TVM, the national broadcaster for Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest, has given us an early Christmas present. On December 21 officials revealed the 16 acts who will compete to represent the island nation at Eurovision 2017 in Kyiv.
We think this is one of the strongest national finals so far and now we want to know who your favourites are. Listed below are the 16 songs and artists dying to represent Malta. Do any of them cut the muster?
Listen to the songs and then vote in our poll. Remember – you can vote for as many acts as you like, but you can only vote once, so make it count! Be sure to tick the box next to each act before hitting the submit button.
Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2017 – songs
Brooke Borg – “Unstoppable”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06KwdngoDko
Cherton Caruana – “Fighting To Survive”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU6OELpV_vM
Claudia Faniello – “Breathlessly”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYailyTyhS4
Crosswalk – “So Simple”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f28LpRY842A
Deborah C & Josef Tabone – “Tonight”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBV8CVumDI8
Franklin Calleja – “Follow Me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHNHlNxcRj4
Jade Vella – “Seconds Away”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPEFIpgDnUE
Janice Mangion – “Kewkba”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSmRq58U7fs
Kevin Borg – “Follow”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI2y_B67nGM
Klinsmann Coleiro – “Laserlight”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q47OD9YqIXc
Maxine Pace – “Bombshell”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssGUCi-lD-E
Mariana Conte – “Don’t Look Down”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pApyqCpVaY
Raquela Dalli Gonzi – “Ray of Light”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2BBoFGimN0
Rhiannon Micallef – “Fearless”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h0HgfI1tHg
Richard Edwards – “You”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTEvtkYG524
Shauna Vassallo – “Crazy Games”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywsPjR6O0N8
Maltese is Malta’s national language!!janice should win with kewkba(a star- that gives a ray of hope)
I love Follow me.I’m not familiar with Franklin’s music so not sure why someone describes him as getting dated.Sounds fresh enough to me.
Unstoppable and Ray Of Light are amazing ^-^
Definitely Claudia. She’s got the whole package and tons of experience in the Industry. Malta does better abroad with ballads and songs like Breathlessly. All for Claudia, she truly deserves it since she’s come so close so many times. It’s about time we send her to Ukraine. Plus she has a full local song..let’s support local talent <3
Honestly, how many people just saw Brooke’s name and voted the song without hearing the competition. Her song is okay, but to earn more than twice in the lead? I doubt it. IMHO – songs from 2’nd to 6’th spot are all better and one of these should represent Malta.
Fearless is the only song that stands out in this selection, but there isn’t even 1 bad song here, Franklin is getting dated now… the guy should take a break. Brooke’s song is ok… yet not good enough. Jessika had 3 songs? now she has 0?
@Kewkba: You think like me. 🙂 I’ll tell you why I think Janice will win MESC 2017: By the time she is finished with this song, there won’t be a dry eye in the place. If Janice wins, it would be the first time since 1972 (!!) that they send a Maltese-language song to ESC (they were ready to send one in 1974, but they withdrew). Depending on what they present in the music video, and how they intend to present it on stage in Kyiv, this ballad has the potential to make the final and finish in the top… Read more »
Kewkba (Star) – this is the only stand out for me, can’t stop listening to it. Being the only semitic language written in Latin script, the maltese language is very unique. It is derived from Arabic, Italian and Sicilian, with hints of English. The song is passionately sung, Janice’s voice is very powerful and touching. I want to see this in Kiev – Eurovision needs more diversity, I know English is also the official language of Malta but this is a rare opportunity for the Maltese to showcase their beautiful language in front of Europe. It is the type of… Read more »
@AM Casablancas – I agree on Deborah C – She cannot hit a right tone in live. I am sure the new song will sound awful live as much as her last song did. How was this picked over not one, but 3 Jessika’s songs? Is it possible that all 3 were SO bad (unlikely, considering The Flame, Fandango and Hypnotica) or maybe Deborah C has some advantages aside from singing?
Brooke’s song it’s so nasty
whereas Maxine’s is fresh, young, carefree and lovely, she definitively works it this year.
