Gaia Cauchi

Gaia Cauchi M.Q.R. (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɡaːja ˈkauki], born 19 November 2002) is a Maltese child singer. She represented Malta at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013 and won the contest with her song "The Start".[1]

Gaia Cauchi M.Q.R.
Gaia Cauchi at a press conference in Kiev (2013)
Background information
Born	(2002-11-19) 19 November 2002 Mġarr, Malta
Genres	Pop R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2004–present
Associated acts	Gillian Attard Federica Falzon

Life and career

2004–2012: Early career

Gaia's first "international gig" came in 2011 when she appeared on the popular Italian TV show Ti Lascio Una Canzone. She took on Tina Turner's “Proud Mary” and left the audience shouting "bellissimo!". She won the prestigious Sanremo Junior Music Festival a year later in her category when she was just nine years old. There, she sang "One Night Only", from the hit film Dreamgirls.[2]

2013–present: Junior Eurovision Song Contest and breakthrough

Gaia Cauchi at the dress rehearsal for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013

After a two-year break from the contest, PBS (Public Broadcasting Services) decided to return to the Junior Eurovision. PBS, Malta's national broadcaster went for an internal selection and chose Cauchi to represent the island nation.[3] Cauchi won the contest on 30 November with a 9-point lead over Ukraine.[4] Being the winner of the Junior Eurovision, she was given a trophy which was incidentally broken few minutes after being awarded, when the contingent had a group hug.[5] She became the first singer from Malta to win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and the first person from the island nation to win an EBU produced competition.[4][6]

On 2 December 2013, the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that Cauchi would be awarded the order Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, the country's highest honour.[7] This move generated controversy,[8] and she and her team were given the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika instead on 13 December 2013.[9]

Cauchi made an appearance in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 performing part of her winning song. At the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014 contest, Cauchi performed during the interval act and delivered the "Kids' Jury" points. For the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016, which returned to Malta, Cauchi revealed the points from the adult Maltese jury.

In 2018, Cauchi auditioned for the 15th series of The X-Factor. She was placed in the group "Sweet Sense". On 13 October 2018, Judge Robbie Williams sent Sweet Sense, including Gaia, home from the Judges' Houses round [10].

In 2019, she released her single 'Why Should I'. Cauchi has also been nominated for 3 awards at the Malta Music Awards.

Discography

Singles

Year	Title	English translation	Album
2012	"Noti u Kliem"	Notes and words	Non-album single(s)
2013	"The Start"	---
2014	"Floating on Air"	---
	"#together"	---
	"Children of the Future"	---
2017	"Hey Hello"	---
2019	"Why Should I"	---

References

1. Siim, Jarmo (26 September 2013). "Malta picks Gaia Cauchi for Kyiv". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
2. Zadoorian, Loosine (26 September 2013). "MALTA: PBS CHOOSES MINI TINA TURNER FOR JUNIOR EUROVISION 2013". WIWIBLOGGS.COM. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
3. Bayliss, Marc Calleja (25 September 2013). "JESC 2013: Gaia Cauchi Chosen to Represent Malta". escflashmalta. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
4. Fisher, Luke James (30 November 2013). "Malta wins Junior Eurovision 2013". Retrieved 30 November 2013.
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-6Lw2dviJc
6. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25183156
7. "Gieh ir-Repubblika for Gaia Cauchi". Times of Malta. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
8. "Controversy rages over Gaia Gieh ir-Repubblika award". Times of Malta. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
9. "Gaia to receive same honour as Ira Losco". The Malta Independent. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
10. https://wiwibloggs.com/2018/10/14/x-factor-uk-gaia-cauchis-sweet-sense-sent-home/

External links

• Gaia Cauchi - Participant Profile on the official site of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Nicole Azzopardi with "Knock Knock!… Boom! Boom!"	Malta in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013	Succeeded by Federica Falzon with "Diamonds"
Preceded by Anastasiya Petryk with "Nebo" (Небо)	Winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013	Succeeded by Vincenzo Cantiello with "Tu primo grande amore"