Malta — the tiny Mediterranean island that gave us big voices like Chiara, Ira Losco, and Gaia Cauchi — is turning up the heat on the Eurovision 2015-2016 selection season! That’s because earlier today PBS, Malta’s state broadcaster, announced its plans for Stockholm.
Much is the same. PBS will stage a national selection in January, and it will consist of a semi-final and a final. All artists “participating in a lead role” must be Maltese or hold dual citizenship, one of which must be Maltese. The songs, however, can come from authors and composers of any nation.
Interestingly, artists must all submit two songs. One is an original song — presumably the one they would like to sing at Eurovision. And the other is a “recording of another song, which can be a cover version, or a song that has already been published.” Consider this your chance to show off whatever assets your original song doesn’t, or to work another genre.
Artists can submit songs on October 29 and October 30. PBS will then select 20 acts and reveal them in all their glory in November.
During the national final, six jurors will account for 6/7 of the total score, while the public will serve as a seventh judge. (So basically not power to the people).
Here’s where things get really interesting:
Artists will be allowed to interpret two different songs during Part 1 of the Final Phase.
Fourteen songs will qualify for the Final Phase – Part 2. Artists will be allowed to interpret one song during Part 2 of the final phase.
So it looks like the “semi” is going to be super long with twenty artists allowed to perform two songs each. It could be one lonnnnng evening (and probably one sponsored by Mediterranean Bank).
Last year Malta’s Amber finished 11th in her semi-final, narrowly missing a trip to the grand final.
Who do you think has what it takes to get Malta back to the Saturday night show? Let us know below!
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Yes Buddy, David is a great singer and perhaps the best to represent for Malta in Stockholm next year and a gentleman too. very professional. Go dave
Can’t wait to hear and see David Cauchi perform for Malta in Stockholm…
Can anybody give me dates and venunues so I could book and come over for the Maltese finals. Malta is my favourite Eurovision Country and would love to see them winning Eurovision.
Good move! The voters and juries in late-November overestimated the survivability of Amber’s “Warrior” against the national contest winners announced in January to March (Nina’s “Warrior” among them), and was forgotten by May. Now that the contest is 2 months later, the less likely their entry will be forgotten.
I have a sneaky feeling that Chris Grech is due to win one of these.
Oh yeah and Malta should go 50/50 with the televote – the jury makes some terrible decisions
Amber was my fave this year and she would’ve qualified with the original (much more powerful performance of the song). I really hope Malta make the final. Revenge for Amber (who should so come back for 2017)
To all Amber fanboys (and gurls)….. I don’t get your love for her. Amber’s voice is totally hoarse and her song was a ridiculous Disney movie track. But the icing on the cake was her final Eurovision performance, where she tried to channel Conchita on cocaine crack…… so terrible, omg
Malta should choose a ballad in Maltese. Then they will finish Top 5 in the final and Top 2 in the semifinal
I was most disappointed about MALTA not qualifying to the Final.. 🙁 I really thought that dear Amber would manage to qualify 4 sure.. I was really sad about her failure.. 🙁 {Poor Nicky must was sad too big time about his beloved Amber..} Her initial version 4 *Warrior* was my #1 most favorite song among the 40! <3 She did not do wise that she switched this & went to Vienna with a different less strong version…Although i really liked her remastered version as well <3 Hopefully Malta wil gonna send a GreatY song in next year Vision &… Read more »
What is meant by two songs in the semi is that if an artist has two songs which pass to this phase, he will be allowed to perform both. So, there will still be twenty songs in the semi. Please read the rules carefully before bashing the show!!~~
Oooh that is very late!
I want to see Daniel Testa, Jessica Muscat and Christabelle.
Amber really should have advanced, and I still listen to Warrior today.
Although major LOL for the Mediterranean Bank reference, I like how it’s a reoccurring gag to mention them when Malta is mentioned, haha!
I think the covers only is when submit songs not used in the competition!
Looks like Malta really wants to make it back into the Grand Final after last year’s disappointing result. Good thing the national final is in January instead of November (dat reuse of JESC 2014 stage and interval act doe)… Poor Amber
that’s too bad
their early-season national final last year was a much better idea, and got everyone focused on Malta’s potential without having any other competing NFs to worry about with the exception of Switzerland
evidently this year there’s a chance I might not be watching Mediterranean Bank commercials after all