Malta was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with the song "Dance (Our Own Party)", written by David Meilak, Jean Paul Borg, Sean Meachen, Matthew James Borg, and Michael Joe Cini, and performed by the band The Busker. The Maltese participating broadcaster, Public Broadcasting Services (PBS), selected its entry for the contest through the national final Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The competition consisted of three quarter-final rounds, a semi-final round and a final, held between 13 January and 11 February 2023, where "Dance (Our Own Party)" performed by the Busker eventually emerged as the winning entry after scoring the most points from a five-member jury and a public televote.
Malta was drawn to compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 9 May 2023. Performing during the show in position 2, "Dance (Our Own Party)" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the first semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Malta placed last out of the 15 participating countries in the semi-final with 3 points.
Background
Prior to the 2023 contest, the Maltese Broadcasting Authority (MBA) until 1975, and the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) since 1991, have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Malta thirty-four times since MBA's first entry in 1971. MBA briefly competed in the contest in the 1970s before withdrawing for sixteen years, while PBS competed in every contest since its return in 1991. Their best placing in the contest thus far was second, achieved on two occasions: in with the song "7th Wonder" performed by Ira Losco and in the with the song "Angel" performed by Chiara. In , "I Am What I Am" performed by Emma Muscat failed to qualify for 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. In 2022, PBS selected its entry through a national final procedure, a method that was continued for its 2023 participation.
Before Eurovision Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023 was the national final format developed by PBS to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The competition consisted of five shows which commenced on 13 January 2023 and concluded with a final held on 11 February 2023. All shows were broadcast on Television Malta (TVM) as well as on the broadcaster's website tvmnews.mt.
Format The competition consisted of three phases. The first phase was the three quarter-finals on 13, 20 and 27 January 2023 where 40 songs competed and the top twenty-four entries qualified. The second phase was the semi-final on 9 February 2023 where the top sixteen entries qualified to compete in the third phase, the final on 11 February 2023. Five judges evaluated the songs during the three phases and the results of the public televote had a weighting equal to the total votes of the judges in the final result. Ties in the final results were broken based on the entry which received the higher score from the judges. Monetary prizes were also given to the competing artists: the winner received €10,000, the runner-up received €4,000, the second runner-up received €2,000 and the remaining artists received €300 each. Former Maltese Eurovision entrants Paul Giordimaina (), Moira Stafrace (), Mike Spiteri () and Ludwig Galea () were appointed as consultants of the competition in order to offer support to the artists. The five members of the jury that evaluated the entries during all phases consisted of:
Sergio Gor – Publisher Corazon Mizzi – Singer-songwriter Matthew Bugeja – Conductor Antoine Farrugia – Artistic director of Notte Bianca Dorothy Bezzina – Singer
