After an 11 year absence the Festival Internazzjonali tal – Kanzunetta Maltija (International Festival of the Maltese Song) returns, and will be staged this Saturday 9 November. The festival will feature many past participants of the Eurovision Song Contest.

14 acts are rehearsing to take the stage at MCC, Valletta this Saturday. The line-up for the show is:

1. Donna – Paċi sovrana (Donna Marie Ellul)
2. Geordie – Kuraġġ (Philip Vella, Joe Chircop)
3. Fiona – Għadek tgħix (Renato Briffa, Mark Amaira)
4. Mark Tonna – Poeta bla kliem (Mark Scicluna, Emil Calleja Bayliss)
5. Lyann Iles – Ħolma (Paul Abela, Lyann Iles)
6. Christian – Raġġ ta’ Tama’ (Philip Vella, Cher Vella)
7. Bernice – Sinjali (Renato Briffa, Rita Pace)
8. Janvil & Hooligan – Mikrokożmu (Augusto Cardinali, Giovann Attard)
9. Dorcas – Din jien (Minik, Rita Pace)
10. Dario & Grecia – Solitaire (Dario Bezzina, Rita Pace)
11. Olivia Lewis – Hawn mill- Ġdid (Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia)
12. Domenique – Passi fir-ramel (Philip Vella, Mark Amaira)
13. Roger Tirazona – Inti mill-Ġdid (Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia)
14. Miriam Christine – Stejjer (Andrew Zahra, Joe Julian Farrugia)

You can listen to the songs here.

Some of the familiar names in this line-up include Maltese representatives Miriam Christine (1996) and Olivia Lewis (2007). The list also includes past Malta Eurovision participants Roger Tirazona, Domenique, Dario Bezzina, Janvil, Mark Tonna and Fiona.

The winner will be decided by 6 juries and televoting which will act as the 7th jury. Apart from the Top 3 positions, there will be other awards given to the singers.

Apart from the 14 Maltese songs, there will be another 14 international artists that will sing a song from their repertoire:

1. Argentina – Veronica Sardana – No iIores por mi Argentina
2. Belarus – Aleksandra & Konstantin  – Kotsiky viarrovyia (Belarus 2004)
3. Belarus – George Koldun  – Through the light
4. Bulgaria – Niki Manolov – Po dobre (EuroBGVision 2008)
5. Greece – Christos Kaliatsas – Touch you
6. Germany – Bella Vista – Fremd aber doch vertraut
7. Germany – Mave O’Rick – Whiter than white
8. Italy – Federica Marinari – 3 Volte amore
9. Moldova – Ray Gligor – Lonely nights, lonely dreams
10. UK – Ilona – Love ‘s like a loaded gun
11. Romania – Aurelian Temisan – Stay with me
12. Romania – Lavinia Steriopol – Nadie como ti
13. Spain – Ely Qurbrlo – Io ce credo
14. Turkey – Melih Sengul – Bir ask

The show will be hosted by:

• Debbie Scerri – The 1997 Maltese representative.
• Alfred Zammit – TV Host
  
• Mary Rose Mallia – Actor & Singer
• Renato Micallef – The 1975 Maltese representative.
  
• Lawrence Gray –  Malta Eurovision finalist 1999, 2001-2004, 2010, 2012.
• Romina Mamo (Green Room) – Malta Eurovision finalist 2005, 2012

Other guests will include Lisa Portelli, Hypnotic Quartet & Maltese Junior Eurovision representative in 2013 Gaia Cauchi.

The pre-show will be broadcasted on TVM2 at 19:00 CET (19:00 local time) and you can watch it here. The festival will broadcasted on TVM at 20:45 CET (20:45 local time) and you can watch it here.

Stay tuned to esctoday.com for more information about Malta and the Eurovision Song Contest.

What do you think about the songs competing in the International Festival of the Maltese Song?