Malta was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song "What If We", written by Marc Paelinck and Gregory Bilsen, and performed by Chiara. The Maltese participating broadcaster, Public Broadcasting Services (PBS), selected its entry through the national final GO Malta EuroSong 2009. The competition consisted of a semi-final round and a final, held between 8 November 2008 and 7 February 2009, where "What If We" performed by Chiara eventually emerged as the winning entry after scoring the most points from a jury in the first round and gaining the most votes from a public televote in the second round with 12,249 votes. Chiara had previously represented and , when she achieved third and second place with the songs "The One That I Love" and "Angel", respectively.
Malta was drawn to compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 12 May 2009. Performing during the show in position 17, "What If We" was announced among the 10 qualifying entries of the first semi-final and therefore qualified to compete in the final on 16 May. It was later revealed that Malta placed sixth out of the 18 participating countries in the semi-final with 86 points. In the final, Malta performed in position 14 and placed twenty-second out of the 25 participating countries, scoring 31 points.
Background
Prior to the 2009 contest, the Maltese Broadcasting Authority (MBA) until 1975, and the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) since 1991, had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Malta twenty-one times since MBA's first entry in 1971. After competing in , Malta was absent from the contest beginning in 1976. The country had, to this point, competed in every contest since returning in 1991. Their best placing in the contest thus far was second, which it achieved on two occasions: with the song "7th Wonder" performed by Ira Losco and with the song "Angel" performed by Chiara. In , "Vodka" performed by Morena failed to qualify to the final.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, PBS organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2009 contest on 3 June 2008. The Maltese broadcaster had selected its entry consistently through a national final procedure, a method that was continued for its 2009 participation.
Before Eurovision
GO Malta EuroSong 2009 GO Malta EuroSong 2009 was the national final format developed by PBS to select the Maltese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The competition consisted of a semi-final held between 8 November 2008 and 10 January 2009, and a final held on 7 February 2009. All shows were broadcast on Television Malta (TVM) as well on the broadcaster's website pbs.com.mt.
Format The competition consisted of fifty-six songs competing in the semi-final which consisted of eight shows titled Euro Showbox between 8 November 2008 and 10 January 2009. Seven songs were presented in each show and a total of twenty entries qualified to compete in the final on 7 February 2009. In the semi-final, six judges evaluated the songs and each judge had an equal stake in the result. Fifteen of the qualifying entries were the songs that received the highest scores from the judges, while the remaining five qualifying entries were based on the results of the public televote from the remaining forty-one entries. The final consisted of two rounds: the first round selected the top three entries based on the votes of five judges in addition to the jury votes in the first selection phase and the semi-final, while the second round (superfinal) determined the winner exclusively by public televoting.
Competing entries Artists and composers were able to submit their entries between 13 and 14 October 2008 to the Television House in Gwardamanġa. Songwriters from any nationality were able to submit songs as long as the artist were Maltese or possessed Maltese citizenship. Songwriters were able to submit as many songs as they wished, however, artists were only able to submit a maximum of two songs and could only compete with a maximum of one in the final. 182 entries were received by the broadcaster and the fifty-six songs selected to compete in the semi-final were announced on 27 October 2008. Among the selected competing artists were former Maltese Eurovision entrants Georgina who represented Malta in the 1991 contest, Miriam Christine who represented Malta in the 1996 contest, Chiara who represented Malta in the 1998 and 2005 contests, and Ludwig Galea who represented Malta in the 2004 contest. The jury panel that selected the fifty-six semi-finalists consisted of Alon Amir (Israel), Frank Cachia (Malta), Lenoir Francis (France), Alvin Laudi (Malta), Nadienne Sacco (Malta), Vincent Scerri (Malta) and No Yon (South Korea/Japan).
