Maltese TVM has revealed the names of the 16 MJESC participants who will fight to represent the island nation at Junior Eurovision 2022. On 24 June, the Maltese public broadcaster announced its participation in the youth festival along with its intention to select its candidate in its traditional MJESC.
Candidates aged between 9 and 14 have made it to the final of the MJESC after a long casting process. Since the announcement of the MJESC 2022 until 15 August, all Maltese children with the intention to participate had the option to register on an open application form. From all those children who applied, a professional jury chose the 16 finalists who will compete in a televised gala.
In addition, on 2 October, a live final will take place where the participants will perform their songs. In this gala, the jury will have 75% of the vote, while the public will only have 25% in the final vote. In case of a tie, the jury will choose the winner to represent Malta at the next Junior Eurovision Song Contest. TVM clarifies that we will be able to hear the songs very soon.
The 16 finalist artists are as follows:
- Emma Kate Formosa – Bounce
- Gaia Gambuzza – Diamonds in the skies
- Shaznay Mangion – Heartbeat
- Kaylin Mallia – Here I Am
- Aaliyah Cassar – Infinty
- Rih and Bri – Karma
- Cassidy Gauci – Light Up
- Naomi Busuttil – Little Cheeky
- Cesca Galea – See the Invisible
- Kayleen Mercieca – Shooting Star
- Andrea Camilleri – Spark
- Ma Girlz – Stereo
- Charelle Micallef – The Extra Miles
- Kensley Ciappara – Tliet Xadini
- Isis Jade Miller – Unbreakable
- Geneve Dimech – With You By My Side
MALTA AT THE JUNIOR EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Malta is one of the founding countries that debuted at Junior Eurovision in 2003, the first edition of the contest. Since then they have only been absent twice, in the 2011 and 2012 editions. During their 17 participations they have chosen their representative through pre-selections, except in 2013 and 2014 when they chose their representative through an internal election.
They also have two victories on their palmares, one when they returned in 2013 with Gaia Cauchi and her song “The start” and another in 2015 with Destiny and “Not my soul”.
Their palmares is completed by two fourth places, those of Daniel Testa in 2008 and Federica Falzon in 2014. A fifth place in 2018 with Ela Mangion. They have also made it into the top 10 on four other occasions. And two last positions in 2005 and 2019, where they finished 19th.
In the last edition they were represented by Ike & Kaja with the song “My home“, with which they obtained a twelfth position.
THE JUNIOR EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2022
The European Broadcasting Union has declared its intentions for this year’s edition to be special due to the 20th anniversary of the festival. The show will be organised by ARMTV, the Armenian public broadcaster. The official number of participants is still unknown, although countries such as Spain, France, Poland and Italy have already confirmed their presence. Germany has decided to withdraw on the grounds that they are already preparing for their participation in 2023. On the other hand, Russia and Belarus cannot take part in the show as their public broadcasters were expelled from the EBU. Moreover, despite the unstable situation in the country due to the Russian invasion, Ukrainian public television has declared its intentions to participate in this edition
THE JUNIOR EUROVISION CONTESTS HELD IN MALTA: 2014 AND 2016
The 12th Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held on 15 November 2014 on the island of Malta following Gaia Gauchi’s victory in the previous edition. It was the third time in the history of the festival that the event was hosted by the winning country in the previous edition.
This year’s edition featured 16 participants. The debuts of Slovenia, Italy and Montenegro, the returns of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia and Serbia, and the withdrawals of Azerbaijan, Macedonia and Moldova. Italy’s debut was won by Vicenzo Cantiello and the song “Tu primo grande amore”.
On the other hand, the 14th Junior Eurovision Song Contest took place in Valletta, Malta, on Sunday 20 November 2016. Following the record-breaking victory of the Maltese Destiny Chukunyere with the song “Not my soul”, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held in Valletta, Malta, on Sunday 20 November 2016.
However, this edition did not have any debuts, although it did feature a number of withdrawals and returns, as is the case every year. Among the countries that withdrew were Slovenia, Montenegro and San Marino, while the countries that returned to the festival were Cyprus, Israel and Poland.
Georgia won for the third time in its history with singer Mariam Mamadashvili and the song “Mzeo”.
Good, now please talk to the EBU and them to bring Nordic countries back to Junior Eurovision.