Malta Ira Losco Eurovision 2016 walk on water

On Thursday evening at 20:00 CET, Ira Losco will finally reveal “Walk on Water” — Malta’s much-anticipated song for Eurovision 2016.

The big reveal marks the end of a very long journey for Ira. It started with a hard-fought win at the national selection in February, which was followed by several weeks of uncertainty, which in turn led to a hastily-organised internal selection to choose a new song.

We’re pleased to say that all the twists and turns were worth it as she has emerged with an even stronger song — and perhaps Malta’s best entry ever. 

On Wednesday afternoon PBS kindly invited wiwibloggs to attend an exclusive first viewing of the music video. wiwiblogger Patrick, who is living and studying in Malta, booked it to PBS headquarters, and I joined in via Skype from London. 

Malta Ira Losco Eurovision 2016 walk on waterWe were both floored. “Walk On Water” is a contemporary pop song with strong drum and bass undertones. Its radio-friendly sound is bigger than Malta and the Mediterranean — you could hear it getting airplay across Europe and beyond.

Those who complained that “Chameleon” lacked a hook and climax will appreciate what they find here. A quiet but confident opening leads to a memorable and powerful chorus. The production is slick and gives the song major shape and direction. And it uses backing vocalists to great effect. At times there is a wall of sound that channels a church choir, which makes sense given the religious themes associated with walking on water.

Fans have made much of the fact Melodifestivalen star Molly Petterson Hammar co-wrote the song, and some have asked us whether it sounds more like MPH’s “I’ll Be Fine” or “Hunger”. The answer is neither. It may carry the soul element that fans associate with MPH, but through drum and bass and gospel this becomes decidedly Ira.

Half an hour after leaving PBS, Patrick was still humming the tune. I asked him what his lingering impression was.

I didn’t expect this from a tiny island like Malta. Darkness meets drums meets upbeat meets gospel. I was hungry to hear this and it’s completely satisfied me with its energy and power. There’s winning potential here. Europe is ready to visit Malta — and in 2017 it just might!

The accompanying music video, which you can watch this evening, is gorgeous. We see Ira working a series of high-fashion looks while on the beautiful island of Gozo. We don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say she is a real contender to challenge in our annual search for Eurovision’s Next Top Model! She is comfortable in the sun and knows how to work it beneath those rays.

The bookies share our enthusiasm. Malta’s odds to win Eurovision have been slowly narrowing all week — there is confidence Ira will do well with the new tune. And on Wednesday afternoon Malta’s odds dropped sharply from between 25/1 and 33/1 at a number of agencies to between 6/1 and 10/1 at the same ones.

Malta’s video will be presented tonight on their news bulletin and uploaded to the official Eurovision.tv YouTube channel. 

Ira Losco Photo Gallery

Read more Malta Eurovision news

46 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Diane
Diane
7 years ago

I hope she’s the winner! She’s got everything it takes to top the contest. Such a beautiful song and talented artist.

MusicLover
MusicLover
7 years ago

Helena F….., look at the betting sites, MALTA IS THIRD FAVORITE. So I think you have the worst taste in music and not Wiwi writers.

Helena F.
Helena F.
8 years ago

LOL, when WiWi likes a song it’s bound to be junk. WiWi ‘writers’ have the worst taste in music. This will be lucky to qualify. It’s over produced junk.

Toscano
Toscano
8 years ago

What a hype!!! Now I have extreme expectations on this!
I feel like listening the song right now!

euro
euro
8 years ago

Valletta 2017

Colin
Colin
8 years ago

@Nicky91

I am sorry, I know how it feels. Personally I like Douwe Bob’s song, but I hated our Croatian entry in 2011 (Break A Leg/ Celebrate / Lahore – yes, the song had THREE version, each worse than the next and not even similar in lyrics), so I know. On contrary, I couldn’t be more proud this year and wish Nina Kralji? all the best, since the song is probably our best entry ever.

Pastora Soler haha!
Pastora Soler haha!
8 years ago

I agree with u nicky about the netherlands xD

Not sure if he will qualify, but then… 20th or similar.

