The semifinal of the MESC 2013 with a recap of the victory of Kurt Calleja last year with his song ‘This is the night’ The set is another superb design of Carlo Schembri. The Director of Photography is none other than Johnny Mc, Stage Graphics Coordinator for the Isle of MTV concerts. Nick Malbon, catalyst in several architectural lighting programming on the MTV is the the Lighting Director for the festival.
Arturo Pellegrini is the Front of House Eengineer. Pellegrini is mostly noted for his collaboration with the Italian popular commercial channel Canale 5, Mediaset Group. Filippo Zecchini is the Monitor Engineer. Zecchini’s portfolio includes work for a number of international artists including Andrea Bocelli, Zucchero, Pino Daniele, Riccardo Cocciante and Pavarotti to mention a few. The presenters of the show are Elaine Saliba and Gordon Bonello with Rodney Gauci doing the honours backstage.
The songs were presented. First one was Richard Edwards who should have already gone to Eurovision in 2011. The second entry of Yleania with Tides of illusion was totally to be forgotten, uptempo but no chances at all for eurovision. The third song Janice with Perfect Day is a bit of a lookalike of Thea Garrett, the 2010 ESC-entry. Very good voice though but not for ESC 2013 unfortunately. And we’re off for the first commercial break, probably the first of many…
The next three are on now. Chris Grech had a very good voice on cd and I believed this would certain qualifier for tomorrow. As I mentionned in the reviews I don’t know if it will make to the finals of Eurovision but it’s definitely a fresh face at Eurovision. But after the live show I’m very confused…..
With all respect Marilene is horrible tonight at the semfinal. If this makes it to the final I’ll be running naked 10 times around Malta. I’m sure this will not happen!
Petra is the next one with No one’s home. She has another song with her boyfriend Richard Edwards who opened the show. This is a very very boring song with all respect and would kill malta in Sweden surely!
Another intervenience from backstage and surely a commercial break. I know maltese love eurovision but the way they drag on a show is too much to handle really. Sorry my maltese friends!
The next three songs start with Dorothy Bezzina with the song Starting from the end. Not a bad song but somehow it doesn’t go anywhere. The singer deserves much better in my opinion. Domenique is the next one stage with too little too little from Belgian composer Marc Paelinck who got Chiara back to the finals in 2009. Lyricist is Austrian Matthias Strasser. The song is very sensible and a light in the dark sky tonight after the other songs. The performance is very good and a definite finalist for tomorrow in my opinion! Next one is Jessica Muscat with her Thomas G:Son song; not bad at all but as I already said in the review something is lacking to complet it.
The next three start with one of the most promising singers in Malta from the last decade Franklin Calleja with Let you heart talk. I have a double comment on this: first on the singer: an AMAZING artist and definitely a big upcoming star without any doubt! I don’t say it much but I simply adore this guy! The other comment on the song now: the song is not bad but is quiet boring and way too old fashioned for such a great performer! I’m sure this guy WILL represent Malta very soon at Eurovision but with the right song. Prosit Franklin!
Claudia Faniello is next on stage and she’s a true diva! Even the song is not that strong as her superb entry from last year Pure, this is definitely going to make to to the finals! Next one is Corazon with a very boring ballad. I even dared to take a toilet break as it was so boring this gong. Sorry Corazon! Next three and now we are up for the big favourite! Kevin Borg who won Swedish pop idol after moving there and marrying a Swedish girl. His needing you is a very nice ballad I must admit. This is the kind of ballad I love a lot even it might not be maybe up to dated to 2013 but this is definitely going to compete for the victory tomorrow watch me!
Next one is Scar with a very catchy song ‘Superstar’. Even it’s not my style at all I like the performance. It looks like PBS has put the stronger songs not in the first 7 at all. Melanie Zammit with Loverdose is a really pain in the xxx, how can they put this in the semifinal is not to be understood really! After another commercial break we are off for the next three songs. Danica Muscat is back with the song Fantasy. At such a young age hardly 18 this is definitely one of the big coming stars for Malta and Eurovision! I think this will will make it to the finals for sure but moreover I hope that for 2014 Danica will be offered a really great song as this is a singer to watch out for!
Petra and Richard Edwards had both solo songs before but now they are back with Wonderful today. Well with all respect they could have saved themselves the effort, even being a love couple but this is really not of a standard to be in a national final of Eurovision, so a definite no! Next one is Deborah C with Love-O-Holic. Last year she made it to the finals with You make me go uh uh along with Belgian singer Leila James and the Belgian song composed by Patrick Renier who made all major hits of Belle Perez (Belgian esc 1999/2006). Now Deborah is back with a very uptempo track from a swedish team. The song is extremely commercial and I must say I’m surprised very positively Deborah is doing this live much better then expected. Although if she makes it to the finals she should give that extra to give a splendid performance. But overall welldone!
After a break which is dragging on way too much we are going on to the next songs. Giannia Zammit is the next one on stage. He was also at last years selection and honestly that song was way better then ‘Us against the world’ this years song. I even doubt this will make it to tomorrows finals. After Gianni it’s Raquela who is back after she reached top 5 in Malta Eurovision 2011 with ‘If I could do it all again’ from Belgian composer Marc Paelinck and Austrian lyricist Matthias Strasser. This years entry is totally different from her splendid ballad entry and it’s a very clubby song. Raquela is an amazing singer but tonights performance is – sorry Raquela – making me doubt that this is the style she has to aim for.
Next one is definitely the cutie of the festival! Gianlucca Bezzina, a doctor!, is enjoying himself so much on stage with this happy feeling song! On one hand one could say the song is not the perfect song for eurovision and I would agree but the way the guy is enjoying on stage is giving so much symphathy. Watch out, he’s going to end up so high tomorrow at the finals! Amber is next and she is rumoured to be one of the big favourites especially because of her close connections to PBS team and being a backing vocalist last year for Kurt Calleja. But having said that Ambers performance is a big disapointment, this is far from being worth to stand at eurosision really! Amber might be a good performer but if there is any justice please let the girl stay as far away from the final places, even from the final of tomorrow (although I’m sure a final place was already confirmed for her before)
Finally some fresh air!!! Klinsmann is back with the remedy! He already took part several times at the maltese selection but this is sounding damn fresh, especially after the very dull performance of Amber even with some background unconfirmed support. Klinsmann is doing a very good job and this has just to go through! Very relaxing performance the guy has developed very well over the years! The last song is called betrayed and that’s really a good word of saying one word on the night. This has really been a torture surely especially to the international viewers. I hope really that next year Maltese television, especially after the upcoming general elections, will make a big clean and will make a big clean-up on how to make an attractive show, even it started nice with an attractive stage.
RESULTS
Davinia- “Betrayed”
Deborah C- “Love-o-holic”
Cris Grech- “Never walk away”
Gianni- “Us against the world”
Janice Debattista- “Perfect day”
Jessika- “Ultraviolet”
Domenique- “Too little too late”
Dorothy Bezzina- ”Starting from the end”
Petra & Richard- “Wonderful today”
Gianluca- “Tomorrow”
Richard Edwards- “Fall like Rome”
Kevin Borg- “Needing you”
Scar- ”Superstar”
Corazon- “My stranger love”
Claudia Faniello- “When it’s time”
Amber- “In control”
