issions , ▁ 6 9 ▁entries ▁were ▁long - list ed ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁selection , ▁including ▁subm issions ▁from ▁former ▁M alt ese ▁Euro vision ▁entr ants ▁Mi ri am ▁Christ ine ▁( 1 9 9 6 ), ▁William ▁Mang ion ▁( 1 9 9 3 ) ▁and ▁Fab riz io ▁F an iel lo ▁( 2 0 0 1 ▁& ▁ 2 0 0 6 ). ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁ 2 4 ▁semi - final ists ▁were ▁revealed ▁and ▁preview ed ▁on ▁a ▁special ▁edition ▁of ▁the ▁M alt ese ▁talk ▁show ▁X arab ank . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁S aska ▁H unt ▁and ▁the ▁song ▁" D ress ▁Re he ars al " ▁were ▁with dra wn ▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁Mar il ena ▁with ▁the ▁song ▁" Over r ated ". ▁ ▁The ▁semi - final ▁and ▁final ▁even ings ▁were ▁hosted ▁by ▁Ela ine ▁Sal iba ▁and ▁Gordon ▁Bon ello , ▁with ▁back stage ▁comment ary ▁and ▁inter views ▁by ▁Rod ney ▁G au ci . ▁ ▁Sem i - final ▁The ▁semi - final ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁at ▁the ▁Mal ta ▁F airs ▁& ▁Con vent ions ▁Centre ▁in ▁Ta ' ▁Q ali , ▁where ▁ 1 6 ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 4 ▁entries ▁qualified ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁final . ▁ ▁The ▁j ury ▁panel ▁that ▁evaluated ▁the