Today rehearsals for Junior Eurovision 2023 kicked off in Nice. Countries rehearsing on Day 1 include Ukraine, North Macedonia, Germany, Estonia, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Malta, Portugal, Georgia and Armenia The seventh country to rehearse today is Malta’s Yulan.
What did we learn about Yulan’s staging?
Disclaimer: Please note that the EBU has not released footage from the first rehearsals, and that the description detailed in this article is mainly based from the pictures and if available footage from the delegations themselves.
Photo Credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU
Yulan from Malta gives an intimate performance, alone on stage in a black jacket and sat on a stool. The minimalist staging is supported by an impressive use of lighting, and a projection of Yulan’s performance in black and white behind her.
If you are interested in seeing more pictures from Yulan’s first rehearsal today, you can look through them right here.
Who is Yulan?
Yulan began her musical training with singing lessons at the age of 5 and has since picked up the violin and piano. She loves to meet other singers and gain stage experience through festivals and competitions; in addition to her now four appearances at MJESC, Yulan has also competed in The Voice Kids Malta and Malta’s Got Talent. This won’t even be her first time representing her country internationally, as she also appeared on the Russian show New Wave Junior.
In 2023, Yulan triumphed over 11 other contestants in MJESC 2023 back in August. She performed “Reflection” by Christina Aguilera and had tried three times previously to represent Malta at Junior Eurovision before finding success this year. In her statement following her win, she said “I have been waiting for years for this day and no words can describe the happiness I am feeling right now”. Malta’s broadcaster PBS opened submissions for her entry and announced in October that she would sing “Stronger” in Nice.
Malta’s Junior Eurovision Journey
In 2003, Malta was one of the countries to participate in the inaugural edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with Sarah Harrison and the song “Like A Star”, which placed 7th. The Mediterranean nation participated until 2010, where it took a break and returned in 2013 with Gaia Cauchi and “The Start”, which was their first win in the competition. It wasn’t long until they achieved their second win in 2015, where Destiny Chukunyere won with her song “Not My Soul”.
Malta’s most recent participation was in 2022, where they were represented by Gaia Gambuzza performing “Diamonds in the skies”. In Yerevan she scored a total 43 points, finishing 16th.
What do you think about “Stronger”? Are you excited for Malta’s participation at this year’s Junior Eurovision? Let us know in the comments or on social media! Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Junior Eurovision 2023!
News Source: EBU
Photo Credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU
