Back
in 1998, a relatively unknown singer walked out onto the stage of the
Malta Song for Europe contest.
Humble and sincere, she sang a song called The One That I Love.
That performance reached into peoples hearts enough for her to
win the competition and the right to represent Malta in the Eurovision
Song Contest in Birmingham.
Chiara took to the stage in Birmingham, on 9 May 1998 with a strong
and determined personality. She sang her heart out to a rapturous audience.
She
led the voting process right up to the very end where she was pipped
at the post by Dana International in the very last stages of the ever-controversial
voting process. She finished in third place. Chiara had become a star
and was in demand. However, due to weak management and a lack of preparation,
her music career did not flourish.
Unable to get herself released from a stale contract, Chiara spent the
next five years in a musical wilderness having only her national market
to rely on.
During this time she won the Best Female Artist at the 1998
Malta Music Awards and released three albums on the local market. Her
highlight was performing with Leo Sayer and Boney M in concert in 2000
and 2001 respectively.
In 2003, things rapidly changed for the better. Once her contract expired,
Chiara was free to choose for herself and signed up with Bridge Productions,
and worked on a new album.
Her new album consists of a number of songs written by internationally-acclaimed
songwriters hailing from Sweden, Belgium and the United States
including none other than Diane Warren who is undoubtedly one of the
most successful songwriters ever.
In the process, she developed her song-writing skills to write the beautiful
ballad Angel which she entered for the Malta Song for Europe
Festival 2005. Stronger and more determined than before, she performed
magnificently to reach out and touch everyones heart.
Seven years after that memorable night in Birmingham, she will once
again step out onto the international stage, to represent Malta at the
50th Eurovision Song Contest, this time, in Kiev.
2005 is her second attempt to succeed internationally. She has the potential.
She has the heart. She has the personality and the voice. She also has
strong support and is working closely with her management and production
company towards success.