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

@Colin

thank you for the compliment, you know i’m dutch and i don’t our song, look i’ve seen Douwe Bob live before, and he has no stage presence to my opinion

of course i must not criticize my own country, but i’m being honest

i’m really excited about hearing Ira’s song, and I want to wish every country the very best of luck this song contest

even San Marino’s song, i like the story of the song, but the video is so boring

Georgia, well it hurts on my ears

Montenegro, same as Georgia, really just screaming music

Colin
Colin
8 years ago

@Nicky91 I would really like to see Netherlands in the finals this year. Along with Austria, they improved their entry from last year a lot and would deserve it. Both songs are usually in the middle of someone’s list and could go either way. Also, Croatia and Czech Republic deserved it A LOT. Even if songs are thankfully really appreciated by fans, it’s not from the countries that usually have luck. Estonia and Iceland are my favorites of the evening and both have killer songs and luck in ESC, but who knows… And now we need to hear Malta… best… Read more »

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

@SpirK

exactly, and i can vote for Malta this year, as they are in the same semi-final as the Netherlands

Amber was definitely robbed of the final last year

Jacques
8 years ago

‘Hunger’ could win Eurovision, too, in fact I wasn’t a fan of ‘I’ll Be Fine’. I believe that Isa and Molly robbed sp hard at Melfest this year.

I expect a lot, and I’ll be supporting Malta even if they were sending a church bell. I’m enough with Sweden and Russia topping all the time. That’d be great bringing the contest to southern Europe again.

Björkman, is making Eurovision more for Sweden every year – like the voting format changing, just for make the jury more acceptable after their unfairly victory last year.

SpirK
SpirK
8 years ago

If it is as good as you guys say it is, then Malta may be in the game, considering that we are in an all open year with no clear favorites whatsoever. Let’s see if Ira can surpass herself!

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

@Marc

well thank you, well Chameleon is a nice song, which she still will record for her new album with 7 other songs which weren’t selected for eurovision

and what do you think about Ira Losco, yourself, your own opinion?

Pastora Soler haha!
Pastora Soler haha!
8 years ago

Guys too much hype… hope u are right and a great song.

We’ll see…

Marc
Marc
8 years ago

@Nicky91, I think it could be good, better than Chameleon for sure. But I wonder if it’s that good why Molly didn’t sing it in Melodifestivalen.
I really like Malta when they go with something simple and authentic (like in 2013 which IMO it deserved at least top 5) instead of divas and cliches.

Criticca
Criticca
8 years ago

I am worried for Malta. I really want them to do well this year after what happened with Amber…

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

@Marc

well maybe it is a good song, 7th wonder was also a good song, right

and it totally deserved to win tbh

and Ira has got the support of all of the maltese people behind her, some are supporting her for 16 years now

and it’s better to start pessimistic, instead of really overrating it, i’m gonna give it a close listen today, and i’ll comment tomorrow what i think about it or later today, i’ll see

but Marc, have faith Always keep the faith 🙂

Marc
Marc
8 years ago

I don’t think this*

Marc
Marc
8 years ago

Well I don’t trust if it’s coming from Patrick who has one the worst music taste by far in wiwibloggs. I don’t this is going to be that good, we’ll see.

Ben Rafter
Ben Rafter
8 years ago

I really hope that this doesn’t flop like “What about my dreams” “Rockefeller Street” “I’m alive” “Warrior” and “Warrior” both from last year, and maybe even “You” and “Glorious” did in 2013. At the moment I am expecting a lot and I hope it is not a let down.

Milla
Milla
8 years ago

@Hello hi.. yeah.. like when someone thought Georgia slayed last year.. 😀

Hello hi
Hello hi
8 years ago

@ Christoph .. My name “hello hi ” is of no reference to dolly style .. I have not even listened to that song !!

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

well maybe it can become a fan favourite, because most people know Ira already, and they know how good she is

best of luck to Malta, you were robbed last year

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

@T

stop the negativity, Malta is currently on 5th place, maybe because some people already heard it

T
T
8 years ago

I’m not so sure about this. I want Malta to do well, they’re basically one of my favourite countries in Eurovision and they definitely deserve a win sometime in near future. But based on the songwriters it seems like this is a melfest reject. Two of the songwriters also wrote Swedens entry 2005 and Molly P. H. is not even a songwriter. So I personally believe that the guys pretty much did the song by themselves and then Molly came in right before they sended it in to Melodifestivalen. SVT or her team wanted her to do I’ll be fine… Read more »

EuroFan
EuroFan
8 years ago

Well i cant understand all your negativity! You havent even listened to it yet and you post negative comments. When chameleon was selected everyone said that its not that good and it fell in the tops and odds. And now they change it and you say “bring back chameleon”! Wtf people??? + considering that the new song has been chosen by professionals from all over europe and the fact that the guys in this video reacted so positively means that this will be at least very good. And in addition its neither the first nor the last time when a… Read more »

