Malta 1998

Below is the line up (click here to jump) for the Maltese final which sees another try by 1996 Maltese representative in Oslo, Miriam Christine.

But we now have the winner!

Here are the results from Malta from Victor Axiak:

1.  The one that I love - Chiara (left of picture with Debbie Scerri; picture from Deo Grech)
   

2. It's more than just a game - Fabrizio Faniello
   
3. Listen to our Voices - Claudette & 6th Above

Chaira's web site: http://www.melita.net/chiara/
and her e-mail chiara(a)melita.net
[details supplied by Deo Grech]

Deo Grech gives us a reaction after a week:
It is quite clear that the Maltese ESC fans are after Chiara and 'The One That I love'.
A lot of people are phoning in radio programmes and asking for the song 'The One That I love'. People seem to be loving more and more the song and even the singer. As I have already pointed out earlier in January, Chiara is a singer whose smiling face makes you attracted to her.
Chiara deserved it because she has such a powerful voice!

Victor Axiak wrote shortly after Chiara won:

First reactions after the festival were not very favourable. The Maltese people clearly do not agree with the final results. My opinion is that while this song is inferior to last year's song "Let me Fly" it can go one better at the Eurovision since these type of songs tend to obtain high places. Definitely a Top 10 song.

[Clearly, opinions vary, but I have spoken to one of the international judges who really likes this song - Geoff Harrison]

Victor has also supplied lyrics:

THE ONE THAT I LOVE

Composer: Jason Cassar

Author: Sunny Aquilina

Singer: Chiara

Such a lovely night
When the stars are shining bright
And you're near, we're all alone
'Cause I long for you so much!
I never felt this ,way, not before,
You tum on my mind more and more...
I think that I'm in love
And you mean so much to me
I think I love you so,
I'll never let you go,
This must be lovel
Up there we seem to flow
I'm certain, and now I know
For me yes, you're just the one,
The one that I love!
Such a lovely sight
When the colours shine so bright
And you're near, we're all alone
And I feel so warm inside
I never felt this way all my life
You came like spring sunshine, gave me life...
I think that I'm in love
And you mean so much to me
I think I love you so,
I'll never let you go,
This must be love!
Up there we seem to flow
I'm certain and now I know
For me yes, you're just the one,
The one that I love!
For me yes, you're just the one,
The one that I love!

Thanks Victor!

Deo Grech provides news on Chiara's video, and plans for the next few weeks:

Love through the ages is the subject of the video that will accompany the song of this year's Song for Europe winner the ballad 'The One that I love' sung by Chiara, which placed first in the local competition.  The three-minute video was launched on Saturday 4th April.  It was produced by local media company Channel 97 and directed by Mr Joe Borg Ghigo.  The story centres around two people living in different eras who are always dreaming of each other.  The female lover is played by Chiara and the male protagonist is the violinist Joseph Chetcuti (one of the members of the group ORION).

Locations used in the video include the Mnajdra temples, Bugibba, Ta' Qali, the Grand Harbour, St. Agatha's Catacombs, the Westin Dragonara Hotel(!!!!) and Malta International Airport (!!!!).  The latter confirm that sponsorship is still present in the clip!  The former locations are of major attraction to tourists.

As from May 4, PBS will also be giving a 5-minute report from Birmingham every night during the peak time 8:00p.m. local news.

So it has been confirmed that for yet another year the Airmalta plane will be present.  There is also a 90% chance that the Westin Dragonara Hotel's logo will serve as a background to the Maltese Jury's Representative.  A car is also featured in the clip (as in 96's 'In A woman's Heart'!!).

Let's keep fingers crossed for a good ESC night!

Thanks Deo! - back to the earlier preview:

The contest will be held 6-7th February 1998.

Deo Grech has kindly provided to us all the information on this page. His latest background to the singers and songs is below, and you can jump there at this link; below it, Deo's earlier look forward to the contest. There's also a link to the Malta Song Website.

Thanks so very much Deo!

MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG MALTESE SINGERS

This will be the first Malta Song for Europe Festival which will be divided into 2 categories:

Category A for New Talent (singers, authors, composers) and Category B for the BIG (singers, authors, composers).  The introduction of Category A means that there will be more opportunities for young Maltese singers, authors and composers.   It is meant that this Category will serve also as a spring board for new styles in music (which unfortunately is going to lack in this year's Song For Europe Festival).

