It was time to return to the Mediterranean on Thursday evening. Semi-final 2 of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025 took place as the country continued its search for an act to send to Basel.
Taking place at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre, the last 12 of this year’s competitors performed during the second show. They each had a 66% chance of qualifying to the final, as eight acts advanced.
Our hosts were once again Valentina Rossi, Davide Tucci and Pauline Agius.
Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025: Semi-final 2
The decision on who made it through to Saturday’s grand final was down to both the public and a jury.
Qualifiers
- Martina Borg – “Yo Listen”
- Nathan – “Concrete”
- Kantera – “LalaRataTakeke LalaRataKabum”
- The Alchemists – “Rubble & Stone”
- Miriana Conte – “Kant”
- Krista Šujak – “Unheard”
- Dario Bezzina ft. Żeppi l-Muni – “Għażliet”
- Stefan Galea – “Lablab (Talk Talk)”
Non-qualifiers
- Kelsey Bellante – “365”
- Kelsy Attard – “Love Me Loud”
- Kurt Anthony – “Miegħek Biss”
- Miguel Bonello – “Breaking the Cycle”
The eight qualifiers will join those who made it through Tuesday’s first semi-final at the grand final on Saturday.
What are your thoughts on semi-final 2 of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025? Do you agree with the results? Let us know in the comments below.
Could they Sing at Eurovision a song that says “serving Kunt”??
On Spanish NF DeTeresa’ s song included on the verses something that could be translated as “i am gonna f**k my sorrow” and she did not say the word that might translate as “f**k” Even though It was not the Spanish Word for “f**k”.
Dario & Zeppi are rank outsiders, but my clear #1 here. It would be so cool if they won, they would have been a charming duo and song to send to Basel!
So Miriana is serving… I “can’t” unhear that 😀
Actually my favourite song in the Maltese selection is “Heaven Sent”, but sadly I have notes for Kristy and her team. I feel like I just want to direct them for 5 minutes to clear the cobwebs. I hope they can pull that one together for the final, cos it’s a great song.
Is it just me, or is Kantera’s song not really that great. Some recent Moldova folk offerings have been far better. It’s just really one dimensional – and the key change at the end says it all for ‘inventiveness’!
i think the weird song titel and the small lyrics is a little problem but on the other way there are no semijurys in basel and so this song has an argument.
It’s too similar to Armenia last year. Not very exciting
Please Kantera !
I love Kant but jeez… Malta can’t send this to Basel. The live performance is a mess, vocals are terrible and I can’t see this qualifying for the final anymore.
There’s no way they will let that lyric in the contest either despite it not being the word it really sounds like 😀 It’ll have to be changed.
Stefan galea for the win
His performance was better than I thought it would be, but he’s just not a natural performer. He looks a bit clunky and wooden!
the favorites may be different but i am team matrix.
Was I the only one who thought Rubble and Stone sounded similar to Malta’s 2014 entry Coming Home?
That was the first thing I thought
Miriana will win!
We’ll see but keep your options open. You never know what’s gonna happen on Saturday.
As much as I like Kantara, I can’t help but feel like the eurofans will try to say it’s too reminiscent of Armenia’s 2024 entry. But Malta has a solid line up of good choices for songs to represent them this year.
I bet they will, but at the same time, when has Malta ever sent anything this folksy and ethnic to the contest? Probably not, and those kind of songs are very attractive to the televote, which can only boost Malta’s chances to qualify with the televote.
Sorry, Armenia (or Moldova) are not Malta
Kantera was flatter than I hoped and Kant was messier than I hoped. I guess Heaven Sent will win with a telegraphed jury win and enough televote score to push it over the line.
yeah agree- Kantera nothing special. Really repetitive and the key change is just urgh!
Are there a couple of songs that I wished made the final? Yeah, but overall I am pretty satisfied with the finalists. Every song that I think could be a good contender for Malta is in the final and that is fine with me (which is more than I can say for some national finals–I will never forgive you Lithuania for not having Tai kur namai and Ar myl?tum in your final).
I need party, I need crazy, I need – LalaRataTakeke LalaRataKabum!
It could be great, but the party needs more life!!!
Kristy Spiteri for the win will do great with the jury vote at Eurovision
It’s Lalaratatakeke Lalaratatakabum for me.
I mean, I really want to be at that party.
The Kels(e)ys are both out? That surprises me somewhat. But congrats to the qualifiers
Have the qualifiers been chosen yet?
Being anounced now
I am so nervous they’re not gonna pick Kant
They did put her through!
You Kant be serious
Was hoping they wouldn’t.
Surely, Pizza Hut that close to Italy has got to be some sort of criminal offense. . .
They sure take a long time to decide. . .
Kantera FTW
I love how Emmelie de Forest is everywhere, but she couldn’t care less about dmgp and denmark. She is an icon hahahaha
Miriana served some Kant and more for sure. At the moment, she seems like the clear favorite.
