ONE Television, is one of the key elements behind the success of the Għanja tal-Poplu competition and promoting upcoming local talent is quite important because one has to preserve the language that has been terms as a brand identity for several years. The renowned local competition is just one of two in the music industry and has been well regarded by musicians, songwriters and performers alike. The organisation of the showcast last year was remarkable and one could definitely notice that the year off was a time to rebrand, and come back stronger. At the end of the evening, the top three were none other than Kultural, Grecia Bezzina and Kantilena and the people somewhat seemed content by the proceedings of the evening.

The 37th edition of the Għanja tal-Poplu will be taking place 20th April 2013 in the same aforementioned venue and escflashmalta.com is proud to be a main promotional partner. You could view a copy of the regulations on the official website. One could easily note that there have been no real changes from the previous years noting that all of the submitted tracks must adhere to the typical idea that they cannot include any obscenities or partisan propaganda. They also be within the time frame of three minutes and a half, not more. All of the instruments have to be played live on stage for those who end up making it through to the final stage of the competition which we remind you will be held on the 20th April 2013 within Sir Temi Żammit Hall. The committee of the Għanja tal-Poplu will be receiving entries within the YTC Offices at 227, Merchants Street in Valletta on Friday 1st March 2013 between 10:30 and 11:30 as well as 19:00 and 21:00 CET respectively. Stay tuned to more information on escflashmalta.com as well as the official page on social networking website, Facebook.

Source: YTC

A week has already passed from the Malta Eurovision Song Contest and preparations are now in full swing to the second semi-final that will be taking place on the 16th of May. It seems that PBS are still weighing the various options in order to ensure the best possible participation for Malta and Gianluca Bezzina’s Tomorrow. During the past days Gianluca was invited to various TV programmes where he spoke about his victory in last weekend’s Malta Eurovision Song Contest which came to a surprise to the young doctor who was taking part in the competition for the fun of it.

During an interview on Bla Agenda, presented by Norman Hamilton on ONE TV, Gianluca revealed that in the upcoming days there are plans for him to visit Armenia and The Netherlands. Most probably he would be joining a number of other countries in The Netherlands for the annual Eurovision in Concert. It is quite early to say but one expects the singer to visit a couple of more countries in his lead up to the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo. Obviously more details will be announced in due time by the Public Broadcasting Services who for another year have been entrusted in taking care of Malta's participation in the contest.

This kind of promotion is always vital as different countries and different journalists get the opportunity to get to know Gianluca better and also get used to the song our country is offering for this year's competition. PBS are yet to announce more details in regards to this year’s entry but many are expecting the final re-mastering of the song to take place and the promotional video to be shot in the upcoming weeks. Gianluca promised that if there will be any changes to the entry they will be minimal as they want to keep the simplicity as one of the key elements in the entry as he believes this was vital for the song’s success. 

The song in fact has been receiving positive reviews across the board from the online community and Gianluca’s genuine smile is being considered infectious. Toni Sant, a local music critic had classified the entry as one of the best songs in this years’ selection whilst Martin Sapiano also commented that it is one of the first times that he is happy and agrees with the result of the song chosen to represent our country at the Eurovision Song Contest. His support is also coming from the foreigners who seemed to be very happy with Gianluca’s win – in fact a poll conducted by Radio International placed Tomorrow in first place by a good margin amongst all the songs competing locally. 

The only criticism the song has received was that it resembles ‘Hey Soul Sister’ by the popular band Train but PBS were quick to answer that even the jury took this into consideration when deciding who should represent Malta and they thought that there is no relation between the two tracks except for the ukulele, which is a prominent instrument in both songs. Gianluca himself pointed this out too during ‘Bla Agenda’ and anyone who watched the song performed live with guitars on Xarabank can vouch that the songs have nothing in common with the removal of the ukulele. Thus any comparison between the two songs is unfounded.