Nicky91
Nicky91
8 years ago

@Nico

why that was a artist selection, if another singer had won the maltese selection, they might have changed the song as well

EUROFAN MEXICO
8 years ago

3 WORDS: PREFERENCE, CAMPAIGN OR REGIONALISM.
IF I WATH ENY SONG FROM MEXICO IN EUROVISION I WILL CRY I WILL MAKE PI AND I FLY LIKE AN CRAZY ANGEL

Nico
Nico
8 years ago

I feel sorry for the other participants in the Maltese pre-selection. What a farce!

jr esc nl
jr esc nl
8 years ago

@pete
Who got a trip to malta? They used a wiwiblogger who lives there.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
8 years ago

If “Walk On Water” is as good as the author says it is, then, like the song title itself, “Chameleon” did its job as a warmup.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
8 years ago

If I’m not mistaken, didn’t Albania ditch Elhaida Dani’s “Diell” last year, and replace it with “I’m Alive”? This is not the first time a song has been replaced, for any reason. I doubt it is even the 2nd or 3rd time.

Pete
Pete
8 years ago

It’s “amazing” the “enthusiasm” a trip to Malta can generate! LOL

MMs
MMs
8 years ago

A small country stepped up it’s game, if not for the song, as we still need to hear that, at least they showed us they listen.

@TIMO is raising as many inconsistent argument as he/she can. Bro you’re booing Malta but all the things you’ve written to “judge” Malta have been done before or are done being now. Did you hear the Maltese delegation saying that a win is guaranteed? Or did Ira write that? You seem so informed. Please, give us some more news 😛

Hannah
Hannah
8 years ago

Her vocals are not really the best. Cant understand why this is suddenly being hyped. I see a Kate Ryan happening!

Timbardur62
Timbardur62
8 years ago

@This is my opinion (TIMO): Why are you getting that offensive just on Malta? As far it is not forbidden in the rules of the ESC to change the song there is no reason to get angry if some country wish to do so. This option has been used by many countries in the past and I don’t see anything wrong with it. So, relax and calm down and enjoy this year’s songs. Your behaviour is far from “coming together” as the slogan of the ESC 2016 is supposed to be.

Stephen Colville
Stephen Colville
8 years ago

Christoph, not all Eurovision fans like Margaret’s song. Hence the celebrations when she lost.

Christoph
Christoph
8 years ago

@hello hi — all of Eurovision fandom loved Margarets song. And Ilse DeLange has said publicly that she regrets how she presented Calm After the Storm. The only rubbish I see is your name — which smacks of Dolly Style…

AM Casablancas
AM Casablancas
8 years ago

you are building an expectation higher than anything else so I hope it’s good!

Hello hi
Hello hi
8 years ago

Don’t really trust the judgement of wiwibloggs reporters so I won’t get my hopes up for maltas final entry..
After all these are the same people who rated Margaret cool me down very highly and then had given the common linnets a terrible rating in 2014
They seem to like cheap tacky rubbish !!!

marc nl
marc nl
8 years ago

I don t like what Malta doing this year. It s not fair to other countries especially for countries from first semifinal. EBUmust change rules for 2017. Country can change song only if song is publish before ebu rules and if song is plagiat

This is my opinion (TIMO)
This is my opinion (TIMO)
8 years ago

This is sad. it’s like as they are preparing for beauty contest, it’s just a song for eurovision and Malta participated, contributed for long years that they should be proud of it doesn’t matter if they don’t win if they haven’t won untill now, how they are preparing changing son waiting for other countries to pic their song then they can choose one they think it’s better than other countries songs etc..pleaseeee winning is not guaranteed it’s competition at same time bridge to unite europe, what ever the song is about l find this arrogant and wouldn’t feel like to… Read more »

Liam
Liam
8 years ago

Oh my god her face is so symmetrical she should be on Malta’s money, like seriously!
The song I wanna hear it now! & the team behind Ira have already done such a great job, I mean look at all the hype they were able te create, for a song in which a teaser hasn’t even been released yet!

irish esc
irish esc
8 years ago

i loved chameleon i hope wow is a good song just like chameleon.

#American
#American
8 years ago

Can’t wait to hear her song!! :))