Time for a new update on some of the Eurovision Countries I have soft spot for, Malta. The small island nation in the Mediterranean whom more or less would give up their independence to win the Eurovision Song Contest, so it seems. And among all the countries participating Malta is still in the line to take home that first victory.
I had hoped for Malta to make changes in their National selection, and they did it this year but for me in the wrong direction. My hopes was to have a National final with maybe 10 or maximum 12 songs with experienced performers. Cause even if Malta is a small Nation so much musical talent lives on the Islands of Malta and Gozo (Don’t know if any on Comino but my gut feeling say no). But its still a fact that it is a small country and a national final with 20 – 30 songs in the line up is not necessary. A lot of songs through they years most likely been seen as collateral damage by the Broadcaster TVM.
But instead of go for a few experienced performers and a few high quality songs penned by the song writing elite Malta decided to go another way, in the same direction as many other of the participating countries and pick their 2019 participant in a talent show and then “mail order” a song which most likely will be penned by a group of Swedes (nothing say it will but seriously… ).
Michela Pace might be the most talented girl on earth and have the back up of a strong song but she spring from a talent show not giving the Maltese public much of a chance to say yes or no to the entry. Another strange twist from Malta a few years ago was when Ira Losco took the victory in the National Selection (more for being Ira than for a great song) and the winning song was switched to another one before the Eurovision Song Contest. A strange decision and very unlike Malta.
Overall I am not a fan of any country using “X got talent”, “The Voice” or “Idol” as a way to pick the performer to represent a country. I know it is hard to believe today but the Eurovision is still a music competition so even if the idea is strange even to me it make more sense to first pick a song and appoint a performer later or even a 100% internal selection process.
Enough, below you find the so far most played Maltese entries at my home, source iTunes play count. Note that most played is not necessarily the same as the best songs but why play songs you don’t like so it is almost the same.
- 2013 Gianluca “Tomorrow”
- 1998 Chiara “The one that I love”
- 2000 Claudette Pace “Desire”
- 2006 Fabrizio Faniello “I do (World studio radio mix)
- 2017 Claudia Faniello “Breathlessly (single version)
- 2004 Julie and Ludwig “On again… Off again”
- 2012 Kurt Calleja “This is the night”
- 2001 Fabrizio Faniello “Another summer night”
- 1992 Mary Spiteri “Little Child”
- 2003 Lynn “To dream again (Radio Mix)”
- 2010 Lea Garrett “My dream”
- 2006 Fabrizio Faniello “I do (Eurovision mix)”
- 2005 Chiara “Angel”
- 2002 Ira Losco “7th Wonder”
- 2011 Glen Vella “One life (Main pass)”
- 1975 Renato Micallef “Singing this song”
- 2017 Claudia Faniello “Perdersi”
- 2017 Claudia Faniello “Breathlessly (Radio Mix)”
- 1994 Chris & Moira “More than love”
- 2007 Olivia Lewis “Vertigo”
And to be honest the three less played once is:
Morena “Vodka”, Christabelle “Taboo” and William Mangion “This time”
Björn