Dear All, I can’t believe how many of you have written to me to say they loved the Beland Concert in Aid of Puttinu Cares!!! I was overjoyed to meet a lot of you at the FIRST “meet and Greet” session I’ve had since the release of The Fire and many came over to sign their copies and take pictures. It is always so heart-warming to meet the people who are fundamental towards the success story of an album….and you were all there to say hello and tell me how much you love this album!! Watch this space for more information about upcoming gigs.

I’m also still impressed that for 7 …yes 7 weeks The Person I Am held the number one spot on 89.7 Bay’s Top 10, with the cherry on the cake being the entry of The Person I Am  at Number 1 on Bay’s Top 30, and staying there for 3 weeks. It’s always amazing to be amidst the international acts! Well enough talk, let’s get down to the nitty gritty!! Apart from succeeding on the local charts on 89.7 Bay, consistency was also key through the iTunes charts and for this, I would like to thank, ALL of you who support me throughout my endeavours!

Only Teardrops - Emmelie De Forest (Denmark)

One of the most well written songs I spotted in last Tuesday’s Eurovision Semi-Final. I like Emmelie’s execution of the song. It has its similarities to other songs in the international market right now, which makes it a good contender for the top spot in this year’s contest.

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft. T.I., Pharrell (USA)

You may ask why Pharrell Williams features TWICE in my top 5 as you will see….well the reason is plain and simple, the man knows how to hit all the ‘sexy/naughty/funky’ buttons while writing/producing a record. This song’s video was no stranger to controversy after youtube removed it for sexual content woopsy heheh Robin Thicke however sure as hell didn’t need the unrated video to push this song, because it screams radio all the way!!!!

Giorgio Moroder: Racer (ITALY)

Giorgio, Giorgio, Giorgio…you are the reason why I ADORE Electronica/synth pop. I still remember my parents playing their LPs or the tracks blaring out of our radio those days. What I love about this 73 year old songwriter/record producer is that he has always moved with the times, yet holding on to that very unique sound which accompanied many through the 70/80s and which people, Like ME, still gag for till this present day. He is after all a person who has influenced many… besides giving us sound tracks to some of the most colossal movies during the time, “Midnight Express” and “Scarface.” Giorgio we bow down and salute you!!

Daft Punk: Get Lucky Feat. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers (France/USA)

Where do I begin? The Ultimate French Dance duo to have ever graced the face of this galaxy? CHECK…..the sexiest coloured Rapper/producer/vocalist to hail from the US of A….CHECK……one of the coolest most influential Producer/song writer/musician/arranger/musician from the 70s till the present day who enlists Madonna, Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, Duran Duran and David Bowie…as people he has worked for…CHECK…Can the collaboration BE more amazing than this??? This is ONE track, which is going to be hot on our airwaves throughout Summer. 

Gianluca Bezzina – Tomorrow (Malta)

Gianluca gets on Malmo’s Stage in Sweden tonight to represent us!!! I have no shadow of a doubt that his charm and charisma and above all his talent will make us all proud. The song written by Boris Cezek and Dean Muscat is a very sweet and sing along song, which I’m sure will capture the hearts of many. Following last Tuesday’s Semi-Finals, I’m sure the song stands a pretty good chance. As a sign of solidarity it is my Number 1 for this month yet again!!!

More information about The Fire concert dates will be available shortly right here!!! On my Facebook Fanpage and on my official website. Till then keep in touch with me by following me on Twitter/Facebook and Youtube. Tata!!! It is important to note that The Fire, the fifth studio album by Ira Losco has managed was the first by a local artist to be available on preorder and performed extremely well with sales rocketing it up to the pole position prior to being over taken for a brief period by Gianluca whom Ira has just ranked as number #1 in her respective list above. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for another blog next month!

It has been a great start to what looks like an amazing week full of live music – the Beland Music Festival kicked off in spectacular fashion last night with the participation of local heartthrob Kevin Borg who serenaded the crowd with his magical voice and charisma. The Beland Music Festival this year moved from the Market Square to Bulebel and one can say that the move was a success, the festival got bigger and if today’s concert was anything to go by one can easily say it got even better.

