The Coca-Cola Malta Music Awards 2008, held at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali on Saturday night, yielded a remarkable five awards for alternative rocker and relative newcomer Niki Gravino, as well as double victories for established artists Winter Moods, Beangrowers and Ira Losco.

Winter Moods were voted Malta’s Best Band and they also received the Legends’ Award while Ira Losco was voted Best Female Artist and as well as receiving the gong for Best Album of the Year (Fortune Teller).

Beangrowers won the Best Video gong and the Award for Best Local Export. Mary Spiteri collected the Lifetime Achievement Award and 16-year old Christabelle was elected Malta’s best RnB artist.

Niki Gravino’s goth-tinged rock won him awards for Best Male Artist, Best CD Cover (The Politics of Double Beds), Best Song (Catwalk Baby), Best Songwriter and Best Image. The singer was accompanied by his band The Vile Bodies as he received the awards.

The event, attended by an audience of around 5000 people, featured enthusiastically-received performances by Malta’s top talent, including, amongst others, spectacular effects-laden shows by Tribali and dance artists Toby & Kristina Casolani, as well as British DJs Deepest Blue, whose international top ten hits such as Miracle were greeted with loud applause and singing along by the crowd.

TV personalities Stephanie Cassar and Jean Claude Micallef hosted the show, which featured a procession of Malta’s top names decked out in the latest fashions turning out to present awards to the winning artists. DJ Mykill, accompanied by Kevin the Bongo Man, string player Philip and MC Colin Fitz warmed up the crowd before the event.

A recording of the entire show will be broadcast on TVM after the 8pm news on Thursday evening.

The complete winners’ list is as follows:

• Best Band – Winter Moods

• Best Male – Niki Gravino

• Best Female – Ira Losco

• Best Album – Fortune Teller – Ira Losco

• Best CD Cover – Niki Gravino

• Best Artist Website – DJ Ruby

• Lifetime Achievement Award – Mary Spiteri

• MTA Local Export Award – Beangrowers

• Best New Artist – Airport Impressions

• Best Song – Catwalk baby – Niki Gravino

• Best Songwriter – Niki Gravino

• Best Video – Not in a million lovers – Beangrowers

• Best Artist Image – Niki Gravino

• Best Dance Production – Burning from the inside – Tenishia

• Best Hip Hop/RnB Artist – Christabelle

• The Legends Award – Winter Moods