Tell me about your journey from Malta to where you are today, New York. What have been the defining moments?

 Malta is home, and it always will be. But from the young age of 12, I had this yearning to go abroad and study singing and acting because I knew this was what I wanted to pursue as a career. So I was sent by my parents to study music and performing arts to the prestigious Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. There have been so many defining moments along the way. Placing third in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest at just 19 years old was definitely one of them. Another was having the courage to move across the world and build the life and career I wanted for myself. Getting my O-1 artist visa three times and being able to sustain a career as a performer in New York has also been an incredible achievement for me. It hasn't always been easy, but looking back at how far I've come makes me incredibly proud.

How did that experience of living away from home so at such a young age shape you personally and artistically?

 It was extremely tough to leave my comfort zone at the tender age of 12, but it really shaped me into the person I am today. I became brave from a very young age, more outgoing and, most importantly, a risk taker, which is definitely something you need to be in the entertainment industry.

Looking back, what has been your biggest challenge as a performer?

My biggest challenge has probably been dealing with the fear of rejection and the uncertainty of never really knowing what my schedule will look like over the next few months. I don't have the safety net that a traditional 9-to-5 job can bring, or somebody I report to every day. I really have to rely on myself. Learning how to be your own boss, stay motivated and remain disciplined even when things are uncertain has probably been one of my biggest challenges.

How would you describe your artistic identity today?

I would say I am the ultimate showgirl. When people come to watch me perform live, I'm not just a singer, I'm an entertainer, and I always want to put on a show. My goal is for people to leave my shows happier than when they arrived. I want to give them a fun experience, make them forget about everything else for a while and give them a night they will remember.

 Which of your original songs best represents who you are as an artist, and why?

Dancing with a Criminal represents me best as an artist because it really showcases my soulful voice, my tone and my musical theatre background, while also being extremely honest lyrically about my experiences as an artist. In the song, I talk about how you almost have to be a little delusional to succeed in this industry. You have to be a dreamer and have the audacity to believe you can achieve something that is incredibly difficult. I think you need that mentality to survive and keep going in this business.

 What inspires your songwriting?

Everyday life. The experiences I encounter, the places I travel to and the beautiful people who surround and inspire me. I think there is inspiration everywhere if you're open to it.

How has your music evolved since your Eurovision days?

I was only 19 when I competed in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest, and I've experienced so much life since then. Naturally, my music has evolved significantly, both emotionally and artistically. Today, I write from the heart and from lived experiences, some wonderful and some heartbreaking. I think I understand myself and my voice much more now, and that comes through in my music.

Can you walk us through your creative process from idea to finished recording?

Usually, it starts with a feeling, an experience or sometimes even just one sentence that comes into my head. I write a lot about things that have actually happened to me, so the emotion normally comes first. Then I'll start playing with melodies and lyrics and take the idea into the studio, where it really begins to come alive. I love collaborating because another musician or producer can hear something completely different in an idea and take it somewhere you never expected. The recording process is one of my favourite parts because that's when I can really use my voice and my acting background to tell the story.

You have lived and worked in London, Los Angeles, and New York. What did each city teach you?

 London taught me to study hard and to finish whatever I start. Los Angeles taught me to always trust my gut and to be vigilant. New York has taught me to be consistent, disciplined and incredibly hardworking. Everyone in New York seems to be at the top of their field, and if you slack off for even a moment, someone else is ready to take that opportunity. There's a saying, "New York tough," and I definitely became stronger living here. New York has taught me resilience more than anywhere else.

What differences have you noticed between the entertainment industries in Malta and the United States?

Malta has so much talent, especially for such a small island, but naturally the industry in America operates on a completely different scale. There are opportunities everywhere, but there are also thousands of incredibly talented people competing for those same opportunities. New York taught me very quickly that talent alone isn't enough. You have to be consistent, professional, disciplined, easy to work with and constantly creating opportunities for yourself. Malta gave me my start and my confidence, while America taught me how to turn that passion into a sustainable career.

What advice would you give young Maltese artists hoping for an international career?

GO FOR IT! Leave your comfort zone and be brave. In the end, we regret the chances we didn't take. And if you fail, that's okay. You get up, learn from it and try again and again until something works. Don't let fear make the decision for you.

How does acting influence your work as a singer?

 Acting has made me much more emotionally connected as a singer and has really helped me connect with an audience on a deeper level. Acting is very psychological. It's always about the other person, what they're feeling, what you're trying to communicate to them and how you're affecting one another. Studying acting has made me much more aware of the people around me, not only when I'm performing but also in everyday life. When I'm singing a song now, I'm not just thinking about hitting the notes; I'm thinking about the story I'm telling.

Which role has challenged you the most and why?

