Malteasers
Malta have a lot of pride to restore in 2007. After finishing 2nd in 2002, they did the same in 2005, with Chiara’s fabulous performance of “Angel” clocking up 192 points. Sadly, last year, they scored 191 points less with the fairly useless Fabrizio Feniello murdering “I Do”, which is a shame cos it could’ve done OK. Malta don’t finish at the bottom of the Eurovision table too often, so last year’s 24th placing was a bit of a shock – fingers were pointed, people were blamed and I believe that some people were even sacked. This is how seriously some countries take the Eurovision Song Contest.
This year, following a semi-final on Thursday which saw ten songs eliminated, six songs will compete for the chance to give Malta a decent result, and what a lovely mixed bag of songs they are. There’s something for everyone here, and here’s a lowdown of the potentials…
1 “WHENEVER” – Kevin Borg
Oh no, not The Borg! Yes, this is Kev Borg, who has a surprisingly feminine voice. But let’s not have that put you off the song, which is a slow piano-led ballad. It’s rather pleasant, has a nice tune, but it’s quite clichéd. I doubt that Malta will choose an American-style ballad, but stranger things have happened of course, this is the country that chose Lynn Chircop as a potential winner.
2 “SHE GIVES ME WINGS” – Klinsmann Coleiro
If McFly were Maltese… this begins very like the McFly hit “Obviously”, and actually it continues in a similar vain. In fact, the lead into the chorus is exactly the same. If you like McFly-type pop, perhaps opting for something along the lines of Son Of Dork, then this is for you. This would certainly score well from the UK if this won tonight.
3 “AS LONG AS YOU KNOW” – Scar
Oh more guitars here, the introduction is very like “Maria” by Blondie! It turns into a fairly nice piece of friendly guitar pop, inoffensive and lovely, but it doesn’t really do anything else, even though I’m a big fan of the rather great chorus. I doubt this stands much of a chance as being the winner tonight, but I wouldn’t complain if it was.
4 “VERTIGO” – Olivia Lewis
Olivia Lewis is the unluckiest person IN THE WORLD. She has been in Malta’s national final every year since 1997, and has finished 2nd in it for the past three years. Luckily for her, she enters this year’s Maltese selection as the favourite. “Vertigo” is a frantic, high-drama piece of music in a sort of Spanish American bull-fighting type genre that flows along dangerously in a highly unusual 6/8 time signature. It’s very much the favourite amongst fans to win tonight, partly because the song is very popular, and partly because everyone feels that it HAS to be Olivia Lewis’s turn to do her stuff for Malta. Oh, and “Vertigo” does involve good use of a fiddle too.
5 “ALL ABOUT A LIFE” – Pamela Bezzina
This is a rather pleasant piece of pop music, but after the dramatic heights of what’s just gone before, this is going to sound rather twee. In fact, this isn’t too bad a song, but it’s the sort of stuff that would have done well about 10 years ago, and perhaps not today. Pamela sounds like the third Mullan sister, except this song is much better than there song was. Very nice, but I don’t see this as a winner.
6 “STARLIGHT” – Trilogy
Well here’s different. This is another dramatic piece of music with a hint of classical music three very good vocalists, including a rather nice soprano, sing this dark Les Miserables type song. Of course, this is a nice idea and the end result is good, but I don’t think “Starlight” is anywhere near as instant enough as other songs in the Maltese national final. But it could win the “different” vote and still wouldn’t be a bad choice of entry – I think there’s better though.
So that’s the six songs, with my order of preference…
1 “VERTIGO” – Olivia Lewis
2 “AS LONG AS YOU KNOW” – Scar
3 “STARLIGHT” – Trilogy
4 “ALL ABOUT A LIFE” – Pamela Bezzina
5 “SHE GIVES ME WINGS” – Klinsmann Coleiro
6 “WHENEVER” – Kevin Borg
If there’s any justice, Olivia should win tonight. I don’t think any of these songs are potential Eurovision winners, but with Malta’s reputation taking a stumble last year, they’ll be looking for a good result. “Vertigo” could well provide it!
This year, following a semi-final on Thursday which saw ten songs eliminated, six songs will compete for the chance to give Malta a decent result, and what a lovely mixed bag of songs they are. There’s something for everyone here, and here’s a lowdown of the potentials…
1 “WHENEVER” – Kevin Borg
Oh no, not The Borg! Yes, this is Kev Borg, who has a surprisingly feminine voice. But let’s not have that put you off the song, which is a slow piano-led ballad. It’s rather pleasant, has a nice tune, but it’s quite clichéd. I doubt that Malta will choose an American-style ballad, but stranger things have happened of course, this is the country that chose Lynn Chircop as a potential winner.
2 “SHE GIVES ME WINGS” – Klinsmann Coleiro
If McFly were Maltese… this begins very like the McFly hit “Obviously”, and actually it continues in a similar vain. In fact, the lead into the chorus is exactly the same. If you like McFly-type pop, perhaps opting for something along the lines of Son Of Dork, then this is for you. This would certainly score well from the UK if this won tonight.
3 “AS LONG AS YOU KNOW” – Scar
Oh more guitars here, the introduction is very like “Maria” by Blondie! It turns into a fairly nice piece of friendly guitar pop, inoffensive and lovely, but it doesn’t really do anything else, even though I’m a big fan of the rather great chorus. I doubt this stands much of a chance as being the winner tonight, but I wouldn’t complain if it was.
4 “VERTIGO” – Olivia Lewis
Olivia Lewis is the unluckiest person IN THE WORLD. She has been in Malta’s national final every year since 1997, and has finished 2nd in it for the past three years. Luckily for her, she enters this year’s Maltese selection as the favourite. “Vertigo” is a frantic, high-drama piece of music in a sort of Spanish American bull-fighting type genre that flows along dangerously in a highly unusual 6/8 time signature. It’s very much the favourite amongst fans to win tonight, partly because the song is very popular, and partly because everyone feels that it HAS to be Olivia Lewis’s turn to do her stuff for Malta. Oh, and “Vertigo” does involve good use of a fiddle too.
5 “ALL ABOUT A LIFE” – Pamela Bezzina
This is a rather pleasant piece of pop music, but after the dramatic heights of what’s just gone before, this is going to sound rather twee. In fact, this isn’t too bad a song, but it’s the sort of stuff that would have done well about 10 years ago, and perhaps not today. Pamela sounds like the third Mullan sister, except this song is much better than there song was. Very nice, but I don’t see this as a winner.
6 “STARLIGHT” – Trilogy
Well here’s different. This is another dramatic piece of music with a hint of classical music three very good vocalists, including a rather nice soprano, sing this dark Les Miserables type song. Of course, this is a nice idea and the end result is good, but I don’t think “Starlight” is anywhere near as instant enough as other songs in the Maltese national final. But it could win the “different” vote and still wouldn’t be a bad choice of entry – I think there’s better though.
So that’s the six songs, with my order of preference…
1 “VERTIGO” – Olivia Lewis
2 “AS LONG AS YOU KNOW” – Scar
3 “STARLIGHT” – Trilogy
4 “ALL ABOUT A LIFE” – Pamela Bezzina
5 “SHE GIVES ME WINGS” – Klinsmann Coleiro
6 “WHENEVER” – Kevin Borg
If there’s any justice, Olivia should win tonight. I don’t think any of these songs are potential Eurovision winners, but with Malta’s reputation taking a stumble last year, they’ll be looking for a good result. “Vertigo” could well provide it!
posted by ESCChris at
7:19 AM
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