Artist Song Songwriter(s) Alison Ellul "Typical Me" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Annabelle Debono "Army of Lovers" Sean Vella, Gerard James Borg Baklava "Kamikaze Lover" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Chiara "What If We" Marc Paelinck, Gregory Bilsen Christian Arding "This Ain't a Love Song" Trevor Fenech, Claudia Faniello Christine Barbara "Life is an Opera" Rita Pace "Visions of You" Philip Vella Claire Caruana "Harmony" Augusto Cardinali, Giovann Attard Classic Rebels "Tonight at the Opera" Ralph Siegel, John O'Flynn Claudia Faniello "Blue Sonata" Ray Agius "Midas Touch" Sean Vella, Philip Vella Corazon Mizzi "Another Side of Me" Philip Vella Daniela Vella "Soulmate" Ray Agius, Alfred C. Sant Dario and Grecia Bezzina "Fjamma tas-Sliem" Philip Vella Derrick Schembri and Yanika Fava "For a Moment" Philip Vella, Rita Pace Dominic Cini "I'm in Heaven" Elton Zarb, Rita Pace Dorothy Bezzina "Mozart Revives" Chan Vella, Alexia Schembri Eleanor Cassar "Someday" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan "This Is Our Life" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan The Elements "Ħa Ħi Ħu" Carm Fenech Evita Magri "Sexy Girls" Philip Vella, Melchiore Magri Francesca Borg "Falling in Love" Jason Paul Cassar, Mario J. Farrugia Georgina "To Be Myself" Rafael Artesero, Joe Julian Farrugia Georgina and Ruth Casingena "Avalon" Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia Gloriana Arpa Belli "Love Was Made of Clay" Renato Briffa, Doris Chetcuti J. Anvil "Choose Your Number" Augusto Cardinali, Giovann Attard "Love Me or Leave Me" Trevor Fenech, Claudia Faniello Jamie Tonna "Where Was I?" Jason Paul Cassar, Mario J. Farrugia Jessica Muscat "Hey You" Rafael Artesero "Smoke-Screen" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Jo Zette "I'm Me" Steve Compagno, Noel Zammit Josmar "Circus" Josmar Gatt Julie Pomorski "Shades of Memories" Johann Schembri Justine feat. Siconix "Rhythm of the Night" Renato Briffa, Doris Chetcuti Klinsmann "Butterfly Sky" Klinsmann Coleiro, Joe Julian Farrugia "Rock and Rise" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Kylie Coleiro "Let It Shine" Andrew Zahra, Joe Julian Farrugia Laura Bruno "Something About You" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Ludwig Galea "Inferno" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Ludwig Galea feat. Fidela tal-Bambinu "Lament" Philip Vella Maria Mallia "Love in the Sahara" Charlene Grech, Clinton Paul Marija Galdes "Castaway" Philip Vella, Rita Pace Miriam Christine "Mama" Miriam Christine Warner Natasha and Charlene "Alchemy" Charlene Grech, John A. Agius "King" Charlene Grech, John A. Agius Q "Before You Walk Away" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan "Live for Today" Paul Giordimaina, Fleur Balzan Raquela "Crossroads" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Rebecca Bonnici "Carry Me" Renato Briffa, Rita Pace Rosman Pace "One Million Ways" Rosman Pace Ruth Portelli "Blame It on Your Heart" Ralph Siegel, John O'Flynn "Innocent Heart" Ralph Siegel, John O'Flynn Talitha Dimech "Earth and Sky" Philip Vella, Gerard James Borg Trilogy "The Song in Your Heart" Paul Abela, Joe Julian Farrugia Vittorio and Dorothy "Promises" Chan Vella, Alexia Schembri Wayne Micallef "Where You Belong" Wayne Micallef, Luke Ambrogio
Shows
