Think of a rock. A big happy rock. Perhaps one in the sea. A sea bounding Europe to its south. Then think of how this happy rock would celebrate if it actually won our favourite TV show.
Back in 2007, this happy rock, also known a Malta, sent today’s birthday girl Olivia Lewis. A very English name, and a song in English, but she’s definitely Maltese. Her song had everything. A tried and tested set of writers. Men in gold. A big gong. What it also had was 27 songs up against it, in the biggest semi-final we’ve ever seen. As you can imagine, 10 out of 28 would always be a bloodbath, and as it proved for poor Olivia. She only beat Belgium, Austria and débutants the Czech Republic. Turkey, Albania and the United Kingdom liked her stage show, but it wasn’t quite enough. She needed another 77 points to make a the final, and instead got to point and laugh at it from the arena.
Olivia is 41 today.
Għeluq sninek it-tajjeb/Happy birthday, Olivia!