Mużika Mużika, a Maltese language music contest will be returning in 2024, with musicians being urged to submit their songs for the festival's fourth edition.

The 2024 edition will be held on March 14, 15, and 16 and will see contestants perform original songs in Maltese, accompanied by a live orchestra.

Musicians can submit their entries online from Monday (July 3) until October 17 at 4 pm. Those who would like to submit their song in person can do so on October 16 and 17 between 9am and 4pm. 

“There used to be a perception that the Maltese language does not pair up with some modern styles of music, but this festival has shown that Maltese artists combine Maltese with every type of music,” Mużika Mużika artistic director Paul Abela said. 

“Maltese music has never been so popular, especially among young people,” he said, noting that the festival has seen all styles of music and that multiple songs performed at the festival made the Malta top 20 charts. 

Aidan’s 2021 submission to the festival “Naħseb Fik,” for example, was a radio sensation, despite finishing second during the festival’s first edition.

It spent 11 weeks at the top of The PRS for Music Malta Bmat Airplay Chart. 

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said he is proud to see that Maltese is widely used in the country.  

“It literally breaks my heart to hear people from old countries like ours struggle to speak in their own language,” he said mentioning Welsh and Scottish as examples. 

As Maltese is used in everyday life “it is crucial for artistic expression in Maltese to have its platform,” he said.