Malta | X Factor Applications Have Opened

In an announcement very few saw coming, Malta announced that they will be scrapping the Malta Eurovision Song Contest, and instead be producing their rendition of the world known franchise The X Factor, with the winner being their representative in Israel for Eurovision, and today it was announced applications to participate on the show have opened.

Malta, who have always used Malta Eurovision Song Contest in some format and context to select their artist for the first time will not be using it and replacing it with the worldwide hit show X Factor, potential acts have up to and including July 4th to submit their application to be considered on the show and potentially Malta's next Eurovision act.

Applicants for the show however have some strict rules to eligibility they have to follow, which are similar to those of their application rules of Malta Eurovision Song Contest, most notable, no act can have more than six performers and the lead artist must of Maltese nationality, or hold Maltese as part of an dual nationality, the same rule applies to soloist artists also, and they must be sixteen by May 1st, 2019. Although it has been revealed X Factor Malta will be broadcast and used to select Malta's next artist, there is no word on how their song shall be selected as of yet.

Malta were represented by Christabelle in Eurovision 2018 with her hard hitting song Taboo, which raised the message and notion of mental health and self help, despite it scoring a maximum in the televote and cleaned up the jury marks in the national final, and placing fifth in the second semi final on the jury final, the European voting public did feel the same way and Christabelle placed last in the televote with only eight points and ultimately placed 13th in the semi final and was therefore eliminated, Malta have only qualified once for the final in their last four attempts, and placing dead last with the public in their semi final on the last two occasions.