We listened to all 24 songs in the 2025 Malta Eurovision Song Contest, and now have opinions on where this is heading.
Get ready for ads for the Bank of Valletta, because MESC 2025 is coming soon to a YouTube stream near you. By the time you go to bed on the evening of 8 February, you will know who is representing Malta, as well as several other countries, in Basel. They have two dozen options from which to choose, and a few stand out.
So, When Is the 2025 Malta Eurovision Song Contest?
MESC 2025 will take place over the course of three nights. The first semifinal is on Tuesday, 4 February, the second is Thursday, 6 February, and the final is Saturday, 8 February. A full schedule of national finals can be found here.
What Happened in Malta Last Year?
“Loop” by Sarah Bonnici won MESC 2024 and went to the Eurovision Song Contest. It finished last in the second semifinal.
Malta has not qualified since 2021, when it had its best finish in 16 years and won a semifinal for the first time ever.
2025 Malta Eurovision Song Contest Songs
| SF | Song | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Hideaway” | Mark Anthony Bartolo |
| 1 | “Silenced” | Raquela Dalli |
| 1 | “Whistleblower” | Haley Azzopardi |
| 1 | “Heaven Sent” | Kristy Spiteri |
| 1 | “Wildflower” | Marie Claire |
| 1 | “Juno” | Victoria Sciberras |
| 1 | “Festa (No Time for Siesta)” | JVF |
| 1 | “Control” | Matthew Cilia |
| 1 | “Qalb Ma’ Qalb” | Adria Twins |
| 1 | “Still I Rise” | Justine Shorfid |
| 1 | “Te amo” | Dre’ Curmi |
| 1 | “Aziz/a” | Kurt Calleja |
| 2 | “365” | Kelsey Bellante |
| 2 | “Unheard” | Krista Šujak |
| 2 | “Love Me Loud” | Kelsy Attard |
| 2 | “Kant” | Miriana Conte |
| 2 | “Yo Listen” | Martina Borg |
| 2 | “Għażliet” | Dario Bezzina feat. Żeppi l-Muni |
| 2 | “Concrete” | Nathan Psaila |
| 2 | “Lablab (Talk Talk)” | Stefan Galea |
| 2 | “Miegħek Biss” | Kurt Anthony Cassar |
| 2 | “LalaRataTakeke LalaRataKabum” | Kantera |
| 2 | “Rubble & Stone” | The Alchemists |
| 2 | “Breaking the Cycle” | Miguel Bonello |
General Impression
Whereas 220 points on our scoresheet would imply an average song, our average score for the MESC 2025 slate was 215.5. The group as a whole did not blow me away, which is not unexpected given that this is a small country. While I cannot say that I am confident any of these songs would win Eurovision, there are a few in here that were amusing and worth a potential spot in a May grand final.
2025 Malta Eurovision Song Contest: Top Ten
10. “Yo Listen” (Martina Borg)
This song sounded like it was out of 1993 in some respects, but it still had a fun beat and can say that it was unique in this slate of 24 songs.
9. “Festa (No Time for Siesta)” (JVF)
Look, the lyrics were not Shakespearean by any stretch, but at least this was kind of fun. I’m not sure it will make as big of an impression as it might like to, given some of the other contenders, but it’s one of the more likable songs.
8. “Għażliet” (Dario Bezzina feat. Żeppi l-Muni)
Very few entries this year have a distinct Maltese flavor, but this one does. I appreciated that it gave me something different while being decent.
7. “Still I Rise” (Justine Shorfid)
I was getting a whisper of Loreen from her, at least from the outfit in the video, but she’s a respectable singer.
6. “Concrete” (Nathan)
He was probably the best vocalist in the group. While the song itself was not for me, I had to credit his abilities and slide this into the top ten.
5. “Unheard” (Krista Šujak)
This song left a decent impression, so it leaped into fifth. The vocals were better than this slate’s average.
4. “Heaven Sent” (Kristy Spiteri)
Average vocals but a fun song that I think people will notice in February.
3. “LalaRataTakeke LalaRataKabum” (Kantera)
This is a potential favorite to win the contest, and I can see why. It has a Maltese flair, or at least what I think is one, and it’s fun in a similar way as “Jako” (Armenia 2024). It is one of the songs, if it wins MESC, that could qualify in Basel with a high-energy performance.
2. “Kant” (Miriana Conte)
This song made me laugh out loud. At first, I thought it was an ode to a German philosopher, which would have been a choice. However, when she got into the chorus, the message was received immediately. Sure, it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s funny and would have a 100 percent chance of standing out and/or drawing a small protest outside the arena in Basel.
1. “Juno” (Victoria Sciberras)
Overall, the package was the best in this contest. Victoria is a fine singer and this song had some tempo and energy to it. Lyrically, it was one of the better ones on the slate as well.
