'Let's go all the way': Aidan returns to Eurovision three years after ban
Aidan's disqualified song Reġina remains popular
Singer Aidan Cassar is giving the Malta Eurovision song contest another shot after being kicked out of the song entry competition three years ago.
This time, he hopes to "go all the way".
In January of 2023, Aidan was disqualified from participating in the contest after the organisers said he had broken the festival regulations when he uploaded unauthorised social media posts.
One of the most popular singers in Malta, Aidan had that year entered the festival with his song Reġina, a song in Maltese, English and Spanish. Despite the disqualification, the song remains popular to this day.
On Friday, he told his social media followers he was returning to Eurovision in 2026.
"For the past two years, I’ve lived and breathed music in a way I never have before. Writing, rewriting, chasing melodies at 3am, and pouring my heart into more than 45 song demos. Every lyric, every chord has been part of a bigger journey - one I wasn’t quite ready to share until now.
"During this time, I’ve also experienced some of the most unforgettable moments of my life: performing to thousands of you, hearing your voices rise above mine, feeling that connection that reminds me why I do this. In those moments, I realised something powerful: my music is no longer just mine. It belongs to all of us.
He said this time around, he feels more prepared than ever.
"More certain in who I am as an artist. More confident in the story I want to tell. And more determined than ever to stand on that stage. Not just for myself, but for every single person who has believed in me over the last five years."
Aidan said that Malta’s Eurovision journey has been built on passion and resilience.
"Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for pushing me to believe even harder in myself. Jien hawn għadni nistenna - waiting for this moment. Let’s go all the way," he told his fans.