Photo: Marc Hibbert, London
COVER STORY
MATINA
V
alletta-born singer Matina shot to fame this March as she raced straight into the UK Music Week Chart Top 30 with her first release ‘Rise’, which broke into the Upfront Club Chart ahead of numerous other major acts. Matina began training in classical singing at the age of 12 and gained experience performing locally on national television, as well as with her father Paul Borg’s band, Versatile Brass, which gave her the opportunity to perform for the President of Malta, the Minister for Tourism and Culture, at the Vatican City for Pope Benedict XVI, and to Prince Edward. “I moved to London when I was 17 to further my studies,” says Matina, “and while in the UK, I started developing my song writing skills and joined several function bands. In 2012 I signed a record deal with a London based label, Coast, and am working hard towards my dream pop career as Matina.”
Photo: Julian Hanford, London
The talented 21 year old considers completing a Vocal Degree with Honours at the age of 19 to be a highlight of her journey, followed by being chosen from a tough audition and signed to Coast record label. “Singing comes so naturally to me I can’t imagine doing anything else. I’m very focused on this exciting new project, using all my new skills from the Academy of Contemporary Music and working extremely hard in the recording studio.” Her music has made it to the Music Week Club Charts and various other charts in the UK and Malta. She says that seeing her name listed among massive international talent is very rewarding and is eagerly anticipating the imminent release of her second single. “It’s really upbeat, fun and perfect for the club dance scene. The thought of finally being able to bring the tracks recorded in the studio to life is going to be hard work but so much fun.” She’s also
keen to perform before a local crowd sometime soon – “these are exciting times for Malta and there will be opportunities for me to perform my new music to a really fun home crowd.” In spite of her steady string of achievements, however, Matina likes to keep her feet firmly on the ground. “It is good to dream and aim high, and I truly do. But I am also realistic. This is just the beginning of my career and considering the achievements so far, I definitely can say I am a happy girl.” ➜
Photo: Reenie Wilkins, London
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