Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Encyclopedia
Malta participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The Maltese broadcaster, Public Broadcasting Services
Public Broadcasting Services
Public Broadcasting Services Limited is Malta's public broadcasting company, responsible for the TVM television channel and the Radio Malta and Radju Parlament and Magic radio stations. PBS is funded by government grant and the sale of commercial airtime...

 (PBS) held a national final, GO Malta EuroSong 2009, to select the Maltese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, set to be held in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

. Chiara
Chiara
Chiara Siracusa , is a Maltese singer, best known for representing her country in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998, 2005, and in 2009.- Eurovision 1998 :...

 won the place to represent Malta in the early hours of 8 February 2009, and represented Malta for the third time with the song "What If We
What If We (song)
"What If We" is a song by Maltese singer Chiara, and was the Maltese entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia. The song was composed by Belgian songwriters Marc Paelinck and Gregory Bilsen....

".

Background

Malta made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971. Having come last twice in a row, Malta withdrew in 1973 for two years, before returning in 1975 to do slightly better. Afterwards Malta withdrew from the contest, not making their return until 16 years later in 1991, when Georgina
Georgina Abela
Georgina Abela is a Maltese singer and musician born in 1959. She is best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions, either as an entrant, backing vocalist or composer. She is married to fellow composer Paul Abela...

 & Paul Giordimaina came sixth, their best place at that point. There have been a total of 21 Maltese entries at Eurovision, with the 2009 entry marking the 23rd. There has since been no gap in its participation at the contest since the 1991 contest, and one of only six to compete in every contest since the introduction of relegation in 1993.

Malta is one of Eurovision's most successful countries not to have won, having come second and third twice. Their most successful entries at the contest were "Angel
Angel (Chiara song)
"Angel" was the Maltese entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, performed in English by Chiara.In contrast to the up-tempo styles dominating the Contest, the song is a solo love ballad. Chiara sings to her lover that, no matter what, she will be "your angel"...

" by Chiara and "7th Wonder
7th Wonder
"7th Wonder" was the Maltese entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002, performed in English by Ira Losco. The song is composed by Philip Vella and written by Gerard James Borg....

" by Ira Losco
Ira Losco
Ira Losco is a singer and was on born 31 July 1981 in Sliema, Malta.With a string of number 1 singles and albums, Ira Losco is one of the best selling artists in Malta.-Tiara:...

, which came second in 2005
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th Eurovision Song Contest, which was held at the Palace of Sports, Kiev, Ukraine. The winner was Greece's My Number One, written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou and performed by Swedish-born Greek singer Elena Paparizou, who scored 230 points,...

 and 2002
Eurovision Song Contest 2002
The Eurovision Song Contest 2002 was the 47th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place on 25 May 2002 at the Saku Suurhall Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....

 respectively. Chiara came third in 1998
Eurovision Song Contest 1998
The Eurovision Song Contest 1998 was the 43rd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1998 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The presenters were Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson...

 with her song The One That I Love
The One That I Love
"The One That I Love" was the Maltese entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, performed in English by Chiara.The song is a ballad, with Chiara telling her lover how she feels about him, comparing the love she has for him to that of eating doughnuts...

, after one of Eurovison's most exciting voting sessions. Malta's worst result has been last, which they have achieved on three occasions, in 1971
Eurovision Song Contest 1971
The Eurovision Song Contest 1971 was the sixteenth Eurovision Song Contest and the first held in Dublin, Ireland. The new voting system that was introduced in this Eurovision did have one big problem: some juries gave fewer points out than others...

, 1972
Eurovision Song Contest 1972
The Eurovision Song Contest 1972 was the 17th edition series. Monaco was unable to host this year's Eurovision as they were unable to provide the resources. They approached French TV, who agreed to produce the contest, but only if the contest was staged in France and not the planned Monte Carlo...

 and 2006
Eurovision Song Contest 2006
The Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was the 51st Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens, Greece on 18 May and 20 May 2006 . The hosting national broadcaster of the contest was Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi . The Finnish band Lordi won the contest with the song "Hard Rock...

.

GO Malta EuroSong 2009

PBS decided on a new format for its national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....

