Chiara taking a breather

Chiara is using her free time in Moscow to relax, treating herself to a facial and signing up for a pool aerobics session before her second rehearsal tomorrow.

"I feel relaxed. The whole team behind me is doing a great job. They have timed the interviews well and left me ample time to focus on myself. I do not want to go on stage feeling stressed," she said.

After tomorrow's run-through she will be back on stage on Monday for the first dress rehearsal, which gives her ample time to get a feel of the show before the decisive semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday.

Chiara relies on wooing European audiences to vote for her to make it to the Eurovision's final on May 16. British bookmakers William Hill are optimistic she will make it through the first round and are offering punters odds of 5/1, placing her third after Turkey and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Her ranking in the polls as an outright winner has dropped and yesterday she placed 10th with odds of 25/1. However, an oikotimes.com poll encouraging fans to vote after the rehearsal put Chiara well ahead in her group.

Overall, the feedback has been encouraging and Chiara assured foreign media, who keep asking, that Malta was equipped to organise the Eurovision if she won the contest. She added that the island would embark on a 15-day party if this happened.

Despite a good first rehearsal, Chiara is keen to sharpen her vocals and keep on fine-tuning before Tuesday.