This year there are going to be 6 songs in Category A and 16 songs in Category B.  All 22 songs will participate on Friday night - 6th February.  Category A will be reduced to 4 songs for the following night (Saturday night - 7th February).  Thus on the final night 20 songs will compete between each other (4 from Category A and 16 from Category B).  The winning song will represent Malta in the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest.

A new feature in this year's Festival is that all singers chose to perform on 'half-playback'.  All composers agreed that the winning song, and thus the Maltese entry for the 1998 ESC, will also be performed on 'half-playback'.

Once again the Maltese entry will be in the hands of 7 members of the jury (experts in Music): 2 Maltese and 5 Foreigners.

The song for europe festival will be compered by Patrick Vella, Angela Agius and Denise Mintoff.  The latter featured in the 1995 Maltese entry video-clip "Keep me in mind".  John Demanuele will be the Master of Cermonies.  Booking will open on Thursday 29th January from 230, Republic Street, Valletta.
 

SPECIAL GUESTS : KATRINA & THE WAVES + DEBBIE SCERRI

Special guests for the 1998 Malta Song For Europe Festival will be Katrina & The Waves and Debbie Scerri (1997 Maltese entry singer). Katrina & The Waves will perform on the final night (Saturday 7th February) while Debbie Scerri will perform on both nights (6th and 7th February).  Other special guests will be the Maltese Group 'WINTER MOODS' who won the title of the Best Maltese Group in the latest edition of the Maltese Music Awards.

THE OFFICIAL LIST OF THE  MALTESE SONGS

Latest news from Deo Grech in Malta:

Prior to the Malta Song for Europe Festival, PBS Malta (Maltese National TV Station - also affiliated to EBU), has scheduled 2 special programmes called 'Before the Festival'. Singers, composers and authors are giving interesting information about their songs. Today, Thursday 29th there was the first programme. The 2nd programme will be broadcasted next Sunday 1st February. Here is the information I wanted to share with all the ESC fans:

Debbie Scerri (ESC97 and guest singer):
Debbie said that 1997 was her Dream Year. It was a full-schedule year: festivals, video clip, Eurovision, Music Awards, TV shows, Firedance, Concerts,...... Debbie said that back from ESC her schedule grew tighter.....she was being invited to more ceremonies and other occasions where she was asked to give interpretations from her latest CD album. Debbie confirmed that the ESC experience helped her to mature both musically and psychologically.

And here comes the REAL news:
Enzo Gusman (nicknamed The 'Better Luck next time' singer...due to his several misses at the Malta Song for Europe Festival.....in several occasions he was quite near to the winning post), said that the song he'll be singing in this year's Malta Song For Europe Festival is the best song he ever wrote. Enzo said that the style is quite near to many of the UK Top 20 singles and so he's quite sure that this will be the year when his dream will come true. He said that the song he'll be singing was written about a year ago. He failed to submit it to last year's Song for Europe Festival because of personal decisions. Instead he decided to submit it this year...and for his luck it was chosen among the finalists.
Enzo believes that there's no real style for Eurovision. He is convinced that the last 5 years showed us that any country will win no matter if it is a classic/pop/ethnic/ballad song.....What really matters is the friendship between the countries taking part.......(what we call the Eurovision Lobbying).

RITA PACE (Come back home)
Rita Pace, a univeristy student, said that this is her first time that she is composing her own song. She took part in the Maltese Musical 'Ali Baba'.
"Come back home" is a folk/dance song. The main theme of the lyrics is about a family with social problems.

IVAN SPITERI LUCAS
Coming from the Lucas Family of Music, both Ivan and his brother Mark are participating for the first time in the Malta Song for Europe Festival. Ivan started his singing career back in 1993. "Playing with my heart" is said to be a rock/ballad song.

CLAUDETTE PACE & 6th ABOVE
As already known, Claudette will sing 'Listen to our voices' with the 6 boy group '6th Above'. Claudette confirmed that these male singers will perform as front liners. She said that they have a great job to do in this song.....
6th Above is an all-male group singers who sing a-capella - i.e. using only the sounds produced by their voices. It is meant that Claudette is really doing her best in order to win the 1998 Malta Song for Europe Festival! (I conclude that the song will contain an a-capella piece because lately the 6th Above performed only on an a-capella style).
First Claudette entered the TV show biz - which is said to bring luck to the Maltese singers (reference to Mike Spiteri ESC95 who was the local singer of a TV programme & Debbie Scerri ESC97 who was also a TV presenter).
And now Claudette teamed up with '6th Above'...considered by most Maltese Music Critics as the Maltese hit group of the decade. Many foresee this as another asset to the song 'Listen to our Voices' by Ray Agius and Philip Vella. 

