In-depth coverage of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2018 final

Who will represent Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018? Tonight we get the answer to that question at the grand final of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

Sadie Trent will watch the show, and you can watch it along with her through THIS LINK. The show will begin at 21:00 CET. Follow her comments on the performances below, with the most recent update appearing on top as you refresh this post.

00:05

Christabelle wins!

00:00

Next 4 sets of 12 goes to Christabelle.

23:58

First 12 points goes to Christabelle

23:40

The interval acts in Malta tonight were the 2017 Maltese representative in Kiev Claudia Faniello, and JESC Gianluca..

23:03

We are now on the last act of this competition. It is Petra and her song Evolution. She is wearing all black and her dress is lace. She is singing into a mirror, which adds to the dramatic feel of this song.

23:00

First in this final set of acts is Avenue Sky. Their song writer is the 2011 Maltese representative Glen Vella. As a 6 piece boy band, they are working really good together, and their voices harmonise really well. They are all wearing black and white suits. The chorus of this song is ‘Hey, oh’ and that is pretty much it. The rest of the song is really strong though, and the fast beat and pace of this song suit the fat harmonies that they are producing. The band certainly know how to work the cameras and the audience.

22:46

This latin inspired umber is by Deborah C, and it is called Turn it up. She is another performer who has improved massively over the years she has participated in this competition. She is wearing a black Lace latin inspired dress with knee high boots to match the feel of the song. This is very uptempo and such a feel good song. Vocals could do with a little bit more work, but other than that, this is a really good performance from Deborah. She is better as a solo performer as last year she was part of a duet. She is really getting into the latin feel of this performance

22:42

Next up is Christabelle with her song about Mental Health, Taboo. The crowd are going crazy for her. Her backdrop is red with a wolf. Her vocals are not as strong as the studio version. The staging is incredible though. This will be a battle between her and Brooke. This song is composed by Thomas g:son. She is wearing all black, not her strongest live performance, although visually it is her strongest performance. This looks like a big budget project for Christabelle.

22:25

Next up is Brooke and her song Heart of Gold. She had the highest ratings on her lyric video put out by the network and her staging is done by Sacha Jean Baptiste. She is working the camera well. Her performance is difference to anything to anything she has ever done before. Her song is composed by the same team behind If Love was a crime. Her vocals are point. Her dress is white. The crowd are screaming for her as well.

22:21

Next is Rhiannon with her song Beyond Blue Horizons. A much better ballad than last year and again, she has had much more voice and technique training. I see a lot of the former Maltese representative Amber in her in terms of voice and personality. This is a ballad and Rhiannon has the perfect voice to match this song, she can also change tones quickly throughout the song, which is an added bonus. She is wearing a black dress with coloured gems which looks amazing and compliments her figure really well. Her voice is outstanding all the way through this song. She has had the biggest improvement from last year.

22:16

Next up is Eleanor Cassar. She is dressed in all back and is alone on stage. Her vocals are much better than the studio version that appeared on youtube. Her song is up tempo in the chorus but slower elsewhere. She could make better use of the stage, and the stage is too plain to match the song.

22:13

First in this bunch is Tiziana. Her staging looks incredible. She is dressed in orange, she has white trees on stage. Her song is a ballad with some beats and her vocals are incredible and strong. For a first timer in the competition, she is going to go really far. This is one of the strongest performances so far. The guitars and her voice work really well and compliment each other extremely well.

21:58

Richard and Joe are getting such a fabulous reaction from the crowd in Ta’Qali. Although Richard’s vocals are weak, they are working really well with the crowd. His dad is amazing! He is getting the best reaction so far. This father son partnership is incredible, they are just having fun. This song has a really strong feel country and western feel with a pop twist to it, and the dad knows how to work the camera. The crowd in Ta’Qali are screaming for them.

21:53

Next is Lawrence Gray with Love Renegade. Lawrence is wearing a white and black suit. His vocals are high pitched. The song is your typical pop song. He almost looks like Lee Ryan from Blue (a close resemblance). Another song that has phrases repeated far too often than it should. The song doesn’t build any momentum, so has nothing to build too, the last time he sings ‘Love Renegade’ He is really struggling to reach the highest note in the song.

21:49

Second up in the second bunch of acts is the group Dwett with their song Breaking Point. The harmonies in this song are excellent, and the female and male solo sections are excellent as well. The female singer is wearing all black, and the male singer is wearing black and grey. This is a great ballad and works well with a male and female voice. The violins and the beats add pace and depth to the song. The end set of vocals are excellent add work so well together where the voices rise and harmonise together.

21:45

First in this bunch is Danica Muscat with One Step at a time. First set of vocals are very powerful, then it drops slightly. Her vocals improve throughout the song going into the first chorus. This song is very uptempo. She is wearing a half black and half blue dress. She could use the stage a bit better, as a song like this needs more energy to make use of the beats and stage space. However, the vocals are really good from Danica.

21:43

It is Gianluca Cilia from last years Junior Eurovision Song contest that was in Tbilisi, Georgia. He is introducing the next set of acts

21:34

Ah, a interlude with Ben Camille. It wouldn’t be Eurovision in Malta without Ben Camille would it?

21:30

Next is Matthew Anthony and his song Call 2morrow. Vocals are extremely weak. to start with, but the song is extremely catchy. He is wearing a black suit with a grey jacket and glasses and has 2 backing dancers. Staging is extremely bright. The staging does not really match the song, everything about this performance is very mis match.

