Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest

Balance sheet

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Broadcasting company

First participation

1971

Number of participations

32 (as of 2019)

Highest ranking

2 ( 2002 , 2005 )

Highest Score

192 (2005)

Lowest Score

1 ( 2006 )

Points average (since first post)

71.91 (as of 2019)

Average points per voting country in the 12-point system

2.10 (as of 2019)

This article looks at the history of Malta as a participant in the Eurovision Song Contest .

Regularity of participation and successes in competition

Gianluca Bezzina in 2013 is the last Maltese interpreter to be placed in the top ten

Malta first took part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971. However, the debut was not very successful, as the country ended up in last place. Also in the following year 1972 Malta did not manage to get enough points and landed again in last place. After these failures, the country withdrew from the competition in 1973. In 1974 it was planned that Malta would return to competition. There was even a preliminary decision with the winner Enzo Gusman. However, the country withdrew briefly from the competition for financial reasons, so that it did not return until 1975. There Renato reached 12th place out of 19 with his song Singing This Song . In 1976, however, Malta withdrew from the competition again. The case of 1974 was repeated. The singer Enzo Gusman won the preliminary decision, but was never able to represent Malta because the country withdrew again shortly before the competition for financial reasons. After this short and unsuccessful period, Malta decided not to participate from 1977 to 1990 for reasons unknown. Only in 1991 did the country return to the song contest and from now on it was much more successful.

So the return in 1991 was a complete success. The duo Georgina & Paul Giordimaina achieved 6th place out of 22 with their title Could It Be and with 106 points Malta's best result in the competition so far. In 1992, however, this placement could still be surpassed when Mary Spiteri took 3rd place out of 23 and achieved an even better placement with 123 points. In 1993 and 1994 Malta was also able to place itself in the top ten, taking 8th and 5th place. In 1995 and 1996 the country was also placed in the top ten, but only barely reached it with 10th place. In 1997, with 9th place, the seventh place in the top ten in a row was achieved. In 1998, however, the singer Chiara reached 3rd place with her song The One That I Love with 165 points, which was the best placement in Malta up to that point, as the contribution received more points than the third place in 1992. That was it second third place in Malta's competition. In 1999, however, this successful period ended, because the girl group Times Three was only ranked 15th out of 23. It was the worst ranking for Malta since 1972. From the year 2000 the country was as successful as before.

The singer Claudette Pace reached 8th place out of 24 in 2000. In 2001, another place among the top ten was achieved with 9th place. The next success followed in 2002. The singer Ira Losco took second place with her song 7th Wonder with 164 points. She was only twelve points short of victory. The result of 2003 was all the more surprising when the Maltese contribution came second to last with four points. In 2004 Malta had to take part in the newly introduced semi-finals. There, the duo Julie & Ludwig took 8th place, which meant they could qualify for the final. In the final, her song On Again… Off Again reached number 12. In 2005, the country was very successful again. The singer Chiara, who already took 3rd place in 1998, appeared again for Malta. In the final, her song Angel reached second place with 192 points. To date, this is Malta's best placement in the competition. Likewise, the 192 points represent Malta's today's highest number of points. From 2006, however, the successful time of Malta at the Song Contest ended.

As in the previous year, Malta was already pre-qualified for the final thanks to its good position last year. But then Malta's worst placement in the competition to date took place there. Finally, the singer Fabrizio Faniello landed in last place with his song I Do and received only one point, which is also Malta's lowest score to date. In 2007, the country then had to take part in the semi-finals, but only finished 25th out of 28, which was the first time that Malta was eliminated in the semi-finals. It was the first time since 1990 that no Maltese contribution was represented in the final. In the following year, the country could not reach the final and was eliminated in the semifinals. In 2009, however, the singer Chiara, who reached 3rd place in 1998 and 2nd place in 2005, performed for Malta for the third time. She reached the final, but only finished 22nd out of 25. 2010 and 2011, Malta was eliminated again in the semifinals. In 2011, however, only one point was missing to qualify for the final. It was not until 2012 that Malta did better in terms of competition.

