When Danica Muscat watched the 1997 blockbuster movie Titanic, like many at the time, she was blown away by the soundtrack – even though she was only three years old then.
She spent the next few days singing Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On... and has never stopped singing since.
Now the talented 16-year-old is taking part in the Italian talent show for children, Io Canto (I sing), aired every week on Canale 5.
“I love singing. I sing all the time, even at home... When I was three and my mother saw that I didn’t stop singing, she sent me to lessons and I eventually started taking part in festivals,” she said, shortly before catching a plane to Milan to participate in the second episode of Io Canto.
Danica was even chosen to take part in the opening act, or sigla, of the show’s 2010 edition last week when she got to perform with famous Italian singer Ornella Vanoni.
“This is a unique experience. I’m making so many friends and meeting famous people. It’s nice to represent Malta,” she added, as she explained that she was now travelling to Italy every weekend to take part in the “friendly talent show”.
How did she get there? Some months ago Danica’s Italian singing teacher told her a talent scout was coming to Malta to choose someone to take part in the programme.
She was the only Maltese singer picked, out of about eight who auditioned. She then headed off to Italy for the auditions and was eventually chosen out of thousands of hopefuls to participate in the show presented by Gerry Scotti.
This is not Danica’s first experience performing overseas. She took part in the Ti Amo festival in Romania and the Tralcio D’ Oro festival in Bari, Italy. The young singer, who forms part of the Malta performing arts academy, has also taken part in various local festivals including the Malta Junior Song for Europe.
A quick Google search of her name shows videos of her singing during these festivals and occasions throughout the years. Through these on-line records, viewers can witness the progress of the young singer and listen to her voice improve and mature through the years.
Danica intends to keep pursuing her singing career and dreams of singing with Italian singer Laura Pausini.