Barber’s Cut, a new upcoming band led by Kelly Busuttil opened proceedings and got the crowd going; showing that they indeed have potential. The audience seemed to have enjoyed the relatively unknown band, who mixed it up playing some of the most popular hits. They were followed by the talented Glen Vella and Pamela, who entertained the crowd with a number of popular cover versions. As the time went on, the crowd got bigger and bigger, everyone awaiting the arrival of Kevin Borg and when he finally took the stage Kevin received a hero’s welcome in Bulebel.

He kicked off proceedings with his Swedish Idol Winner’s single With Every Bit of Me and continued with a mix of cover versions and songs from his own repertoire. He closed the first part of the concert with his Malta Eurovisision entry, Needing You, where he was accompanied by former Eurovision representative Glen Vella, Pamela, Josef Tabone and Janice Mangion. The second part of the show was as strong and the crowd cherished every moment with cheering, waving and singing at the top of their lungs to Kevin’s hits. Kevin was clearly moved and described the event as being even better than his Swedish Idol final as he had never expected so many people to attend the event in aid of Puttinu Cares.

Kevin encouraged the people to attend and donate to this genuine cause. Tonight’s music festival will feature Malta’s top female artist – Ira Losco is set to take the stage for her first Summer gig and her first gig after the launch of her album The Fire which proved to be a major success. She is expected to sing some of her latest songs along with a few numbers from her previous records, she will be supported by The New Victorians an up and coming band and also Planet Seed fronted by Klinsmann. For more details on what to expect during the Beland Music Festival you can visit the programme here or their official Facebook Page.

It is important to note that on Thursday, the organizers behind the Beland Music Festival saw it fit to organize a big screen in order to support Malta’s bid in the Eurovision Song Contest – so we encourage you to join with your family and friends, grab your Maltese flags and on Thursday go and watch the Second Semi-Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Bulebel as part of the Beland Music Festival. The atmosphere is expected to be electrifying as there is nothing more special than cheering for the Maltese representative together and creating a mini Eurovision atmosphere here in Malta.

Apart from enjoying the live music for a great cause, at the Beland Music Festival you can chill and relax, there’s a children’s area and a number of stalls where people can just sit there as the concert is ongoing. There is something for all the family and for all the music lovers it is something you surely can’t miss as apart from donating towards Puttinu Cares you would be also supporting the local talent who invest so much time and effort to deliver a great product. So make sure to visit the Beland Music Festival and donate something for a great cause. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news.

Source: escflashmalta.com

The festival will open on the 10th of May and will come to an end on the 17th of May and if last year’s event is anything to go by, this year’s festival will be better and even bigger, in fact they have moved the festival from their normal location to Bulebel. Slowly it is establishing itself as one of the event all the lovers of local music look forward to, in fact a number of people have been asking about the festival for quite some time. Each and every day has a special theme or a special act assigned to it which also includes a foreign tribute band of one of the biggest bands that ever existed.

Friday - 10th May at 21:00

Kevin Borg Live in Concert

Supported by: Glen Vella, Pamela, Barber’s Cut & Paul Curmi Dance Studio 

Saturday - 11th May at 21.00

Ira Losco Live in Concert

Supported by: Planet Seed & The New Victorians

Sunday - 12th May at 20.30

Pop Hits & Maltese Classics

Eleanor Cassar, Stephanie Zammit, Georgina, Franklin Calleja, Chris Grech, Olivia Lewis,

Luisana Bartolo, Nadine Barolo, Charlotte Bartolo & Gillian Attard’s Children Choir 

Monday - 13th May at 20:30

Red Electrick, The Riffs & The Crowns

Tuesday - 14th May at 20:30

The Green Gathering

Tarcisio Barbara, Kirstie Barbarbara, Kurt Galea, Naomi Balzan, Katoushka Mifsud, Malcolm Camilleri, Kirstie Balzan

Feast songs: Eleanor Cassar, Gillian Attard, Alexia Fenech, Stephen Mizzi

Wednesday - 15th May at 20:30 

Guns 2 Rose – Tribute Band

Supported by:  Fuse Box & Harriet Cohen

Thursday - 16th May at 20:30

Eurovision Song Contest – Second Semi-Final on a Big Screen (Malta’s Night)