Other shout-outs: Klinsmann and Crosswalk (at least they have a style of their own, not like copypasted previous entries, also artist I haven’t heard from)
MESC needs more new talents, For example Debora C has been here for as long as I can remember and she always brings a turd. Time to see songs not names.
None of the songs is painfully bad, but many are quite bland and/or generic. Standout songs are Kevin’s ‘Follow’, Richard’s ‘You’, Janice’s ‘Kewkba’ and Claudia’s ‘Breathlessly’. Seams like ballads have it in Malta. If, however, they decide to go for an uptempo song, Maxine’s ‘Bombshell’ definitely has a hook and I am sure she’ll make a great live performance. Brooke’s ‘Unstoppable’ is also good, but very overhyped in my opinion. ‘Golden’ was a better song, and they virtually have the exact same mesaage (Enpowerment to everyone). I also like ‘Ray of Light’. Others didn’t leave much impression on me for… Read more »
Well, most of these songs are boring, forgettable ballads–meh. The real standouts are “Kewkba”–giving us Maltese language passion and emotion, “Follow”–love his voice, rather unique, and “Unstoppable”–generally upbeat and approachable. With some revision, I can see one of them making it to the final in Kiev! Personally, I’d like to see “Kewkba” win, just because it’d be interesting to see a Maltese language song for a change! Oh, happy holidays to all! 😀
Brooke or Franklin for the win!
@ct_greece: If this were any other song in Maltese, you might have a point about the possibility of the ESC juries abandoning them. But with THIS song, we might just have a “Molitva” moment, simply because it is sung in Maltese (and for those of you at TVM, PLEEEEEZ keep it that way). The time may be right for the first non-English song to win at ESC since 2007. This one has enormous potential.
Ahaha! My favourite is now dead last in the Wiwi poll!! Ah well…
@NigelParker: Thank you for the apology, and enjoy the Maltese National Final! 🙂
I am all for listening to maltese in Eurovision, so go Janice! Of course that may mean that juries will abandon them for the first time. Or perhaps not even language can sink Malta with the juries 😛
Janice Mangion’s “Kewkba”. End of story. And given that this is 100% public vote, I have a feeling it won’t even be close.
My top 5: (1) Janice; (2) Franklin; (3) Claudia; (4) Brooke; (5) Kevin.
I only liked just 3 songs.
FOLLOW ME – UNSTOPPABLE – KEWKBA
I’m all for Kevin Borg! Brooke’s song starts off pretty nice but then it just falls flat and disappoints you
This is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl3w8e2l9lA
Recap of the songs and my personal top 16
Kevin or Franklin is best choice if Malta want to send pop ballad at Eurovision 2017 , if they want to sent pop uptempo song send Maxine.
@cheesecake: It’s the cheese in all your cakes that prevents you from listening properly or expecting anybody in Eurovision to bring smelly cheese to Eurovision … either of both of these …
And again … here we go again … the interrogative “who” being used as the centrepiece of something that is about “which song” … we’ll never learn, will we?
unstoppable, crazy games, bombshell
malta is always a little trashy tbh so i dont particularly like any of them
Kevin Borg will win! For sure
Kewkba!!!
And we need that Hamilton Travel “realness!”
If I had to judge at what could do really well in the big contest I have to pick Claudia’s song.
My favourites are Kewka (I can understand the lyrics : P and it’s amazing) and Unstoppable. What are the bunch saying that Brooke would not make it to the final if she would win? Like come on. The song is huge and I get goosebumps whenever I listen to it. I also think it will transcend great on stage knowing how much effort Brooke puts into it. People complaining should look at the map and look at the size of Malta. For a small country I think the selection is a huge improvement from previous years. LOL for all the… Read more »
Ugh, I don’t particularly like any of these.
This is not surprising though, I never like the Maltese entries.
None of them. I think Malta will have to change the song again.
I honestly don’t like the televoting in Malta, because they generally vote for the person not for the song. In my opinion, most songs do sound the same but they’re NOT BAD. This is easily one of the best NFs Malta has had in ages! Of course most people are rooting for Brooke. The song is great overall but I don’t like the chorus. My favourite is Janice’s “Kewkba” with a little revamp and good staging, it could work, besides, Malta rarely sang in its native language, which sucks in my opinion.
