MALTA SONG FOR EUROPE
On February 3rd, 16 songs compete to fly the Maltese flag in Lisbon.
Here you can find the list of entries and their performers plus interviews with 6 of the 16.
Could this finally be Malta's year...?
Firstly, here are the 16 who will be 'Singing This Song':
|
01 |
Back
to Life |
Eleanor
Cassar |
|
02 |
Beyond
Blue Horizons |
Rhiannon
Micallef |
|
03 |
Breaking
Point |
Mikhail
Attard and Cherylis Camilleri |
|
04 |
Call
2morrow |
Matthew
Anthony |
|
05 |
Dai
Laga |
Aidan |
|
06 |
Evolution |
|
|
07 |
First
Time |
Tiziana
Calleja |
|
08 |
Heart
Of Gold |
Brooke
Borg |
|
09 |
Love
Renegade |
|
|
10 |
One
Step At A Time |
Danica
Muscat |
|
11 |
Rocket |
Miriana
Conte |
|
12 |
Song
For Dad |
Richard
& Joe Micallef |
|
13 |
Supernovas |
Jasmine
Abela |
|
14 |
Taboo |
Christabelle
Borg |
|
15 |
Turn
It Up |
Deborah
C |
|
16 |
We
Can Run |
Avenue
Sky |
and here are the interviews:
With Malta deciding its song for Lisbon early in February, we have been talking to some of the
participants on their plans, their hopes and what it would mean to represent their island home
in front of the whole continent (and beyond).
|
INTERVIEWS
- DOUWE REVELER EDITING/PUBLISHING
– GARY SPEIRS |
Scroll down to read the interviews with 6 of this year’s MESC artists -
Matthew
Anthony, Christabelle,
MATTHEW
ANTHONY
|
Matthew Anthony will attempt to
represent Matthew Anthony, many thanks for
taking the time to talk to us! How are you and at what stage are you with
the preparations for your participation in the MESC 2018? I'm
currently super excited to share to everyone what I have been working on
during these couple of months. At the moment I’m in that stage where
I’m seeing everything coming together and it looks amazing! Before talking in more detail
about 'Call 2morrow', can you tell us about yourself? When did you start
singing? Are any other members of your family musical and if yes, can
you tell us more about them? Did you enjoy a musical education and who
have been or are your main musical influences? I always
had a passion for music and song writing; however I never took it
seriously. However, about two years ago I decided to start taking singing
and dancing lessons and now I am here, a finalist in the Do you have a motto in life and
if so what is it? My motto is
to grab the moment! Matthew
Anthony, you were born in Marsascala , So I've
lived in 2 southern cities in February 2018 and you will
present the song 'Call 2morrow' with music and lyrics by Jonas Gladnikoff,
Tom Wilkund and Peder Erikkson. Can you tell us something about the song
and what it means to you? Why should this song be the one to
represent The song,
in my opinion, is something new for MESC. It has a certain style and sound
that How are the preparations going
and can you give us a little clue as to how the song will be staged? Will
you have backing vocalists supporting you? Have you decided what you will
be wearing? At this
stage everything is ready to go. I won't give out too much info but let's
say I won't be the only one on stage and remember that I’m also a
dancer myself haha! How did the collaboration come
about and what was your initial reaction when you heard the song? Was it
written with you and the Eurovision in mind or was it a
happy coincidence? I was
actually working on an original up to two weeks before the deadline.
