Brooke Borg Malta In Eurovision 2020 with Symphonix

She’s the blonde songstress who tried to represent Malta at Eurovision on three occasions. And this week, Brooke Borg has fans wondering if she’s on the verge of a fourth attempt.

That’s because the 26-year-old has been in Sofia since last Friday, 5 July. While the Bulgarian capital is a tourist hotspot this time of year, Brooke is not there for recreational purposes.

She’s working with Symphonix – the songwriting team led by Borislav Milanov. They’re responsible for Eurovision hits such as Poli Genova’s “If Love Was A Crime” and Kristian Kostov’s “Beautiful Mess”. They also penned tracks for Malta’s Michela and Azerbaijan’s Chingiz this year. Indeed, Borg collaborated with the team before on her Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2018 entry “Heart Of Gold”.

Brooke Borg and Symphonix — Malta Eurovision Song Contest

Brooke’s recent Instagram story updates — @brookebofficial — offer plenty of glimpses behind the scenes, including snaps with César Sampson and Georgi “JJ” Simeonov. Sampson finished third for Austria at Eurovision 2018. JJ was one-fifth of Equinox, the “common framework” which represented Bulgaria in 2018. Both entered with Symphonix written songs and are part of the songwriting powerhouse themselves.

There is also footage of Brooke and Milanov “cookin [sic] tunes straight from the kitchen”. The question is, what are these tunes destined for?

Brooke Borg on Instagram

Given the strong links which all parties have to Eurovision, one fan theory is that Brooke is working on an entry for the 2020 contest. This speculation suggests that Maltese broadcaster TVM has decided to stop using The X Factor to choose its act in favour of an internal selection. The logic continues that Brooke Borg is that internally selected act.

She boasts strong credentials. The singer competed in Malta’s national selection for three consecutive years between 2016 and 2018, racking up two podium finishes. “Golden” came second in 2016 while “Heart Of Gold” was third in 2018. Her worst placing was with “Unstoppable” in 2017, and even then she came fifth out of 16 entries.

Whatever about Brooke’s involvement, talk of a move away from The X Factor is bolstered by this season’s contracts. Allegedly, they make no mention of the much-loved song contest. Furthermore, the debut series made clear from the get-go that the winner would represent Malta. The second edition launched to much fanfare last month, but there remains no official confirmation as to whether the winner will travel to the Netherlands or not.

An alternative theory proposes that TV execs are still undecided about how to select Malta’s next Eurovision star, and that Brooke may instead be planning to woo them with something they can’t refuse. There is also a possibility that MESC could be revived.

Their last collaboration gave us the line “that shirt won’t get you laid tonight”. So, Eurovision or not, the anticipation for Brooke’s and Symphonix’s next project is real!

Brooke Borg — Malta Eurovision interview

Do you want to see Brooke represent Malta in Eurovision? Or do you think X Factor is the best option? Let us know in the comments below.

Follow all of our Malta Eurovision 2020 news.

39 Comments
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Austrian
Austrian
4 years ago

I wish there is a new x factor. Brooke has not the right power in her staging…

Loin dici
Loin dici
4 years ago

Maybe it’d be interesting to see Symphonix’s performance (total/jury/tele):
If Love was A Crime : 307/127/180
In Too Deep (SF) : 98/53/45
Dance Alone (SF): 69/29/40
Beautiful Mess : 615/278/337
Nobody But You: 342/271/71
Bones: 166/100/66
Truth: 302/202/100
Chameleon: 107/87/20

Loin dici
Loin dici
4 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

2016-2017 entries had more from the televote, but 2018-2019 were losing their mojo and changed into jury’s preference. Symphonix would probably be out of fashion for televote in 1-2 years.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

Thank you for that work! Interesting data…

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

symphonix are stuck in 2016 and write music that’s too generic. she should work on something that’s both catchy and showcases her big vocals, but also contemporary – nothing like her mesc entries which i love, but are indeed outdated and not interesting enough to be televote-friendly

James
James
4 years ago

2016 is not that long ago.

DanMarino
DanMarino
4 years ago

Brooke should have won every year. She had the best song every year!

I really hope she’s involved in 2020!

bastian
bastian
4 years ago

I would love to see her in ESC. I loved Golden, definitely should have won! And she’s gorgeous aswell 😛

Gok
Gok
4 years ago

Brooke has the starpower and the confidence that Michela lacked on stage. Her presence combined with a Symphonix song is a recipe for success. This could be the one year that Malta does well in the televoting

KESC
KESC
4 years ago

Hmm, I love Brooke and I have absolutely no problem if she would sing for Malta next year, cause she deserves to perform at Eurovision after all her attempts, but I’m not sure if it should be with a song by Symphonix. I mean, I personally adored both Chameleon and Michela, and I still think that she was pretty underrated, but considering the fact that Malta only received 20 points with such a modern, catchy song, I’m not sure if the same formula would work next year. Malta really need something very different, remarkable. Maybe a modern entry in Maltese… Read more »

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago
Reply to  KESC

Malta always struggles with the televote- moreover as a three time NF participant Brooke would have a lot of fan support which would allow her to build momentum

KESC
KESC
4 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

Yeah, but the number of participation at the national final doesn’t have any influence on the votes, otherwise Claudia Faniello would have qualified with Breathlessly.

