A young Maltese singer has won awards in two categories in a Swedish song festival. 

Giorgia Borg, 8, added a Grand Prix prize to the first place she achieved in her age category at the Thank You For The Music festival in Gävle, Sweden. 

Giorgia wit her trophy and festival diploma.Giorgia wit her trophy and festival diploma.

Judges praised the young singer for her confidence on stage and diva-like rendition of Beyonce' hit Listen. 

"It was a great experience, and of course Giorgia was very excited to win," her mother Pamela told Times of Malta. "Giorgia is used to competition as she's been singing for three years, but this was certainly her most professional experience so far." 

The Gavle festival was organised by Johan Jämtberg, who co-wrote Kurt Calleja's 2012 Eurovision entry This is the Night. 

Jämtberg, who often serves as a judge at various international festivals, invited 36 young singers from across Europe and Asia to take part in the festival. 

"He heard Giorgia sing here in Malta in July, and I suppose he really liked her voice because he came up to us and invited us to take part in the festival," Pamela recalled. 

Singers ranged in age from 7 to their early 20s, and hailed from countries as varied as Azerbaijan and Germany.

With four contestants, Malta was well-represented at the festival.With four contestants, Malta was well-represented at the festival.

Although Giorgia took home the plaudits, she was not the only young singer flying the Maltese flag, with three other Maltese singers - Thea Borg, Kira Copperstone and Shazay Grima - taking part. 

Giorgia followed up her Beyonce' performance with two tribute songs during the Grand Prix, singing Jesse J's Mamma Knows Best as well as a rendition of Sia's version of California Dreamin', itself a cover of the original Mamas and Papas version.

With Junior Eurovision eligibility just one birthday away, expect Giorgia to reappear behind a microphone sooner rather than later. 

But for the time being, the young Żebbuġ singer is taking some time off to enjoy summer - and perhaps catch up with the friends she made during the Gävle festival. 

"Winning is nice," Pamela said, "but making friends is amazing."  

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