21:26

Third up we have Jasmine Abela and the song Supernovas. Another performer who has improved all around. WOW! A umtempo song with a ballad voice definitely works with this song. She is on stage in a red dress with a white frame. Her vocals are absolutely outstanding. She could work the stage a bit better, but other than that, an absolutely flawless performance from Jasmine. At the end of the song, she copes with the end notes extremely well.

21:22

Next up is Miriana Conte and her song Rocket. Her youthful voice has definitely improved since last years show. She has definitely put a lot of work into her performance technique. The song is fairly up tempo, and she is joined on stage by 4 backing dancers.  She has improved a huge amount as an all around performer. The song is a pop/uptempo/soul song which suits Miriana down to the ground.

21:18

The first act up is AIDAN and his song Dai Laga. This song starts of with some interesting tones, but then as soon as the first verse kicks in, it becomes very complicated to follow as son. The lyrics do not follow the song, and they certainly do not go together with the track that has been composed for the song. The Dai Laga phrase becomes really repetitive after a while. Aidan’s vocals are fairly strong though, some struggling, but some parts of the song are repetitive. He wore all black on stage

21:10

Colin Fitz is our presenter for the show tonight. He is now going through formalities by introducing the jury members who come from all over Europe.

21:05

Claudia Faniello, last years winner, singing her winning song, Breathlessly, in a stunning white dress that compliments her figure well and fabulous hair up do.

21:00

A violin soloist opens the show, so much different to last year. PBS have done a great job is utilising the space at the MFCC in Ta’Qali for the second year running. Avenue Sky, Richard and Joe Micallef, Lawrence Grey, Matthew Anthony, Petra, Tiziana, Eleanor, Christabelle, Jasmine, Deborah C, Rhiannon, Dwett, Miriana Conte, Danica Muscat, Brooke, AIDAN all look stunning as they are announced in no particular order.

20:40 – Running order

  1. AIDAN – Dai Laga
  2. Miriana Conte – Rocket
  3. Jasmine Abela – Supernovas
  4. Matthew Anthony – Call 2morrow
  5. Danica Muscat – One Step at a time
  6. Dwett – Breaking Point
  7. Lawrence Gray – Love Renegade
  8. Richard and Joe Micallef – Song for Dad
  9. Tiziana Calleja – First time
  10. Eleanor Cassar – Back to life
  11. Rhiannon – Beyond Blue Horizons
  12. Brooke Borg – Heart Of Gold
  13. Christabelle Borg – Taboo
  14. Deborah C – Turn it up
  15. Avenue Sky – We can run
  16. Petra – Evolution

Tonight’s show will be coming from the same venue as last year, The Malta Fairs and Conventions centre (MFCC) in Ta’Qali. Some notable names are in the line up tonight doing different things. Richard Micallef (who will be singing with his father) was a member of the band Firelight in 2014 (he also competed in last years competition) and Glen Vella (One Life, 2011) is on the songwriting team of Avenue Sky. Returning participants to the MESC competition include Brooke Borg (Golden in 2016 and Unstoppable in 2017), Christabelle Borg (Lovetricity in 2014, Rush in 2015, Kingdom in 2016), Miriana Conte (Don’t look down in 2017), Jasmine Abela (Alive in 2016), Lawrence Grey (The one that you love in 2014), Rhiannon (Fearless in 2017) and Danica Muscat (7 days in 2012, Fantasy in 2013, Close your eyes in 2014, Frontline in 2016).

6 Comments

  1. 8.Richard and Joe Micallef – Song for Dad

    I’ve heard the winner already, as the audience applauds along. Even before Dad enters the stage. VCaocals are not that good of Da and the song is a mix between Olsen Brothers nostalgic and Love shine a light.

  2. I always have a weak spot for Eleanor Cassar. This year is no exception. I like her song and vocals. Probably she’ll be overrun by Son&Dad en Brooke.

  3. Brooke: Well-stolen from about 7 songs, and lyrics fragments. Very well performed, but nothing original to it. Usual Malta-cheap-cheesiness. Guess it will be between Son&Dad and Brooke.

  4. Cristabelle surprises me in a positive way. Though again the song is far from original and with the act not much worth it. It shows Malta is extremely focussed and practising on getting their LED’s and acts improved so that when Destiny Chukunyere is old enough they really can go for the victory. Todays songs are too weak.

  5. I guess the result be something like this;

    1. Brooke – Heart of gold
    2. Richard & Joe – Song for dad
    3. Avenue Sky – We can run
    4. Christabelle Borg – Taboo
    5. Dwett – Breaking point
    6. Rhiannon – Beyond blue horizon
    7. Lawrence Grey – Love renegade
    8. Deborah C – Turn it up
    9. Mariana Conte – Rocket
    10. Tiziana – First time
    11. Eleonor Cassar – Back to life
    12. Petra – Evolution
    13. Jasmine – Supernova
    14. Aidan – Dai laga
    15. Matthew Anthony – Call 2morrow
    16. Danica – One step at a time

    Jury will put Eleonar Cassar lower than televote as she never seems friends with the expert jury.

    btw: What is a healthy sleeping time for this playbacking kid?

  6. Sweden wins in Malta. I’m surpised as I thought it wold be a battle between “the Maltese Wiktoria” Brooke and “Song for dad”, leaving Cristabelle, Dwett and Avenue Sky to battle for third place. I don’t hate this ‘Taboo’ song but I now already hate the pressconferences with references to ‘Metoo’ and the fact that G;Son entered so many songs into Eurovision already. He’s becoming the Ralph Siegel successor. Don’t think that is a compliment.

    I heard Cristabelle thinks the black panther in her backdrop is a wolf.

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