During all his television appearances Gianluca continuously thanked songwriters Dean Muscat and Boris Cezek for believing in him and trusting him with their entry, his family for their constant support and all the people who voted for him and are supporting him in his bid at the Eurovision Song Contest. Surely this would have not been possible without their constant support along with the support of his team which includes; Kenny D’Ugo, Gabriel Cassar, Christopher Tate, Samaria Bezzina and Louisanne Tate. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all the latest news on Gianluca’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Source: PBS, ONE TV, escflashmalta.com

In less than a week, Gianluca Bezzina has become a leading figure in the local music industry following his victory at the Malta Eurovision Song Contest with the song Tomorrow co-written between Boris Cezek and Dean Muscat. He has stated on a number of occasions that he never even expecred to make it through to the final selection show on Saturday and had to take the day off only in the morning but nevertheless, foreign critics have been extremely positive and we'll be rounding up some of the most notable names in the industry for a secondary verdict on his track which is going down extremely well. Tonight, he will be making an appearance on the popular programme, Xarabank hosted by Peppi Azzopardi and produced by Where's Everybody.

The Malta Eurovision Song Contest has truly become a spectacle for people of all ages to enjoy because the genres represented during these past two evenings have managed to attract the attention of many. The semi-final left a lot to be desired in terms of transmission quality but one could definitely note the improvements that took place during these past couple of hours. All of the sixteen (16) acts were treated equally, with rehearsals taking place this morning to iron out the respective issues that might have arose. Nevertheless, following an enchanting evening hosted by Elaine Saliba and Gordon Bonello, the winner was evident with Gianluca Bezzina and his entry Tomorrow co-written between Dean Muscat and Boris Cezek.

Full Results

92 points: Tomorrow - Gianluca Bezzina

80 points: Needing You - Kevin Borg 

48 points: Betrayed - Davinia Pace

47 points: In Control - Amber

42 points: Never Walk Away - Chris Grech

37 points: Wonderful Today - Petra & Richard

20 points: When It's Time - Claudia Faniello

19 points: Ultraviolet - Jessika

17 points: Love-O-Holic - Deborah C

13 points: Perfect Day - Janice DeBattista

12 points: Superstar - Scar

11 points: My Stranger Love - Corazon

10 points: Fall Like Rome - Richard Edwards 

9 points: Us Against the World - Gianni 

6 points: Starting from the End - Dorothy Bezzina

2 points: Too Little Too Late - Domenique

Gianluca Bezzina is the lead singer of the band Funk Initiative which has garnered a lot of positive acclaim in recent months, releasing successful singles Paris and The Liberators which both managed to make it to the top ten on 89.7 Bay. He is also the brother of Dorothy Bezzina who was also competing during the evening with another track entitled Starting from the End composed by Magnus Kaxe and penned by Gerard James Borg. Gianluca Bezzina never entered the Malta Eurovision Song Contest before and managed to conquer with his debut, which is an impressive feat and similar to what Thea Garrett had achieved back in 2010 with her entry My Dream. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news about the Maltese participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 taking place in Malmö, Sweden where Malta will be competing in the first half of the second semi-final.

In just a few days time, the 2013 edition of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest will be taking place and it seems that preparations are well in place for another spectacular showcase by the looks of the staging. This weeks' edition of Radio International will be especially dedicated to the competition in itself due to the fact that the team will be on location and thus, will be giving the listeners a chance to listen to the tracks for the first time unless, they have already heard them through the official website of the broadcaster. As always, the show will be aired on FM 106.8 as well as Digital Cable 781 and Cable 88.1 Mhz in The Netherlands with a weblink through the official website of the show for international viewers. The pre-recorded show will unfortunately not include any phone-ins or music requests this week.

The running order of the songs which was established earlier this week won't be the order in which they will be played throughout the programme noting that they have been put in alphabetical order according to the song titles. The normal format of the show with interviews and usual features will be returning in the following week, so we urge you to hang tight. Malta will be competing in the second semi-final in Malmö, Sweden and many have commented on having being given a tough draw, so it is important that the jury and the public, vote for the song which they believe would give them the best result as per the voting countries in the semi-final. Indeed, Malta will be hosting it's national selection but nevertheless, news is coming in from other countries and through escXtra and escflashmalta, we will be keeping you posted with all of the latest.

Source: Press Release

With each and every passing year, the Malta Eurovision Song Contest sees a revelation – there’s always an act which comes out of nowhere and people simply fall in love with their entry. Two years ago, the talk of both the local and foreign fans was none other than Kelly Schembri who surprised quite a few of people with her number Love Me Like Your Money. The fresh upbeat entry was somewhat of a bombshell as our selection had never seen something quite like it in a way – well to say the least, there was quite a buzz around it and many saw it as the favourite to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. 

