Chiara

Chiara Siracusa, known mononymously as Chiara, is one of Malta’s most celebrated singers. Born on September 25, 1976, Chiara Siracusa began her rise to fame in 1998. That year, she appeared on the Eurovision stage in Birmingham as a relatively unknown artist and performed “The One That I Love,” written by Jason Cassar and Sunny Aquilina. Her powerful performance won over many viewers and earned her an impressive third-place finish.

Chiara Siracusa’s early success in Malta

Between 1998 and 2003, Chiara Siracusa continued to build a strong career in Malta. She released three successful albums and won the Best Female Artist award at the Malta Music Awards in 1998. In addition, she performed alongside international stars such as Leo Sayer in 2000 and Boney M in 2001. These performances showed her versatility and helped broaden her appeal.

Chiara Siracusa at Eurovision 2005

In 2005, Chiara Siracusa returned to the Maltese Eurovision Song Contest finals with “Angel,” a song she wrote herself. She won the national selection and represented Malta at the 50th Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv. Her emotional performance of “Angel” made her one of the favourites to win, and she eventually finished in second place. As a result, she further confirmed her status as a Eurovision icon.

That same year, and with the strong support of her father, Chiara Siracusa started work on a new album. The project included songs by respected songwriters from Sweden, Belgium and the United States, including Diane Warren. This album became another important step in her career and highlighted her growing international appeal.

Performances in Malta and abroad

After her success in 2005, Chiara Siracusa remained active both in Malta and abroad. She performed extensively, especially in Greece and Cyprus. In 2008, she presented the Malta Song for Europe and also appeared as a supporting act during Michael Bolton’s concert in Malta.

However, this period also brought major personal moments. The birth of her daughter, Ebony, was a joyful event. At the same time, the death of her father in late 2008 was a deep personal loss. His support had always been a cornerstone of her career, and his passing strengthened her determination to achieve even more in his memory.

Chiara Siracusa’s third Eurovision appearance

In 2009, Chiara Siracusa returned to the Malta Eurosong finals with “What If We,” written by Gregory Bilsen and Marc Paelinck. She went on to represent Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, where she reached the final for the third time.

Chiara Siracusa stayed closely connected to Eurovision after that. She served as Malta’s spokesperson at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 and announced the Maltese points during the final. In June 2010, she released the official Malta Gay Pride anthem “Believe (We Are One).” She re-recorded the song in 2011. She also featured in the Slink-track “Music Is the Answer.”

New music and international appearances

In 2011, Chiara Siracusa performed in Amsterdam for the Eurovision Artists Event. She also appeared at a Eurovision event in Portugal. In addition, she teamed up with Ludwig Galea for the Christmas song “Ħelu Bambin.”

In October 2012, Chiara Siracusa presented the new song “Forget Forgetting Me.” Within a week of its release, the song reached number one in the Maltese iTunes charts. She began 2013 with several performances in San Francisco. Later that year, she teamed up with Haffi Haff, who featured on the song “Zarbun.” Released in April 2013, the song also became a hit. In the summer of 2013, she recorded an EP with Hera Björk as Two Divas. Together, they released “9 to 5,” a cover version of Dolly Parton’s song.

Chiara Siracusa from 2014 onward

On May 4, 2014, Chiara Siracusa premiered “Mermaid in Love” at the Euro Fan Cafe in Copenhagen during Eurovision week. In 2015, she performed in London and, together with Hera Björk, in Iceland. In January 2016, she sang in Munich. Then, in January 2017, she premiered “Ismani Ftit Habib,” a song she wrote as a tribute to the late Sunny Aquilina. She was also part of the show A Night With Tom Jones And The Best Of Soul.

In February 2018, Chiara Siracusa took part in the Spiteri Lucas Entertainment concert series A Night with Engelbert, Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and Tina. She also played a role in the musical Il Ħanina Maddalena. A new series of concerts followed in February 2019 with A Night with Cliff Richard, Robbie Williams, Whitney Houston and Celine. In May that year, she performed in Tel Aviv during Eurovision week. A month later, she appeared at a Eurovision-related concert in Hannover. In January 2020, she joined another tribute concert, A Night with Paul Anka, Elton John and the Best of Divas.

Chiara Siracusa also performed in Rotterdam during the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 at the virtual Eurovillage. In August 2022, she appeared at the Eurovision concert in Setúbal. Meanwhile, she continued performing with the Spiteri Lucas Band. In October 2022, she performed in Cardiff at Eurobash alongside Katrina. A month later, she sang in Cologne. In June 2023, she performed with the 3 Tenors and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. She also appeared at Amsterdam Calling in April 2024.