You kant say that: Malta’s Eurovision entrant re-records song after swearword spat

A Eurovision entrant has reworked her song after controversy broke out over a word that resembled an English swearword in the lyrics and title.

The song now features the voice of BBC economics editor Faisal Islam, offering suggestions to replace the offending word.

Miriana Conte, representing Malta, originally titled her song ‘Kant’, the Maltese word for singing.

However, following a complaint, she was forced to rewrite the song and re-record the track in just a few days.

The updated song, now titled ‘Serving’, retains similar lyrics but removes the contentious word.

Islam’s voice features in the official music video for the song, which was released on Friday. The audio was taken from a Newsnight interview that Islam conducted with Conte about the lyrical upheaval.

In the video, Islam’s voice can be heard suggesting alternative lyrics: "Serving brunch, maybe, I don’t know."

Earlier this month, Conte explained to Newsnight that she had no intention of causing offence, saying that the word has different meanings for different people. For her, she said, it meant "I’m serving singing."

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She previously voiced her frustration with the European Broadcasting Union, Eurovision’s organisers, in an Instagram post.

Conte wrote: “We’ve just been notified that (the EBU) has decided against using the Maltese word ‘Kant’ in our entry in the Eurovision Song Contest.

“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.”

Local media outlets in Malta reported that the BBC lodged the complaint with the EBU.

The word “serving”, sometimes used with a swear word, has been popularised in the LGBT+ community and reality shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race, where contestants use it to refer to stylish outfits.

Faisal reacted to Conte using his voice in her official music video with a laughing emoji and “well well well” comment on X.

At the end of Friday’s Newsnight programme, Conte’s music video was played over the credits.

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Last week, the BBC confirmed that all-female trio Remember Monday would represent the UK at Eurovision 2025 with ‘What The Hell Just Happened?’

In 2024, the EBU faced controversy over the inclusion of an Israeli entrant amid the war in Gaza, and complaints from contestants over duty of care.

The entrant, Eden Golan, was asked to redo her song ‘October Rain’, which appeared to be a reference to Hamas launching an attack on Israel in October 2023, and she entered the competition with ‘Hurricane’.

The organisers subsequently announced an internal review and a code of conduct that would help to “protect” the wellbeing of artists for this year’s contest.

Following a win by Switzerland’s Nemo with the operatic-dance track ‘The Code’, the contest is being held in Basel this year.

The grand final of Eurovision will take place in St Jakobshalle on May 17, following the semi-finals on May 13 and 15.

The EBU and the BBC have been contacted for comment.