In 2012, singer Kurt Calleja was able to bring the country back to the finals for the first time since 2009. There his song This Is The Night only finished 21st. In 2013, however, the Maltese contribution Tomorrow by Gianluca Bezzina took 4th place in the semi-finals, making the country two times in a row for the first time since 2006. In the final, the big success followed, because the contribution finished in 8th place. It was Malta's best position since 2005 and also the first position on the left side of the table since then. However, the band Firelight could not build on this success in 2014. Although they reached the final, they only finished 23rd in 2015, however, for the first time since 2011, the Maltese contribution was barely eliminated in the semifinals. In 2016 the singer Ira Losco, who finished 2nd in 2002, appeared again for her country. While she finished third in the semi-finals, she only reached 12th place in the final. In 2017, Malta was eliminated again in the semifinals, because the song Breathlessly only came third from last in the semifinals. It is remarkable that the 55 points all come from the juries. The singer Claudia Faniello received no points from the televoting. After this failure, the country could not reach the final in 2018 either. It was not until 2019 that the singer Michela was able to bring her song Chameleon Malta back to the final. There, the contribution came in 14th at the end.

In total, 15 of the 32 entries ended up in the left half of the table. Malta have come last three times and have been eliminated in the semi-finals seven times. On the other hand, there are two second places and two third places as well as a few other placements within the top ten, making Malta one of the average successful countries in the competition.

List of posts

Color legend: - 1st place. - 2nd place. - 3rd place. - Equal points with last place. - Eliminated in the semifinals / in the qualification / in the Eastern European preliminary decision. - no participation / not qualified. - Cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest.      