Friday – 17th May at 20:30 

Bon Jovi Tribute

One can see the festival as an opening to the summer months activities as other activities take place all around the island during the summer months but most of them would not be held on such a grand scale. To organize such a massive event is not easy and Beland would not have been able to provide such a field with different artists were it not for the support they found from their sponsors. The event is free of charge but those in attendance are encouraged to give a small donation that will go directly to Puttinu cares as for another year, the event is being held in aid of Puttinu Care which works for such a noble case. So remember from the 10th of May to the 17th of May your entertainment spot should be in Zejtun at the Beland Music Festival. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for more information.

Source: The Beland Music Festival Facebook Page

Track Number #9 off the fifth studio album by Ira Losco is entitled Dead or Alive (Save my Soul) and it seems that the public have grown extremely fond of the track, so much that they have bought it several times to make it peak at number #1 on the iTunes singles chart. Jagged House, the company that represents Ira Losco have already released two official singles in the form of What I'd Give, winner of the Best Video Award at the Malta Music Awards, and The Person I Am which features vocals by David Leguesse and has amassed several views through viral website, YouTube. It is yet unknown whether Dead or Alive (Save my Soul) will be officially released as a single but nevertheless, the public have a right to select the tracks which they enjoy listening to the most.

To signify the importance of the first two digital singles, official music videos were created and as a matter of fact, both tracks made it to number #1 on iTunes as well as on leading radio station, 89.7 Bay. The album itself entitled The Fire was at the top position of the chart for five consecutive weeks and despite sales still shifting at the moment, it finds itself at number #2 behind the album 21 by British singer/songwriter Adele. 'I keep re-confirming that The Fire keeps burning! So many positive comments which obviously make me ecstatic!' are the words which echoed from the mouth of Ira Losco this morning as the editorial team of escflashmalta.com got in contact to announce her latest success. We urge you to continue purchasing the record through the iTunes Digital Store and to stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for another blog from Ira Losco in a couple of weeks time.

Source: iTunes, Emil Calleja Bayliss (Image)

Ira Losco began her music career relatively early and achieved success as she built a road to the top noting that she went from a variety of local competitions to represent Malta within the Eurovision Song Contest, earning the first runner-up position with 7th Wonder composed by Philip Vella to the lyrics of Gerard James Borg. Upon her return, she was a true hero and she has built a reputable career, releasing her fifth studio album entitled The Fire, earlier this year. Working with the likes of producer, Howard Keith of Jagged House, Ira has always managed to carve out an image which keeps her grounded and true to herself. 

Her latest studio album has received rave reviews from local critics and has also led the albums chart on iTunes for five consecutive weeks and the next step is promoting the material off it through a number of live performances, and one of the first will be coming at the Beland Music Festival. Alongside her band, Ira will be performing with a nine piece band on Saturday, 11th May and remember that all of the proceeds would be going to Puttinu Cares, a charity which supports children in need. Ira Losco is a true, seasoned performer and in recent months, her live performances have been absolutely stunning. This will be one of the events of the season and despite following the tough act in the form of Kevin Borg on the day before, she will have the crowd at the palm of her hand considering how much she adores all of her fans.

Supporting Ira Losco on the night will be none other than two other bands, one of them being Planet Seed which is duly fronted by Klinsmann, finalist at the Malta Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions and the other one being known as The New Victorians. In the meantime, the evening shall be hosted by Moira Delia from Ilsien in-Nisa which airs on ONE Television as well as Christian Micallef who is known for hosting Replay on NET Television. Remember that you may purchase your copy of The Fire on iTunes. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news as soon as it becomes available. 

Source: Beland Music Festival, Official Ira Losco Facebook Page

Dear All, I’m still reeling from the extremely positive reception of my album The Fire. I have been flooded with a barrage of amazing comments. Many of you had pre-ordered the album and listened to it at the stroke of midnight on the 20th of March. Words cannot express the gratitude towards you all, for supporting local music and for always having believed in me!! Heartfelt thanks also go to Island Caterers, Villa Bologna and JUGS Malta for having organised a wonderful press event.