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago
Reply to  KESC

Claudia’s popularity only ever manifested in Malta itself, rather than the current ESC fandom, likely because she was competing in MESC long before many of the current fans even knew about ESC. Moreover, that she beat Brooke and Janice, the two overwhelming fan favourites in 2017 may have actually made her unpopular with the fandom (like with S!sters, Roko, Bilal, Carousel, Jurijus, Ester etc this year), combined with the fact that Breathlessly is not a televote friendly song, especially when it had to compete against Lights and Shadows and Where I Am in the same semi final.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago
Reply to  KESC

“Chameleon” was underrated this year, yes, but I think there were also aspects like performing first in the Grand Final (on the other hand you could say that Melovin also performed 1st in 2018 and did very well in the televote – but I would say he was more “special” and charismatic ^^). I think “modern” is the only way for Malta – producing an uptempo banger in English sung by a young person 😀

Katariina
Katariina
4 years ago

Brooke is a good performer. “Golden” should have made it to Eurovision, but the other two entries have been very lackluster. I trust Symphonix to almost always write amazing entries, so hopefully they’re giving her something good. Of course, there’s the possibility that none of this is for Eurovision at all, but how often do known Eurovision singers and known Eurovision songwriters collab without expecting to try to get to Eurovision?

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago

Anyone else think the reason Bulgaria doesn’t take part is because Synphonix has decided to work with other countries instead of Bulgaria after their success with Austria and “flop” with Bulgaria back in 2018? Anyway I don’t blame Malta for following this method, seems logical using X Factor to select the artist but internally selecting the song this year as a good stepping stone from a well established NF to a full internal selection

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago
Reply to  Tajikistan

Although I really don’t want to see every country using Symphonix to write their entries, don’t think we want a repeat of 2017 where they ended up writing half the Balkan entries

Katariina
Katariina
4 years ago
Reply to  Tajikistan

Bulgaria’s broadcaster is literally bankrupt so no I don’t think anyone thinks that’s the real reason.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
4 years ago

Perhaps she is attempting to represent another country and not Malta

Lol
Lol
4 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

Nope, Malta for sure.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago
Reply to  Roy Moreno

San Marino? 🙂

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

I don’t think she’s wealthy enough!

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

she’s actually from one of the richest families in malta

James
James
4 years ago

I wonder how many auditionees this year are non-MESC returnees? Considering Malta’s small population, that surely is bound to happen. 😀

James
James
4 years ago

Golden was brilliant but she destroyed Unstoppable & Heart of Gold! She screeched in those two! She is talented but the last two attempts left much to be desired. She crumbled under pressure.

Here songs try to please the crowd I feel but have no substance. I love her voice and she can do much much more! Some of her songs prior to Eurovision are beyond awesome! She is trying to fit in within the Eurovision formula!

Balint
Balint
4 years ago
Reply to  James

I agree with you on Unstoppable, she was a tad bit too much for my taste, but I think that it’s the exact opposite with Heart of Gold, I think her performance was great.

Roelof Meesters
Roelof Meesters
4 years ago

I think internal selections are the way to go For Malta, their last two internally selected songs (Walk On Water and Chameleon) both were great and got decent results.

NickC
NickC
4 years ago

I was just thinking her previous songs sound like poor man’s Look away

Eastman
Eastman
4 years ago

I have heard that the X Factor series 2 contract doesn’t say anything about Eurovision. TV Malta could not afford to make the X Factor AND a national final in one year so maybe they are using internal selection this time. Does anyone know if Franklin has been recording lately?

Lol
Lol
4 years ago

Brooke is Amazing. And with the obvious eurovision composers it has to be something eurovision related? Brookes voice is incredible and she should have represented Malta already, so hopefully she will get the chance in 2020, she can bring malta top 10

Ramon
Ramon
4 years ago

Working on an album… clearly.

Maltese act will be chosen through X Factor!

If they want to chose someone internally, it has to be Janice Mangion. She was so robbed in 2017! Give her a song in Maltese and she will WOW Europe!

Ramon
Ramon
4 years ago
Reply to  Ramon

It was let slip but Alexandra Alden, one of the X Factor judges! So it’s a no go!

Ani
Ani
4 years ago
Reply to  Ramon

says who ramon? she never said that

Duncan Laurence
Duncan Laurence
4 years ago
Reply to  Ramon

Janice Mangion with a Maltese-language song is ESSENTIAL for us to get a good result.

Someone
Someone
4 years ago

I feel like she’s either been chosen by the broadcaster already or she’s got nothing to do with Eurovision and is just working on her own album or song.

Lol
Lol
4 years ago
Reply to  Someone

With composers for eurovision though? It seems more than just a random song or album, definitely some eurovision connections It feels

John
John
4 years ago

Just give her the ticket to save us all the trouble of having to wait for the next few years. Plus she would be a an ideal choice to build on Michela.

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  John

She needs the right song… Malta has a number of talented artists.

They should send a big soul voice like Rhiannon, Janice Mangion or Pamela Bezzina!

Ani
Ani
4 years ago
Reply to  James

brooke is one of the best singers in malta