year	Interpreter	Song Music (M) and Text (T)	language	translation	final		Semi-final / qualification		National preliminary decision
					space	Points	space	Points
1971	Joe Grech	Marija l-Maltija M: Joe Grech; T: Charles Mifsud	Maltese	The Maltese Marija	18/18	52	Direct participation		Malta Song for Europe 1971
1972	Helen & Joseph	L'imħabba M: Charles Camilleri; T: Albert Cassola	Maltese	Love	18/18	48			Malta Song for Europe 1972
1973	No participation
1974	Enzo Gusman	Paċi fid-Dinja M / T: Enzo Gusman	Maltese	World peace	Participation withdrew financial difficulties				Malta Song for Europe 1974
1975	Renato	Singing This Song M: Sammy Galea; T: M. Iris Mifsud	English	Sing this song	12/19	32	Direct participation		Malta Song for Europe 1975
1976	Enzo Gusman	Sing Your Song Country Boy M / T: Enzo Gusman	English	Sing your song, country boy	Participation withdrew financial difficulties				Malta Song for Europe 1976
1977 to 1990	No participation
1991	Georgina & Paul Giordimaina	Could It Be M: Paul Abela ; T: Raymond Mahoney	English	Could it be	6/22	106	Direct participation		Malta Song for Europe 1991
1992	Mary Spiteri	Little Child M: Georgina Abela ; T: Raymond Mahoney	English	Little kid	3/23	123			Malta Song for Europe 1992
1993	William Mangion	This Time M / T: William Mangion	English	This time	8/25	69			Malta Song for Europe 1993
1994	Chris & Moira	More Than Love M: Christopher Scicluna; T: Moira Stafrace	English	More than love	5/25	97	Qualified directly for the final		Malta Song for Europe 1994
1995	Mike Spiteri	Keep Me in Mind M: Ray Agius; T: Alfred C. Sant	English	Keep me in mind	10/23	76			Malta Song for Europe 1995
1996	Miriam Christine	In a Woman's Heart M: Paul Abela ; T: Alfred C. Sant	English	In a woman's heart	10/23	68	4/29	138	Malta Song for Europe 1996
1997	Debbie Scerri	Let Me Fly M / T: Ray Agius	English	let me fly	9/25	66	Qualified directly for the final		Malta Song for Europe 1997
1998	Chiara	The One That I Love M: Jason Cassar; T: Sunny Aquilina	English	The one i love	3/25	165			Malta Song for Europe 1998
1999	Times Three	Believe 'n Peace M: Christopher Scicluna; T: Moira Stafrace	English	Believe in peace	15/23	32			Malta Song for Europe 1999
2000	Claudette Pace	Desire M: Philip Vella; T: Gerard James Borg	English, Maltese	wish	8/24	73			Malta Song for Europe 2000
2001	Fabrizio Faniello	Another Summer Night M: Paul Abela ; T: Georgina Abela	English	Another summer night	9/23	48			Malta Song for Europe 2001
2002	Ira Losco	7th Wonder M: Philip Vella; T: Gerard James Borg	English	7. Miracles	2/24	164			Malta Song for Europe 2002
2003	Lynn Chircop	To Dream Again M: Alfred Zammit; T: Cynthia Sammut	English	To dream again	25/26	4th			Malta Song for Europe 2003
2004	Julie & Ludwig	On Again… Off Again M: Philip Vella; T: Gerard James Borg	English	On again ... off again	12/24	50	8/22	74	Malta Song for Europe 2004
2005	Chiara	Angel M / T: Chiara Siracusa	English	Angel	2/24	192	Qualified directly for the final		Malta Song for Europe 2005
2006	Fabrizio Faniello	I Thu M / T: Aldo Spiteri, Fabrizio Faniello	English	I want	24/24	1			Malta Song for Europe 2006
2007	Olivia Lewis	Vertigo M: Philip Vella; T: Gerard James Borg	English	dizziness	Eliminated		25/28	15th	Malta Song for Europe 2007
2008	Morena	Vodka M: Philip Vella; T: Gerard James Borg	English	vodka	Eliminated		14/19	38	Malta Song for Europe 2008
2009	Chiara	What If We M: Marc Paelinck; T: Gregory Bilsen	English	What if we	22/25	31	6/18	86	GO Malta EuroSong 2009 Euro Showbox
2010	Thea Garrett	My Dream M: Jason Cassar; T: Sunny Aquilina	English	my dream	Eliminated		12/17	45	The GO Malta Eurosong 2010
2011	Glen Vella	One Life M: Paul Giordimaina; T: Fleur Balzan	English	One life	Eliminated		11/19	54	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2011
2012	Kurt Calleja	This Is the Night M / T: Johan Jämtberg, Mikael Gunnerås, Kurt Callejas	English	This is the night	21/26	41	7/18	70	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
2013	Gianluca Bezzina	Tomorrow M / T: Boris Cezek, Dean Muscat	English	tomorrow	8/26	120	4/17	118	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2013
2014	Firelight	Coming Home M / T: Richard Edwards Micallef	English	Return home	23/26	32	9/15	63	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2014
2015	Amber	Warrior M: Elton Zarb; T: Matt Muxu Mercieca	English	warrior	Eliminated		11/17	43	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2015
2016	Ira Losco	Walk on Water M / T: Lisa Desmond, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren, Molly Pettersson Hammar , Ira Losco	English	Walking on the water	12/26	153	3/18	209	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2016
2017	Claudia Faniello	Breathlessly M: Philip Vella, Sean Vella; T: Gerard James Borg	English	Breathless	Eliminated		16/18	55	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2017
2018	Christabelle	Taboo M: Thomas G: son , Johnny Sanchez; T: Muxu, Christabelle	English	taboo	Eliminated		13/18	101	Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2018
2019	Michela Pace	Chameleon M / T: Joachim Perrson, Paula Winger, Borislav Milanov , Johan Alkenäs	English	chameleon	14/26	107	8/18	157	X Factor Malta 2019 (performer)
									internal selection (song)
2020	Destiny	All of My Love M: Bernarda Brunovic, Borislaw Milanow , Sebastian Arman , Dag Lundberg, Joacim Persson, Cesar Sampson ; T: Bernarda Brunovic, Borislaw Milanow , Sebastian Arman , Dag Lundberg, Joacim Persson	English	All my love	Cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic by the EBU				X Factor Malta 2020 (performer)
									internal selection (song)
2021	Destiny								internal selection

