The 16 finalists of the Junior Malta Song for Europe festival were announced after a second round of elimination at the Golden Tulip Vivaldi Hotel, St Julians, on Wednesday.

They are Kylie Coleiro and Brooke Borg with two songs each, Yanika Fava, Dario Bezzina, Christabelle Borg, Young Talent Team, with two songs, Thea Saliba, Leanne Ellul, Jessica Muscat, Yazmin and Sophie, Kristina and Ryan, Christabelle and Ylenia and Ylenia Caruana.

The finalists will now compete for first place at the Junior Malta Song for Europe festival, which is being held in the Sir Temi Zammit Hall at the University of Malta on September 24.

The winner of the Malta Junior Song for Europe festival will then go on to represent Malta in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which is being held on November 20 in Lillehammer, Norway.

Singers are only allowed to perform one song during the final night, so those who have two songs will have to drop the one scoring least points, vacating spaces for the reserve songs, Maltasong PR official Nadette Bugeja said.

The total number of entries was 118, of which 50 were chosen in the first round of elimination.

The regulations of the Junior Eurovision Song Festival require that the singer, composer and author of any song be between eight and 15 years of age. Maltasong Board chairperson Grace Borg said she was impressed by some children's musical expression and cautioned against too much adult interference, which could only hinder the original purpose and spirit of the festival, aimed at providing a platform for talented children to express themselves.

Ms Borg maintained that the level this year was highly satisfactory.

The members of the jury, who judged the 50 songs, were Christine Albani, Vince Fabri, Eric Montfort, Manuel Pirotta and Valeria Vella, while Horace Anastasi of the Unjoni Kantanti, Kompozituri, Awturi Maltin, the organisation representing singers, composers and authors, was also present during the adjudication process.