Malta's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, Miriana Conte, has released a reworked version of her song 'Kant', after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) ruled that the title and lyrics needed to be changed.
The decision was prompted by the song's title, which was deemed a little too close to the C-bomb (C U Next Tuesday) for the EBU's comfort.
While "kant", derived from the Latin "cantus", technically means “song” or "chant" in Maltese, the nod to the more spicy English version, referring to a woman's genitals, was clearly intentional. In the chorus of the previous song, Conte belts out “serving kant” in the chorus – a direct reference to queer slang that basically means to do something with fierce, "girlboss" energy.
For a deeper dive into why the C-word remains so controversial and its origins, you can read all about that here.
Now retitled as 'Serving', the updated version closely mirrors the original, except what used to be "serving kant", is now just "serving". If you’ve heard the first version, the silence where "kant" used to be feels deafening.
Naturally, fans have been quick to comment on this noticeable gap. One user joked, "Even though they removed the word 'Kant,' I can still hear it in my brain." Another added, "Miriana did the right choice by leaving the kant part empty for the revamp. Now the audience can sing it!!"
In the recently released video for the revamped song, the voice of the BBC economics editor Faisal Islam can be heard in the intro, after he interviewed Conte on Newsnight about having only days to alter the song following a complaint. Islam can be heard humorously suggesting, "Serving brunch, maybe? I don’t know," as a possible direction for the reworked lyrics.
Conte shared her disappointment in the EBU's decision in a Facebook post: “While I’m shocked and disappointed, especially since we have less than a week to submit the song, I promise you this: the show will go on – Diva NOT down,” she wrote.
This year's Eurovision Song Contest is being held in the Swiss city of Basel, and will consist of two semi-finals on 13 and 15 May, and a final on 17 May 2025.
