“I have been involved in this event for many years now and have practically lost count of the number of times that I have taken part as a dancer! I’ve always loved every single minute of the buzz that surrounds it, but I’ve never been interested in taking part on a competitive basis myself.”
It is with this sentence that television presenter Angie Laus kicks off our interview. The lady is a veritable ball of energy and, for years she somehow even juggled multiple roles throughout that weekend.
“There were a couple of years when I was involved both as a dancer and as journalist. As soon as my part on stage was done, I’d throw on a sweater and rush to interview the singers, microphone in hand. Fun times, as you can imagine,” she tells me with her trademark giggle.
You can certainly say that the Malta Eurovision plays a big part in her life every year. Back in 2007 she even formed part of the Maltese contingent that accompanied Malta’s representative, Olivia Lewis, at the international contest in Helsinki. Her memories of the experience, she tells me, are “amazing”.
“I can’t describe the incredible vibe as soon as you enter the press room and you see hundreds of journalists, all hailing from different countries. Experiencing the coming together of so many different cultures and lifestyles really gives you a high. The atmosphere in the press room is like one big party – as soon as a good song comes on, everyone’s on the tables dancing! It’s impossible not to have fun,” Angie tells me.
She adds that despite popular perception, Malta does not make as big a fuss about the whole thing as other countries.
“You should see the other singers. They’re usually surrounded by body-guards and they are treated like A-list celebs. Our representatives are so humble, compared to these! Having said that, we do pile on the pressure on our singers, they have a lot to deal with in that week.”
Asked whether all this is justified, Angie adds that the international Eurovision contest is one of the few arenas in which Malta typically performs well.
“Even though we have never won, the reality is that we acquit ourselves very well. Also, isn’t it a very positive thing for Malta to be up there, with all the other European countries? Despite the whole competitive element, there is also a strong spirit of camaraderie throughout the event.”
Angie’s says that her favourite Malta entry is Mike Spiteri’s Keep Me In My Mind from 1995. Internationally, Johnny Logan’s Hold Me Now from the 1987 contest still holds a spot in Angie’s heart.
“He was such a gentleman. I recently interviewed him for my weekly TV show, Ħadd Għalik and he was even asking for Chiara. He is a big fan of hers.”
To conclude, reasons why Malta has not yet dragged that trophy back home?
“Budget. We are competing with countries that have massive budgets at their disposal. To win in Azerbaijan, our song needs to be more than perfect.”