. Maltese songwriters would be allowed to submit up to two songs per singer, though only one singer will be allowed on stage. Submissions were accepted on from 13 October to 14 October 2008 at the PBS offices in G’Mangia. From 23 October to 26 October and 1 November to 2 November, 80 songs were chosen internally for the second phase. In the second phase, the 80 songs would be presented in ten weekly televised shows, titled "Euro Showbox" to be held on 8, 15, 29 November, 6, 13, 20 December and 10 January 2009. A jury will choose 15 entries to move on to the national final, while another five entries will be given a wildcard through televoting
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...

. The national final on 7 February will contain 20 songs and a jury will choose three of them to go on to the "super-final", where televoting will determine the winner. The votes given by the juries in the previous round, however, will be kept and tallied along with the televotes. The eventual winner will represent Malta in Moscow. 182 songs were received by PBS, 43 less than last year.

However PBS later changed the format for the show and instead of 80 songs taking part, only 56 out of the 182 songs submitted would be featured in the heats, now reduced from ten to eight. Each of the eight heats will include 7 songs, with the top 20 still going to the final of the contest. After discussions with the Union of Maltese Singers and Songwriters (UKAM), only one song per artist will be allowed in the final of the contest.

15 entries from the 56 have been selected by another jury, which will qualify for the final. Five more songs will be selected by televoting, and all 20 songs that qualify for the final will be announced on the final heat.

Many former Malta Song for Europe contestants entered a song to PBS. The 56 songs that were chosen were revealed on 27 October, with many known names to both Eurovision and The Malta Song for Europe being present once again. Former Maltese entrant Chiara Siracusa, who came second and third for Malta in 2005
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th Eurovision Song Contest, which was held at the Palace of Sports, Kiev, Ukraine. The winner was Greece's My Number One, written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou and performed by Swedish-born Greek singer Elena Paparizou, who scored 230 points,...

 and 1998
Eurovision Song Contest 1998
The Eurovision Song Contest 1998 was the 43rd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1998 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The presenters were Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson...

 respectively, entered the contest again. 2008's second and third place artist Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

 had re-entered, singing as well as writing for other competing artists. Famous German Eurovision composers Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel is a German record producer and songwriter. He is married to the opera singer Kriemhild Jahn. He has three daughters, one of them Giulia Siegel divorced from German entrepreneur Hans Wehrmann....

 and Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

 (under the pseudonynym "John O'Flynn") submitted entries to PBS, which made it through to the semi-finals,the refrain of one of the songs written by them "Innocent Heart" sung by a new face in the festival Ruth Portelli was used in the song Just Get Out of My Life
Just Get Out of My Life
"Just Get Out of My Life" is a song by Andrea Demirović and was the Montenegrin entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, held in Moscow, Russia. This was the first English language Montenegrin entry at Eurovision, as well as the first time the country was represented by a female soloist...

. Famous Maltese songwriting duo Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

 and Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

,wrote songs together, apart and with other songwriters.

Heats

After the initial line-up of Euro Showbox was confirmed, changes occurred in its line-up. In the first heat, Klinsmann, instead of singing the initial "Butterfly Sky", sang "Rock and Rise", which had been planned to be performed in the last heat. Chiara was then moved to perform in the seventh heat of Euro Showbox on 3 January 2009, switching places with Maria Mallia, due to Chiara encountering some problems.

Heat 1

The first heat of Euro Showbox was held on 8 November 2008, and featured a total of seven songs. The first song was the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

tic ballad "Lament", performed by Ludwig Galea
Ludwig Galea
Ludwig Galea performed in the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, Turkey, in May 2004. As one half of the duo "Julie & Ludwig", he and his singing partner , Julie Zahra, managed to qualify to the final and came 12th out of 36 countries competing. Their song, "On Again.....

 along with Fidela tal-Bambinu. Galea had previously represented Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was the 49th Contest and it was held in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the first occasion in which the contest was held in Turkey after they had won the competition in 2003 with Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can"...

. The second song was "I'm In Heaven", performed by Dominic Cini. It began as a ballad, but transformed into a swing song. The third song, "Tonight at the Opera" by the Classic Rebels, was a schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...

 song, written by the past Eurovision composers Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel is a German record producer and songwriter. He is married to the opera singer Kriemhild Jahn. He has three daughters, one of them Giulia Siegel divorced from German entrepreneur Hans Wehrmann....

 and Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

 (as "John O'Flynn"). The fourth song was Klinsmann with the pop-rock song "Rock and Rise". The fifth song was Talitha Dimech's "Earth and Sky", which begins as a ballad before becoming more up-tempo. The sixth song was the mid-tempo ballad "One Million Ways" by Rosman Pace, and the final song was "Falling in Love" by Francesca Borg, a ballad which features Borg alone in a black dress.

