Tightest race: Best Music Video

With contenders like Naħseb Fik, Min Jaf and Je Me Casse, it’s no wonder this category featured our closest call for the top spot. In fact, Aidan’s summer hit Naħseb Fik took home the gold with just a 15-vote margin over the incredibly talented duo The New Victorians’ Min Jaf featuring Lapes.

Destiny’s Eurovision hopeful Je Me Casse finished in third place.

Most popular category: Best Business Innovation

A new category in the Lovin Malta Social Media Awards, Best Business Innovation surprised us all by not only turning out some incredible local businesses and startups, but also by sailing way past the other categories as our most-voted-for category overall!

Kids-food startup Bukkun walked away with this award, nabbing over 46% of the 7,000+ votes in this category alone.

Other noteworthy businesses that made it to the finals include Andre’s Cases, Gigify and Invent 3D.

Rewarding a local media icon: Lifetime Achievement Award

Eileen Montesin needs no introduction. Her career spans over 40 years, from hosting radio shows, to her unmistakeable Eurovision commentary. She’s even delved into scriptwriting and starring in popular TV shows like Dejjem Tiegħek Becky, and her let’s not even mention her hilarious social media game to which no one can hold a torch.

Thanking her fans and followers, she added this award was the “cherry on the cake” of her career. “If I had to be born again, I’d do everything the same. Thank you, I love you all.”

Eileen is certainly one of, if not the first persons to make the jump from traditional to non-traditional media spaces.

Video didn’t kill the radio star(s): Best TV/Radio Host

Radio is certainly alive and well, and when it comes to our second most popular category, the proof is in the proverbial pudding.

Vibe FM walked away with both first and second place for Best TV/Radio Host, with winners Nate, Frank & Rossi and runners-up The Morning Vibe taking 57% of the overall vote.

TikTok rules the school: Best TikToker

It’s no secret that TikTok is the place to be right now. Cementing itself as the most popular app among Gen-Z users, if you’re a business or content creator and you’re not on TikTok yet – what are you waiting for?!

Leading the pack, and fresh off the announcement he’s jetting off to Los Angeles to further his online career, Henry Galea stormed in with an almost 900-vote lead over second-place contender and social media favourite Tereza Anna Cachia. Dieter Dalli took third place with just 100 votes less.

SMAs 2022: future contenders and so much more…

We received thousands of nominations before publishing our finalised shortlist, and while there were some contenders who unfortunately could not make the list due to our cut-off date for consideration, we have no doubt the public will be dropping their names in next year’s edition of the SMAs.

Grocerly App (for Best Business Innovation)

Grocerly placed first out of more than 40 applicants at start-up competition Pitchora. The app lets you select recipes from its catalogue of hundreds of chef-curated recipes and will automatically generate a list of required ingredients for each one.

Despite not yet being released, the app garnered several nominations for the SMAs, however the competition’s rules prevented the app from being able to make the shortlist. We have no doubt it’ll be a contender next year.

Għawdix (for Best NGO/Cause/Community)

Launched earlier this year, Għawdix is a new eNGO aimed at promoting environmental and social responsibility, specifically within the island of Gozo. It aims to defend the natural landscape, push for higher quality of life among present and future generations, and hold authorities to account.

The Boys (for Best TikToker)

A TikTok staple, while The Boys as a collective did not make the final cut this year, we’re certain to see them turn a few heads come next year’s edition of the SMAs.

Emma Cutajar (for Best Music Video)

Emma Cutajar’s epic music video of her personal single Mad at Myself made significant rounds on Maltese social media earlier this summer. As it premiered on 15 September, it could not be considered as a finalist contender for the SMAs 2021. Despite the competition rules, we’re all excited to see her as a contender next year, along with anything else that she has up her sleeve.

Cutajar initially gained recognition thanks to her Malta’s Got Talent golden buzzer performance in which she sang a touching original song dedicated to her sister who passed away before she was born.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Don’t forget the SMAs Afterparty featuring the Keune Black Carpet Event will be going down this Sunday 5th December. Tune in across social media to catch all the latest updates and celebrity highlights.

Until then, drop us a comment: who do you want to see nominated next year?