Malta drops a fierce MESC 2026 line-up: 18 artists, zero mercy
Malta Takes 2026 Seriously
PBS has finally lifted the curtain on the 18 contenders fighting for a place at the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2026, and the island has clearly decided it’s done with supporting roles. The reveal came through a special broadcast on TVM and Facebook, complete with ten-second teasers that already have half the fandom sharpening knives.
This is the official line-up:
- Franklin Calleja – “Guide You Home”
- Chess Galea – “Shout It Out”
- Liston Bongailas – “Mela”
- Kurt Anthony – “On the Borderline”
- Stefan Gaela – “Pose”
- Ema – “Achikuku (Don’t Think About It)”
- Kelsey Attard – “Perfectly Broken”
- Adria Twins – “Nerġà nqum”
- Kelsie Borg – “Let a Girl Breathe”
- Matthew Cilia – “Brutality Mentality”
- Matt Blxck – “Ejja lejja ħdejja ’l hawn (The Flute)”
- Rhiannon Micallef – “Hold Myself Up”
- Mychael Bartolo Chircop – “My Sweet Angel”
- Aidan – “Bella”
- Denise – “Trophy”
- Nathan Psaila – “Ganador”
- Mark Anthony Bartolo – “Mumenti sbieħ”
- Janice Mangion – “Univers”
And yes, you’re seeing right: Aidan and Matt Blxck, both previous runners-up, are back – and they didn’t come to make friends.
A Sharper Format for a High-Stakes Year
The MESC 2026 structure is refreshingly straightforward:
- Semi-final – 15 January 2026
- Final – 17 January 2026
All 18 acts will perform in the semi-final, with a jury–public mix selecting the 12 finalists. Voting will be fully online, ditching the old telephone system and making space for a more transparent and immediate process.
In the grand final, a single round of voting will decide Malta’s act for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, without superfinals or eliminations mid-show. Direct, clean and merciless.
A Strong Signal From Malta
After several years of uneven results, the Maltese selection feels like a deliberate shift towards stronger staging, contemporary production and bolder artistic identities. There’s Maltese-language pop, glossy Euroclub-ready tracks, emotional ballads, and even a touch of Mediterranean swagger.
The question for the fandom now is simple:
Is Malta quietly preparing a comeback… or loudly plotting one?
Either way, with this line-up, PBS clearly expects fireworks.
Source: PBS
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