However I decided not to enter with the song as it still had a lot of work
to do. Just at that time I was offered this song and immediately fell
in love with its difference. Also it was a perfect match for my voice and
style so in about a week we had to record master tweak the song just in
time to enter it before the deadline! What would it mean to you to
represent It would
absolutely mean the world to me! I am such a huge fan of MESC and ESC
that I still can't believe I’m in the finals, let alone representing How important is the Eurovision Song Contest in It is
considered the biggest musical event in Have you followed the contest
closely and do you have a favourite winning song? Yes, as I
already mention I'm a huge fan. My favourite would have to be
Gianluca with ‘Tomorrow’! What in your opinion is the
recipe for a successful Eurovision entry? In my
opinion, I think something different and original would work well in
Eurovision also a hint of traditional music or some kind of element might
just do the trick! Let us imagine we can go back in
time. If you could take one of Again, I
would say 'Tomorrow' Gianluca. The vibe of that song was so nice and the
interaction with the crowd was amazing! In 2016 the song selected
during MESC 2016 was not the one that actually represented I
agree with this decision. We are competing with a whole package,
being song, voice, looks, and performance, not just the face or the
name! Having said that I strongly believe that revamping the chosen
song would do great things as it can be compared with the other competing
songs chosen for Eurovision and will attract more interest. What did you think about the
winning song last year, 'Amar pelos dois' performed by It's such
an amazing and simple song! I love it; however, I wanted to see This year the Maltese entry will be chosen entirely
by a 50/50 split between a televote and jury. How do you feel about this? I think
this is a very good decision. The Maltese public needs to have a say,
however not the full say as the song will be competing with other songs
therefore a professional jury can see the potential the songs
have to compete with the other countries! What do you
enjoy doing in your free time? Mostly I
write my own songs and play the guitar! Apart from singing, what other
profession or professions interest you? I
really like music production and dancing! If you could choose one person to sing a duet with
who would it be and why? It would
either be a duet with James Arthur (I just love EVERYTHING about him)
or else featuring with Nicki Minaj, that would be epic !!! Are you a superstitious person?
Do you perform any rituals before going on stage? Not really,
as long as I'm fully prepared beforehand! Time for you to be the Tourism
Ambassador for Do you have
a message for the readers of this interview? I would
like to thank all Eurovision followers for making this incredible
contest so much more special!!! Grazzi Matthew Anthony and every
success in the contest! |
|
Christabelle
is hoping to fly the Maltese flag in The lyrics are by
myself and Muxu, and the music is by Thomas G.Son. The song is called
‘Taboo’, and it’s an incredibly personal one for me, both because of
what I have been through as an individual in my private life, and because
it addresses something that is very close to my heart. The song’s
message is that we should be open about discussing mental illness and in
offering help (rather than judgment) to those suffering from it. We need
to change the way we talk about mental illness and encourage those who
need help to speak up; but it’s only by working together that we can
break this taboo… So, in a nutshell, with ‘Taboo’, I set out to
raise awareness about mental health. Even though I only
started taking part in the MESC a few years ago, last year I decided to
take a year off the Eurovision to focus on my job as a full-time financial
controller, as well as on my music beyond the MESC. Even so, my intention
was always return within a year and, watching it last year, made me
realise just how much I enjoy being a part of it and on the MESC stage.
Also, I feel that the MESC is a huge platform for anyone who wants to get
their message across through song. I believe that we
all have an equal chance at winning, and the edge will probably be seen on
the night, based on the best package and performance. I think that the
only person we should compete with is ourselves because, ultimately, even
if we don’t win, we’ll have grown and advanced. And that’s something
I live by in my day-to-day life, too. Dog or Cat? Dog Netflix
or YouTube? Netflix Phone
Call or Text? Text Toast
or Eggs? Eggs Cardio
or Weights? Cardio Facebook
or Twitter? Facebook While
walking: Music or Podcasts?
Music Pop
or Indie? Pop Cake
or Pie? Cake Swimming
or Sunbathing? Swimming High-tech
or Low-tech? High- tech Big
Party or Small Gathering? Small
gathering New
Clothes or New Phone? Clothes
Work
Hard or Play Hard? Work hard What’s
worse: Laundry or Dishes? Dishes Bath
or Shower?
Shower Sneakers or Sandals? Sneakers And
now some quick fire questions!! Greatest
singer of all time? Whitney Houston Favourite
dessert? Cheesecake If
you could be any animal in the world what would you be and why? Panthers – So fierce!
Last
person you texted? My father – work related Favourite
colour – Red Favourite
country to holiday? Apart from yourself who could you see winning MESC? Trick question J Thank
you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be
interviewed! Grazzi Christabelle and every success in
the contest! |
|
Please tell us what each of your potential
Eurovision songs mean to you in a few words and what they represent. ·
'The Right Time' ·
Count on Me' ·
'What Happened to Our Love' ·
'Why not' ·
'You're on My Mind' ·
'Stories' ·
'The One That You Love' ‘The
Right Time’ and ‘Why Not’ are the songs that nearly made my
dream came true to be the ambassador of my beloved country Malta and so
are very dear and Important to me. |
|
Eleanor Cassar is hoping to represent Live
and let Live! What
in your opinion is the recipe for a successful Eurovision entry? |
|
AVENUE SKY are…
Aidan, Andy, Clive, Joseph, Kevin and Karl and they are aiming high with
their song “we can run”. Let’s find out more about the boys… This
experience contributes well to the main aim of Avenue sky, that is, to
give to our listeners and followers an enjoyable experience through the
music that we create together. Our different ages, different opinions and
different genres of music is what make our music special to us as we
manage to get the best out of each and every member. And through that we
want to present to the public the best possible experience. What
do you enjoy doing in your free time? Not
really superstitous. Before going on stage we all like to regroup
individually, we give those 10 – 15 minutes were we mentally prepare
ourselves and then we give a little pep talk to each other and off we go!!
