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Ira Losco

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Ira Losco
M.Q.R.
Losco in 2016
Losco in 2016
Background information
Born (1981-07-31) 31 July 1981 (age 43)
Sliema, Malta
GenresPop
OccupationSinger
Years active1998–present
Website

Ira Losco M.Q.R. (born 31 July 1981) is a Maltese singer. She represented her country Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, with the song "Walk on Water". Losco also competed for her country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with "7th Wonder", finishing second, only twelve points behind the winner. Losco and her boyfriend, Sean Gravina, are expecting a baby.[1][2] She later revealed that the baby will be a boy.[3]

Career

To date Losco has performed in over 15 countries and has won more than 20 music awards. She has appeared in front of audiences of all sizes, ranging from 1,000 to 80,000, and has played alongside renowned international acts such as Elton John, Katie Melua, Maroon 5, Akon, Mel C, Ronan Keating, Bob Geldof, Tokio Hotel and Gigi D'Alessio.[4]

Losco started her career with a college band called Tiara but they split up a few months after Losco represented her country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 which was held in Tallinn. She placed second with the song 7th Wonder.[5][6]

In 2003, she was chosen to perform the song called "Reaching Higher" which was the official song of the Xth Games of the Small States of Europe Malta 2003. Losco was awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika in 2008.[7]

Losco has been involved in advertising in her country, including Guess, McDonald's Salad Plus,[8] and Vodafone's Music Jam Campaign.[9]

Losco won the Maltese national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 on 23 January, with the song Chameleon.[10][11]

Eurovision Song Contest

Losco represented Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with the song “7th Wonder”. She finished runner up, just 12 points behind eventual winner Marie N, which was Malta’s highest result ever in the competition until it was equaled in 2005.[5][6]

In December 2015, it was revealed that Losco had submitted two songs for the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2016, the country’s national selection process. Her entries “Chameleon” and “That’s why I love you” were both shortlisted for the semifinal, with “Chameleon” qualifying for the final. On 23 January, Ira won the national selection with over 40% of the votes cast by the Maltese public.[12]

Following Losco's win at the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2016, the singer stated that she was open to the idea of performing a song other than "Chameleon" at Eurovision, should it improve Malta's chances of winning. The national final rules, set by PBS, allow for the winning song to be partially modified or completely changed. On 19 February 2016, PBS announced that an international jury consisting of representatives from ten countries, along with local experts from Malta, would be presented with several songs, including a revamped version of "Chameleon", and would determine which song Losco would perform at the contest. On 14 March it was announced that Ira would perform the song "Walk on Water". The song and video were released on 17 March 2016.[13][14][15]

The dress worn by Losco for the contest was by Alex Zabotto-Bentley, who has also designed for Lady Gaga, Prince and Kylie Minogue.[16][17] It was revealed that to increase the chance of winning the contest, the budget was increased drastically, from minimum €200,000 in a previous given year to an approximate maximum of €1,500,000 during the Losco's participation in 2016.[18] In the first semi-final, on 10 May 2016, "Walk on Water" qualified for the Eurovision final. In the final on Saturday 14 May 2016,[19] she placed 12th out of 26 countries.[citation needed]

Activism

Losco has publicly expressed her support for a number of social causes in Malta, including LGBT rights and anti-bullying campaigns amongst teenagers.[20] In 2014, she was nominated for the first LGBTI Community Awards organised by the Malta Gay Rights Movement.[21] Ira supports equal rights and acceptance, rather than just tolerance, in context that her country, Malta, has been known as the best country in Europe and the world in LGBTQI rights.[22][23] Losco organised an LGBT friendly party in Stockholm during the Eurovision song contest 2016.[24][25]

Discography

Main article: Ira Losco discography

References

  1. ^ http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/arts/entertainment/64946/losco_confirms_pregnancy_rumours_im_a_mothertobe#.VzB6G9RHmrU
  2. ^ http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-05-08/local-news/Ira-Losco-publicly-announces-what-everyone-knew-she-s-pregnant-6736157499
  3. ^ http://www.auctionmalta.com/its-a-boy-ira-losco-announces-babys-gender-as-she-prepares-for-final/
  4. ^ "Home - Ira Losco". Ira Losco. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b Bohlman, Philip V. (2004). The music of European nationalism. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 2. ISBN 978-1-57607-270-7. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Eurovision Song Contest 2002". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Controversy rages over Gaia Gieh ir-Repubblika award". Times of Malta. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  8. ^ Losco teams up with McDonald's Salad Plus, independent.com.mt; accessed 14 July 2015.
  9. ^ Losco launches the Vodafone Music Jam Campaign, independent.casasoft-dev.com; accessed 14 July 2015.[dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Eurovision Malta: Ira Losco to Stockholm!". esctoday.com. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Malta sends Ira Losco to Stockholm". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Ira Losco wins the 2016 Malta Eurovision Song Contest". tvm.com.mt. TVM. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  13. ^ Gordon Roxburgh. "Malta: Ira Losco to perform "Walk On Water"". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  14. ^ Juhász, Ervin (19 February 2016). "Is "Chameleon" Malta's song? Chances are big that it isn't!". escbubble.com. ESCBubble. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  15. ^ Roxburgh, Gordon (19 February 2016). "Malta considers which song Ira Losco will perform in Stockholm". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  16. ^ content. "Ira Losco rehearses for Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest". 89.7 Bay. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Ira begins Eurovision rehearsals with team". TVM. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  18. ^ http://www.illum.com.mt/ahbarijiet/socjali/45272/bait_bla_limitu_galleurovision_ta_din_issena#.VzXFqtRHmrV
  19. ^ http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160513/local/eurovision-ira-to-perform-in-22nd-positition.611922
  20. ^ "Biography". Ira Losco. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  21. ^ "Nominees for first LGBTI Community Awards announced". Maltatoday. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  22. ^ http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160512/local/gay-rights-territorial-disputes-take-centre-stage-at-eurovision.611776
  23. ^ http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160512/local/ira-gay-rights-must-go-beyond-tolerance.611857
  24. ^ http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=ira_losco_celebrates_malta_as_number_1_in_europe_for_lgbti_equality
  25. ^ http://www.tvm.com.mt/mt/news/filmat-ira-onorata-li-malta-kisbet-l-ewwel-post-fil-qasam-lgbtiq/
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ira Losco.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest
2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest
2016 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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