My qualifiers (in order of preference):
Ghazliet
Lalaratatakeke Lalaratakabum
Concrete
Kant
365
Lablab
Unheard
On the fence:
Break The Cycle/Love Me Loud
(I personally prefer the first one as a song but the second one had a stronger performance imho, plus there’s no other competing ballad in the same genre)
My NQs:
Yo Listen
Rubble and Stone
Mieghek Biss
FYI: for anyone who will need to watch Eurovision online – this webfeed will have without any local commentary. It is a good watch. Bookmark it.
Miguel Bonello’s performance blew us away. It was so so good. The cherry on top and it ATE
Omg Kurt Anthony woow woow hafna hafna
Its that kid again! Cute kid, but he should be reading at a higher level than that. . . .
Overall, I think this semi was stronger than tuesday’s and I don’t feel like there’s an obvious choice for who should and should not go through.
This is the more balanced semi in terms of strength but there isn’t anything of Juno or Heaven Sent’s calibre here. Kantera might probably be win but it’s not on the same level for me.
Yeah, that’s fair. Semi one had higher highs and lower lows.
I was a little worried for Miguel Bonello’s vocals at the start, but he seemed to solidify as the song went on. Loved his aesthetic.
Tbh I think the sound production was a bit off. It was kind of ok for the first 4, and then went downhill. I find it hard to believe they were all off key.
Interesting stage concept for Lablab but a lot could have been done with the instrumental at the end, but he just strutted around.
The staging for “Lablab” is highly entertaining but the live vocals are not there.
Add “Unheard” to my list of songs that should work on paper, but just aren’t clicking with me
Krista Šujak – “Unheard” – the song isn’t bad but, dang, was that performance pitchy. Not the worst of the night and hopefully its just nervousness, but that needs to be addressed if she moves on.
Kantera are the fun feel good song of the selection. No notes.
They are winning . Don’t they?
Miriana Conte’s performance was so messy and I live for it. SERVING KANT
Haha I agree! And the nod to the Sound of Music was utterly random!
It was all so unexpected and hilarious lol
Miriana Gave me everything I could possibly want!
Crassness?
Kurt Anthony was a pleasant surprise. Good strong vocals all the way through.
Love kurt
Kurt Anthony has a fantastic voice, but I’m having a hard time getting into this song.
Nathan has far to good a voice to be wasted on this dated balad with cringe lyrics. Maybe we see him back in MESC in a year or two with something a bit better.
I agree, Nathan’s songs are always so beneath him. I’d love to see him represent Malta one day, but not with this one.
Is it just me or is it hard to hear Martina Borg over the backing track until she starts belting? Why do they have the sound balance like this?
The close-up s ho ts of the artists’ eyes in the postcards are absolutely fabulous. Kudos!!
Agreed. The postcards are very, very good.
Serving Kant was so fun to see!
She has the voice and the charisma for sure!
Would it be the right choice for Malta, I don’t know but I had fun watching it.
charisma, voice and talent and the song is catchy! I’m sure they would improve the staging once on the ESC stage
I think her first outfit could do with a change but I loved everything else!
Agreed
The only problem is that if the word “Kant” is banned what would she be serving? ?
Kant means singing in Maltese so I don’t see why it should be banned
Yes but it means nothing in the context of the song and is being used to be deliberately provocative
She is singing so she is rightfully serving kant, she is literally saying I’m serving singing…we have seen more provocative..
I get the double meaning of course, but she is saved by the real meaning of kant.
Not saved. If it wins, EBU will slap it down immediately on submission. She is pronouncing it in a very specific way that makes it crystal clear when isn’t talking about music. And her saying that live would literally have TV stations have to ditch the broadcast, due to standards and pre-watershed rules. The BBC would be in massive trouble.
Anyways, if Malta wantmto qualify, Kantera is the only option. But the staging needs to be more dynamic for Basel.
Crabs?
I was thinking she just says nothing and so she will just be serving… but like Latvia when they couldn’t say pssy- the crowd said it for them! Or she could the word behind her on the LED screen…
She’s definitely not going to be able to say it
sass
It’s not the first time someone has been serving Kant/singing. Salome won for Spain in 1969 with Viva Cant-ando.
*Vivo
I don’t really vibe with the stomp clap hey kind of soft rock The Alchemists are bringing, but I respect that they do it well and that it is a popular genre. So like, I think it’s bland, but I expect it to qualify and can’t be too mad about it.
ESC should have a rule where any act who sounds like Mumford & Sons automatically start with a -20 score. Just so lazy to churn out songs like this.
Actually remind me more of OneRepublic because of the back beat.
Yes, good point.
I have to say, Miriana and the dancers bouncing on gym balls at the end made my chuckle. ?
Dario & Zeppi all the way!!!
KANT… she has an amazing voice you have to give her that!
Yeah whatever, her voice was worse than the so-called song.