The Classic Rebels and Rosman Pace qualified to the final, with the other acts being eliminated from the competition.

Controversy arose after the heat had been broadcast, after it was revealed that the incorrect SMS numbers had been displayed on screen. As such, a 20-minute voting window was opened at the beginning of the second heat the following week for a re-vote.
style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 1 - 8 November 2008
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Ludwig Galea
Ludwig Galea
Ludwig Galea performed in the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, Turkey, in May 2004. As one half of the duo "Julie & Ludwig", he and his singing partner , Julie Zahra, managed to qualify to the final and came 12th out of 36 countries competing. Their song, "On Again.....

 ft. Fidela tal-Bambinu
"Lament" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

2 Dominic Cini "I'm In Heaven" Elton Zarb, Rita Pace
3 Classic Rebels "Tonight at the Opera" Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel is a German record producer and songwriter. He is married to the opera singer Kriemhild Jahn. He has three daughters, one of them Giulia Siegel divorced from German entrepreneur Hans Wehrmann....

, John O'Flynn
Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

4 Klinsmann "Rock and Rise" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

5 Talitha Dimech "Earth and Sky" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

6 Rosman Pace "One Million Ways" Rosman Pace
7 Francesca Borg "Falling in Love" Jason Paul Cassar, Mario J. Farrugia

Heat 2

Euro Showbox's second heat was held on 15 November 2008, featuring seven songs.

The first song of the night was the Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 song "Live for Today" performed by quintet Q. The song was composed by Fleur Balzan and Paul Giordimaina, who represented Malta in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1991
The Eurovision Song Contest 1991 was the 36th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 4 May 1991 in Rome. Due to the Gulf War and mounting tensions in Yugoslavia, RAI decided to move the contest from Sanremo to Rome, which was perceived to be more secure....

. They were followed by Josmar, performing "Circus". Jessica Muscat sang "Smoke-screen", a pop-rock ballad, composed by Eurovision veterans Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

 and Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

. The fourth song was the ballad "To Be Myself", sung by Georgina
Georgina Abela
Georgina Abela is a Maltese singer and musician born in 1959. She is best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions, either as an entrant, backing vocalist or composer. She is married to fellow composer Paul Abela...

. She represented Malta in 1991 alongside Paul Giordimaina.

Laura Bruno, a newcomer to Maltese Eurovision selection, performed her song, "Something About You", composed by Vella and Borg. The penultimate song was "Castaway", performed by Marija Galdes. The final song of the second heat was Vittorio & Dorothy's ballad "Promises".

Only Vittorio & Dorothy were able to qualify to the final, with all other entries leaving the competition.
style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 2 - 15 November, 2008
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Q "Live for Today" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan
2 Josmar "Circus" Josmar
3 Jessica Muscat "Smoke-screen" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

4 Georgina
Georgina Abela
Georgina Abela is a Maltese singer and musician born in 1959. She is best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions, either as an entrant, backing vocalist or composer. She is married to fellow composer Paul Abela...

"To Be Myself" Rafael Artesero, Joe Julian Farrugia
5 Laura Bruno "Something About You" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

6 Marija Galdes "Castaway" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Rita Pace
7 Vittorio & Dorothy "Promises" Chan Vella, Alexia Schembri

Heat 3

Euro Showbox held its third heat on on 29 November. PBS paused between the second and third heats in order to broadcast Malta's participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which is the world's largest song contest for children. It was held at the "Spyros Kyprianou" Athletic Centre in Lemesos, Cyprus and hosted by Alex Michael and Sophia Paraskeva. It was won by the Georgian trio...

.

Trilogy performed first with a schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...

 ballad, "The Song in Your Heart". This was followed by a classically inspired Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 song, "Mozart Revives" interpreted by Dorothy Bezzina. She was followed by Derrick Schembri and Yanika Fava with "For A Moment", composed by Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

 and Rita Pace. The song begins as a ballad, developing into an up-tempo dance number. Jo Zette, a Maltese drag act, performed the fourth song of the evening, "I'm Me". It was composed by Steve Compagno and Noel Zammit and is an anthemic Pop song about being true to yourself. Philip Vella then performed his second song of the evening, Evita Magri's "Sexy Girls". Trevor Fenech and Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

 composed the penultimate song, "This Ain't a Love Song" performed by Christian Arding. The final contestant was Gloriana Arpa Belli, performing "Love Was Made of Clay", composed by Renato Briffa and Doris Chetcuti.

