Six groups have been selected to compete in the next round of the X Factor Malta following the judges houses this past weekend.
Howard Keith has selected the six groups that will be competing in the next round of the X Factor Malta. A total of twelve groups made it through to the judges houses, before the final six acts were selected this past weekend.
The groups who will be competing in the next stage are:
- Sweet chaos
- Chord
- Reign
- Yazmin & James
- Chanelle Zarb, Demi Galea, Ema Vella & Megan Caruana
- Bloodline
The six groups join the six girls who have already been selected to go through to the next stage:
- Jasmine Abela
- Gail Attard
- Marija Bellia
- Destiny Chukunyere
- Karin Duff
- Justine Shorfid
This is the second time that Malta are using the show X Factor Malta as their selection process for choosing the artist to represent them at the Eurovision Song Contest. Earlier this year Michela Pace won the show’s first season earning her the right to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv. Her song “Chameleon” finished in 14th place, the first Maltese entry in the grand final since Ira Losco in 2016.
The eventual winner will once again internally select the entry they will be performing in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Malta debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 and was represented by Joe Grech and the song “Marija L-Maltija”, which finished last. Malta competed again in 1972 and 1975 but then withdrew until their return in 1991. During the 1990s Malta only once finished outside of the top 10, and in 1998 they came within just 7 points of victory. It was Chiara who brought the country their 3rd place finish in 1998, and who went on to finish in 2nd at the 2005 contest in Kyiv. The only other artist to finish 2nd for Malta is Ira Losco, who was 12 points away from victory in 2002. They are the longest participating country never to have won the Eurovision Song Contest.