The entry went on to become quite a hit and its remix also hit the radios charts and was given lots of airplay. Kelly went on to shoot the video were the sensual message of the song was portrayed clearly. Back in Malta, specifically in the local selection, Kelly shared the stage with three friends, two of whom now form the upcoming band ‘Monroe’. This was surely a great launching platform in Malta for the UK based artist as she went on to release Kleptomaniac a year later and performed the entry in the 2011 Malta Music Awards where she earned two nominees for the Best Female Singer and for the Best Image. Kelly Schembri, also known as Kelly Stelfox with the international community has just released her first single with the girl band Monroe entitled Go Home.

The song has been well received thus far as they managed to launch it on BBC Introducing on BBC Radio London. The number can be described as fresh, current and one which oozes sensuality with various sounds that will easily make it a hit. The song has an electronic dance touch with an urban feel to it make that make this entry distinctive with all the ingredients necessary to be a radio hit. The girls have certainly come a long way and their first official single written by them surely proves this. The trio will be heading to Malta this weekend to perform this number to the Maltese audience at the Malta Music Awards. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news about the local music scene and follow all the latest from the girlband on Twitter or their official website.

Source: Press Release

On the 10th of December, former Malta Eurovision Song Contest finalist and second runner-up Kaya, together with four of her students : Aiden Jay Drakard, Anhelica Pace, Naolene Borg and Dorcas Debono travelled to Rumania to take part in the renowned Carpathian Star International Festival. In this showcase, artists from a vast amount of countries took part including Estonia, Serbia, Moldova, Italy, Romania and of course, Malta.

Once again, Malta's success was evident during this competition since all four (4) contestants managed to come within the top three (3) in at least one category. Aidan Jay Drakard came third (3rd) in the 7-9 age category with his excellent performance of the song Profeta Non Sare originally by Demis Roussos. It is important to note that this was Aidan’s first experience in an international competition and therefore was very pleased with such a promising result. 

Another very successful Maltese contestant was Anhelica Pace who not only came first in two (2) categories but also finishing the first runner-up position in the 10-12 age category with her breath-taking performance of the track E Poi originally performed by Giorgia. Anhelica won both the folklore song category and also the group category were together with Aiden, they performed the song Save Rock n roll written by Kaya and her brother Dorian Psaila. This was not her first success in foreign waters, noting that she has managed second runner-up finishes in prestigious competitions both in Italy and Poland. Later on this month, Anhelica will be heading to Italy to take part in the competition known as Eurokids in the town of Salerno.

In this same competition, Malta obtained third place in the adult category, having been represented by Dorcas Debono with the track Stupid. As a matter of fact, it seems that things are looking bright for her noting that she was also chosen a couple of weeks back as one of the finalists for Passport 2 Indifest where she is hoping to make it through to the Konkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza. The judging panel was made up of representatives from each of the competing countries and Malta was represented by Kaya but a pivotal rule stated that no judge could vote for acts within their own country to be precise and accurate. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for more news about upcoming young performers.

Source: Press Release

The arts have become an important sector of society in general and music in particular has a unifying element and thus, whenever an upcoming artist shows promise, promotion is definitely key and this was the case a couple of years back with Lyndsay whose road to success has not been easy noticeably working her way through to the position she has attained. As a matter of fact, following local competitions, television performances and also being a part of a group, a solo artist has been created and the release of her newly anticipated single entitled Daphne is taking place in the early day of a brand new year.

There was a lot of work done within this respective project and in fact, perfecting the song in the recording studio has only been the beginning, considering that there was also the recording of a music video which escflashmalta.com is exclusively showcasing below, produced and directed by Dirty Iris. Lyndsay goes on record to state that the track is personal, emotional, and classy but somewhat edgy in accordance to the other songs which have become part of the repertoire. Daphne is co-written and produced alongside Kenny D'Ugo and Dave Calleja who have already had a number of song success on leading radio station 89.7 Bay. 

Lyndsay is known to strive for success and this brand new single is the fruit of what is yet to come off her forthcoming album, which is her main priority at the moment. Speaking to escflashmalta.com about the track, she went onto say 'I wanted to show another perspective of myself both as an artist as well as a song writer reflecting something deeper, artistic and much more emotional from a personal point of view in which I’m sure others can actually relate to. I’m finding myself through music at this stage and I feel that I’m developing myself in my talents through this journey' before reflecting on the lyrics of the song which 'talks about the betrayal of a friend and explains how frustrating and disappointing the situation can actually be. Different people in life have inspired me to write music as well as the experiences I've been through and generally my opinions about the world.'