Semi-final The semi-final took place over the eight shows of Euro Showbox between 8 November 2008 and 10 January 2009, all held at the Audiovision TV Studios in Hamrun and hosted by Valerie Vella. Fifty-six songs competed for twenty qualifying spots in the final, which were announced during the last show of Euro Showbox on 10 January 2009. The allocation of the seven entries competing in each show was announced on 2 November 2008. Due to incorrect SMS numbers being displayed during the first show, a revote took place at the beginning of the second show. The six members of the jury that evaluated the entries during the semi-final consisted of:
Kevin Abela (Malta) – Principal Trumpet of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and music director Munro Forbes (Cyprus) – Producer of various Eurovision Song Contest and Junior Eurovision Song Contest events Pascal-Emmanuel Luneau (France) – Musician, screenwriter, composer, author and vocal coach Ray Mangion (Malta) – Producer, artistic director and performer Denise Mulholland (United Kingdom) – Director and actress Marco Vannuzzi (Italy) – Music manager
+ Semi-final – 8 November 2008 – 10 January 2009 Broadcast Artist Song Result 8 November 2008 1 Ludwig Galea feat. Fidela tal-Bambinu "Lament" 2 Dominic Cini "I'm in Heaven" 3 Classic Rebels "Tonight at the Opera" Qualified 4 Klinsmann "Rock and Rise" 5 Talitha Dimech "Earth and Sky" 6 Rosman Pace "One Million Ways" Qualified 7 Francesca Borg "Falling in Love" 15 November 2008 1 Q "Live for Today" 2 Josmar "Circus" 3 Jessica Muscat "Smoke-Screen" 4 Georgina "To Be Myself" 5 Laura Bruno "Something About You" 6 Marija Galdes "Castaway" 7 Vittorio and Dorothy "Promises" Qualified 29 November 2008 1 Trilogy "The Song in Your Heart" Qualified 2 Dorothy Bezzina "Mozart Revives" 3 Derrick Schembri and Yanika Fava "For a Moment" 4 Jo Zette "I'm Me" 5 Evita Magri "Sexy Girls" 6 Christian Arding "This Ain't a Love Song" 7 Gloriana Arpa Belli "Love Was Made of Clay" 6 December 2008 1 Ruth Portelli "Innocent Heart" 2 Eleanor Cassar "Someday" Qualified 3 Dario and Grecia Bezzina "Fjamma tas-Sliem" 4 Claire Caruana "Harmony" 5 Maria Mallia "Love in the Sahara" 6 Natasha and Charlene "Alchemy" 7 Claudia Faniello "Midas Touch" 13 December 2008 1 Miriam Christine "Mama" Qualified 2 Baklava "Kamikaze Lover" Qualified 3 Ruth Portelli "Blame It on Your Heart" 4 J. Anvil "Choose Your Number" Qualified 5 Corazon Mizzi "Another Side of Me" 6 Rebecca Bonnici "Carry Me" 7 Justine feat. Siconix "Rhythm of the Night" 20 December 2008 1 Jamie Tonna "Where Was I?" Qualified 2 Q "Before You Walk Away" Qualified 3 Julie Pomorski "Shades of Memories" 4 Jessica Muscat "Hey You" 5 Raquela "Crossroads" Qualified 6 Ludwig Galea "Inferno" 7 Kylie Coleiro "Let It Shine" Qualified 3 January 2009 1 Alison Ellul "Typical Me" Qualified 2 Daniela Vella "Soulmate" 3 Eleanor Cassar "This Is Our Life" 4 Georgina and Ruth Casingena "Avalon" Qualified 5 Claudia Faniello "Blue Sonata" Qualified 6 Chiara "What If We" Qualified 7 Christine Barbara "Visions of You" 10 January 2009 1 Natasha and Charlene "King" 2 Annabelle Debono "Army of Lovers" 3 J. Anvil "Love Me or Leave Me" 4 Christine Barbara "Life Is an Opera" Qualified 5 Klinsmann "Butterfly Sky" Qualified 6 The Elements "Ħa Ħi Ħu" Qualified 7 Wayne Micallef "Where You Belong" Qualified
Final