Members of the Euromix editorial team convened to vote for the competing songs in MESC 2026. Who should represent Malta at Eurovision according to the editorial team?
The Maltese Eurovision national selection, “MESC 2026”, is set to take place tonight at 20:45 CET, featuring 12 contestants. The winner of this local competition will represent Malta at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. In anticipation of this event, Euromix editorial team members gathered to listen to the participating songs and select their favorites from the Maltese national selection.
Editorial Picks: Who Should Represent Malta?
Avi Zaikaner: First Place – Aidan – “Bella“
Aidan brings to the Maltese national selection a sixties-style pop ballad. The attempt to connect with another era — similar to what the Portuguese winner did at Eurovision 2017 — highlights a sense of nostalgia for a classic time that may captivate both the juries and the public. The song blends Mediterranean romance, with its lyrics subtly referencing Maltese roots, while the use of English and Italian makes it accessible and international. At its core, the song conveys a message of love that endures beyond time — weaving themes of memory, distance, and the hope of reunion. The stage performance at the national final was charming and original.
Tal Dahan: First Place – Denise – “Trophy”
The Maltese national selection is disappointing this year, yet I still found a few pleasant songs. The strongest of them, in my opinion, is “Trophy” by Denise – a powerful track that is simply impossible not to dance to! I also loved her 2024 song, “Mara,” and I truly hope this is her year. The performance was a pleasant surprise, reminiscent of the familiar Chanel-Eleni-Noa style. While the Eurovision trophy likely won’t be hers, she could definitely take Malta to the Grand Final.
Noy Yehoyada: First Place – Ema – “Achikuku (Don’t Think About It)”
After my favorite song of last year came from the Maltese selection (and no, I don’t mean “Serving”), it was very difficult for me to find a favorite this year. After several listens and watching the semi-final, I decided that my first place is “(Achikuku (Don’t Think About It” by Ema. The song brings an upbeat African style that reminds me of Beyoncé’s “Grown Woman,” which I love. It’s such a shame it’s too late to send the song “Heaven Sent”…
Ofek Jerassi: First Place – Matt Blxck – “Ejja lejja ħdejja ‘l hawn (The Flute)”
The Maltese selection is relatively weak this year, yet there are still some nice songs to listen to. My winner is the song “Ekko ini meg” by Jone… sorry, actually, it’s “Ejja Lejja Hdejja ‘l Hawn” by Matt Blxck. It is an exact imitation of the 2023 song from Norway… It was a nice song to hear back then and remains so today, which is why it’s my winner, but I find it hard to appreciate the lack of creativity in this selection – something that is evident year after year.
Aviad Berger: First Place – Denise – “Trophy”
The Maltese selection is particularly weak this year, and I believe most of these songs won’t manage to rank high in the semi-final, especially since Malta is placed in what seems to be a difficult semi-final. That said, some songs managed to enter my heart, and my winner is Denise. There is potential here for qualifying for the final with a good pop song and a successful performance. Malta, please choose correctly.
Maor Heumann: First Place – Matthew Cilia and The AfterParty – “Brutality Mentality”
What a weak selection… I was about to give up, and then I discovered this energetic industrial gem, with an addictive rhythm, dark atmosphere, heavy distortion, and, of course, excellent growling. I’m not deeply familiar with the metal scene in Malta, but this definitely made me want to explore it further! In the end, one of the uninspired, featherweight pop songs will likely be chosen, but Matthew Cilia and The AfterParty‘s song is what will stay with me from this selection.
Adiel Shtainmetz: First Place – Denise – “Trophy”
The national final season continues to disappoint me… What a weak selection; I connected with almost no songs. The level is very low. Among all the bad songs, I managed to find two good ones that made it onto my playlist: “Let a Girl Breathe” by Kelsie Borg and “Trophy” by Denise. Between the two, I think Denise is the right choice for Malta and will give them the highest result. I’m not sure she will qualify for the final, but it is entirely possible thanks to the return of the juries to the semi-finals! Additionally, I believe a revamp could contribute a lot to the song, raising it several levels and perhaps placing Malta at a nice spot in the middle of the final scoreboard.
Shahar “Chacha” Asido: First Place – Nathan Psaila – “Ganador”
First of all, the Maltese selection pleasantly surprised me with the quality of its songs – many styles and a variety of artists. The song I chose for first place is by Nathan Psaila, who brings a sense of Africa without deviating too far from Europe. Something about this song made me think that maybe Malta will finally stand out and break away from the usual pop mold it always falls into. Aidan‘s song could also bring a very good result at Eurovision, but it all depends on the live performance and the chosen staging.
