Festival Kanzunetta Indipendenza

Konkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza (English: Independence Day Festival) is Maltese festival held on a day near September 21 (Malta's independence day) and features "The Independence Song Contest". All songs are interpreted in the Maltese language and is one of the most anticipated events on the Maltese musical calendar. The event first took place back in 1983 in a span of four years until 1987 before returning just 10 years later in 1997 going on to take place each and every year since then. Several local stars like to submit their entries into such a prestigious musical event due to the fact that the songs are written in Maltese. In recent years there were a number of winners who went on to be successful both locally and abroad. Below you could find the list of the past winners

Independence Song Contest winners

1983 - Jo Naudi with the song "Nibqgħu Ngħożżuh Maltin"
1984 - Tanya Camilleri with the song "Lejn l-Għaqda u s-Sliem"
1985 - Adelina Attard with the song "Għajta Kotrana"
1986 - Brown Rice with the song "Il-Ħaddiem tas-Sena"
1987 - Godwin Lucas with the song "Viżjoni"
1997 - Tarcisio Barbara with the song "In-Nar Ħa"
1998 - Miriam Christine with the song "Nistaqsi"
1999 - Claudette Pace with the song "Ejjew Nippruvaw"
2000 - Mark Tonna with the song "Waħdek Ma Tkun Qatt"
2001 - Ira Losco with the song "Fejn Staħbejtli"
2002 - Lawrence Gray with the song "L-Għażla f'Idejna"
2003 - Roger Tirazona & Nadine Axisa with the song "Inħarsu 'l Quddiem"
2004 - Natasha & Charlene with song the L-Arka tal-Libertà
2005 - Eleanor Cassar with song the "Ix-Xemx mill-Ġdid"
2006 - Claudia Faniello with the song Ma Nafx
2007 - Ivan & Kaya with the song "Dan Hu L-Mument"
2008 - Is-Sitta with the song "Nistgħu Nirnexxu"
2009 - Anabelle with the song 1964
2010 - Amber Bondin with the song Trid Tapprezza
2011 - Mike Spiteri with the song B'Rieda tal-Azzar
2012 - Deborah C with the song Jekk Nuzaw Moħħna
2013 - Fabrizio Faniello with the song Aħfirli Jekk Trid
2014 - Michela Galea with the song Mixja Li Bdiet
2015 - Analise Mifsud with the song Kuraġġ
2016 - Dario Bezzina with the song Se Naslu Żgur

Independence Song Contest Runner-Up's(2nd place)

1999 - Roberta Cassar with the song Qalbi Taf Tħoss
2000 - Fabrizio Faniello with the song Inhobbok...Tgħid lil Ħadd
2001 - Eleanor Cassar & Glen Vella with the song M'Hawnx Bħalek
2002 - Lawrence Gray with the song Ħalluni Nkanta
2003 - Mike Spiteri with the song Grazzi Mill-Qalb
2004 - Mark Spiteri Lucas & Donna Marie with the song Il-Ballata tal-Mara Li Ħabbet
2005 - Janvil with the song Int u Jien
2006 - Kaya with the song Se Nkun Viċin'
2007 - Klinsman with the song KC1FM
2008 - Dorothy Bezzina with the song Qalb iċ-Ċpar
2009 - Kaya with the song Lilek Biss
2010 - Gloriana Arpa Belli with the song Fil-Mużika
2011 - Albertine u l-Qamha with the song Skont id-Daqqa ż-Żifna
2012 - Marilena with the song Bl-Ikbar Serjetà
2013 - Neville Refalo with the song Hemm Miegħek Jien
2014 - Marilena with the song Ġabuna Indipendenti
2015 - Dorcas Debono with the song Ma Ninsa Qatt
2016 - Kaya with the song B'Ħarsitna 'l Fuq

Independence Song Contest Second Runner-Up's(3rd place)

1999 - Mark Tonna with the song Il-Bikja tal-Lejl
2000 - Maronia Attard with the song Mistoqsija
2001 - Ira Losco with the song Hawn Jien Jekk Tridni
2002 - Miriam Christine with the song Nessini
2003 - Roberta Cassar with the song Semma Leħnek
2004 - Romina Mamo with the song Saħħartni
2005 - Nadine Axisa with the song Ma Rridx
2006 - Cliff & Annabelle with the song Ġenna Tal-Art
2007 - Eleanor Cassar with the song Fil-Fond tal-Qalb
2008 - Claire Caruana with the song X'Inhu l-Mewġ?
2009 - Fabrizio Faniello with the song Futur
2010 - Romina Mamo with the song L-Eroj
2011 - Janice Mangion with the song Eternità
2012 - Domenique with the song Tama u Kuraġġ
2013 - Nicole Brincat with the song Ħallini Ngħidlek
2014 - Cherlyis Camilleri with the song Ħolma Ta' Nazzjon
2015 - Dario Bezzina with the song Dment li l-Malti Ħaj
2016 - Karen DeBattista with the song Ħarstek

Talent Ġdid Winners

2008 - Gabriella Massa with the song Għada mas-Sebħ
2009 - Dian Bland with the song Ġenerazzjoni
2010 - Cherylis Camilleri with the song Nemmen Fik
2011 - Angelica Portelli with the song Ejjew Nieqfu
2012 - Sarah Bonnici with the song Bil-Bnadar f'Idejna
2013 - Kimberly & Lyann with the song Kliem Maġija
2014 - Kurt Cassar with the song Inservi
2015 - Mikaela Bajada with the song Għandi Ħolma
2016 - Shaun Zaffarese with the song Vittorja

Public Opinion Winners

1999 - Roberta Cassar with the song Qalbi Taf Tħoss
2000 - Maronia Attard with the song Mistoqsija
2002 - Shirley Galea with the song Qatt Daqs Illum
2003 - Maronia Attard with the song Jekk Taf
2004 - Anna Azzopardi & Ivan Borg with the song Il-Ħarsa T'Għajnejk
2005 - Maria Mallia with the song Sejħiet
2006 - Tristan B with the song L-Għanja Taż-Żmien Ġdid
2007 - Klinsmann Coleiro with the song KC1FM
2008 - Deborah C with the song Pandora
2009 - Christian Azzopardi with the song Madre Perla
2010 - Roseann Cordina with the song Jum Wieħed
2011 - Deborah C with the song Fjamma
2012 - Deborah C with the song Jekk Nużaw Moħħna
2013 - Domenique with the song B'Ħarsitna 'l Fuq
2014 - Phylissienne Brincat with the song Tħobbni Kif Jien
2015 - Nicole Borg with the song Fis-Seba' Sema
2016 - Aidan Cassar with the song Speċjali

KKI Junior Winners

2014 - 1st place - Kayley Cuschieri with the song Għannaqni
2014 - 2nd place - Jurgen Xerri with the song Ħajjitna f'Idejna
2014 - 3rd place - Destiny Chukunyere with the song Festa t'Ilwien
2014 - Televoting - Naomi Busuttil with the song Damma
2015 - 1st place - Paolo Micallef with the song Maġija B'Teknoloġija
2015 - 2nd place - Nicole Falzon with the song Ngħix Ħolma
2015 - 3rd place - Rutger Scicluna Galea with the song Inħobbkom It-Tnejn
2015 - Televoting - Wynona Bartolo with the song Quddiem Għajnejja

Reference:

An eight-page supplement of the Maltese newspaper In-Nazzjon of 18 September 2006 published on the occasion of the 2006 edition of the Konkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza compiled by Raymond Miceli with information about this year's edition and with a special article about all the singers who participated in previous editions.