The press was present for the launch of the second video of The Person I Am by Keith Falzon and for interviews, which then followed. Many asked why it wasn’t open to the public. It was by no means meant to exclude anyone of you incredible people, but it was not a concert launch and more of a press do. I will be performing new tracks from The Fire Live and Electric at the Zejtun-Beland Show on Saturday 11th May with my band in concert in aid of Puttinu Cares. We look forward to seeing you there! I will obviously also be holding my FIRST Meet & Greet Signing session for The Fire there. So bring your album copies to be signed or purchase them there! Below are some of my fave tunes this month.

Bruno Mars – When I was Your Man (United States)

This guy just gets it right all the time. His lyrics are incredibly NON macho..is he sure he’s a guy who thinks like guys? Hehe I sense a bit of metro-sexual there. Definitely a very strong melody and strong words!!!

P!nk – Just Give me a Reason (United States)

P!nk Is on my list of the most amazing vocalists I’ve ever heard, not to mention how jaw-dropping she is live. She is now an acrobat besides being an incredible song-writer and performer. I’m not a hugs fan of Nate Ruess but his voice totally compliments hers on this great track.

Melbourne Ska Orchestra - The Best Things in Life are Free (Australia)

The first time I met the mastermind behind this orchestra I was in Australia with Tribali helping myself to some food at the buffet at “The Blues and Roots Festival” back-stage area and I must’ve cursed in Maltese. I know what you’re all thinking…shame on her and all that…but ironically it got Nikki Bomba to ask if I was Maltese and what the hell I was doing there? After a brief introduction I quickly learnt that he was from Paola, that he played in the John Butler Trio (an incredulous top selling artists in Oz) AND that his sister Mama Kin (also an amazing artists in Oz) was married to John Butler …Booooo (Did I forget to mention that John Butler is hot? hehe) Nikki Bomba is inspirational, his energy is infectious. In this video he is the drummer and his brother Michael is playing the piano. We should b very proud of this Maltese/Australian Family they are flying that Maltese flag high!!!! This is the ultimate feel good song!!

Emeli Sandé - Clown (Scotland)

She is the most honest song-writer to hail from Scotland in my humble opinion. This song is like the ray of hope amidst the dark moments. Her voice just rips your heart out and holds it in her hands. She is the answer to Dionne Warwick with the savvy of Whitney Houston. She will be even bigger than she already is… mark my words!

Gianluca - Tomorrow (Malta)

During the month in anticipation for Eurovision I cannot but place the young doctor on Top in my mini chart. I think this entry for Malta is fresh, relevant to today’s music and above all is fronted by a really genuine young man who stole the hearts of our islanders. Good Luck Gianluca All Malta is behind you!

I’m very excited about my LIVE season opening very soon!! Needless to say the band and I will be playing our heart and soul, cause that’s what we do best! Can’t wait to meet you all at my gigs Don’t forget to leave a comment on the ITUNES Page, this will help The Fire get the international recognition! You may purchase your copy of the album by following this link, here! It is important to note that The Fire, the fifth studio album by Ira Losco has managed was the first by a local artist to be available on preorder and performed extremely well with sales rocketing it up to the pole position prior to being over taken for a brief period by Gianluca whom Ira has just ranked as number #1 in her respective list above. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for another blog next month!

Source: Tonio Lombardi (Image)

One of the most powerful means to get messages across is through the medium of music and that is essentially the main reason behind the creation of the Eurovision Song Contest but nevertheless, moving away from the international competition, Malta is known to have a solid backbone within the music industry, one which took years to develop. 89.7 Bay is the leading radio station in the country and has always sought to help promote the local music scene, something which got the editorial team at escflashmalta.com thinking and finally to the realisation that promotion is the key behind success. Weekly the aforementioned station takes a look at the ten most request songs from local artists and put them in a chart show, hosted by Nathan D.

