Back in July, Maltese songwriters spoke out against the Maltese national final being ditched in favour of the X Factor. But now it seems that Malta’s creatives will have an opportunity to get involved. Broadcaster TVM has opened applications for songwriters to compose songs to be performed in the upcoming live shows of the X Factor Malta.

The broadcaster made the announcement on the X Factor Malta Facebook page. They wrote that “X Factor Malta is looking for Composers and Lyricists to write ORIGINAL songs for #XFactorMalta contestants for the Live Shows.”

X Factor Malta – Call for Composers and Lyricists

? X Factor Malta is looking for Composers and Lyricists ?? to write ORIGINAL songs for #XFactorMalta contestants for the Live Shows. ???If you are interested and you want to know more information please send an email with your contact details to xfactor@tvm.com.mt.??Applications close on the 14 December?? #XFactorMalta

Posted by X Factor Malta on Tuesday, December 11, 2018

While details in the post are minimal, the broadcaster seems to want to sign up composers and lyricists to write for the X Factor Malta — though there is the implication that they may also be interested in receiving songs too. Applications close this Friday, 14 December, giving interested creatives only days to get busy.

If songs are to be submitted by the 14th, songwriters won’t be able to write with a specific act in mind. The acts who will be competing in the live shows have been decided, but this information won’t be made public until the Judges Houses episodes screen later this month.

However, it is also possible that songs may later be prepared for the confirmed finalists, ready to perform at the live shows in January.

The process brings to mind the cautionary words of veteran Maltese songwriter Philip Vella, who penned Ira Losco’s “7th Wonder” and Claudia Faniello’s “Breathlessly”.

Back in July he hit out at international songwriters who shop their songs around each national final season — and blamed that system for the lack of success of Ira Losco’s 2016 song “Walk on Water”. Vella explained, “composers from all over the world send singers readymade songs in the belief that the singer’s voice is all that matters in the festival. As fantastic as their voices may be, I’ve heard amazing songs in studios that just didn’t work out on stage – Ira’s “Walk on Water” a case in point.”

How is the Maltese Eurovision song selected?

It’s not clear whether the X Factor songs will be potential Maltese Eurovision entries. The winner of the X Factor Malta will also represent Malta at Eurovision 2019, but the broadcaster has not revealed how the Eurovision song will be selected.

It is possible that the song will be internally selected after the series has finished, or the song selection may be also part of the X Factor live shows.

In the traditional X Factor format, contestants perform cover versions of popular songs. However, in recent years, some contestants in other countries have performed original numbers. Additionally, in some series, the grand finalists perform an original song as their potential “winners single”.

The X Factor Malta continues this Sunday, with the Groups category the final lot to battle it out for the six remaining spots in the Chair Challenge.

What do you think? How should Malta choose their song for Tel Aviv? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Read more Malta Eurovision Song Contest news here

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impressiveinstants
impressiveinstants
5 years ago

Rafael Artesero, Thomas Gson, Phillip Vella, Gerard Bord, Girodimania, Georgina… same authors every year.

Polegend Godgarina
5 years ago

Bad idea for me. Contestants should only perform an original song if they wrote it themselves, otherwise, there’s no point in making those singers learn entire brand new pieces in one week. Just stick to covers and leave the original songs for the semi-finals like we do in Italy.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
5 years ago

Hm. I hope the contestants will not perform original songs in ALL live shows tbh. The concept of X Factor is singing mostly covers up to the final, when some versions create an original “winner’s single” (e.g. Matt Terry UK 2016). But if the contestants would perform “new songs” throughout all the liveshows, then it would be no X Factor, but a “normal” NF with completely new songs. If you wanna do X Factor, do X Factor. If you wanna do a NF, do a NF. I would prefer singing covers to find the best four acts for the final,… Read more »