Playing Gloria, one of the main roles in the Off-Broadway musical Fifth Avenue, was definitely one of the most challenging. I had to sing, act and dance all at once during a very difficult song with lots of high notes while also doing an outfit change. I honestly felt like a full-on circus performer! That show taught me so much about stamina, discipline and trusting myself as a performer.

Do you feel more at home on a concert stage, in theatre, or in front of a camera?

 I love them all, but the feeling I get from being on stage in front of a live audience is unbeatable. For me, there is nothing quite like it. In front of a camera, you can hide a little more. You can do another take or make edits afterwards. On stage, you can't. There is no editing and there are no second takes. It's just you, in that moment, with the audience. The stakes are definitely higher, and that's exactly what makes it so exciting.

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

I'm most proud that I'm still doing it. Moving across the world and building a career from nothing isn't easy. Getting my O-1 artist visa three times and being able to sustain a life and career as a performer in New York is something I'm incredibly proud of. There have also been some surreal moments, performing at the Kennedy Center, selling out my own shows in New York, performing Off-Broadway and releasing my own original music. But ultimately, I'm proud that the 12-year-old girl in Malta who had this huge dream actually had the courage to go after it.

What does success mean to you today?

Success to me today means being able to wake up every day and do what I love, while still genuinely loving what I do. It's about building a life and career that make me happy, continuing to grow as an artist, and never losing the passion that made me want to do this in the first place.

Have there been moments when you considered giving up? What kept you going?

 Many times! There was actually a point before I moved to New York when I considered settling down in Malta with someone I was seeing at the time and following a more traditional path, like many of my friends here had done. But I quickly snapped out of it. Deep down, I knew there was still so much more I wanted to experience and achieve. I decided to keep going, took the risk and made the move to New York and gosh, am I happy I did! Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

What projects or goals are you working towards over the next five years?

There are so many things I still want to achieve. A Eurovision comeback is definitely something I would consider, but an even bigger dream would be releasing a full album of original music and touring across the US and Europe. I feel like I'm entering a really exciting chapter of my career, and I want the next five years to be about going bigger, taking more risks and continuing to push myself as an artist.

What is a misconception people often have about performers?

Everybody thinks it's glamorous and easy all the time, trust me, it isn't.  People usually only see the finished product: the shows, the outfits, the travelling, the music and the exciting moments. What they don't see is everything that happens behind the scenes. You hear "no" constantly, you deal with egos, and sometimes you have to chase and chase just to get one opportunity. As an independent artist, you also have to wear so many hats. I'm not only the performer. I handle my content, marketing, bookings, promotion and so much of the business behind my career. I've only recently hired a part-time assistant to help me with bookings. It is much harder than it looks, but I think that's also what makes every achievement feel so rewarding.

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Frank Sinatra 100%! I love his joie de vivre, his confidence and the way he commanded a room. He seemed completely unapologetic about who he was and always knew how to put on a show. I find similarities in the way I approach performing. For me, it's never just about standing on stage and singing a song, it's about entertaining people, creating an atmosphere and making the audience feel like they're part of the experience. To have shared a stage and a song with Sinatra would have been an absolute dream.

What motivates you on days when inspiration is hard to find?

 Discipline. I've learned that you can't wait to feel inspired every day because you'd never get anything done. Some days you wake up feeling unstoppable and other days you don't, but you still have to show up. I also remind myself how badly that little girl in Malta wanted the life I'm living now. That usually puts everything into perspective very quickly.

How do you balance the demands of career, travel, and personal life?

I'm still learning.  When you're self-employed and your career is also your passion, there isn't really an "off" button. I travel a lot and my schedule can change very quickly, so I've learned to be adaptable. But as I've gotten older, I've realised how important it is to protect time for family, friendships and yourself. Those relationships and experiences are also what inspire my music, so I think it's important to have a life outside of your career too.

When people hear the name Davinia Pace ten years from now, what would you like them to think of first?

 I would love them to think, "What a performer!" Someone who could walk onto a stage and make you forget about everything else for an hour. I want to be remembered as someone fearless, entertaining and authentic, someone who took risks, never stopped evolving and made people feel something. And hopefully, someone who made Malta proud along the way.

You've already achieved more than many artists dream of. What is the one dream you still haven't fulfilled?

Thank you! There are still so many. But if I had to choose, one of my biggest dreams would be to have my own international tour performing my original music. To walk onto stages around the world and hear an audience singing my lyrics back to me would be the ultimate dream. I would also absolutely love to represent Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest again one day. Malta is where my journey began, and to have the opportunity to represent my country on one of the biggest stages in the world would be incredibly special and a real full-circle moment for me. Everything I've done so far feels like it has been building towards something bigger, and I genuinely feel like there is still so much more to come.