Competing entries Artists and composers were able to submit their entries between 17 October 2022 and 31 October 2022. Songwriters from any nationality were able to submit songs as long as the artist were Maltese or possessed Maltese citizenship. Artists were able to submit as many songs as they wished, however, they could only compete with one in the quarter-finals. Emma Muscat, who represented Malta in 2022, was unable to compete due to a rule that prevented the previous winner from competing in the following competition. The 40 songs selected to compete in the quarter-finals were announced on 21 November 2022. Among the selected competing artists are former Eurovision entrants Fabrizio Faniello who represented Malta in 2001 and in 2006, Jessika who represented San Marino in 2018, Francesca Sciberras who represented Malta in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009, and Eliana Gomez Blanco who represented Malta in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2019. ArtistSong Songwriter(s)Aidan""Aidan Cassar, Boban ApostolovAndre'"Broken Hill"Toby Farrugia, David Cassar Torreggiani, Andre' Portelli Bradley Debono"Blackout"Christina MagrinBrooke"Checkmate"Brooke Borg, Gerard James Borg, Christian Rabb, Dino Medanhodzic, Lukas MeijerCheryl Balzan"La La Land"David Cassar Torreggiani, Cheryl Balzan, Toby FarrugiaChris Grech"Indescribable"Joakim Dubbelman, Gerard James Borg, Jesper Rune, Arve FursetChristian Arding""Jan van Dijck, Emil Calleja BaylissClintess""Dominic Cini, Etienne MicallefDan"It'll Be OK"Daniel Muscat CaruanaDario"Pawn in a Game"Henric Pierroff, Emil Vaker, Karin PierroffDario Bezzina"Bridle Road"Martin Älenmark, Darren Michaels, Charlie MasonDominic and Anna"Whatever Wind May Blow"Alexander Berger, Michael Tauben, Will Taylor, Jonas GladnikoffEliana Gomez Blanco"Guess What"Ray Agius, Alfred C. SantFabrizio Faniello"Try to Be Better"Johan BejerholmFrancesca Sciberras"Masquerade"Marco Debono, Rita PaceGeo Debono"The Mirror"Daniele Moretti, Natasha Turner, Niall MooneyGiada"I Depend on You"Melanie GeorgiouGreta Tude"Sound of My Stilettos"Cyprian Cassar, Muxu, Antoine FarrugiaHaley"Tik Tok"Philip Vella, Gerard James BorgIan"On My Own"Melanie GeorgiouJake"Love You Like That"Primož Poglajen, Jonas Gladnikoff, Michael James DownJames Louis"Dream"James MifsudJason Scerri"Anything Can Happen"Jason ScerriJessika"Unapologetic"Jessica Muscat, Stefan MoessleJohn Galea"Trailblazer"John GaleaKirstie"Girls Get Down"Cyprian Cassar, MuxuKlinsmann"Piranha"Mats Ygfors, Robin Svensson, Magdalena Ohlin, Gerard James BorgLyndsay"Haunted"Michael James Down, Will Taylor, Primož Poglajen, Jonas Gladnikoff, Johnny Sanchez, Sara LjunggrenMaria Christina"Our Flame"Erik Horvath, Rickard Bonde Truumeel, Ylva Persson, Linda Persson, Emil Calleja BaylissMaria Debono""Cyprian Cassar, Muxu, Maria DebonoMarie Claire"Thankful"Thorghy Landgren, Thomas Rodin, Rickard Bonde Truumeel, Ylva Persson, Linda Persson, Emil Calleja BaylissMark Anthony Bartolo"Tears"Mark Anthony BartoloMatt Blxck"Up"Matthew Caruana, Cyprian Cassar Maxine Pace"Alone"Steve Manovski, Shaun FarrugiaMikhail""Cyprian Cassar, Cliff Casha Nathan"Creeping Walls"Dominic Cini, Jonas Gladnikoff, Emil Calleja BaylissRyan Hili"In the Silence"Aaron Sibley, Natan Dagur, Cyprian CassarStefan Galea"Heartbreaker"Stefan Galea, Rikki Lee Scicluna, MuxuStefan Xuereb"What Do You Want?"Richard Micallef, Aidan O'ConnorThe Busker"Dance (Our Own Party)"David Meilak, Jean Paul Borg, Sean Meachen, Matthew James Borg, Michael Joe Cini
Shows
Quarter-finals The three quarter-finals took place at the TVM studios in Pietà on 13, 20 and 27 January 2023 and were hosted by Ryan Borg and Josmar Gatt. On 23 January 2023, Aidan was disqualified from the quarter-finals for violating the competition's social media promotion policy. The remaining thirty-nine songs competed for twenty-four qualifying spots in the semi-final which were announced during a special programme on 3 February 2023. The allocation for the quarter-finals was announced on 6 January 2023. +Quarter-final 1 – 13 January 2023ArtistSongResult 1Haley"Tik Tok"Eliminated 2Stefan Xuereb"What Do You Want?"Eliminated 3Clintess""Eliminated 4Fabrizio Faniello"Try to Be Better"Advanced 