Finding perspective through polyphony – In conversation with Michael Azzopardi
Michael Azzopardi is launching 'Tfal tax-Xemx' on April 4 at Spazju Kreattiv
Michael Azzopardi has been a creative practitioner for years, first establishing himself as a designer and the co-founder of Hey Disco, an entity that organized industry talks and networking opportunities for local creatives. But if you discovered Michael in the past five years or so, you’ll most likely know him as a singer/songwriter with a signature croon, carving his own space in the coalescence of alternative, indie, and folk.
Michael, who has been associated with the record label Ultralow Music since the start of his venture as a songwriter, has two releases under his belt (though this is changing soon) – his debut EP Pistola (2021), and his first full-length album, Vaganza (2023). Despite being just two years apart, the evolution between both releases is palpable. Vaganza is already quite a sonic departure compared to Pistola, with a wider palette of instrumentation and a clear '70s influence in the writing. But more than the music itself, what I find intriguing is the way Michael presents the narrative differently across both releases. While both releases are rooted in authentic, personal stories, Pistola feels introspective, while Vaganza feels like Michael is framing stories in real time, and he achieves this through the help of multiple additional singers who pop up at varying points throughout the album.
This brings us to Tfal tax-Xemx, Michael’s brand-new album, which will be launched at Spazju Kreattiv on the 4th of April and is quite possibly his most collaborative album yet. Jimmy Bartolo from Ultralow Music is once again the main producer on board, but the rest of the personnel is wonderfully leftfield and includes members from the Malta National Children’s Choir (led by Stephanie Spiteri), members of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, and Veronique Vella as an arranger.
Everything points towards Tfal tax-Xemx being a fascinating album, but with no music out yet (at the time of writing), the suspense is real. I asked Michael to divulge more details about Tfal tax-Xemx, and I’m very happy to say that he obliged. Check out our full conversation below.
‘Tfal tax-Xemx’ is built on various collaborations, featuring a children’s choir and musicians from the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Can you discuss the concept of the album and how it naturally led to these collaborations?
Tfal tax-Xemx is an album about renewal and the idea of home—not just as a physical place, but as a feeling, a longing to return to something familiar. I also wanted the album to feel like it was sung by a community rather than just me, which is why collaboration became so important. While writing the songs, I realised that the central character’s voice carried a sense of regret, something that comes with time and experience. To balance that, I felt that children’s voices would bring a fresh perspective—almost like a voice of reason, cutting through the nostalgia with something pure and direct. That’s when the first collaboration was formed.
I also wanted a bigger, more orchestral sound for this record. While writing, I was listening to Francis Lai and Ennio Morricone, and their music inspired me to bring in richer arrangements and a cinematic feel. That’s how the collaboration with members of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra came about—it felt like the right way to bring out the emotion in these songs. Everything came together naturally, and in the end, the choir, the orchestra, and the themes of the album all blended into something that feels whole.
You also worked on the album with composer and arranger Veronique Vella and producer Jimmy Bartolo (from Ultralow Records). Can you discuss the process of working with these people and how they helped shape the sound and direction of the album?
This is the third time I’ve worked with Jimmy Bartolo. We first started collaborating in 2020, and over the years, we’ve both grown a lot—constantly learning, experimenting, and developing a really natural and productive creative chemistry. With every project, we push ourselves to explore new ideas and bring out the best in the songs, and Tfal tax-Xemx was no exception. One of the biggest challenges of this album was incorporating the children’s choir, which was such an important part of the sound. Jimmy handled this with incredible patience and creativity, finding ways to make the choir work seamlessly within the arrangements despite the unique challenges it presented.
For this album, I also knew I needed an arranger—someone who truly understood the orchestral world and could help bring these compositions to life. That’s why I chose to work with Veronique Vella. Her experience opened up so many new possibilities in how I approached arrangements. Together, we wrote parts for violin, viola, trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute, adding a rich, layered depth to the album’s sound. Veronique also played piano on some tracks and even lent her whistling skills on a track called Kutrumbajsa.
Beyond the inclusion of new voices and instruments, how does ‘Tfal tax-Xemx’ compare to your first album, Vaganza, that came out in 2023? What are the similarities and differences that listeners can expect?
In my mind, Tfal tax-Xemx is very different from Vaganza. Vaganza was my first album—a collection of songs I wrote between 2020 and 2021, without a central theme or narrative tying them together. Looking back, most of those songs ended up being love songs. In contrast, Tfal tax-Xemx doesn’t have any love songs in the traditional sense. The themes are completely different, and the songs were written within a three-month period with a clear vision in mind. This gave it a much stronger sense of cohesion, making it feel more like a complete work rather than a collection of individual tracks.
That said, both albums share a strong melodic sensibility—something I think remains at the core of my songwriting. But Tfal tax-Xemx is shorter and was written with much more intention. We also made a conscious effort to move away from certain instruments and production styles used in Vaganza, allowing this album to have its own distinct identity.
This album has been in the works for over a year – can you walk us through the creation and recording process? How did it evolve during that time?
The songwriting process for Tfal tax-Xemx began in December 2023. Even at that early stage, I was already meeting with Jimmy, sharing ideas and playlists of songs that I wanted us to listen to as inspiration before diving into production, which officially kicked off in April 2024. By March, the songs were mostly written, but I spent a significant amount of time refining and focusing on the lyrics, only completing them around August. This meant that production on the music had already started before all the lyrics were fully formed—something I wouldn’t want to repeat in the future. Having the lyrics finalised beforehand really helps shape the sound and feel of the music in a more organic way.
Some songs came together quickly, while others took their time. One song in particular went through several transformations, constantly changing until it evolved into a slower, stripped-down version of itself. That song, Annimali, ended up being my favorite on the album and serves as its closing track.
The most ambitious and exciting part of this album was incorporating the children’s choir. We recorded the choir over several sessions, featuring members of the Malta National Children’s Choir as well as the children of friends, who contributed some beautiful takes. It was an adventurous and sometimes challenging process, but hearing their voices bring the songs to life was one of the most rewarding aspects of making this album.
You haven't been playing live shows for a few months! Are you planning to get back to gigging more regularly once the album is out?
I certainly intend to! We're launching the album on April 4 at Spazju Kreattiv, which will be a big milestone for this project. We’ll be playing the whole album in full, with the choir and the band, bringing Tfal tax-Xemx to life on stage for the first time. After that, I’d love to continue performing these songs alongside tracks from Vaganza and Pistola as a full band.
Balancing music with life and work is always a challenge—something most local artists can relate to—but we love what we’re doing. I’m really proud of how Tfal tax-Xemx turned out, and I can’t wait to share it live. So yes, you’ll definitely see me and the band playing in 2025!
The support act for the night is Jomy Thotekat James, a 29-year-old singer from Kochi, Kerala, India.
The project is supported by Arts Council Malta, Spazju Kreattiv, and Camilleri Preziosi Advocates.