As summer approaches, several artists might be tampering around with the viable dates of music releases but thus far it seems that things are slightly quiet. A new entry in position number #10 this week is none other than the track Joy performed by JJoy and featuring the vocals of Andrea Britton. The renowned disc jockey does not need a lot of introduction having also been awarded with the best dance tune or remix at the Bay Music Awards for the track Love Hangover featuring the vocals of Kelly Stelfox. Taking My Heart, performed by Carlo Gerada and featuring Jan Cortez, a former chart topper finds itself at number #8 at the moment and on the the way out of the chart but nevertheless, someone who is climbing up is a newcomer by the name of Evita M whose track Luxurious has been well received. The former Malta Eurosong 2009 participant is looking to re-invent herself based on this particular track.

Alex Alden, a guest during the Malta Eurovision Song Contest semi-final has also been doing the rounds in recent weeks and now finds herself going down at number #7 with her debut track Dancing Alone which she performed impeccably to the jam packed audience at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre. Just above at position number #6 is the band Bletchley Park with the track Planets Move Faster. The group were nominated for three Malta Music Awards in the beginning of the year and look to continue building on their success with their Jagged House Records album, My Body Fighting. Gianluca is representing Malta in this years' Eurovision Song Contest but that does not mean that Funk Initiative are having some time off with their latest single Architects at position number #5 at the moment. Tomorrow had also made the official top thirty of the station and therefore, this shows the support from the leading radio station.

I have to say that the tracks in this weeks' top four are just stunning, beginning with number #4 featuring none other than the newcomer Joe Roscoe whose track How I Feel About You has been setting an extremely difficult tone for the local music scene. Think of Ed Sheeran meeting Jason Mraz and that is the product that has been created. Just above the talented singer/songwriter at number #3 comes the comeback of the group, Skimmed who have ditched their alternative rock for their new single Ronnie. The track has really been embraced by the music industry and feels like the group might have found a niche which they should experiment even more. The top two positions are currently occupied by two leading females who have the utmost respect from the escflashmalta.com editorial board with number #2 being filled in by When It's Time performed by Claudia Faniello and number #1 by Ira Losco and her song The Person I Am which features guest vocals by David Leguesse.

Source: 89.7 Bay

Ira Losco, one of the leading female artists in the local music scene has been credited to achieving a lot of success but what makes stand out from the rest is the element of being humble about any of the projects she takes on. The past couple of months have been somewhat of a revival for the iconic figure having been somewhat missing since the release of her remixes album entitled Mixed Beats back in 2009 but many have come to learn that she has been working extremely hard on perfecting her new record, with the idea that despite achieving a status over the years, there is still an image to keep up and being true to ones self will always remain important.

Ira Losco has always remained grounded and that is surely one of the elements why she has succeeded over the years because whether performing at the Eurovision Song Contest, or with Claudio Baglioni, she is still the same individual, one who is honouring her country. Following the success of What I'd Give, winning the Best Video Award at the Malta Music Awards whilst also allowing Ira Losco to be recognised as the Best Artist in the eyes of the DJ's during the Bay Music Awards, comes a brand new studio album entitled, The Fire produced and mixed by Howard Keith of Jagged House. An official launch event took place last night at Villa Bologna in Attard, a gala supported by Jugs and Island Caterers which was extremely well attended by various members of the press. 

Personally, I feel like the title of the brand new album speaks volumes about the comeback with Ira noting down in just one way that there is something which re-ignited the spark towards making music. As a matter of fact, when speaking about The Fire, Ira stated that 'there was a time when I didn't want to write anything. I was overcome by fear and I was reluctant to bare my soul. Then when I started writing, I had no inhibitions, I didn't set myself any parameters. I definitely have an album I am proud of.' Whenever Jagged House come up with a brand new album, they send shockwaves into the industry and with Ira Losco just releasing her sophomore single off this album entitled The Person I Am featuring David Leguess, one would understand what I am referring to.

During the launch event, a visibly emotional Ira Losco thanked everyone for the input within this record and for supporting her throughout the years. She also gave a resoundingly stunning performance of a couple of songs during the evening accompanied by the people who have come to garner attention as her band including Peter Borg on Electric Guitars, Alex Mallia on Acoustic Guitars, Ivan Borg on Bass Guitar, and Steve 'Cannibal Muscat' on the drums. Other people who were involved within the album where Adrian 'Ir-Russu' Brincat on the Trumpet and Simon Vella on the Violin. The brand new album could be bought either through iTunes, Jagged House, Ira Losco's Official Website, or even Exotique. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news as soon as it becomes available.

