In a few minutes, the Maltese selection for the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest will kick off. Sixteen acts fresh from last night's final will fight for the honour to represent the island state in Dusseldorf.
The show
The Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2011 will be hosted by Keith Demicoli and Valerie Vella. The festival will kick-off at 20:45 CET but a pre-show hosted by Peter Carbonaro will go live at 18:00 CET. This year's UK's hopefuls Blue will be the special guests. The winner will be decided by a mixture of jury vote and televote.
How to watch
•Live on TVM at 20:45 CET
•Webcast (eurovision.tv official)
The line-up
1.Eleanor Cassar – Hypnotised (Paul Giordimania, Fleur Balzan)
2.Amber – Catch 22 (Ray Agius, Godwin Sant)
3.Jessica Muscat – Down Down Down (Philip Vella, Jessica Muscat)
4.Ally – Numb (Ally, Ally)
5.Baklava – Moon dance (Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg)
6.Fabrizio Faniello – No Surrender (Johan Stentorp , Johan Bederholm)
7.Kurt Calleja – Over and Over (Johan J'atmberg, Kurt Calleja)
8.Glen Vella – One Life (Paul Giordimania, Fleur Balzan)
9.Marilena ft Michael – He's a Demon (Michael Henry, Anthony Grech)
10.J.Anvil – Topsy-Turvy (Jonas Gladnikoff / Niall Mooney / Andrew Zahra, Deo Grech, Natasha Turner)
11.Claudia Faniello – Movie in My Mind (Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg)
12.Richard Edwards – Finally (Jan Van Dijck, Richard Micallef)
13.Raquela – If I could do it all again (Marc Paelnick, Mathias Strasser)
14.Kelly Schembri – Love me like your money (Sven Lundhol, Erik Rydmark & Gerard James Borg)
15.Wayne Micallef – Everybody Sing (Wayne Micallef, Wayne Micallef)
16.Klinsmann & Ben – This Love (Klinsmann Coleiro, Jonathan Spiteri)
And the show is on! Keith and Valerie address the international fans watching over the internet in English and thank us for watching the Maltese final. The six member jury which will co-decide the winner together with the Maltese public includes members from San Marino, Georgia, Italy and Azerbaijan national televisions.
1.Eleanor Cassar – Hypnotised
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing 7th with 3.9%
Eleanor tried her luck to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 and since then she has been a regular contestant. Eleanor tried her luck to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first timein 2003 and since then she has been a regular contestant.Tonight she is performing a slow ballad by Giordimania and Balzan. Eleanor is accompanied by four females backing singers. She is a skilled and well experienced performer and she delivers her song to perfection vocally. A simple and neat performance but the song itself is not one to stand out.
2.Amber – Catch 22
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing 8th with 3.4%
Young Amber takes the stage next and she takes us straight to the American South with her jazzy tune. A quick dress change as the rhythm escalates and Amber delivers it without many flaws at first, that changes though as she becomes vocally unstable towards the end of the song. She is accompanied by three male dancers and two female backing vocalists.
3.Jessica Muscat – Down Down Down
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing last with 1.0%
Jessica has been a regular contestant since 2008. Not what one would call an outstanding performance as both Jessica's vocals and dancing leave things to be desired. Three backing vocalists and two male dancers complete the act which was not particularly aided by the camera shots.
4.Ally – Numb
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing twelfth with 1%
A rock tune next. Ally performes Numb which she penned and composed herself together with a full female band. Ally's vocals are weak and the overall performance fails to make an impression.
5.Baklava – Moon dance
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing first with 21.7%
Baklava have tried their luck again in 2009 and 2010 and this year they return with another similar song like in previous years based on stringed instruments. That's a song the public could go for and the only one which features some lines in Maltese. The lead singer has built up her confidence since the semi but still does not sound good enough.
6.Fabrizio Faniello – No Surrender
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing second with 21.2%
Fabrizio won't surrender as he tries to represent his country for the third time (having taken part in 2001 and 2006 previously). Typical Fabrizio, happy and confident on stage and a song that's Eurovision by the numbers. Fabrizio is accompanied by a male guitar player and two female backing vocalists. No surrender is a happy pop song which receives a warm aplause by the audience in the arena.
7.Kurt Calleja – Over and Over
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing fifteenth with 1%
More rock next. A simple performance by Kurt who is not that strong vocally and does not succeed in taking the audience away with him.
8.Glen Vella – One Life
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing sixth with 4,8%
Red and black seems to be the main colour scheme of the night tonight. A happy pop tune next by popular young Glen. This is the second entry by Giordimania and Balzan. Glen is very experienced and that comes out well on stage. He is confident and spot on although he is actively involved in the choreography. If only the song was a more memorable one…
9.Marilena ft Michael – He’s a demon
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing last with 0,5%
Off to Jamaica now for the next song. A light reggae summery tune by Marilena. The entire styling of the performers is totally wrong with regards to the nature of the song with Marilena in shocking sequins and Michael in an ill-fitting shirt. Weak vocals and an all-over-the-place performance leave a bad overall impression.
10.J.Anvil – Topsy-Turvy
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing eleventh with 2,4%
Will Jonas Gladnikoff manage to get to Eurovision again for the third time in a row with this theatrical song? J.Anvil is an entertainer and he manages to convey a West End atmosphere with his performance. This is the best choreographed act so far with the choreography actually working FOR the song. J. is a little unsteady vocally but the song sticks to mind anyway.
11.Claudia Faniello – Movie in My Mind
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing fifth with 4,8%
Claudia returns once more but with a totally different song this time. Accompanied by a full band she performsher rock song, something noone really expects to hear from Malta. Not one of her best performances to date though.
12.Richard Edwards – Finally
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing tenth with 2,9%
Another rock ballad next. Richard is spot on vocally and the song pleasant to the ear.
13.Raquela – If I could do it all again
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing third with 18,7%
Raquela is exceptionally warmly welcomed on stage by the audience before she starts her performance. Now, this is a typical Maltese ballad almost perfectly performed by Raquella. Simple staging with her and her backing vocalists dressed in solemn black. Lucky 13 for for the young singer?
14.Kelly Schembri – Love me like your money
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing seventh with 4,8%
Schlager now on stage. This song could very well be coming from a Swedish preselection. Kelly's vocals are weak and even the blond backing vocalists/dancers sound off. The song is catchy and happy but the performance needed a lot more work.
15.Wayne Micallef – Everybody Sing
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing eleventh with 2,4%
Another familiar face now on stage and a good, solid performance by Wayne who has penned and composed his entry. The backing strings are a little too high at times making it a bit messy.
16.Klinsmann & Ben – This Love
Current Esctoday.com Poll standing fourth with 5,3%
The final performance of the evening. Klinsmann returns once more to the Maltese preselection without his band this time. Together with Uncle Ben they perform an uptempo ballad he composed himself, just them and their guitars. After all, Tom Dice taught us last year that you don't need a fancy performance to do well in Eurovision. A happy, feel good song which suits Klinsmann's style and age.
And the winner is Glen Vella with One life