National preliminary decisions

By 2018, almost all Maltese contribution to the euro Song Contest have been chosen as part of a televised Trials, the most titled Malta Song for Europe took place, following the British preliminary round, the many years the title of (A) Song for Europe contributed . The preliminary rounds were partly with and partly without semifinals. Only in 2016 was Ira Losco's winning song Chameleon (Invincible) replaced by the internally selected song Walk on Water . Since 2019, the artist has been chosen by the talent show X Factor Malta , while the song was selected internally.

Preliminary decisions without preliminary rounds

In the first two preliminary rounds in 1971 and 1972, six artists each presented a title in one evening. Preliminary decisions without preliminary rounds were also carried out in 1995 (18 participants), 1997 (16 participants), 1999 to 2002 and 2004 with a constant number of 16 participants. In 2005 and 2006 more singers took part again, namely 22 and 18 respectively. In 2017, for the first time since 2006, there was no semifinals and the juries, which were able to decide 83 percent of the result, were replaced by a pure televoting. Also in 2018 there was no more semifinals, only one broadcast in one evening. However, 50 percent of the result was decided by televoting and 50 percent by an international jury.

Preliminary rounds with preliminary rounds

In 1975 and 1991 to 1994 a semi-final was held before the final, in which the number of participants - which fluctuated between 10 and 20 - was halved. In 1998, only two of the 22 candidates were selected in the preliminary round, they came from a group of six participants of "newcomers". In 2003, 24 singers competed in the semi-finals and 16 were allowed into the final, in 2007 six of the 16 took part in the final. With the exception of 2009, when there were eight semifinals, 16 finalists have been elected since 2008, who passed the semifinals with 24 participants on the Friday before the final. The Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2015 took place once in November 2014 to use the stage of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014 , which took place on November 15, 2014 in Marsa .

languages

Malta has two national languages ​​-  Maltese and English - the latter is only spoken by a few in everyday life. The first contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 was performed entirely in Maltese, in the following year the language was supplemented by a few words in other languages. From 1975 onwards, all songs were sung in English (in 2000 Desire contained a few words in Maltese), but in some preliminary rounds all contributions were sung in Maltese as well as in English - out of competition. Maltese versions of the 1991, 1993 and 1998 articles were also published.

Voting behavior

It was noticeable that Malta gave very high scores to countries that did poorly in the end: in 1992 , Malta was the only country that gave Luxembourg points at all, but it had the second highest score of ten. In the same year, Turkey received eight of its 17 points from Malta. In 1993 , the island state of Luxembourg was again very generous and awarded ten points out of a total of eleven, all the more surprising since the voting of Malta was postponed to the end for technical reasons. In 1994 the Maltese vote was particularly curious; As the twelfth voting country, the three highest ratings were given to countries that had not yet had any points: 8 to Switzerland (out of 15), 10 to Croatia (out of 26) and 12 to Slovakia (out of 15). But Romania also received its first points, 6 out of 14. In 1996 they were again the country that gave Slovakia the most points, this time eight out of 19. In 1997 and 2001 , Croatia received an above-average number of points: eight out of 24 and ten from 42. From 2005 to 2008, the highest scores always went to countries that landed in the bottom third: 2005 to Cyprus (twelve out of 46 points), 2006 to Switzerland (twelve out of 30 points) and 2007 to Great Britain (twelve out of 19 points) and 2008 Sweden (12 of 47). It should also be mentioned that both Brazil from Bebi Dol 1991 (Yugoslavia) and Verliebt in dich from Stone & Stone 1995 (Germany) each received only one point - both from Malta.

