Foreign guests at Labour song contest

Fifteen singers will be competing in the Malta International Hit Song Contest organised by the Labour Party to promote Maltese music.

The third edition of the contest, to be held on April 30, will also be held to mark Workers' Day on May 1 - a feast that the party has a strong tradition of celebrating.

However, the contest will be spared the political element as regulations demand contestants steer away from partisan lyrics.

The final will include two parallel contests: one involving 15 Maltese singers and another where 12 foreign bands will compete against one another.

Croatia's women-only band Feminen, which is contesting next month's Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, will be one of the guest performers during the final.

Other guests include the English band Rizling; the French winner of the 1973 Eurovision contest Anne Marie David; and the winner of last year's Hit Song Contest Neville Refalo.

The event will take place at the Labour Party headquarters in Ħamrun.