Trilogy were the only act from this semi-final to qualify for the final, with all others leaving the contest.
style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 3 - 29 November, 2008
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Trilogy "The Song in Your Heart" Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia
2 Dorothy Bezzina "Mozart Revives" Chan Vella, Alexia Schembri
3 Derrick Schembri and Yanika Fava "For A Moment" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Rita Pace
4 Jo Zette "I'm Me" Steve Compagno, Noel Zammit
5 Evita Magri "Sexy Girls" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Melchiore Magri
6 Christian Arding "This Ain't a Love Song" Trevor Fenech, Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

7 Gloriana Arpa Belli "Love Was Made of Clay" Renato Briffa, Doris Chetcuti

Heat 4

style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 4 - 6 December, 2008
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Ruth Portelli "Innocent Heart" Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel is a German record producer and songwriter. He is married to the opera singer Kriemhild Jahn. He has three daughters, one of them Giulia Siegel divorced from German entrepreneur Hans Wehrmann....

, John O'Flynn
Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

2 Eleanor Cassar "Someday" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan
3 Dario and Grecia Bezzina "Fjamma tas-Sliem" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

4 Claire Caruana "Harmony" Augusto Cardinali, Giovann Attard
5 Maria Mallia "Love in the Sahara" Charlene Grech, Clinton Paul
6 Charlene & Natasha "Alchemy" Charlene Grech, John A. Agius
7 Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

"Midas Touch" Sean Vella, Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...


Heat 5

style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 5 - 13 December, 2008
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Miriam Christine
Miriam Christine
Miriam Christine Borg is a Maltese pop and rhythm and blues singer best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996.-Early life:...

"Mama" Miriam Christine Warner
2 Baklava "Kamikaze Lover" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

3 Ruth Portelli "Blame It On Your Heart" Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel is a German record producer and songwriter. He is married to the opera singer Kriemhild Jahn. He has three daughters, one of them Giulia Siegel divorced from German entrepreneur Hans Wehrmann....

, John O'Flynn
Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

4 J. Anvil "Choose Your Number" Augusto Cardinali, Giovann Attard
5 Corazon Mizzi "Another Side of Me" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

6 Rebecca Bonnici "Carry Me" Renato Briffa, Rita Pace
7 Justine ft. Siconix "Rhythm of the Night" Renato Briffa, Doris Chetcuti

Heat 6

style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 6 - 20 December, 2008
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Jamie Tonna "Where Was I?" Jason Paul Cassar, Mario J. Farrugia
2 Q "Before You Walk Away" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan
3 Julie Pomorski "Shades of Memories" Johann Schembri
4 Jessica Muscat "Hey You" Rafael Artesero
5 Raquela "Crossroads" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

6 Ludwig Galea
Ludwig Galea
Ludwig Galea performed in the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, Turkey, in May 2004. As one half of the duo "Julie & Ludwig", he and his singing partner , Julie Zahra, managed to qualify to the final and came 12th out of 36 countries competing. Their song, "On Again.....

"Inferno" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

7 Kylie Coleiro "Let It Shine" Andrew Zahra, Joe Julian Farrugia

Heat 7

style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 7 - 3 January, 2009
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Alison Ellul "Typical Me" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

2 Daniela Vella "Soulmate" Ray Agius, Alfred C. Sant
3 Eleanor Cassar "This is our Life" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan
4 Georgina
Georgina Abela
Georgina Abela is a Maltese singer and musician born in 1959. She is best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions, either as an entrant, backing vocalist or composer. She is married to fellow composer Paul Abela...

 and Ruth Casingena
"Avalon" Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia
5 Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

"Blue Sonata" Ray Agius
6 Chiara "What If We" Marc Paelinck, Gregory Bilsen
7 Christine Barbara "Visions of You" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...