J
Grazzi
Avenue
Sky and every success in the contest! |
|
Richard Micallef will attempt to
represent Richard, many thanks for taking the time to
talk to us! How are you and at what stage are you with the preparations
for your participation in the MESC 2018? First
of all thank you for the interview. Me and my dad are mainly focusing on
the vocals of this song, trying our best to get the harmonies as tight as
we can. We don't intend to be doing any somersaults on stage and
there won't be a fancy dance routine, we are just gonna be ourself and
hopefully connect with the audience in an emotional way as its a song that
can relate to many people. Do you have a motto in life and if so
what is it? Live
for today cause tomorrow never comes. Richard, you were born in If you have participated in the Both me and my father have entered the
Malta Eurovision song contest before in the past , in fact this is going
to be my 10th performance on the stage and every single time I have
performed on that stage it has been a wonderful experience and also a
great platform to connect with the local audience. This is the main reason
why I always wanted to come back to that stage. I must admit that the
Eurovision song contest has always been good to me having placed second
ones and also been fortunate enough to win it in 2014 with my band called
Firelight which includes my three siblings. Last time that dad entered the
malta song for Europe was in 1991 with the song that was sang as a duet
with Helen Micallef, The song was called "can't let go". February 2018 and you will present the
song 'Song for Dad' with music and lyrics by yourself and
Cyprian Cassar. Can you tell us something about the song and what it means to
you? Why should this song be the one to represent The song
was written by myself ( Richard ) and produced by one of How are the
preparations going and can you give us a little clue as to how the song
will be staged? Will you have backing vocalists supporting you? Have you
decided what you will be wearing? Regarding
stage performance, we are going to keep it simple and be ourselves there
will not be a fancy dance routine just a father and son doing their thing
on stage. How did the collaboration with Cyprian come
about and what was your initial reaction when you heard the song? Was it
written with you and the Eurovision in mind or was it a
happy coincidence? I wrote the song last April and I had never
written a song for my dad so when I picked up the pen and started writing
and strummed the guitar and started composing I thought to myself that it
would be amazing to also perform this song on the Malta Eurovision song
contest Stage, after all the festival is the best platform in Malta to
launch a song. Until this point my dad did not know of anything so one day
when he came to my house to have a coffee I played "song for dad
" on the guitar acoustically for him. His reaction to the song was
that it was a good song and he asked me what are my intentions for the
song. I answered by stating that I wrote this song for him and me to sing
at the next Malta Eurovision song contest, if we are lucky enough to make
it to the finals. He then answered by saying that I should sing the song
with my sister or brother as nobody wants to see a 70-year-old on that
stage. As time went by I managed to convince him and here we are. What would it mean to you to represent Representing How important is the
Eurovision Song Contest in In Malta everybody watches the Malta
Eurovision Song Contest even the people that don't like the Eurovision
will be watching the Eurovision song contest to slander it. Maltese
families tend to gather up and make a small party at someone's home while
watching the finals making it a nice family event that one looks forward
too once a year. Have you followed the
contest closely and do you have a favourite winning song? I think that this year there
is a very tough competition and the songs are all at a high-level and
different to each other so to me every single song that is in the finals
has a chance to win. It's all depends what the jury and the Tele voting go
for on the night. What in your opinion is the recipe for a successful
Eurovision entry? In my opinion I don't think that is a
specific recipe for a successful Eurovision entry as if there was ... Well
then wouldn't everybody would be using this recipe? I do believe however
that it is important to have a song that stands out from the rest and
normally this is a winning factor. Let us imagine we can
go back in time. If you could take one of In my case this would definitely be my
song "coming home" in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest . I
would relive that moment over and over again if I could. Absolutely
amazing. In 2016 the song selected during MESC
2016 was not the one that actually represented To be honest ... what is the point of making a
festival of such a high-level and present this festival to the public of What did you think about the winning song
last year, 'Amar pelos dois' performed by This year the Maltese entry will be chosen
