Walter Micallef

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Walter Micallef (born 24 October 1955) is a leading Maltese singer songwriter, born in the central Maltese town of Birkirkara. He has composed well over a hundred songs, nearly all in Maltese.

He has won the Għanja tal-Poplu festival, founded by the Youth Travel Circle in 1973, several times. In 1979 he won with Ġuvni (Young Man), followed with success in 1992 with Iż-Żmien (Time) and in 1994 with In-Nofsinhar (The South). He has also won best lyrics in 2005 with Għaċ-Ċkejkna (For the Little One) and in 2006 with Lil Malta (A Song for Malta).

Writing in Malta Today on 23 March 2001, critic Miriam Dunn remarks that “listening to the intelligent usage he makes of the Maltese language in his work, it is difficult to imagine that some years back, Walter made a conscious decision to switch his songwriting from the English language”.

In February 2003 he released his first album, entitled M'Jien Xejn (I am Nothing). Already considered as a classic release, it contains fifteen tracks written between 1981 and 2001. Awwissu (August) remains his most popular track from this album, and has even been used, albeit to his surprise, as an advert for an air-conditioning brand on Maltese television. He has lamented that his lyrics have, at times, had a lukewarm reception by the Maltese public, perhaps due to the islanders' inbred conservative upbringing and years of political polarisation.

With Maltese society opening up to self-appraisal and criticism, he has been embraced by a growing band of devotees who follow him to all his venues. He has given memorable concerts at The Labyrinth in Valletta, The Beachclub in Marsascala, The George in Bugibba and Marsalforn Sajf in Gozo.

On the 18 March 2004 he launched his Walter Micallef u l-Ħbieb band, including Etnika's double bassist Oliver DeGabriele, as Malta's representative in the UNESCO Suisse charity event One World Beat. This was followed by four concerts in July 2004 at St. James Cavalier Arts Centre in Valletta, featuring his current sextet.

He has also made appearances on German television stations ZDF and Bayerische Farnsehen and on several regional French stations. He is regularly played on Maltese radio stations and on ethnic Maltese radio programmes in Australia.

Micallef was shortlisted for Best Male Artist in 2004 for the Malta Music Awards, and has continued to win acclaim and awards for his prowress in writing Maltese lyrics and melodies.

On the 23rd of March 2007 he released his second album, Ħamsin (Fifty) in front of a packed house at the Powerhouse Theatre, Valletta Waterfront in Floriana. His modern folk jazz sextet includes WOMAD performer Renzo Spiteri on percussion, Eric Wadge on bass, Pawlu Camilleri l-Bibi on harmonica, Albert Garzia on accordeon and piano and Jes Psaila on acoustic, semi-acoustic and electric guitars. Ħamsin includes twelve tracks, with thematic content ranging from romantic songs such as Wara l-Ħajt (Behind the Wall) and Min Hi? (Who is She?) to pro-environmental songs like L-Aħħar Sekondi (The Final Seconds) and Lil Malta (A Song for Malta). The musical arrangements are by Renzo Spiteri.

[edit] Trivia

Micallef's favourite holiday spots are the Greek island of Paros, where he enjoys camping, Thailand including Pattaya and the islands and Cancun in Mexico. The 1996 song Awwissu (August), that speaks of an idyllic beach with powder sand under palm trees graced by a sexy babe, was actually written in Mexico and the blue lagoon referred to in the song has nothing to do with the one on Comino in Malta.

His favourite food is Thai, although Walter is an expert in frying lampuki fish soaked in flour and egg.

He comes from a creative family. His sister is the noted Maltese ceramist Sina Micallef. His older brother, name not disclosed, however had a habit of hiding Walter's guitar on the wardrobe to discourage him from playing and singing when still a teenager.

Micallef is not a fan of the Eurovision, although he has chuckles in seeing the serious preparation and fuss taken for such a trivial festival. He envies, however, the fiscal amount voted as support for a competitive Maltese entry.