Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Malta's Eurovision final takes places tonight in Valletta's Ta'Qali and there will be 50-50 televote-juries. What can I say about the songs? There's no Eurovision winner this year either among them, that's for sure, sadly. Nor a sure qualifier either. I guess my favorites - not thinking at all in Eurovision terms - are Richard & Joe and Eleanor I guess, followed by Deborah C and Dwett (maybe for all the wrong reasons though). Turn it up needs a good remix and it could become something great though. Christabelle and Brooke are quite good if staged and sung well live, Jasmine, Matthew Anthony and Tiziana follow on my list with Lawrence Gray , even if takes some moments to let it sink in it's Lawrence baby. Aidan leaves me borderline, I might learn to like it a lot or then not with further listenings but these comments are based on hearing the songs when they came out, and now for the second time after all these weeks. I have no clue who's goi...

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 ...

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.

All eyes on Marsa Shipyards tonight again when Malta picks up its represent for Vienna 2015. At least the artist, the song maybe as there are rumors and speculation it could be changed between now and the deadline to present entries in mid-March (the same goes for Macedonia). Anyways, 14 acts remain in the race after last night's semifinal and one could see PBS is putting on an extra effort this year. Besides the show hosted on the same stage as the Junior Eurovision song contest a week ago - yet they have managed to make it look rather different - many artists have dancers and all that usual stuff to make every entry look different and thought after. Well done.  Amber  (pictured) is the front runner followed by the Eurovision cliché act by Jessika , but the girl can't hold a note for full three minutes, it's painfully evident by now. The nuns could win with televote but surely they won't win with jurors unless they are in majority foreign and want to make Malta ...

Malta has chosen its 14 finalists and I must say my prediction went pretty well: 12/14. Only Raquel (pictured) and Lyndsay didn't make it, wonder why?. If we look at my want list it's another story, 9/14. My top contenders both made it so we are still chasing a dream with Trilogy and hoping it's Lawrence Gray the one the jurys will love. The final takes place tonight. Franklin – Still Here Christabelle – Rush Jessika – Fandango Chris Grech – Closed Doors Karen Debattista – 12, Baker Street Daniel Testa – Something In The Way Glen Vella – Breakaway Lawrence Grey – The One That You Love Deborah C – It’s Ok L-Ahwa – Beautiful To Me y Amber – Warrior Trilogy – Chasing A Dream Dominik – Once In A While Ekklesia Sisters – Love & Let Go

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 ...

Malta will have its semifinal tonight. Out of 24 songs 16 will go on to tomorrow night's final where the winner will be decided by a jury and televote. Last year's winner Glen Vella will provide some big smiles and high notes on both nights. Fabrizio Faniello is after his third win while the regulars Eleanor Cassar, Claudia Faniello, J.Anvil, Lawrence Gray and Wayne Micallef, just to name a few are after their first one. Last year's runner ups Richard Edwards and Kurt Calleja both are back at it. If the ten  highlighted ones are through, this blogger's happy at this point. You can listen all the songs for example  here . The show starts at 20.30 CET. 01. Danica Muscat – Seven Days 02. J. Anvil – You Are My Life 03. Isabelle Zammit – Walk On Water 04. Francesca Borg – Take Me Far 05. Klinsmann – No Way Back 06. Richard Edwards – Look At Me Now 07. Annalise Ellul – Whoop It Up 08. Kurt Calleja – That Is The Night 09. Romina Mamo – DNA 10. Nadine Bartolo – Can’t...