entirely by a 50/50 split between a televote and jury. How do you feel
about this? The voting system is something that
changes on the regular basis in the What do you enjoy doing
in your free time? In my free time I enjoy going on long
walks with my dog and trying my best to exercise to maintain a good
fitness level I also enjoy going out for lunches with my beautiful wife to
be Raisa, of course writing and recording new songs is always something I
enjoy dearly. As for my dad he is a very busy man as in his pension years
he is very active. He runs his own community radio station which keeps him
on his toes.. he also has a home recording studio which he spends lots of
time at ...then there's also babysitting the grandchildren. Apart from singing, what other profession or
professions interest you? To
be honest both me and my dad could not imagine a life without music as
both of us are full-time musicians and depend solely on Music to make a
living. If you could choose one
person to sing a duet with who would it be and why? The
person that I always want to sing with you at with is the person that I am
actually singing a duet with this year which is my dad Are you a superstitious person? Do you
perform any rituals before going on stage? Dad doesn't have
any superstitious rituals but I do. I am not going to state them here
because they are quite silly. Time for you to be the Tourism Ambassador
for You can read the answer to an earlier
question to let you know what I think about our beautiful country but
regarding favourite Maltese dish : At the moment my favourite dish is a
Maltese dish called "pulpeti" it is made from mashed
potato and beef . At the moment me and my fiancé go around You have already represented I was
lucky enough to represent Was your Father with you in Yes, he simply said " enjoy the ride " Do you have a message
for the readers of this interview? Both me and my dad would like to say thank you for
all the beautiful comments we have been receiving these past few weeks and
we both hope that we can touch your hearts with our song and make you feel
good inside because at the end of the day that is what it's all about.
Thanks again Richard and Joe. Grazzi Richard
(& Joe!) and every success in the contest! |
|
Rhiannon will attempt to represent Rhiannon, many thanks for taking the time to
talk to us! How are you and at what stage are you with the preparations
for your participation in the MESC 2018? I am very well thank you! It is definitely a
busy period with preparations, rehearsals, interviews and appearances
within these coming weeks, but I am enjoying every moment of it.
Preparations are well under way! Before talking in more detail about 'Beyond
Blue Horizons', can you tell us about yourself ? When did you start
singing? Are any other members of your family musical and if yes, can
you tell us more about them? Did you enjoy a musical education and who
have been or are your main musical influences? My passion for music has grown with me since
the very tender age of 3. In over twenty years of dedication to music, I
have cultivated a voice unique to contemporary music in Throughout my career, I have been a
contestant in numerous local and foreign festivals, whilst I remains a
resident member of Animae Gospel Choir, under Pamela Bezzina’s
direction. I also pursue musicianship in piano, as I have recently started
composing and writing my own music. Major musical influences have been
Karen Clarke Sheard, Aretha Franklin and Beyoncé. ‘Take a
Look’, my first single, made it to #1 in the local radio charts. Since
then, I have met with Cyprian Cassar, who soon became a mentor and close
friend. This collaboration led towards my Laid-back, humble and rooted in
self-discovery, I hope my voice is one that will provide solace and
silence audiences. Aimed at intrinsic conceptual discovery, my music
promises to be empathic and deeply personal. Do you have a motto in life and if so
what is it? My life’s motto can be summed up into
Ghandi’s quote about the mysteries of life: Freedom is not worth having
if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes. Rhiannon you were born in It is a nation which packs glorious variety
into its small archipelago
comprised of If you have participated in the Taking the MESC stage for the very first
time last year, has truly been an encouraging turning point in my life;
not only having inspired me to grow as an artist, but also flourished my
development on a personal level. It has opened doors to numerous
opportunities and friendships. Definitely an experience I will cherish
forever! February 2018 and you
will present the song 'Beyond Blue Horizons' with music and lyrics by
yourself and Cyprian Cassar. Can you tell us something about the song and
what it means to you? Why should this song be the one to represent Beyond Blue Horizons is the product of an
artistic experiment that I have been working towards the past couple of
years. The song is a conceptual and emotional ballad perfectly
