A live audience will be an “important component” in the Malta Eurovision next year, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said.
“The lack of an audience was felt (in this year’s edition) and I believe this should be addressed,” Bonnici told Times of Malta.
Asked about plans for next year, Bonnici said Public Broadcasting Services is responsible for organising the Malta Eurovision but added: “I am informed that the audience will be an important component.”
This year’s Malta Eurovision did not include a live show; instead, the contest’s 12 finalists performed in a “live-on-tape” recording.
Singers gave three performances on stage, which were recorded and they then chose their favourite one to be shown to the public.
Social media reactions during and after the show were largely negative, with critics slamming the festival as “amateurish” and disorganised.
“This is the level of organisation you would expect from a talent show organised by the parish priest,” one woman said.
PBS defended its decision to produce a competition solely for the cameras, saying the money spent on this year’s contest focused on long-term investment.
For example, each of the competition’s 12 finalists was given €5,000 to produce a music video, explained Charles Dalli, Public Broadcasting Services editor.
And Bonnici said this year’s Eurovision had several positive aspects to build on, mentioning the video grant as an example.
“That left a legacy after the Malta Eurovision,” he said.
“There was also the Eurovision camp where several artists learned a lot and had a great opportunity to network with foreign professionals. That camp, organised by PBS, did a lot of good”.
PBS was asked for more details about next year’s Eurovision but Dalli simply replied: “At this stage, PBS is focused on its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden this May. Details regarding the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will be announced in the future.”
Malta has changed the way it chooses its Eurovision representatives a few times in recent years.
In 2019 and 2021, Michela Pace and Destiny Chukunyere represented Malta on the European stage after winning X-Factor Malta.
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the 2020 Eurovision from taking place.
In 2022 and 2023, the Malta contest returned, with Emma Muscat and The Busker winning a live event.
In the live-on-tape format, Sarah Bonnici won this year’s contest and will represent Malta in Malmö later this year. More than 132,000 viewers tuned in to watch her victory.