We had the pleasure to chat with Claudia Faniello, the amazing Maltese singer who also represented Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017. Claudia is a very talented woman who reached and is still reaching huge goals thanks to her talent and passion. She was born from a Maltese mother and an Italian dad so she grew up in a very Meditrranean house full of music! When we conducted the interview, she told us that she had just finished recording the Maltese version of the Carpool karaoke with Sarah Bonnici and other Maltese artists for a huge national radio stations and she was working on the re-recording of Sal-Aħħar Nifs
with her brother Fabrizio Faniello and the rapper Owen Leuellen. In this interview she talks about her career, her feelings, her link with her culture and her future projects. Enjoy your reading!
How did your passion for music start?
I was brought up in a very loud house meaning that there was always music around, my mom and dad both love music even though they listen to completely different genres. My mom and brother started to sing in some small festivals, there's seven years between me and Fabrizio so he was kind of my idol growing up. He reached bigger stages and I admired him so as a teenager I also wanted to do that but it all happened naturally because we are truly passionate about it!
Did you take any singing classes or train your voice?
Not really, I did go for a few lessons when I was younger, I was around 10 I think. I used to learn the piano so I thought it would have been great to do some singing lessons but that was it. It was just for a few months and then I stopped both the piano and the singing lessons. However, I now do write my own songs and I play by ear.
Malta’s music industry must be small, how would you describe it?
Exactly, it is very small, it is only been a few years since Maltese music or music that is written here has been appreciated more. Before, besides Eurovision, it was more common to listen to music in English or Italian. Now, however, some shows are revaluing Maltese. Actually, the year I won the contest to participate in the Eurovision, the song that came second was in Maltese and it had been years since a song in our language had been heard. There are also groups that are very followed here in Malta that only sing in Maltese.
Do you remember the first time you were in a recording studio?
Not exactly the very first time but studios and I weren't very friendly in the past. When you sing with an audience you feel the presence of people while in the studio I felt like I was locked up alone, as if there was a barrier. I had a bittersweet feeling about it. After that, however, I got used to it.
So have you revalued it now?
Yes but I always prefer to sing live, it's nicer. A similar thing also happened with the transition from monitors to in-ears. For example, Fabrizio likes to use monitors since he is from the generation before mine. However now, if I can, sing with in-ears.
How was the whole selection process for Eurovision and the experience there in Ukraine?
It had been 4 or 5 years since I had participated in our festival that selects the songs because I wanted a break. I was doing my own music, perhaps more radio-friendly. Philip, the composer of Breathlessly, wanted me to participate but I always refused. One day he asked me to record a demo for a song that he was going to send abroad. As soon as I heard it I was very moved, I started to cry.
It was also a time when I wasn't doing very well, I had just gone through a breakup and I was particularly sensitive. Philip told me that he had written it thinking of my voice, precisely for Eurovision. He tricked me but the song was so beautiful that I couldn't refuse it, how can you say no to such a song? Between me and the song it was truly love at first sight.
The jury chose it as the winner and it was a very special thing since there were also other strong songs. For me it wasn't obvious that I was going to win so I said "now I'm going to sing and have fun, whatever will be, will be." I still get goosebumps just talking about it. I felt that this song could do something big during the dress rehearsal with the dress on and the set design.
It was a dream because I wanted to do it for so many years. In Ukraine the song didn't make so much noise but we Faniellos are very loved by Eurovision fans and they showed us a lot of love and respect.
So you have a nice memory of it?
A lot, also because I already had experienced it with Fabrizio in the various times we participated in the festival. There is a lot of work behind three minutes of performance and I simply thought about singing with my heart, getting to know new people and creating authentic and serene memories to always bring with me.
Have you ever encountered any situations of inequality between men and women in music?
I noticed a couple of things like that. From my experience perhaps it is easier for men to be biased. I also noticed this through my brother. Fans tend to be more loyal to males, teenage girls develop a kind of attachment. It is harder for women, even though there are still many women loved, for example, by the LGBT+ community which follows the Eurovision Song Contest a lot. So maybe if you are a male and make good music it might be easier to have loyal fans.
The other thing I noticed is that when you are a public figure obviously they don't really know you, they only know your public version but they judge you, even other women. Consequently, I would say that it is a bit easier to be judged for us women than for men, even by other women. You have to behave in a mature way and not to pay attention to them.
Another thing that comes to mind is that, especially in the past, sometimes we were asked to dress provocative. This is not asked to men, maybe they are asked other uncomfortable things, though.
Can you recommend a Maltese song?
I recommend Sal-Aħħar Nifs, a song that we re-recorded after 25 years. A Maltese NGO that helps people with ALS chose it for a campaign. We recently recorded the music video and it's me, Fabrizio Faniello and Owen Leuellen, a rapper. I sing, study psychotherapy, and I'm a support teacher in a school so I would also like to recommend one of my songs called Ġmielek. It is from a Maltese festival that returned after many years in 2021. I also did it in sign language because I wanted to combine my love for music with my love for what I do every day. It talks about people who don't feel seen or understood. For me, it is very special because many times I have felt like that too and in general, through our job, it is not uncommon to meet people who feel lonely.
Do you have any advice for young women who want to have a career in music?
Nothing can stop you, only you can stop yourself. With so many opportunities today the only limit is the sky. Be authentic and true to yourself, respect yourself, surround yourself with people who truly believe in who you are and what you want to do. This has to be applied both in the studio and out, both for music but also for other areas, both for those who work on stage but also for those who work backstage. It is important to have people around you who believe in you and in your project. No man is an island so you cannot do everything on your own.
What are your future projects?
In addition to this song with Fabrizio and Owen, I also have some concerts planned here in Malta with my band. Also, I will study a lot and obviously music will always be present.
You can follow Claudia Faniello here, listen to her music here and watch the video of Ġmielek hereunder: