The 118th WorldVision Song Contest had begun, and the arena roared with applause as the opening video about the host country began to play inside the Fed Ex Forum for views around the world. At home, fans cheered in excitement, their anticipation matched by the dazzling energy within the venue. The opening begins with a brief live aerial shot revealing the glowing city of Valletta as vibrant fireworks erupt over its skyline, a kaleidoscope of colours painting the night.
The opening video began, taking viewers on a breathtaking journey across the Kingdom of Malta Comino Gozo. The sun slowly rose, casting golden light over rooftops in a serene timelapse above Valletta Bay. Its rays touched a lone palm tree and the medieval alleyways of Mitżieb, before a fisherman untangled his net, ready for the day ahead. The camera passed a ringing church bell and sunlit, ancient olive trees before settling on the contest’s logo, creatively formed from local scarves blowing gently on a washing line.
The iconic Luzzu fishing boats swayed peacefully in the Grand Harbour, their vivid colours reflected on the water. From there, the scene transitioned to the rolling, sunlit countryside of Gozo, with the majestic cliffs of Comino visible in the distance. Clouds dissolved above the Valletta Old Town Skyline, revealing the stunning St. Mark’s Cathedral, its spire dominating the horizon. A man with a camera stood atop the city walls, capturing the breathtaking view of the bay before the scene shifted to the bow of the ferry connecting Malta to Gozo, its path cutting through sparkling blue waters.
A reflective moment followed as the Kingdom War Memorial came into focus, its plaque etched with the solemn dates of past wars and of the 12-Hour War, a tribute to those who gave their lives. The scene transitioned gently to the Love Bridge, its padlocks glinting in the light, before returning to the vibrant activity of Valletta. An elderly fisherman, donning his weathered baseball cap, prepared his fishing boat before we cut to the lively streets of Valletta, buzzing with fruit vendors, wooden balconies adorned with flowers, and tourists exploring the historic old town.
The energy shifted to Victoria Street Promenade, littered with its palm trees dancing in the breeze, framed by the towering, modern buildings of the Downtown. Yachts and luxury cruise liners filled Valletta Bay, their polished hulls gleaming in the sunlight. A fishing boat proudly waving the Malta Comino Gozoan flag sped into the harbour, water splashing jubilantly in its wake.
Stunning aerial shots revealed Valletta in all its glory, the limestone buildings glowing golden as sunlight cascaded over the city. The camera followed twisting streets, weaving between church domes, rustic TV aerials, and the Parliament Building, its modern limestone facade shining under the winter sun. A peaceful shot of a Mediterranean garden in Għallieħa transitioned to the medieval walls of Valletta Old Town, then to the sprawling view of the Victoria Street Promenade, framed by Marsahick's soaring skyscrapers and the Fed-Ex Forum, the crowd cheers.
The camera shifted to traditional fishing boats bobbing gently in the harbour, a young fisherman admiring his catch before the view swept across Mosatra Harbour, showcasing grand and humble boats. The Parish Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Balluħa appeared next, its facade glowing in the sunlight. The scene transitioned to sleek yachts anchored in Valletta Bay, a modern hotel standing proudly in the background.
Viewers then experienced the rural charm of the Cittadella in Gozo, its fortified walls rising from the earth, juxtaposed against the timeless wooden balconies of local homes. A horse-drawn carriage, its passengers wrapped in scarves resembling the WorldVision 118 logo, trotted through cobblestone streets. The camera soared over the Valletta Old Town rooftops, capturing the iconic red-domed churches, medieval timber buildings, and bustling markets.
The journey continued with panoramic shots of sunlit, dry stone walls and fields, the rustic back streets of Santa Luċija, and the towering silhouettes of Marsa Spire and Elyad Tower, the tallest skyscrapers in the country. A final breathtaking sweep across the crystal-clear waters of Comino’s cliffs left viewers in awe.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the vibrant nightlife of Għain, the last host of WorldVision in Malta Comino Gozo, came alive. Partygoers danced under dazzling lights, their silhouettes set against a backdrop of music and joy. The camera panned to the Grand Harbour, now glowing under moonlight, and a church lit up in serene beauty. A final majestic view of Valletta illuminated the screen as the music swelled and faded.