TARCISIO BARBARA (How Can I Get Over You)
Tarcisio said that this song is much closer to his style. Some Music Critics consider Tarcisio's voice to that of Brian Addams...so we are waiting for a Brian Addams song: rock/ballad isn't it?!

MIRIAM CHRISTINE
The 19 year old singer who already represented Malta in ESC96 with 'In A woman's Heart' (aged 17) is back on the hit. This year's song is said to be a soul/funky/dance song. Miriam Christine is looking forward for it because she feels that it is a WINNING song.

FATE (Listen)
Fate is a trio made up of 3 girls - Andreana, Paula and Karen. It is their first time as main singers. They used to sing as chorus singers. "Listen" is said to be an uptempo pop song. Fate said that they will do their best to enjoy their 3 minutes on stage!!!

VINCE BONGAILAS (Unexplained)
"Unexplained" was written about 1 and a half years ago!!! Vince said that he always liked composing new songs and as soon as he ended up with his boxing career he decided to launch all his songs. 'Unexplained' is one of these songs which he had in his mind but never had time to write it down because of his very active boxing career.

ORION
This group is made up of 3 youths: Joe Chetcuti (Lawyer and Violinist), Josephine Scerri (Animation Artist, Physician, actress) and Clifford Borg (musician). This is their first time at a Song Contest. {I foresee a song with violin here - nocturne98 maybe!!}

CATHERINE VIGAR
This year's song is a non-ethnic modern song....so no 'The Call' pt. 2 as many suspected it to be!

MARISA D"AMATO
Marisa is a Police Woman and she is the main singer of the Police - band section. Took part in several musicals such as 'Sound of Music' and "Jisimni Katerina : My name is Chaterine".

KAREN POLIDANO (Searching the Seas)
The song writers Conrad Pule` (son of the Maltese Top Magician/Illusionist Vanni Pule`) and JP Casaletto said that this is a slow rock song....with very simple sound. They believe that it is the right style for Eurovision....no grand elaborated orchestration...just simple! The song is about a girl who is waiting for her lover who went out to the seas but never came back.
The singer, Karen, has been living in Canada but in 1996 came back to Malta with her family. This is her first experience as a main singer.

GEORGINA (Morning Rain)
Georgina is singing yet another sentimental ballad. Well...in my opinion Georgina's best performances were given with sentimental ballads so this should be an asset for her. Georgina took part in ESC in 1991 with Paul Giordmaina with the song 'Could it be'.

FABRIZIO FANIELLO (More than just a game)
This is the first time for Fabrizio to participate in this festival. Fabrizio is 16 years old. He'll be performing an upbeat song.

OLIVIA LEWIS (You're the One)
Olivia (together with her sister Marvic) took part in the Malta Song for Europe 1997 with a good up-beat song called 'Falling for your love'. It was a great performance and it is still one of the favourite songs from that festival. Lately she participated in the International Malta Song Festival where she gave yet another excellent performance with another up-beat song. This gave her the opportunity to represent Malta in a festival organised in Lithuania...and guess what?? She participated with these two up-beat songs and she WON it!!
This year she came back with yet another up-beat song. Will she be the one this year for ESC ?

MARVIC LEWIS (Voice in the night)
It's not the first festival that Marvic is singing without her sister Olivia Lewis. Marvic says that she doesn't prefer upbeat songs. So this must be her best year ever for she is singing a soul/ballad. I am personally looking forward for this song because I think that Marvic's voice is really into soul category and she would give a great interpretation.
...I think that there will be a GREAT BATTLE between the sisters!!!

LAWRENCE GRAY (New Born Heart) Although this is the first time that Laurence is participating as a main solo singer in this festival he is well known on the Maltese Music Scene. He is better known as the lead singer in the Maltese band 'MERE' who appeared also in last year's Malta Music Awards.
Lawrence Gray said that on stage there will also be the pianist and the aucustic guitar player from his band 'Mere'.
The composer of this song is Maestro Joe Brown who has conducted the orchestra at the Malta Song For Europe festival for the past years. He can compete with this song because this will be the first year that there will be no orchestra on stage....all songs will be performed on half-playback just like the ESC.