Lyndsay has garnered a respectable reputation in the Maltese Islands following the success of the track Love Sick which saw her nominated for Best Solo Artist at the Bay Music Awards in 2010 and 2011 as well as the Malta Music Awards in 2011 respectively, missing out to the likes of Christabelle and Mikaela. This summer, she teamed up with Dimal Multimilliarsov and released the dance tune Let's Make It Happen which was performed live during the 2012 edition of the Bay Music Awards, garnering radio airplay in the local and foreign music scene. In recent weeks, Lyndsay got the chance to audition for the next season of Britain's Got Talent where she performed in front of an internationally acclaimed jury and got recognised by a number of producers, hoping that this could be her ticket to achieve success in foreign waters. The music industry is evolving in Malta and therefore, the continues to satisfy the taste of the public without going out of her way and still staying true to her music. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for more exclusive news.

Gillian Attard, has worked her way to become known in the industry noting that her most popular tracks include Xi Darba Min Jaf and Quddiem L-Inkwatru tal-Madonna. She denotes that the industry has been quite kind to her especially in local competitions where despite her sporadic appearances, she has always done well. Starting a family of her own has given her the mindset to work with children, a host of talented ones which could ultimately become some of the best talent the country could offer. The editorial board of escflashmalta.com has been in contact with La Voix Academy and learned some intriguing details about what is set to happen in the near future.

It is a known fact that it is hard for a Maltese artist to break out in the music industry internationally. Even though Maltese talent has been here for a while, it is now gaining greater exposure outside our shores. This time, it is thanks to La Voix Academy. Various Maltese singers who are a part of this academy will be showcasing their talent at the internationally renowned Italian festivals of Sanremo, which will be aired on fifty television stations all around the world between the 12th and the 16th February 2013. The first contestant to be given the good news was 18 year old Kelly Rotin who will be representing our country with an original song ‘Non mi Arrenderó’ which was composed by none other than La Voix’s own director Gillian Attard, together with Dominic Cini and R Pace. 

Apart from Kelly Rotin, other students from La Voix Academy have also been selected to take part in Italy’s esteemed festivals of Sanremo. These are Veronica Rotin, Federica Falzon, Kelsey Frrugia, Kylie Meliak, Kym Abela, Casey Schembri, Jasmar Cassar, Jean Claude Azzopardi and Clive Gauci. While representing their vocal academy, these talented singers will be showcasing Malta’s amazing talent at an international level. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news about the local music scene as well as the younger generation which is seemingly becoming more intact with the foreign music industry as a relatively young age.

Source: Press Release

Singer/Songwriter Corazon has well earned her reputation as one of the most respected artists in the local music industry with her pristine crystal clear voice and diction adding that special magic touch for the audience to enjoy throughout. For a number of years, the Għanja tal-Poplu competition was the mainframe behind her success but since making it to the finals of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest last year with the song Mystifying Eyes composed by Paul Giordimaina and penned by Fleur Balzan, it seems that a new chapter in her career is being written. Her success in the local competition was followed by her debut radio release bearing the name Looking For You and she hopes that her brand new single entitled Save Your Smile, her second in English will bear the same success as her first.

This brand new single is penned by Corazon herself with the arrangement and the production conducted by Dean Muscat and Boris Cezek, who as songwriters have presented three entries into the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2013. Speaking about her sophomore single in English rather than Maltese, she says 'I think that musical expression must have no boundaries, least of all where language is concerned. Being familiar with more than one language is a great wealth for any artist'. Save Your Smile is an acoustic/pop number that once more suits Corazon's vocal repertoire, personality and artistic style. because it is distinctly feminine, very emotive and yet contemporary. The lyrics are appealing and easy to relate to. I’m sure everyone can see himself in the songs I write'. Corazon is seemingly in a positive place in her life at the moment co-hosting the daily afternoon show alongside Peter Carbonaro whilst also being a semi-finalist in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2013. Nevertheless, another project she is currently working on is an album of original songs in Maltese which will be launched later in the year. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com and corazonmizzi.com for all of the latest news.

Source: Press Release, Claire Farrugia (Image)