Talia Raviv: First Place – Denise – “Trophy”
Malta disappointed this year with a very weak selection, and I struggled to find a song I connected with. Out of all the songs, the only one that stood out and grew on me was “Trophy” by Denise. A fun pop song with a catchy melody and a lot of potential, which I can definitely see at Eurovision.
Neta Geffen: First Place – Matt Blxck – “Ejja lejja ħdejja ‘l hawn (The Flute)”
Malta is one of my least favorite countries in Eurovision, so my expectations for it are low this year as well. The general level of songs in the selection is weak; many of them feel dated or lack a clear identity. In this context, Matt Blxck‘s song manages to stand out slightly thanks to the ethnic element of the flute, which gives it an interesting local touch. However, beyond the basic idea, the performance and melody do not develop into something truly memorable or moving, and the song remains at the level of a nice sketch rather than a serious Eurovision contender. It is a song with intention and identity, but it fails to rise above the general low level of the selection or bring a strong enough musical direction to the stage in Vienna.
Oscar Diefenthal: First Place – Ema – “Achikuku (Don’t Think About It)”
Wow! “Achikuku (Don’t Think About It)” by Ema starts out completely innocent, almost like a regular Eurovision pop song, and then suddenly the African rhythm kicks in and changes everything. From that moment on, it’s impossible to stay still. Her voice is captivating and full of energy, the kind that just makes you dance without thinking too much. If this works the same way on stage, Malta has a song that could easily not only win the Maltese selection but also breeze into the Eurovision final.
Maayan Eli: First Place – Matthew Cilia and The AfterParty – “Brutality Mentality”
Beyond my general fondness for the genre and my constant wish for songs like Matthew Cilia and The AfterParty’s at Eurovision, I truly think this is a breath of fresh air from Malta. Moreover, it’s not exactly rock or metal; the song is mixed with electronic music and creates an interest that is really fun to listen to. The chorus is catchy, and the combination of growling and clean vocals sounds excellent—something that is usually very hard to balance in metal. I really enjoyed listening to it, and it truly stood out from all the other songs this year. Is the song added to my playlist? Yes. Do I think it will be chosen? No. But it is still an excellent song from Malta’s selection this year.
Full Results
| Artist | Avi | Tal | Noy | Ofek | Aviad | Adiel | Maor | Shahar | Talia | Neta | Oscar | Maayan | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denise | 8 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 104 |
| Matt Blxck | 0 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 86 |
| Kelsie Borg | 6 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 85 |
| Ema | 0 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 71 |
| Aidan | 12 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 68 |
| Mychael Bartolo Chircop | 10 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 53 |
| Matthew Cilia & The Afterparty | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 47 |
| Nathan Psaila | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 46 |
| Adria Twins | 4 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 45 |
| Janice Mangion | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 41 |
| Mark Anthony Bartolo | 5 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 |
| Franklin Calleja | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 23 |
List of Contestants and Their Songs:
Click on the song title to listen!
- Janice Mangion – “Univers”
- Kelsie Borg – “Let a girl breathe”
- Matt Blxck – “Ejja lejja ħdejja ‘l hawn (The flute)”
- Denise – “Trophy”
- Nathan Psaila – “Ganador”
- Ema – “Achikuku (Don’t think about it)”
- Franklin Calleja – “Guide you home”
- Mychael Bartolo Chircop – “My sweet angel”
- Mark Anthony Bartolo – “Mumenti sbieħ”
- Aidan – “Bella”
- Matthew Cilia – “Brutality mentality”
- Adria Twins – “Nerġà nqum”
Click here to listen to the final’s songs on Spotify!
Eurovision 2026: This will be Malta’s 38th participation in Eurovision. Malta joined the competition in 1971 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2002 and Eurovision 2005 after finishing second twice.
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Tal Dahan – Journalist, radio broadcaster, and Eurovision content creator.
Tal Dahan is an Israeli journalist and editor specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest, working with the EuroMix editorial team for four years. Since 2022, she has provided regular on-site coverage of Eurovision from the host city, and from 2023 has also reported directly from the press room—offering the Israeli audience live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth commentary.
Tal is a member of the Eurovision tribute and parody band “EuroFalsh,” a radio broadcaster, and a student of political science and communications.
She is considered one of Israel’s leading young Eurovision experts. In addition to covering the main contest, Tal has reported from Eurovision pre-parties and national selection events across Europe (in Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Madrid, and more), been interviewed by major media outlets in Israel and internationally, and presented Eurovision-themed podcasts and radio shows.
