wayne William, Firelight, Christabelle, Davi...