Scoring

The following countries received the most points from or awarded the most points to Malta (as of 2019):

Most of the points awarded in the final space country Points 1  Italy 173 2  United Kingdom 144 3  Sweden 133 4th  Cyprus 094 5  Greece 090

Most in the final received points space country Points 1  United Kingdom 103 2  Ireland 095 3  Spain 084 4th  Croatia 082 5  Turkey 078

Most of the points awarded space country Points 1  Sweden 214 2  Italy 173 3  United Kingdom 144 4th  Greece 130 5  Israel 119

Most total obtained points space country Points 1  United Kingdom 155 2  Ireland 115 3  Croatia 113 4th  Spain 093  Turkey 093

Award of the highest rating

Since 1975 contests, Malta has awarded the highest number of points in the finals to 18 different countries, including seven times to Italy. In the semi-finals, however, Malta awarded the maximum number of points to 16 different countries, two of them each to Bulgaria, Latvia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Highest rating (final) year country Place (final) 1975  Netherlands 1 1976 Participation withdrawn 1977 to 1990 No participation 1991  Cyprus 9 1992  Ireland 1 1993  Ireland 1 1994  Slovakia 19th 1995  Croatia 6th 1996  Austria 10 1997  Spain 6th 1998  Israel 1 1999  Sweden 1 2000  Russia 2 2001  Estonia 1 2002  Cyprus 6th 2003  Iceland 8th 2004  Greece 3 2005  Cyprus 18th 2006  Switzerland 16 2007  United Kingdom 22nd 2008  Sweden 18th 2009  Iceland 2 2010  Azerbaijan 5 2011  Azerbaijan 1 2012  Azerbaijan 4th 2013  Azerbaijan 2 2014  Italy 21st 2015  Italy 3 2016  United Kingdom (J) 24  Australia (T) 2 2017  Italy (J&T) 6th 2018  Cyprus (J) 2  Italy (T) 5 2019  Italy (J&T) 2 2020 Competition canceled

Highest rating (semi-finals) year country Place (semifinals) 2004  Greece 3 2005  Latvia 10 2006  Sweden 4th 2007  Latvia 5 2008  Switzerland 13 2009  Iceland 1 2010  Belgium 1 2011  Croatia 15th 2012  Turkey 5 2013  Azerbaijan 1 2014  Romania 2 2015  Sweden 1 2016  Armenia (J) 2  Russia (T) 1 2017  Bulgaria (J&T) 1 2018  Norway (J) 1  San Marino (T) 17th 2019  Netherlands (J) 1  Switzerland (T) 4th 2020 Competition canceled

various

• Malta has been participating in the competition since 1971 and has not yet won it. With 32 participations (as of 2019), Malta has been waiting the longest for a win in terms of time. In terms of participations, Cyprus has been waiting the longest for a win. The country has participated since 1981, but with 36 participations it has four more participations than Malta.
• Chiara had a small commercial success internationally with her contribution Angel in 2005 and reached number 95 in the charts in Germany, which no representative of the island state had achieved before. Fabrizio Faniello was successful with his song I Do a year later, especially in Asia.
• Olivia Lewis had competed in the Maltese preliminary round every year since 1997 and came second three times in a row in 2004, 2005 and 2006 before being allowed to represent her country in 2007.

Impressions

• 

  Julie & Ludwig 2004

• 

  Olivia Lewis 2007

• 

  Morena 2008

• 

  Thea Garrett 2010

• 

  Gianluca Bezzina 2013

• 

  Firelight 2014

• 

  Amber 2015

• 

  Ira Losco 2016

• 

  Claudia Faniello 2017

• 

  Christabelle 2018

• 

  Michela Pace 2019

Web links

• National finals homepage
• Texts for all Maltese contributions (with pictures of the participants)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/walk-on-water-maltas-song-for-eurovision-2016/
2. ↑ https://eurovoix.com/2016/11/03/malta-semi-final-dropped-final-taking-place-february/
3. ↑ diggiloo.net
4. ↑ charts-surfer.de
5. ↑ esctoday.com
6. ↑ geocities.ws