The screen fills with the word and logo WorldVision 118 Valletta Malta Comino Gozo, accompanied by the slogan “We Can Be Anything.”
The logo remains on the screen as the camera begins to pull back, and through the magic of filmmaking, we find ourselves inside the FedEx Forum. As the camera continues to pull away, the hopeful and joyful notes of tonight's slogan song, "We Can Be Anything," start to play. A choir of voices ring out. The stage is illuminated in the colours of this edition's contest while the camera pans out across the arena.
♫ "WE CAN BE ANYTHING" ♫
Luċija De Ċelis emerges from the shadows at the back of the impressive stage, clad in an elegant, flowing black gown that shimmers under the vivid lights. The spider cam captures her from her front as she strides forward with an effortless grace. She smiles proudly honoured to be singing on home soil to such a huge crowd. The stage is awash with the vibrant colours from the logo, a striking gradient of deep blue on our left that seamlessly transitions into soft pink on the right, creating a dynamic backdrop.
As she steps into the spotlight, the atmosphere crackles with energy, her raspy, spoken vocals cutting through the roars of the cheering crowd like a siren’s call. The intensity of the applause resonates in the air, urging her on. She can't stop smiling, but she remains composed and professional. Reaching centre stage, the spider cam gracefully pivots anticlockwise to face her from behind, following her every move as she continues her journey forward.
From this vantage point, the full view of the arena unfolds, revealing a symphony of lights. The impressive light rigging suspended above the crowd pulses with pastel shades of pink, yellow, and blue, while spotlights swirl and dance, painting the audience. With one hand elegantly lifting her gown, Luċija moves forward, her poise and confidence radiating throughout the venue, drawing every eye toward her. It was such an honour for her. All the while the choir continues the vocals in the background. We then cut to various views of Luċija from full body shots to facial close-ups as she sings towards the crowd, and the camera gestures with her free hand as she does. As she sings "But there’s magic all across this land," the camera gracefully pulls back, providing a stunning full-body shot. She moves her hand in a fluid captivating motion, sweeping it from left to right over her head, creating the enchanting illusion of spreading shimmering magic dust.
I was crying at a party,
Feeling lost inside my head.
I was staring at the ceiling,
When a voice to me just said,
“Hey, why do you seem so low?
There’s more to life, don’t you know?”
I said, “The world’s a mess, you see,
And none of it makes sense to me”
She said, “It’s hard, I understand,
But there’s magic all across this land
From Rugenia's to Tobu’s skies,
There’s wonder in every pair of eyes.”
I said, “I don’t know how to try,
When I feel so empty inside.”
The lights dim now to about half the level of before as a lone white spotlight gleams down upon her as we have an intimate close-up. Her vocals are harmonised beautifully.
She said, “Open up your heart,
Every day’s a brand-new start.”
The chorus begins now, and we zoom out from Luċija so we can see most of the LED background. The background and pillars are dark with a sprinkling of stars scattering across them. The camera frames her in the foreground but we can see the entire background clearly. As the music swells Luċija turns to her left slightly to glance at the background her eyes wide with wonder as she gazes at the majestic backdrop behind her as various words appear on the black formed by the stars. She continues to sing, her voice soaring, harmonising beautifully with the song’s melody looking at the background as the words, "Singer", "Musician", "Composer", "Dancer" "Songwriter" and "Winner" appear in the background, just a handful of various paths/occupations people can follow in life tying in with the theme. For the last line, she turns to face the camera again and asks the question to audience, "That’s awesome, don’t you think?" She nods in agreement, her face a self-approving grin.
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
We can be anything (You can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
The black fades and the logo colours reappear. We have a view from the back of the arena now as we see that during the chorus the edges of the stage have been filled with over a hundred choir members from the MCG National Choir. The crowd erupts in cheers as the lights fade back on.
The mixed choir members stand in a dynamic formation, each positioned with confidence and energy. Their postures are expressive, with some members slightly leaning forward, creating an engaging presence that draws the audience in.