CHIARA (The One that I love)
Chiara is one of Debbie Scerri's best friends. Her voice is also quite similar to Debbie's. Chiara's best characteristic is her joyful smile. She will be presenting a song from the hands of her favourite duo: Jason Cassar/Sammy Aquilina, who wrote several songs with which Chiara put herself as one of the well-known singers on the Maltese Scene. Although this is the first time that we will see this young singer in this festival, Chiara is well know in the Maltese Music Scene especially with the song 'Ismaghni ftit habib' (Listen to me friend). This song was written by Sammy Aquilina after hearing the news that one of his ex-students died beacause of drug abuse.
Well, this year Chiara is going to sing a late 90's ballad. Looking forward for it!

LEONTINE (Children of Mother Earth) Leontine took part in last year's Song for Europe festival with an up-beat song. This year she will be singing a song with a clear message: No More Racism. The author (Mark Tonna) is also a well-known Maltese singer.
None of them (author/composer/singer) wished to comment about the song's style....they are after surprises then!!

FIONA (Same Time Tomorrow) This is yet another first timer young singer. She has participated in other Music Festivals and also took part in Jazz sessions. The composer (Alfred Zammit) is well known for the song 'Our Love could never be' back in 1995 with which CLAUDETTE PACE (yet another 1998 singer) ended up in the 2nd position!

TONIO CUSCHIERI (That Magic in your eyes) We were given the impression that this will be a slow ballad song. The author/composer of the song is Jason Xuereb....by the way he's not the same one that wrote 'Run to you' in 1996 with which Debbie Scerri participated for the first time in the Malta Song for Europe Festival.

NATASHA GRIMA (Nights alone)
Yet another new trio here: the singer/author/composer. Not much information was given about the song...it will be another surprise.

And that brought us to the end of the preview of the Malta Song for Europe 1998 which will be held in Valletta between the 6th and 7th February. Till now the homepage of the Malta Song Festival Committee has not been updated but I think that it will be ready just before the festival. So please give a look at it...hopefully there will be the photos, video clips of the performance and also clips of the songs.
Check it out at http://www.vol.net.mt/maltasong/

Earlier details from Deo on the Maltese Song Festival, 6th and 7th February:

LATEST INFORMATION ON SOME OF THE  MALTESE SINGERS

Claudette Pace:

On 8th February Claudette is going to celebrate her 30th Birthday.  Claudette took part for the first time in the Malta Song For Europe festival in 1992.  Among her interests there are Jazz Music, Acting, and also TV presenting. Lately Claudette is presenting her hit programme 'SELLILI' mainly aimed for female televiewers. 'Sellili' means 'Give my regards'.   Claudette is a BA (General) graduate in Theatre, English and Italian.  She is also a DAMS (Discipline del arte musica spettacolo) graduate from the University of Bologna - Italy.  She took part also in the European Theatre Encounter which took place in Stratford-upon-Avon, England in 1987.  Back in Malta Claudette formed part in the choir VOICES.

Lately Claudette launched her first CD-album, entitled 'Beginning'.  This Album contains the following songs: "Our Love Could Never Be" (from Malta Song For Europe Festival 1995); "My Butterfly" (From Malta Song for Europe Festival 1996);  "Love Can Do Miracles" (from Malta Song for Europe Festival 1997);  "You're the Only Light" (with which Claudette represented Malta in the 6th EU, Cyprus & Malta song Festival 1996).   Among the Maltese version songs there are: "Sellili", "Kuncert", "Ghix biss ghal-Lum", "Zmien Zemzem", and "Ismaghhom".  All these songs come from several Song Festivals in which Claudette was always quite near to the winning place.
 

MARVIC LEWIS + OLIVIA LEWIS

The Lewis Sisters are back with 2 different songs.  In 1997 Malta Song for Europe Festival they took part with their hit song 'Falling for your love' which was quite an up-beat song.  Both Marvic and Olivia are University students.  Olivia and Marvic Lewis are being associated with 'soul' music following to their latest interpratations of hit soul songs.  Will they sing soul music or will they go for an up-beat song in this year's song festival?

Vince Bongailas

Vince achieved several titles in his boxing carreer.  Lately he entered the music scene and was an immediate hit.

Miriam Christine

Miriam Christine is back with yet another song from the winning duo Ray Agius/Alfred C. Sant.  Will this be her comeback at the ESC?  Miriam Christine represented Malta in the 1996 ESC with 'In A woman's Heart' - an up-beat song.  Will she perform yet another up-beat song ?

...more information on other singers will be given in due course
 

Till next time.....
Caw hbieb (Bye friends)

Thanks very much, Deo!

•  Return to 1998 news page