Eurovision 2015: Amber to Represent Malta With Warrior

Amber Bondin : Source YouTube

Amber and her Warrior stomped all over the competition on Saturday evening at the national selection of Malta's song for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. She not only received full marks from the five-person jury, but also topped the public televote.

She and thirteen other finalists took to the stage at a converted shipyard in Marsa in a three hour extravaganza to choose the song that will represent Malta. It was like a practice run of one of the actual Eurovision semi-finals, with all the glitz and drama only this competition can offer.

Amber probably won it on passion and perseverance alone: passion in her live vocals and perseverance because this was her fifth straight attempt in Malta's national final. But what about the song?

Composed by Elton Zarb and Matt 'Muxu' Mercieca, Warrior is a power ballad from the Undo/Rise Like A Phoenix songbook, with a generous helping of Sia's Chandelier thrown in.

Amber handles the vocals very well even if, in places, elements of the song are screamed rather than sung. Hopefully, she will work on that, together with her diction, between now and next May. Unfortunately, for the most part, I really could not understand what she was singing about.

Nevertheless, the chorus packs a dramatic punch and the melody is almost instantly memorable. That's always a good thing for a Eurovision song.

Its qualification odds? As it's only the second finalist to be chosen, it's tough to offer an opinion on its chances in Vienna. Given the right staging and some much-needed tweaks, Warrior could fight its way into the final. There is, of course, the new rule in Malta's selection process for the artist to reject their chosen song and substitute it for another. In view of the overwhelming support for Warrior on the island, it's unlikely that this will happen. However, I'm sure that won't stop any modifications that are deemed necessary.

What are your thoughts about the Maltese selection? Did they get it right?

View the full Maltese Eurovision national final result.