Miriana Conte has spoken out for the first time since being chosen to represent Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest, saying her song "may" be controversial, her outfit was "possibly" bold but her win was for her country. 

The 24-year-old said she had a "surreal" 48 hours, after her victory was swiftly followed by a health scare, when she was involved in a traffic accident in Żebbuġ and taken to hospital. 

Conte shared a photo of her holding the contest’s trophy on stage, footage of her slightly delayed reaction to the win, and a video of her on a stretcher in hospital jokingly saying, “Diva down.”

She thanked the medical staff at Mater Dei hospital, the ambulance crew, and everyone who checked in on her.

“It still hasn’t all fully sunk in,” she admitted, adding that the experience had been “an emotional rollercoaster.”

She also addressed the controversy surrounding her song’s title, Kant, which is a Maltese word for singing but also closely resembles a derogatory English word referring to part of the female anatomy.

Additionally, she responded to online criticism of her animal-print bodysuit.

“Against all odds, every doubt, every horrible comment, every criticism I faced—I can proudly say that I made it,” she wrote.

'Diva Down': Miriana in hospital after she was injured in a car accident. Photo: Miriana Conte

Conte had been an early favourite to win, with her catchy pop song gaining popularity among both local and international Eurovision fans as soon as it was released.

The song’s title may have contributed to its buzz, as different—sometimes offensive—interpretations were given to it. It has already raised questions about whether it can be broadcast in some countries. 

BBC Radio 2 host Scott Mills told his listeners on Monday morning: “We can’t talk about Malta’s one at all; we definitely can’t play a clip of it, ever, on the BBC.”

On Saturday, she secured victory with a total of 182 points.

In her post, she expressed gratitude to her creative team for their support, particularly behind the scenes.

“Words will never be enough for making everything the people witnessed on stage possible,” she said.

Acknowledging the debates surrounding her performance, she added: “Controversial song? Maybe. Bold outfit? Possibly. But we did it.”

She concluded her post with a message of national pride: “This win is for MALTA. Let’s serve KANT in Basel.”

Conte will represent Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, in May.