She’s the teen star who won X Factor Malta, defeating some beloved veterans from the Malta Eurovision Song Contest. And now Michela has proven she’s much more than a balladeer, releasing her reggaeton-infused track “Chameleon”.
Deban and I recently sat down to react — in front of a rolling camera. You can watch our unfiltered reaction below. Scroll down in this post and you can also read some of the comments are readers left on our original news item.
Writing in the wiwibloggs comments section, Sabrina had a lot of praise for the Maltese teen.
“Since Michela won X-Factor singing ballads, it surprised me that they gave her this song. She’s talented, young, and pretty, it was unavoidable that someone in the industry would think about pushing her into doing that, but we’ll need to check how comfortable she’ll feel doing it so early. By now, I like it much more than Switzerland’s and Cyprus’ entries. Her voice’s cracks (love them!) are refreshing for a genre so sanitized by autotune. And the ‘controversial’ chorus sounds current and avoid the track getting repetitive faster.”
Loin d’ici is living for the dance number and hopes it will translate to the Tel Aviv stage.
“Yes, we got another bop for this year. It’s exciting, tropical, fresh for Malta standards. Now I’m worried about the staging–not because Malta can’t bring their A-game, but can they make Michela exude the same level of energy on the stage?”
A random russian guy isn’t worried about staging. In fact, he’s pretty excited about it.
“I am a dancer and I like it. They have unlimited opportunities for staging this song starting from fusion choreography and ending with transformer (or illuminating) costumes and edgy colorful backgrounds and lighting. With smart staging and smooth performance, this can be in top-5.”
JeyDelRey said he’s sick of the comparisons to “Fuego”.
“Why do people keep saying that every song is a copy of ‘Fuego’? It’s getting so annoying. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked ‘Fuego’ but Eleni didn’t invent the genre. Anyway, I absolutely love this entry, especially since it is not what I was expecting at all. I also love her voice and the chorus, I like that it is unusual. The Caribbean flavour is perfectly used, to create an atmosphere, a feeling, rather than being the main focus. Out of the «bops » of this year, I think this is my favorite for its edginess. Well done Malta, I really hope to see you in the final!”
Wiwiblogger Robyn raised an interesting point — that “Chameleon” is the entry countless Maltese acts have tried to deliver in the past in their national selection.
“The more I listen to ‘Chameleon’, the more it sounds like exactly the sort of entry Malta has been trying to get right over the past few years of MESC. Essentially, a young woman singing an upbeat, empowering anthem, not just about her but also ‘we’. And as a bonus, it’s a chance to show off some classic Maltese interpretive dance without feeling out of place.”
“My only concern: the song is cheeky. It needs a performer with a little sass. Based on what I’ve seen of Michela on the X Factor, I’m not sure that’s her style. But she might deliver!”
Jake agrees.
“You are completely right on all counts. This kind of song takes a certain kind of personality and performer. She’s a young girl with little experience and sang mostly ballads standing still. This will require a complete role reversal from what we’ve seen from here. I’m wondering what the writers , the broadcaster or herself thought in picking this song for her. Let’s see if she rises to the occasion. Best of luck to her. I always get nervous for young performers like a Blanche.”
If Michaela nails every note and the staging will be awesome this will go far in the final…let us remember the staging of Malta last year no led screens on stage but Malta brought led screens with them….we might be in for a surprise winner!!!
I’m not a fan of the song. Whilst the verses are ok the chorus is awfully annoying. I see it being a surprise NQ. but i have only love for malta
Honored to contribute to the article. 🙂 I know some people can’t stand it, but the “chama-chameleon” drop really got stuck in my mind. To the point that I start singing it aloud and some people already asked me which song is that. Since Malta proved last year they can bring good staging, my only concern about it is the one Robyn mentioned: I don’t know if Michela can bring the attitude a bop requires. And it’s not that I don’t trust her talent, but we haven’t had the chance to meet this other side of her during X-Factor.
The Chameleon drop is what takes this song to the next level and prevents it being obvious
I agree. Without it, the song would reach the climax too early. Also, the drop can be great for staging.
Love everyone being so positive about this because it is a well-written song (besides the Chameleon bit but anyway…) but this is the entry I can see disappointing the most live. Is it really a match for the singer? Do Malta know how to stage this? Is it going to take enough votes away from Switzerland? These are issues for me.
