The Malta Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final - [LIVE]

00:05 Goodnight everyone, and thank you for joining us Chucky Bartolo

00:05 Well, that's a wrap for tonight. I'll be back tomorrow with more wine. Huzzah! Chucky Bartolo

00:04 14 - Maxine - Young Love Chucky Bartolo

00:03 13 - Jasmine - Alive Chucky Bartolo

00:02 12 - Brooke - Golden Chucky Bartolo

00:01 11 - Lawrence - You're Beautiful Chucky Bartolo

00:01 10 - Jessika - The Flame Chucky Bartolo

00:00 my bad, Corazon sang falling glass, not Orazaon #nbid Chucky Bartolo

00:00 9 - Ira - Chameleon Chucky Bartolo

00:00 8 - orazaon - Falling glass Chucky Bartolo

23:59 7 - Daniel Testa - Under the Sun Chucky Bartolo

23:58 6 - Franklin - Little Love Chucky Bartolo

23:58 5 - Deborah C - All Around the World Chucky Bartolo

23:57 4 - Christabelle - Kingdom Chucky Bartolo

23:56 3 - Kim - Lighthouse Chucky Bartolo

23:56 2 - Dominic - Fire Burn Chucky Bartolo

23:55 1 - Raquel - Flashing lights Chucky Bartolo

23:55 Here we go, in random order: Chucky Bartolo

23:48 TNV representin' Chucky Bartolo

23:30 IRA AND FRANKLIN MAKE IT HAPPEN Chucky Bartolo

23:22 Lawrence must have pissed off a sound guy for that "silta" to be the one they're showing Chucky Bartolo

23:19 Am I supposed to be impartial at this point? Cause the more I hear it, the more I'm loving Jasmine's song Chucky Bartolo

23:10 Ben's slip ups are the best. "Issa Sess..err issa Stess." "Inkun lakom..err mghakom" Chucky Bartolo

23:04 Televoting is now open! You have 15 minutes go go goooo Chucky Bartolo

23:02 Well, that was...loud Chucky Bartolo

23:00 My only notes on this were “It sounds like an artificially produced vegetable in the 90s...but as a song” Chucky Bartolo

22:58 The end is (finally) here. Last Up - Deborah C- All Around the World Chucky Bartolo

22:56 Did she take Meghan's colour scheme too? Really? Chucky Bartolo

22:55 Do people know they can rip off artist’s music without copying their accents too? Chucky Bartolo

22:54 Maxine Pace - Young Love Chucky Bartolo

22:54 Le man. Le. Chucky Bartolo

22:53 He’s singing this to himself and that scares me Chucky Bartolo

22:51 THAT NOTE! Mariah Carey tista tirtira Chucky Bartolo

22:51 It's 2016, why am I still typing the name Lawrence Gray - You're beautiful Chucky Bartolo

22:50 This is what a professional singer's performance looks like! WHY ARE YOU HERE IRA? Chucky Bartolo

22:48 This is why we love Ira Chucky Bartolo

22:46 Ira Losco - That's why I love you Chucky Bartolo

22:46 We're back to IRA! YAAY Chucky Bartolo

22:39 Nailed it, dayum. Not a fan of the song but you can't deny that note Chucky Bartolo

22:37 I’ve been curious about an upcoming note and how it would fare live while Chucky Bartolo

22:37 I feel like this is what we’d generate if we ever required a football anthem Chucky Bartolo

22:36 One direction has fallen on hard times Chucky Bartolo

22:35 Dominic - Fire Burn follows Elsa Chucky Bartolo

22:33 Pls meet Kim backstage and text Pixar Chucky Bartolo

22:32 You can’t say anything negative about Franklin, it’ll be like yelling at a puppy. Chucky Bartolo

22:31 Franklin Calleja - Little Love Chucky Bartolo

22:29 I really hope the guy who did the seated dance video comes back this year Chucky Bartolo

22:28 She literally came back with the same song I love her so much for that Chucky Bartolo

22:27 MY BODY IS READY FOR CHRISTABELLE! Up next singing - Kingdom Chucky Bartolo

22:25 Actually praying for a group of tone deaf nuns to be next. I cannot take another bland performance Chucky Bartolo

22:24 This sounds like the music for a kunserva advert *cue rolling gozitan hills* Chucky Bartolo

22:24 Danica Muscat - Front Line Chucky Bartolo

22:22 Can you buy a cake-topper of just the bride? Is that what we're selling here? Chucky Bartolo

22:11 If I was at a club this is the kind of song I’d go to the bar and get a drink during. Chucky Bartolo

22:11 Sarah Crystal - Right here with you Chucky Bartolo

22:08 How does bribing work? Is like 20 euro enough? Cause I want her to do well enough to get to the final, without the risk of this winning the whole thing? Chucky Bartolo

22:07 I want her to sing for an animated movie Chucky Bartolo

22:07 Kim & her Lighthouse follow Brooke's great performance Chucky Bartolo

22:05 It's a bit of a cliche song, but I'm vibing Chucky Bartolo

22:04 But she looks fiiiine, damn! Chucky Bartolo

22:03 Jessie J did this song earlier and I didn’t even like it when she did it Chucky Bartolo

22:03 BroOOOke?? What was that announcer? Chucky Bartolo

22:02 Brooke - Golden Chucky Bartolo

22:01 ADELE HAND (see Hello video for tutorial on how to rock the black nails scratching your own face vibe) Chucky Bartolo