Source: Jagged House, Emil Calleja Bayliss (Image)

Ira Losco, local singer/songwriter has become a leading force in the music industry for the simple reason that she is highly talented, and has full creative control over the type of music she creates hence forth where the Fire is indeed coming from. escflashmalta.com in collaboration with Jagged House will be unveiling a monthly playlist of tracks which the renowned performer ranks as her best during the respective month in an editorial form. The tracks which will as much as possible be a mixture of local and foreign will be solely chosen by Ira Losco based on her opinion of what makes a song, a true hit. This will be done in just a couple of sentences; concise and extremely to the point.

In recent days, Ira Losco along with her management  revealed  that later on this month, she will be officially releasing her latest debut album The Fire which is already available for pre-order through digital stores, helping it climb to the upper echelons of the local iTunes Chart. 'To me music is about how you feel at the moment. It’s a soundtrack to your life. It shouldn't try to be something it’s not, it should be honest, true to its roots and above all at times it should also be fun. This is my take on what’s playing in my car or on my iPod right now.  I’m not setting any trends I’m just sharing things I like with you. Hope you like.'

Stay - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko (UNAPOLOGETIC)

Probably a VERY predictable choice, but let’s face it Rihanna’s beautiful tone of voice really comes out in this strong ballad accompanied only by a piano and Mikky Ekko’s  gorgeous vocals.

Storyteller - Mel Xkejfa (Who Me?)

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Melissa when she was still part of the duo ‘Chasing Pandora.’ I love the way she effortlessly tells a story.   This new single introduced her as Mel Xkejfa.

Black Chandellier - Biffy Clyro (Opposites)

Biffy Clyro never cease to amaze me. The first single of their album launched this January is hot, hot, hot.

Dancing Alone – Alex Alden

A breath of fresh air here on this tiny island. A girl with a beautiful voice, reminiscent of Patty Smith in my humble opinion, with some great song writing skills. I love this tune!

Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars (Unorthdox Jukebox)

When Bruno Mars hit the scene, it was pretty obvious that the locals would fall in LOVE with his very radio friendly first single. I have a tendency to not like what EVERYONE else is Loving. But that all changed when Bruno Mars released this track. Many criticised it sounded like a ‘Police’ track, reminiscent of it, but it does sound great!

That’s all folks…or at least for this month it is…I’ll be posting my favourite tunes next month.  Watch this space for some Fresh NEWS on my album The Fire Pre-Orders here! Ira Losco, the singer/songwriter will be with us, the editorial team as a special guest for the rest of the year as she gives her take on five hit tracks, always according to her opinion, one which is valued by many in the music industry having earned, both experience and respect amongst her peers. In just a month's time, another editorial, but until then, we join Ira in saying goodbye and stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for more news about the local music scene and the Eurovision Song Contest on a daily basis.

The Fire is set to be the fifth studio album released by Ira Losco, one of the most high profile artists to grace the local music scene. The female singer is teasing her fans with material off the record by releasing debut single What I'd Give featuring a mixture of funk and reggae, and more recently The Person I Am, a pop/rock track which is aided by David Leguess as a rapper. Many have thought that maybe variety will not be the key to this comeback noting that Ira might have decided to play it safe but this is certainly not the case when one considers how different the two tracks are in terms of genre.

Since returning to the scene during this past summer, Ira Losco has been giving out a lot of interviews and making a number of headlining performances, all of which have been live including at the Bay Music Awards, The Summer Music Festival, Christmas in the City and The Malta Music Awards. Faithful fans and followers have been extremely positive with regards to the recently released material but it has to be noted that a new generation of people is somewhat following the brand new tracks due to the fact that there has been progression. 89.7 Bay, the most followed radio station in the country for four consecutive years has been playing the song in the past couple of days and with a commitment to the local music scene, it seems that Ira Losco continues to be receiving airplay, charting as a new entry at number #8 with The Person I Am. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news about Ira Losco and the local music scene.

Source: 89.7 Bay, Shane Watts (Image), escflashmalta.com