As for their outfits, the choir is dressed in a blend of classic and contemporary styles. The men are wearing tailored black suits with crisp white shirts, complemented by colourful ties representing the theme of the contest again, and the women are adorned in flowing dresses, each in a rich colour palette that again harmonizes with he colour scheme. Some dresses feature the wave pattern of the logo, which catches the light beautifully as they move.
Strutting to the beat with purpose, we follow Luċija along with a railcam, left to right, as she makes her way to the left of the stage. We cut to a stage show as she leans her hand on a female choir member who breaks character, or was this all in character, as Luċija leans her right arm on her shoulder. We cut to a closer shot as the pair share a playful smile. She sings the line "“Hey, what’s on your mind?” and the choir member mimes the answer “Life is cruel, unkind” , her smile turning into an exaggerated scowl. The camera cuts to a close-up as Luċija sings into her eyes, convincing the woman otherwise. The women eyes light up with magic, Luċija resonating deeply.
On my way back home that night,
The stars above were shining bright
I thought about the words she said,
And how they stayed inside my head
I saw someone who looked so small,
Like they’d just lost it all
I said, “Hey, what’s on your mind?”
She said, “Life is cruel, unkind”
I said, “It feels that way, I know,
But dreams can bloom; just let them grow
From Waisnor's plains to Beepee’s seas,
The world holds infinite possibilities”
She said, “But what if I still fail?”
I said, “That’s part of life’s own tale”
We have a railcam shot now from left to right as Luċija struts towards the centre again the music subduing slightly the background and lights fading to black apart from the lone white spotlight shining down on her. Hers and the choir's haunting vocals ring out. For the last line, she nods and smirks.
I said, “Take it step by step,
Every leap begins with depth”
Suddenly, the stage erupts with colour again, each LED and pillar shining dazzlingly. We have a shot from the back of the arena panning slowly from left to right, the light rigging pulsing blue, pink and yellow in time with the music, and a spotlight bounces off the camera, causing a dramatic lens flare. It's a spectacular sight with the entire stage bright. The contest logo floats across the LED back. We then cut to Luċija for her lines and various shots of different sections of the choir for the lines as they sing proudly. Luċija is totally absorbing the moment.
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
Luċija begins strutting forward from the centre stage, framed by the huge LED backdrop and pillars. For each respective country, she sings about the national colours washing over the LED screens and receives a respective cheer from members of those countries in the arena tonight. Cutting back to Luċija for the last line, we have a close-up. She sings directly at the lens to the viewers at home and winks before throwing her left arm outwards playfully as the camera surges backwards and out.
You could build a dream in StrayaRoos,
Or find your voice in Mister X.
In the Alezian Union, rise so high,
Or paint a masterpiece in Ignosia’s sky.
Everywhere you go, the story’s yours to tell,
From Saint Monkey’s forests to Crustyland’s shell.
That’s awesome, don’t you think?
As Luċija delivers the last chorus, the choir members step forward in synchronised movements. They now hold illuminated props representing various dreams and ambitions, like paintbrushes, musical instruments, or books. The props glow in vibrant colours, matching the contest theme.
The LED backdrop displays an animated mosaic of the flags of the competing countries from the contest, shimmering and blending harmoniously. As Luċija sings "That’s awesome, don’t you think?" , golden pyrotechnics cascade from the stage's edges, framing her silhouette dramatically.
Standing at the catwalk, Luċija invites the crowd to join by gesturing with her free hand. The arena lights brighten to reveal the audience waving LED bracelets in rhythm, creating a sea of twinkling lights. A railcam captures a sweeping shot of the entire arena, panning from the stage to the cheering crowd.
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
We can be anything (We can be anything),
That’s awesome, don’t you think? (That’s awesome, don’t you think?)
Luċija struts back to the centre the camera following her. Luċija stands at the centre of the stage now, her arm raised high as a confetti cannon releases bursts of gold and pink confetti into the arena. The camera pulls back slowly, capturing the euphoric atmosphere, before fading to black with the contest's logo shimmering on the LED backdrop.
We can be anything,
That’s awesome, don’t you think?
We can be anything,
That’s awesome, don’t you think?
Cutting back to Luċija she curtseys and blows a kiss to the audience! "Thank you!" she shouts excitedly.