22:00 Chucky Bartolo

21:59 Do the eyebrows get a separate number for televoting? Chucky Bartolo

21:59 The whole time all I could hear is the “indie singer shows us her kitchen” vine Chucky Bartolo

21:58 Raquel - Flashing lights Chucky Bartolo

21:57 "Iva probabbilment, iva iva probabbilment" - All of Ben's lines Chucky Bartolo

21:49 This girl knows how to sing! Chucky Bartolo

21:48 This is kinda what I would have wanted warrior to sound like, for last year Chucky Bartolo

21:48 (dare I say - Deja Vu?) Chucky Bartolo

21:48 Thunder at the start? I’m getting all the Olivia Lewis vibes Chucky Bartolo

21:47 Jasmine Abela, with Alive Chucky Bartolo

21:47 I didn't hate it, I'm impressed Chucky Bartolo

21:45 The TRUE chameleon of the Eurovision, Jessika presents as Owl City this year, in her 5th style attempted at MESC Chucky Bartolo

21:44 Am I the only one who didn't wear a white dress tonight? Chucky Bartolo

21:43 Jessssssssika - The Flame Chucky Bartolo

21:43 I want to give him a hug, he really looks like he's suffering to sing this song Chucky Bartolo

21:40 "we've DONE mistakes"?? Chucky Bartolo

21:39 Daniel Testa - Under the Sun Chucky Bartolo

21:38 Oh thank god, they didn't kiss. We have been spared Chucky Bartolo

21:38 DONT DO IT Chucky Bartolo

21:36 Imagine if your dad entered the competition just to embarrass you and he actually made it to the final Chucky Bartolo

21:36 This feels like an 80s workout video nightmare Chucky Bartolo

21:35 First of the second batch of 4 is Dario - I love you Chucky Bartolo

21:34 I'm glad Ben no longer sounds like he’s gonna puke on everyone with his nerves Chucky Bartolo

21:27 The crowd is going absolutely bonkers Chucky Bartolo

21:25 BEHIND THESE HAZEL EYES YES *mutes television* Chucky Bartolo

21:25 The chorus reminds me of A kelly Clarkson song Chucky Bartolo

21:23 Domenique - Empty Hearted follows Stefan Chucky Bartolo

21:23 STEFAN I WANTED A KEYCHANGE STEFAN I NEEDED A KEY CHANGE Chucky Bartolo

21:21 You’d think someone who lights up your life would inspire a few more lyrics Chucky Bartolo

21:21 Did he say “my girl”? Chucky Bartolo

21:20 And now: Stefan Galea - Light Up My Life Chucky Bartolo

21:19 "Like, but why are they like falling glass" - Texts from friends Chucky Bartolo

21:16 First line and I’ve missed half the lyrics. Chucky Bartolo

21:15 Next up is Corazon with Falling Glass Chucky Bartolo

21:14 That dress screams: TIFTAKRUNI?? JIEN LI RBAHT Chucky Bartolo

21:13 "Dahlet soru jew?" - Texts from my Father Chucky Bartolo

21:12 All the Kylie Minogue vibes with that dress. YES YES YES Chucky Bartolo

21:11 GUYS I HAVENT MEDITATED ENOUGH FOR THIS Chucky Bartolo

21:11 GUYS I AM NOT READY TO SEE IRA ON THE EUROVISION STAGE AGAIN Chucky Bartolo

21:08 This is news to me. The originally titled "TVM.com.mt award" is not at all designed to draw traffic to their site, promise Chucky Bartolo

21:06 Here's hoping one of the participants trips and smashes his mic pack Chucky Bartolo

21:05 Hellooo Ben Chucky Bartolo

21:04 Well Sauron seems to be happy with her performance Chucky Bartolo

20:49 I just thought Amber was a random backstage hand. Time to put the wine down for a while Chucky Bartolo

20:47 Did I say glad? Chucky Bartolo

20:47 Glad to see these two are still around Chucky Bartolo

20:43 Hey guys, my wine is cold, and my body is ready for its annual dose of Eurovision hopefuls Chucky Bartolo

In just under an hour, 19 hopefuls will take to the stage, vying for a chance to represent Malta in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be hosted by Sweden this May. Having already surpassed over 150 entries in the preliminary phases of the competition, tonight's performers will belt it out for a chance at being one of the lucky 14 to make it to tomorrow's final.

 This year's competitors boast a wide spectrum of experience within the Eurovision Song Contest, with some new faces and some old; some of whom we've missed, and many who we've seen too much of.

Eurovision veteran Ira Losco will be the first to perform tonight, in a bid to capture the hearts of the Maltese audience watching at home. Be sure to check out our live, blow by blow coverage of tonight's Semi-Final by resident Eurovision Connoisseur, Chucky Bartolo; right here on MaltaToday.com.mt

The running order for tonight's semi-final is as follows:

1. Ira Losco – Chameleon (Invincible)
2. Corazón – Falling Glass
3. Stefan Galea – Light Up My Life
4. Domenique – Empty Hearted
5. Dario – I Love You
6. Daniel Testa – Under the Sun
7. Jessika – The Flame
8. Jasmine – Alive
9. Raquel – Flashing Lights
10. Brooke – Golden
11. Kim – Lighthouse
12. Sarah Crystal – Right Here With You
13. Danica – Frontline
14. Christabelle – Kingdom
15. Franklin – Little Love
16. Dominic – Fire Burn
17. Ira Losco – That’s Why I Love You
18. Laurence Gray – You’re Beautiful
19. Maxine – Young Love
20. Deborah C – All Around the World