@purplemask haha I wasn’t actually referring to you. When I wrote my comment, yours wasn’t showing at the time.
In fact I very much agree with you. Malta have a rather strong selection. And dare I say a potential winner. The point I was trying to make earlier is that in the event that one should not like a song/s, people feel the need to point out how, in some way, they are not worthy of the trophy.
Apologies for the confusion.
Malta has my support this year.
So much hate for Brooke lol her song is more than decent and she’s a great performer with strong live vocals
Brooke’s song is the best I think.
Kevin Borg’s song could work at Eurovision with the right staging and Richard Edwards has a really good song that I like but would probably not see doing well at Eurovision.
Annoyed with Shauna Vassallo’s because it was so good until the chorus and then just, bleh.
After hearing all the 16 finalists, I think that Unstoppable is the best one can’t understand all these negative vibes. All the songs are good though 🙂 Compared to all the rubbish songs in the past Maltese National Selections, this might be the best National Final staged in ages in Malta. Brooke remains the best one though. I can imagine Brooke scoring well in Kyiv.
Brooke ofc <3.
@NigelParker
Word!
@NigelParker: You commented “..,But then there are people like you guys who begin to spill their infinite wisdom and slighly ruin the experience.” 1. I personally liked the 16 songs. I stated that in my comment and have in no way slightly ruined anyone’s experience. 2. Commenters on this blog have a vast range of knowledge and skills. Some are music critics, some are songwriters, and some are just fans. I’m in the songwriter category, and I mostly appreciate the different opinions, as it’s good to have honest feedback in what I do. 3. Malta’s song this year will be… Read more »
Don’t know why all these negative comments…Am I the only person who likes nearly all the songs from Maltese National Final? I think it’s the best NF in Malta in years compared to all the poor songs that nearly qualified to the televised shows in the two years I’ve been following the Maltese selection and there’s many….Can’t understand why you’re saying Brooke’s song is generic/dated/unimaginative/forgettable. I’ve been playing it all the morning. I can imagine Malta with Brooke getting into the top 10 in Kyiv unless they don’t change the song. It’s necessary if they change it….it isn’t the same… Read more »
Kewkba is definately my favourite. It’s just so enchanting and mysterious and a breath of fresh air from all of the electro-poppy songs this year.
well who cares they gonna change the song anyways.
Janice, Mariana or Raquela. Brooke’s song is too forgettable imo.
I think Brooke’s song is promising until the chorus. VERY disappointing. I still think it is one of the best as the selection is quite poor. My favourite would be Kevin Borg with Follow, I think it’s decent.
How ridiculous people in this comment thread are. I didn’t like any of the songs so by default they must be generic crap no one should vote for. Get off your musical high horses. Music itself is as subjective as someone’s favorite color. Some people may use the word ‘generic’ others ‘contemporary’. Please stop fooling yourself into believing you people know what makes a “good” song, as if that exists, or better yet a winning song. You may dislike a song or all of them for that matter. That what makes this contest awesome. But then there are people like… Read more »
Claudia’s Breathlessly is by the the best entry for Malta for me.
Brooke’s unstoppable is very generic just like Walk on Water was
Crosswalk’s “So simple,” because i’m a fan. 🙂
This is better than I had expected from Malta, well done to everyone!
Super disappointed with Malta’s songs this year. If you compare the variety of song types in Estonia’s and Finland’s selections – there is all type of genres/sounds with some interesting sounds and hooks. This sounds like 16 incredibly generic, unimaginative, dated, reject songs. As Robyn said in the last post, the focus appears to be mainly about getting vocals across to hide a lack of melody/hook. Brooke seems the most popular – this song is a copy and paste copy of Chameleon. Those type of hyper-tacky “We are strong unique special hero diamonds!” type songs are loved by lots of… Read more »
I didn’t really like any song.
Brook ofc is leading. Esc fans are sooo predictable.
“Unstoppable” couldn’t be more generic, typical, bland and forgettable.
The chorus is sooo annoying. It’s not working at all.
I hope Malta will send something different after seeing their last two big televoting flops.