5Eliana Gomez Blanco"Guess What"Advanced 6Christian Arding""Advanced 7Jason Scerri"Anything Can Happen"Eliminated 8Maria Debono""Eliminated 9Geo Debono"The Mirror"Advanced 10Mikhail""Advanced 11Aidan""Disqualified 12Nathan"Creeping Walls"Advanced 13Klinsmann"Piranha"Advanced +Quarter-final 2 – 20 January 2023ArtistSongResult 1Francesca Sciberras"Masquerade"Eliminated 2The Busker"Dance (Our Own Party)"Advanced 3Lyndsay"Haunted"Eliminated 4Maxine Pace"Alone"Advanced 5Marie Claire"Thankful"Eliminated 6Ian"On My Own"Advanced 7Kirstie"Girls Get Down"Eliminated 8Dario Bezzina"Bridle Road"Advanced 9Brooke"Checkmate"Advanced 10Mark Anthony Bartolo"Tears"Advanced 11Dan"It'll Be OK"Advanced 12Dario"Pawn in a Game"Eliminated 13Matt Blxck"Up."Advanced +Quarter-final 3 – 27 January 2023ArtistSongResult 1Andre'"Broken Hill"Advanced 2Bradley Debono"Blackout"Advanced 3Cheryl Balzan"La La Land"Advanced 4James Louis"Dream"Eliminated 5Dominic and Anna"Whatever Wind May Blow"Advanced 6Greta Tude"Sound of My Stilettos"Advanced 7Ryan Hili"In the Silence"Advanced 8Jessika"Unapologetic"Eliminated 9Stefan Galea"Heartbreaker"Advanced 10Giada"I Depend on You"Advanced 11John Galea"Trailblazer"Eliminated 12Jake"Love You Like That"Eliminated 13Chris Grech"Indescribable"Advanced 14Maria Christina"Our Flame"Eliminated
Semi-final The semi-final took place on 9 February 2023 at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta' Qali and was hosted by former Maltese Eurovision entrants Glen Vella, who represented Malta in 2011, and Amber, who represented Malta in 2015. The twenty-four entries that qualified from the quarter-finals competed for sixteen qualifying spots in the final. The show was opened with a guest performance by competition consultants Paul Giordimaina, Moira Stafrace, Mike Spiteri and Ludwig Galea, while the interval act featured a guest performance by the 2022 Maltese Junior Eurovision entrant Gaia Gambuzza performing "Diamonds in the Skies", and a medley of past non-winning songs in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest performed by Catherine Vigar, Claudia Faniello, Eleanor Cassar, Janice Mangion, Lawrence Gray, Olivia Lewis, Pamela Bezzina, Richard Micallef and Pamela Bezzina.
+ Semi-final – 9 February 2023 Artist Song Result 1 Greta Tude"Sound of My Stilettos"Eliminated 2Fabrizio Faniello"Try to Be Better"Advanced 3Eliana Gomez Blanco"Guess What"Advanced 4Andre'"Broken Hill"Eliminated 5Dan"It'll Be OK"Advanced 6Ian"On My Own"Advanced 7 Ryan Hili"In the Silence"Advanced 8Mark Anthony Bartolo"Tears"Eliminated 9Cheryl Balzan"La La Land"Advanced 10 Dario Bezzina"Bridle Road"Eliminated 11 Nathan"Creeping Walls" Advanced 12Chris Grech"Indescribable"Advanced 13 Brooke"Checkmate"Advanced 14 Christian Arding""Advanced 15Klinsmann"Piranha"Eliminated 16Bradley Debono"Blackout"Eliminated 17 Geo Debono"The Mirror"Advanced 18 The Busker"Dance (Our Own Party)"Advanced 19 Maxine Pace"Alone"Advanced 20Dominic and Anna"Whatever Wind May Blow"Eliminated 21Giada"I Depend on You"Advanced 22 Stefan Galea"Heartbreaker"Advanced 23 Mikhail""Eliminated 24Matt Blxck"Up."Advanced
Final The final took place on 11 February 2023 at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta' Qali and was hosted by former Maltese Eurovision entrants Glen Vella, who represented Malta in 2011, and Amber, who represented Malta in 2015. The sixteen entries that qualified from the semi-final were performed again and the 50/50 combination of votes of a five-member jury panel and the results of public televoting determined the winner. The show was opened with a guest performance by the Annalise Dance Studio, while the interval act featured the show hosts Glen Vella and Amber, and performances by Aidan and the previous year's winner Emma Muscat performing "I Am What I Am". After the votes from the jury panel and televote were combined, "Dance (Our Own Party)" performed by the Busker was the winner.