Miriana Conte, representing Malta, has changed the title and lyrics of her Eurovision entry ‘Kant’ to ‘Serving’ following concerns over a resemblance to an English swearword.
A contestant in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest has made adjustments to her entry due to concerns over the interpretation of a word in her song’s lyrics that resembled an English swearword. Miriana Conte, representing Malta, originally titled her song “Kant,” which translates to “singing” in Maltese. However, after receiving a complaint, she was required to revise the track just days before the deadline.
Following this feedback, Eurovision released the official music video for Conte’s updated song, now renamed “Serving,” which retains similar lyrics but omits the controversial word. The new music video opens in a documentary-style format, featuring various commentators discussing both Conte and her song. Notably, Faisal Islam, the economics editor for the BBC, contributes his voice, having previously interviewed Conte on the programme Newsnight, where he suggested alternatives for the lyrics, commenting, “Serving brunch, maybe, I don’t know.”
In her interview with Newsnight, Conte expressed her intention not to offend anyone, explaining that the word meant different things across cultures and in her context signified “I’m serving singing.” On Instagram, she communicated her disappointment, stating that she had been informed via notification from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that they decided against using the term “Kant” in her entry for Eurovision. She shared her surprise at the situation, noting the tight timeline, “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.”
Reports from Maltese news sources indicated that the complaint was lodged by the BBC with the EBU. Faisal Islam reacted to the incorporation of his voice into Conte’s official music video on the platform X by posting a laughing emoji alongside a comment of “well, well, well.” The updated video was featured during the end credits of the recent episode of Newsnight.
As Eurovision prepares for the forthcoming contest, the UK will be represented by the all-female trio Remember Monday with their song “What the Hell Just Happened?” The grand final of Eurovision is scheduled to occur in Basel, Switzerland, on 17 May, following the semi-finals on the 13th and 15th of May.
The EBU has previously faced significant scrutiny over artistic representation, particularly noted during the last competition when Eden Golan from Israel was required to rework her song “Rain” amidst the ongoing Gaza war, eventually performing under the title “Hurricane.” Following these incidents, Eurovision announced an internal review and a new code of conduct aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of participating artists in future contests.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://wiwibloggs.com/2025/03/14/miriana-conte-is-serving-ahh-not-kant-in-maltas-eurovision-revamp/284015/ – This article supports the claim that Miriana Conte’s song was revised due to concerns over the word ‘Kant’ and its potential interpretation as an English swearword. It also discusses the new music video for her updated song ‘Serving’.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCIk-XVcV_E – This YouTube video provides a reaction to the controversy surrounding Miriana Conte’s song and its revision, discussing the new chorus and the potential audience reaction.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsnight – This link to the BBC Newsnight program supports the claim that Miriana Conte was interviewed on Newsnight, where she discussed her song and the controversy surrounding it.
- https://eurovision.tv/ – The official Eurovision website would provide information on the upcoming contest, including the schedule and participating countries, supporting the details about the contest’s dates and locations.
- https://www.ebu.ch/ – The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) website would contain information about their policies and decisions regarding Eurovision entries, supporting the claim about the EBU’s role in revising Miriana Conte’s song.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is very recent, referencing events happening just days before the Eurovision deadline in March 2025. It includes current information about the contest and recent changes.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The quote from Faisal Islam seems original to this context, but without further verification, it’s difficult to confirm if it’s the first use. The quote from Miriana Conte on Instagram appears to be original as well.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Guardian, a well-established and reputable publication known for its reliability.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about Eurovision and the adjustments to the song are plausible given the context of past controversies and the contest’s rules. However, specific details about the complaint’s origin could not be verified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh and originates from a reliable source. While some quotes appear original, they lack external verification. The plausibility of the claims is high, given past Eurovision controversies.
