‘Mara’ By Cherylis Declared L-Għanja Tal-Poplu 2026 Winner
L-Għanja tal-Poplu was held on Saturday 1 August at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, where the 16 finalist songs were performed accompanied by the Malta Concert Orchestra.
A total of 130 original songs were submitted for the 50th edition of L-Għanja tal-Poplu.
The winners were selected during the final by a professional jury together with a popular jury. The popular jury was made up of members of the public as well as members of the Malta Concert Orchestra.
The song ‘Mara’, performed by Cherylis with lyrics and music by Corazón Mizzi, was declared L-Għanja tal-Poplu 2026. The song is a tribute to all women and the stories they carry with them.
‘Mara’ gives a voice to different experiences of women, including motherhood, women in the workplace, women facing illness, and women who choose to love other women. Cherylis also received the Enzo Gusman award for her interpretation of the song.
The song ‘Requiem Stradalis’, performed by singer-songwriters Lon Kirkop and Mark Cachia, placed second. The song also won the award for social theme and the award for singer-songwriter.
‘Requiem Stradalis’ explores everyday experiences faced by people in Malta and focuses particularly on the relationship between motorcyclists and drivers.
Third place went to ‘Ħallejna’, performed by Mark Tonna and Leontine, with lyrics by Rita Pace and music by Andrew Zahra. The song tells the story of a couple reflecting on how modern life and a lack of communication affected their relationship. It also won the award presented by broadcasters.
During the segments between songs, past participants of L-Għanja tal-Poplu introduced this year’s finalists. To mark the festival’s 50th edition, the finalists also performed excerpts from well-known songs from previous editions of L-Għanja tal-Poplu.
The festival was presented by Antonella Galea Loffreda and Joseph Galea and was broadcast live on TVM. It will be rebroadcast on Sunday 2 August at 16:15 and on Thursday 13 August at 20:45 on TVM+.
The album of the festival, L-Għanja tal-Poplu 2026, has been published on various digital platforms, including Spotify and YouTube Music. The songs and lyrics can also be followed through the festival’s website.
The festival is organised by the voluntary organisation L-Għanja tal-Poplu in collaboration with Pjazza Teatru Rjal, with support from the Malta Arts Council.
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