Heat 8

style="font-size: bigger;" | Heat 8 - 10 January, 2009
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist
1 Charlene & Natasha "King" Charlene Grech, John A. Agius
2 Annabelle Debono "Army of Lovers" Sean Vella, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

3 J. Anvil "Love Me or Leave Me" Trevor Fenech, Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

4 Christine Barbara "Life is an Opera" Rita Pace
5 Klinsmann "Butterfly Sky" Klinsmann Coleiro, Joe Julian Farrugia
6 The Elements "Ha Hi Hu" Carm Fenech
7 Wayne Micallef "Where You Belong" Wayne Micallef, Luke Ambrogio

Final

The final of GO Malta EuroSong 2009 was held on 7 February. The 20 finalists from the semi-finals were revealed at the last semi-final of Euro ShowBox on 10 January, along with the order they will perform in.

The rules for the final were revealed at a press conference held by PBS on 12 January. The show will be held by Pablo Micallef and Valerie Vella, to be held in Ta' Qali. From the final, three songs were selected by a jury to compete to a Super Final, where 100% televoting will select the winner, who will represent Malta at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Russia.

A number of local Maltese artists and bands performed during the interval, namely Niki Gravino, Airport Impressions, the Yada Dance Company, Crisitina Casolani & Toby, The Riffs and Morena
Morena
Morena is a city and a municipality in Morena district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as Muraina and is the administrative headquarters of Morena District and of Chambal Division. It is 39 km away from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh...

, last year's Maltese Eurovision entry. Two international entries also performed during the show: this year's Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 entry Hadise
Hadise
Hadise Açıkgöz , is a Belgian born Turkish singer of Circassian descent. Hadise's career began in 2004 with the release of her debut single "Sweat", which peaked at 19 on the Flanders chart. Hadise continued to release more successful singles, most notably the single "Milk Chocolate Girl"...

 performed her Eurovision entry "Düm Tek Tek
Düm Tek Tek
"Düm Tek Tek" is a song by Belgium born Turkish singer Hadise that was performed as the Turkish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia....

" during the show, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

's entry, Jade Ewen
Jade Ewen
Jade Almarie Louise Ewen is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released...

 also performed "My Time
My Time (song)
"It's My Time", is a song sung by Jade Ewen and was the British entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Moscow, Russia, in May 2009. The song was composed and written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren and became the UK's most successful Eurovision entry since 2002 by coming fifth,...

", the UK entry, during the show. An interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...

, the composer of the UK song, was also shown.

After the first performances, five international juries ranked all 20 songs in order of preference, giving 22 points to their favourite entry, 20 points their second favourite, followed by 18 etc until 1 point was gioven to their least favourite entry. A sixth set of votes was also added to the votes, which were based upon the televoting figures from the semi-finals.

Amongst the international juries was Linda Martin
Linda Martin
Linda Martin is an Irish singer and television presenter. She is best known in Europe as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1992, with the song "Why Me?", and in Ireland as a member of the 1970s/1980s band, Chips.-Chips:Martin started off her musical career when she joined the band Chips...

, who won the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1992
The Eurovision Song Contest 1992 was the 37th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1992 in Malmö, Sweden. The presenters were Lydia Cappolicchio and Harald Treutiger. Linda Martin, representing Ireland, was the winner of this Eurovision with the song Why Me?. The song was written by Johnny...

 for Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 with the song "Why Me?", and Nicki French
Nicki French
Nicola S. French is a female English singer and dancer. She is best known for her 1995 dance cover version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart", and for representing the United Kingdom in 2000 at Eurovision in Stockholm.-Career:French provided backing vocals on Rose-Marie's 1992 album, Emotional Exposure...

, who represented the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 in 2000
Eurovision Song Contest 2000
The Eurovision Song Contest 2000 was the 45th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 13 May 2000 at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden, following Charlotte Nilsson's victory in Jerusalem the previous year. It was the first time since 1996 that the contest was held on mainland Europe. The...

 with "Don't Play That Song Again
Don't Play That Song Again
"Don't Play That Song Again" was the UK entry for the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest. The song was performed by Nicki French, already a well-known name, having had a worldwide hit in 1995 with a cover of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart"...

".

