After a slow start at Junior Eurovision, Malta found the sweet spot in 2013 with Gaia Cauchi. Destiny stormed the competition in 2015, and the Top 10 results kept coming. Hoping to score their third win is Ike and Kaya with their song, My Home.
Anita:
Song + VocalsĀ
An underwhelming national selection saw Ike and Kaya rise to the top of the leaderboard in Malta, but the entry has since had a mixed reception within the community. The Disney-style ballad turned rap song is an interesting mix, but I donāt know if it works in this case. Kaya is a competent singer, and Ike confidently raps his verse, however it doesnāt change the fact that the song is totally uninspired.Ā
In this yearās field, Malta unfortunately comes across as outdated. Lyrically and melodically, āMy Homeā hits all the cliches. The chorus melody is a bit awkward, and during the national selection it seemed that Kaya was behind on the beat. The lyrics of the rap are also quite uninspired, so as a ānoveltyā of the song, it doesnāt really hit the mark.Ā
Performance + ActĀ
Malta will need to bring something special to the stage to really elevate this and make it memorable. Creating a scene on stage similar to those in the music video might be a nice way to create some interest. With that said, the success of the stage show will also come down to how they showcase Kaya and Ike together, as their individual parts of the song are relatively separate.Ā
Conclusions
Talented kids, but with the wrong song. Looking at this yearās field, this track feels like quick songwriting with no real pull. In terms of ballads, there are better in the field, however the vocal performance and novelty of the duo may pull some votes. I canāt see this being a huge televote hit, however it may appeal to the juries for the big ballad vocals.Ā
RatingĀ
4/10
Dennis:Ā
Song + Vocals
The opening of the song resembles the Christmas songs we have been hearing in December a lot already. This could work out well for Malta in the competition. There is severe competition in this ballad-genre this year and when it comes to originality this song is not the best of the bunch, I must say. When it comes to the vocals, they give a good performance. Curious to hear how Ike will do his rap sequences in a live performance though.
Performance + Act
How will Malta combine the ballad-styles song with the rap sequences of Ike? At Eurovision, itās easy to swing and miss in that genre, as we have seen for Daz Sampson for example. I wish Malta luck with staging this song in the right away.
Conclusions
The Maltese song for Junior 2021 is a bit outdated, mixing up the rap and ballad genre. But from what I have seen and heard from them, they execute it well. Donāt know if this will be picked up in a competition with severe competition though.
Rating
5/10
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