highlighting artistic versatility and vocals. The contemporary ballad is
unique and exclusive from the other 15 competing entries, both through its
writing technique and style: sourcing the voice as the core instrument in
driving dynamics, intensity and melody. Composed and penned by myself, and
Cyprian Cassar of Tenishia fame, this modern and soulful piece is enriched
by a powerful message and eloquent harmonies, sung by the 2011 MESC-winner
Glen Vella, and the remarkable vocalist and tutor Pamela Bezzina. Inspired by the hardships my parents have
faced throughout my 20-year career in music, to invest in me and in my
future, Beyond Blue Horizons, is a song of praise and gratitude of their
unfailing efforts and love. I believe that Beyond Blue Horizons is a
song with huge potential. Not only because the song conveys immense
emotions of real-life experiences but also because the song delivers …
and I do my best work, live on stage How are the preparations going and can you
give us a little clue as to how the song will be staged? Will you have
backing vocalists supporting you? Have you decided what you will be
wearing? I am unable to comment about specifics, but
do expect something different from me this year. Make sure to watch the
MESC on How did the collaboration with Cyprian come
about and what was your initial reaction when you heard the song? Was it
written with you and the Eurovision in mind or was it a
happy coincidence? Beyond Blue Horizons is a song I wrote
together with Cyprian Cassar. Having been experimenting with the tune for
over a few months, I was very pleased with the outcome. The song is very
much a reflection of the music that inspired me to pursue my career in the
first place: soul with a slight touch of gospel. What would it mean to you to represent Representing How important is the Eurovision Song Contest
in Eurovision Song Contest is one of the
largest artist platforms in my country, and by far the most popular. Being
a small island, with limited opportunities for musicians and artists, we
seek international opportunities. Eurovision, for me is not simply a
competition, but an exhibition of the rich talent we have. Have you followed the
contest closely and do you have a favourite winning song? Yes, I have been following the contest
since I was very young. My favourite winning song is Euphoria – Loreen. What in your opinion is the recipe for a successful
Eurovision entry? In considering past ESC winners,
namely 1944 ( Let us imagine we can go back in time. If
you could take one of Angel – Chiara. That song is just,
WOW. In 2016 the song selected during MESC
2016 was not the one that actually represented I personally agree with this decision.
While a revamp or change in song at a later stage could increase our
chances in the competition, it may well not be suited for the singer. The
jury and the public would have chosen a winning song, and we should
respect and believe in their opinion. What did you think about the winning song
last year, 'Amar pelos dois' performed by It was one of the most sincere and
heartfelt performances I have ever seen on the Eurovision stage. Simple,
and profound. I was so glad it won! This year the Maltese entry will be chosen
entirely by a 50/50 split between a televote and jury. How do you feel
about this? I wholeheartedly
agree with this option. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I enjoy spending time at the park with
my three dogs, reading, travelling and hiking. Apart from singing, what other profession or
professions interest you? I am pursuing my academic career to be
a lawyer, but if I did not have my music career, I would definitely become
a doctor! If you could choose one person to sing a
duet with who would it be and why? Sam Smith. His voice is so unique ..
and I love his style. Are you a superstitious person? Do you
perform any rituals before going on stage? No I am not
superstitious. I believe in perseverance and commitment. I try to be as
calm as possible before going on stage .. and some laughter too! It’s
good for the soul 21. Time for you to be the Tourism
Ambassador for The Maltese archipelago, to me, is one
of the greatest places on Earth. We are blessed with sunshine 300 days a
year, beautiful panoramic coastal sceneries and a relatively easy way of
living. Sure being a group of small islands with just a few hundred km²
of land will surely have its limitations, but the Maltese surely have the
biggest of hearts. My favourite Maltese dish would
definitely be rabbit dishes, preferably in garlic and wine jus. Do you have a message for the readers of
this interview? This year I
would like to encourage our readers to believe in themselves and stay true
to what makes them who they are. Speaking from my experience, an
artist’s most intricate dilemma is finding the balance between what is
true to your heart, and what pleases your audience. Make a
statement. Not for them. But for you. This life that we are blessed with
cannot be lived for them. Trust me, your authenticity will be remarked.
Grazzi
Rhiannon and every success in the contest! |