Chiara, Q and Eleanor Cassar were selected by the jury to qualify to the Super Final.
style="font-size: bigger;" | Final - 7 February, 2009
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist Jury Place
1 The Elements "Ha Hi Hu" Carm Fenech 25 19
2 Baklava "Kamikaze Lover" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

30 18
3 J. Anvil "Choose Your Number" Augusto Cardinali, Giovann Attard 71 10
4 Wayne Micallef "Where You Belong" Wayne Micallef, Luke Ambrogio 85 7
5 Classic Rebels "Tonight at the Opera" Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel
Ralph Siegel is a German record producer and songwriter. He is married to the opera singer Kriemhild Jahn. He has three daughters, one of them Giulia Siegel divorced from German entrepreneur Hans Wehrmann....

, John O'Flynn
Bernd Meinunger
Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

94 5
6 Vittorio & Dorothy "Promises" Chan Vella, Alexia Schembri 57 16
7 Chiara "What If We" Marc Paelinck, Gregory Bilsen 129 1
8 Rosman Pace "One Million Way" Rosman Pace 76 9
9 Q "Before You Walk Away" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan 124 3
10 Kylie Coleiro "Let It Shine" Andrew Zahra, Joe Julian Farrugia 14 20
11 Jamie Tonna "Where Was I?" Jason Paul Cassar, Mario J. Farrugia 51 17
12 Christine Barbara "Life is an Opera" Rita Pace 62 14
13 Eleanor Cassar "Someday" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan 126 2
14 Raquela "Crossroads" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

71 11
15 Miriam Christine
Miriam Christine
Miriam Christine Borg is a Maltese pop and rhythm and blues singer best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996.-Early life:...

"Mama" Miriam Christine Warner 61 15
16 Georgina
Georgina Abela
Georgina Abela is a Maltese singer and musician born in 1959. She is best known for representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions, either as an entrant, backing vocalist or composer. She is married to fellow composer Paul Abela...

 & Ruth Casingena
"Avalon" Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia 71 12
17 Alison Ellul "Typical Me" Philip Vella
Philip Vella
Philip Vella is one of the most successful composers in Malta. He has won the main national festivals of Malta several times such as the Song for Europe festival, International Festival of Maltese song as well as Ghanja tal-poplu festival...

, Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg
Gerard James Borg is one of Malta's most successful song writers and concept creators for the last decades. Borg has penned five of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with Philip Vella, besides several Eurovision national final entries....

79 8
18 Trilogy "The Song In Your Heart" Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia 87 6
19 Claudia Faniello
Claudia Faniello
- Biography :Claudia was born and raised in Malta, along with her siblings Fabrizio and Miriana. At the age of 12, Claudia began to participate in a variety of television shows and participating also in many festivals and placing in top positions. In 2001, at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta, she won...

"Blue Sonata" Ray Agius 113 4
20 Klinsmann "Butterfly Sky" Klinsmann Coleiro, Joe Julian Farrugia 65 13

Super Final

At the super final, the three remaining acts performed again, with the public choosing the winner who would represent Malta at Eurovision. Chiara was the winner, with her song "What If We
What If We (song)
"What If We" is a song by Maltese singer Chiara, and was the Maltese entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia. The song was composed by Belgian songwriters Marc Paelinck and Gregory Bilsen....

". Eleanor Cassar placed second, and Q finished third.
style="font-size: bigger;" | Super Final - 7 February, 2009
Draw Artist Song Composer - Lyricist Televote Place
1 Chiara "What If We" Marc Paelinck, Gregory Bilsen 12249 1
2 Q "Before You Walk Away" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan 4619 3
3 Eleanor Cassar "Someday" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan 9785 2

Promotion

After winning Eurosong, Chiara will promote her entry in other countries before performing at Eurovision. Her first stop was at the Greek national final , held on the 18 February, where she performed her Eurovision entry "What If We" alongside acts from six other countries. She later performed at the Bosnia and Herzegovina song presentation
Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Bosnia and Herzegovina will be present at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The Bosnian and Herzegovinian broadcaster, Bosanskohercegovačka radiotelevizija , will held an internal selection to select the 2009 Bosnian and Herzegovinian representative...

 on 1 March.

At Eurovision

Since Malta is not one of the "Big Four" nor the host of the 2009 contest, it had compete in the first semi-final of the contest on 12 May 2009. Malta performed 17th in the running order, following Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 and preceding Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...

. It won a place in the final but eventually finished in 22nd place.

TVM has revealed that the Maltese votes will be announced at the final of the contest by TV presenter and producer Pauline Agius.

External links

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