Sarah Bonnici: ‘Leaving Gozo to live and study in Malta has been my biggest challenge’

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Say a small prayer, wash my face and have coffee!

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

To never give up, believe in yourself whilst keeping your feet firmly on the ground.

What do you never leave the house without?

My mobile

Pick three words that describe yourself

Joyful, caring and bubbly.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Winning Konkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Eating pizza and junk food.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Keep pursuing your dreams until they materialise.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?

Car.

What is one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?

That in life we meet a lot of people, some have good intentions and some not as good, however we learn from all these people and all the experiences we encounter.

Who’s your inspiration?

All the people I meet, because I believe that everyone has his own story to tell from which we can learn in some way or another.

What has been your biggest challenge?

I am from Gozo and thus I think that the biggest challenge till now has been leaving home and living in Malta away from my family. I attend University and study whilst doing other things like cooking and housework, not to mention keeping up with singing and dancing. It is a daily challenge, but definitely not an impossible thing to do. However, this helped me to manage my time efficiently.

If you weren’t a singer, what would you be doing?

Travelling and enjoying every second in life, whilst helping others in poor countries.

Do you believe in God?

Yes, and I consider myself as being quite spiritual.

If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Mother Theresa. She gave her life to help others.

What’s your worst habit?

Always being late.

What are you like when you’re drunk?

I don’t get drunk very often, but when I do, I usually get very jolly and funny.

Who would you have play you in a film?

I have no idea!

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Jealousy.

What music would you have played at your funeral?

I never thought of this! Definitely not sad and depressing music.

What is your most treasured material possession?

My smartphone.

What is your earliest memory?

It is quite strange: I clearly remember when I first walked!

When did you last cry, and why?

Yesterday, whilst watching a film.

Who would you most like to meet?

Liz Murray. She was born to poor drug-addicted parents. Her mother died when she was only 15 with her father living in a homeless shelter. She eventually got accepted into Harvard University and now works as a professional speaker. She inspires me to work hard no matter what obstacles I face, whilst never giving up.

What’s your favourite food?

Sushi.

Who’s your favourite person on social media right now?

Tamara Webb.

If you could travel in time, where would you go? 

In the 1950s!

What book are you reading right now?

A biography about Freddie Mercury.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Destroy ignorance, abolish egoism and stop poverty.

What’s one thing you want to do before you die?

Travel and do missionary work in poor countries.

What music you are listening to at the moment?

No genre in particular, but mostly jazz, blues and soul. 

In the shower or when you’re working out, what do you sing/listen to?

Everything that comes to mind!

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If you could perform with any artist, who would you choose and what would you sing?

Alicia Keys. I love her timber and songs. The song I would sing would be ‘If I Ain’t Got You’.

You’ve recently won the Konkors Kanzunetta Independenza with “Il-Pinna”, which you co-composed with Mark Laurence Zammit to the lyrics of Emil Calleja Bayliss. How did this collaboration come about?

Everything came about so naturally! Around a year ago, Emil aproached me wth the lyrics of the song ‘Il-Pinna’. When I read the lyrics, which speak about the freedom of speach and journalism I immediately thought of Mark Laurence as the ideal composer of the song, since he is a journalist. I then worked closely with Mark Laurence and together we composed the song. Being my cousin, helped a lot to work comfortable together. In fact I really enjoyed this experience and hope to have other opportunities in the future to work with him.