It used to be that every year I watched the finals of the Malta Song for Europe Festival with trepidation. One of my comments used to be that if these were the songs that made it to the finals, what were the eliminated ones like?

This year, however, it was different for two reasons. Apart from the fact that the jingle for the festival must have gone out at least 30 times daily on Radio Malta, and was practically coming out of our ears by finals night, all the songs got regular, and equal, airtime.

This meant that I had my personal results ready long before the night: Richard Edwards, Kurt Calleja, Baklava and Glen Vella, in that order. Yet when I saw what Elton John calls the ‘sartorial eloquence’ of the ensemble, my third and fourth preferences swapped places.

The fan base of one particular singer must be thinking that Riccardo Cocciante is bello, senz’ anima. I would say that what clinched the victory for Vella were his innate charm, television presence, and the fact that – to the Maltese people – a ‘bouncy’ song is Eurovision material, whereas easy listening is not.

Speaking of attire, I put it to Joseph Mizzi, PBS chairman, that designers must have been falling over themselves to showcase their creations on the lovely Valerie Vella. Be that as it may, he told me, this was a contest where the emphasis was on the singers and their songs, and definitely not about the presenters and their clothing or appearance.

Yet I cannot help saying that the person(s) who managed to turn Keith Demicoli into Zombie Ken deserve(s) a slap on the wrist. It’s a wonder he managed to talk without cracking his mask. Demicoli could have got by with a light dusting of powder; he didn’t need someone to take a trowel loaded with foundation to his face.

Another person with the wrong idea was the one who must have provided the singers with the questions to which they had to provide ‘impromptu’ replies. The pat answers delivered without the customary infinitesimal pause to indicate that they were thinking about it, showed that they had at least an inkling of what was coming.

But the Spoilsport Award, no doubt, goes to UKAM. The union actually sent us a message asking us to block vote for the nine entries that had a “totally Maltese package” – singer, author and composer (and, one assumes musicians and dancers where applicable).

Now I am all for being patriotic – but when one considers how much we vaunt composers, singers, and musicians (and other artistes including writers and artists) who manage to get their work noticed abroad, I would say this was an over-the-top reaction.

We decry the way neighbouring countries vote for one another in the festival proper, yet we are being encouraged to be parochial to the nth degree in the local heats. It does not make sense.

On a lighter note – I am assuming people use Pantene for fair hair and Schwarzkopf for dark tresses.

I spoke to Glen Vella about his triumph, and he said: “I was approached by several local and foreign composers. Yet when I listened to the music, and read the lyrics of One Life, I knew it was the only song with which I could ever want to represent my country, should I win. I believed in it from the start, and that is why I sang only that song.

“That having been said, I knew that this year the competition would be tough – there were at least seven songs that seemed to me to be potential winners.

I was pleased to see that apart from the free tickets to the concert given out like hot pastizzi during selected Radio Malta programmes, a couple of concert attendees will also get Eurovision tickets, complete with backstage passes.

This could be the reason why the calls for votes were so expensive, at €1 a go, rather enough to cover the prizes and leave enough small change for expenses. It was annoying that the SMS option could not be used for voting.

There’s hope for PBS yet. Next on my list is a peer vote by all the singers on finals night for their favourite singer.

Speaking of votes: the PBS CEO went on record that on finals night, lest anyone come up with conspiracy theories (which were already circulating, see above), the judges would each stand up and read out how they actually cast their votes.

Alas, Anton Attard failed to realise the far-reaching implications of this statement. On the semi-finals night, as is the case in any other awards – sports, television, fashion, music, and countless other contests and competitions held nationwide, this is never done.

However, no one ever suggested this. No one who has ever felt slighted and discriminated against was bold enough to take his claims to court.

There were glitches in the sound as broadcast by both Go and Melita; Melita HD was clean, however.

I wonder how many composers caught the not-so-subtle admonition by Ivan Grech of Winter Moods. Grech praised the high standard of entries, però ħa nużaw ftit il-lingwa tagħna (yet we’re going to use our own language) for his guest performance.

• May I gently remind people who wear false eyelashes not to lower their heads such that they look like grazing camels; that lingerie does not always make for suitable outerwear; and those who have heavy thighs are not to wear short skirts and then cross their legs on camera. Some people need to get a grip on reality.

television@timesofmalta.com