Born
on 25 March 1982, Julie is the youngest daughter of Anthony and
the late Monica Zahra. She has a sister, May, and a brother, Andrew.
Coming
from a family of musicians, she naturally started taking interest
in music at a very young age. Her potential and talent were quite
evident by the age of four when she joined the local church choir
and started piano lessons. As she grew older, she took up singing
seriously and managed to obtain distinction certificates from music
schools outside Malta.
Now
Julie is mostly occupied with the participation in various song
festivals. She love musical theater, which marked the start of her
public career.
Julie
performed in many musicals including the leading roles in Diana
- Queen of Hearts (1999) and Tkun Darb'ohra Mikelang
(2000). She has also played secondary roles in other musicals, including
Some Enchanted Evening (2001),
All You Need Is Love (2002), and Jesus Christ Superstar
(2003).
During
the past few years she has participated in various festivals in
Malta. She is surely very much remembered for the songs Hdejk
and Eternity (both with music by Rene Mamo, lyrics by Joe
Julian Farrugia) wherein she appeared as a soloist.
In
2003 Julie obtained a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Sociology from the
University of Malta.
She
also teaches voice training at the Masquerade Theatre School in
Malta.
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On
14 February 2004 Julie & Ludwig won the Malta Song for Europe
contest with the song On Again ... Off Again (music by Philip
Vella, lyrics by Gerard James Borg). This success made qualified
them to represent Malta in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest held
in Istanbul, Turkey.
Julie
and Ludwig first appeared as a duo in the 2002 International Festival
of Maltese Song (Festival Internazzjonali tal-Kanzunetta Maltija).
That year they placed second and won the televoting award with the
song Adagio (music by Rene Mamo, lyrics by Raymond Mahoney).
The
following year sang together again for the 2003 Malta Song for Europe
festival placing second in televoting and fourth overall with the
song My Number One (music by Philip Vella, lyrics by Joe
Julian Farrugia).
Later
that year they also won the first prize and the best interpretation
award with the song Sebat Ilwien (music by Dominic Galea, lyrics
by Mario Fenech Caruana) at the festival L-Ghanja tal Poplu 2003.
This
led them to travel abroad and participate in the Discovery Festival
2003 in Bulgaria. Out of 24 countries they won one first prize with
the song Endlessly (music by Philip Vella, lyrics by Joe
Julian Farrugia) and placed second in the category for Best Singers.
Following
their 2004 success at the Malta Song for Europe, Julie and Ludwig
were invited to sing in Brussels at the Open Day for those prospective
countries joining the European Union in May 2004.
The
duo has appeared together on various TV programmes in Malta. In
the 2003/2004 season they appeared in the opening sequence for Il-Holma
Amerikana (The American Dream), which features interviews and
information about the Maltese immigrants in the U.S.A.
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Born
on 26 November 1977, Ludwig is the eldest son of Austin and Sylvana
Galea. His younger sister is Abigail.
Music
has always been the center of Ludwig's life. Brought up in a musical
environment, he started showing interest in music at a very early
age. He started taking piano lessons under the tuition of his uncle
Mro. Alberto Borg OSA at the age of six. Finding potential in his
nephew, his uncle being at the time Maestro di Cappella, encouraged
him to join the St. John's Co-Cathedral Boy's Choir, in Valletta.
That was the start of Ludwig's singing career.
In
1999, Mro. Joe Brown gave him the first opportunity to be a soloist
singer in the musical Diana - Queen of Hearts. This wonderful
experience led Ludwig to take up singing more seriously.He has also
appered in other musicals, including Some Enchanted Evening
(2001), All You Need Is Love (2002), Jesus Christ Superstar
(2003), Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (2003).
His most recent leading role was as Gaston in Beauty And The
Beast (2003).
Aside
from musicals, Ludwig has appeared in variouis song festivals. His
first at the 2000 Youth Fesitval Festival ghaz-Zghazagh 2000
wherein he placed third with a song he composed himself, called
All You Ever Need. Since then he has always appeared with
Julie in song festivals.
Ludwig
has be invited to sing on some of the most popular local TV shows
in Malta. Most recent he has even started to present TV shows himself.
Ludwig's TV programmes for children include, Kraxx and Mini
+ Minor. Youth oriented programmes include: Baraxx, Raxx,
Klubzone, and D-Generation.
Apart
from singing, Ludwig has also a passion for teaching. In 2000 he
obtained a B.Ed. (Hons.) degree in Education from the University
in Malta and is currently teaching P.S.D. at Paola Primary School
and San Gwann Primary B, and he also teaches voice training at the
Masquerade Theatre School.
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