She’s in it to win it. She’s now 8th in the odds and that’s only gonna go up, Malta always throws euro bills when it comes to staging.
I’m just happy that William is still reading the blog comments after the awful things that happened this season. Thank you William, for not giving up. 🙂
@William Lee Adams please update your Spotify ESC playlist
Ester has the revamped version available to everyone instead of her old https://open.spotify.com/album/1IPsAkgsIkrVfIZ2qhQkOX
who keeps disliking?
Somehow I have the feeling that she will pull out a Laura Tesoro and snatch a TOP 10 placing. This could be really Malta’s year.
I’m embarrassed that I just had to look up who Laura Tesoro was when she had one of my favorite entries that year. What kind of fan am I?
How dare you! 😀
She is the one who turned a normal pop song into one of the best songs in 2016.
I was soo happy when she finished 10th overall.
Top 10 ?
No, top 5 at least !
She’s in it to win it, she ain’t pulling a Laura Tesoro. She’s now 8th in the odds and that’s only gonna go up, Malta always throws euro bills when it comes to staging.
I like it, but it’s not top 10 material.
1.6 Million now my friends and without overhype like Netherlands do.
Nobody overhype Netherlands.
We started to talk about Netherlands because of the song. Purely. What really matters.
If I remember it was hyped even before the song was out. Was on top 5 bookies all time before.
The ESC channel is doing paid ads now to every entry it seems. o came across the one for Armenia the other day so this would depend on how you are affected by the algorithm.
I only saw Maltas ad. The views are jumping high for the past few days.
Because of youtube ads you mean.
It’s really good imo. Like, it will be in final for sure. It’s way better than Malta’s entry last year and somehow last entry have been hyped up to heavens, while noone seems to care about this one. It’s just weird. Maybe release date was unlucky (people were talking only about Duncan and Sergey). Same with Azb.
I am Maltese but I don’t like this song. It’s pretty meh and the lyrics are just bits and pieces from everywhere which make one big minestrone.
Nahseb qed thossok vera tajjeb li ktibt dan il-kumment. Messek tissapportja ‘l pajjizek!
Kulhadd ghandu dritt ghall-opinjoni. Naf ukoll li m’inix l-uniku Malti li l-kanzunetta m’ghogbitux. Lil pajjizi nissapportjah biss meta jibghat prodott tajjeb. Dak li ghandna go Malta, li hafna min-nies jahsbu li taghna biss tajjeb, anka jekk nibghatu oggett hazin.
Hadd ma qallek biex tingibed lejn il-prodott Malti. Naf kulhadd ghandu opinjoni. Biss ma kellekx ghalfejn toqghod tberrah dak li tahseb. Toghgbok jew le, nimmagina li tiehu pjacir tara isem pajjizek hemm fuq.
X’ragunament dak. Inti tista tghid l-opinjoni tieghek u jien le igifieri? Ma qieghedx niehu gost nara isem pajjizi hemm fuq b’kanzunetta bla sens. Personalment qed niehu gost li tal-Italja sejra tajjeb.
Proset!
Mela m’intix tg?ix f’dinja g?ax il-ma??oranza assoluta tar-reazzjinijiet hija po?ittiva ?afna! Ma tantx tidher li hi bla sens. Jew inti biss tifhem?!!
Il-minestrone ahjar tmur bih ghand ommok.
I gotta compliment Malta.
Usually, when countries choose singing-competition winners, they tend to give them power ballads so they can show off their vocals. Like the UK this year (isn’t the singer a singing competition alum?).
They actually gave her something fresh and young, and it’s cool!
definitely in my top 3.
I like it in parts but that doesn’t include the chameleon part of the chorus. In reality shows they perform songs that are assigned to them? So the switch from a balad to an uptempo doesn’t mean she is not able to deliver. I am put off by the fact? that the song was given to Polina first? And there are too many things going on in the video, same for Cyprus. It’s like trying too much imo.
MALTA you’ve got my vote!
Better than Netherlands by the way.
The best Maltese entry in many years! Hope the live version will be good!
It’s 1.5 Millions now
My favorite this year. This is a bop, can’t wait to add it to my playlist. Good luck Malta, you deserve at least top 10 this year.