[WATCH] Isle of MTV 2012

Despite the sweltering heat and the inevitable traffic congestion, a sizable crowd gathered at the Granaries last night for Isle of MTV – the annual free concert organised by the MTV network at the Granaries, in Floriana.

All photos by Mario Galea and Paul Trapani Galea Feriol

Headliners for this year's edition of the festival included will.i.am (marking his second visit to Malta after he performed at the Isle of MTV with The Black Eyed Peas), Nelly Furtado and Flo Rida, who had performed in Malta in 2010. Eva Simons, a Dutch-born up-and-coming pop electronica singer who provided vocals for will.i.am's This is Love, was the supporting act for the nght.

It remains to be seen whether, much like Lady Gaga, Simons's career will explode in the coming years, leading her back to our islands as an Isle of MTV headliner rather than just a supporting act.

For the sixth consecutive year, music fans came out in their tens of thousands to be part of the biggest event on Malta's music calendar, and this year's show didn't disappoint.

From early evening the crowd of more than 50,000 music fans danced, sang, ate ice-cream and were treated to show-stopping performances from some of the biggest names in music from around the world. Warming up the crowd for what was set to be an unforgettable night, electro-dance singer and songwriter Eva Simons got the party started with her unique blend of high energy dance-pop. Belting out tracks including the explosive "I Don't Like You", sporting a custom made reflective vest and her trademark fiery hair, Eva Simons showed the crowd exactly why she's one of the most talked about new names in music.

As the sun began to set, Canadian superstar Nelly Furtado took to the stage, wowing the screaming fans with a phenomenal performance. Opening her set with smash hit Maneater, followed closely by Big Hoops, the debut single from her forthcoming album The Spirit Indestructible, Nelly Furtado was backed by a full rock band and joined by numerous guests throughout her set. Her incredible voice, energetic tracks, old favourites and new hits got the crowd dancing and "Jump" of course got them jumping.

Hot on her heels with an unexpectedly wild set of his own, Flo Rida, whose high octane, energy-filled performance included smash hits In the Ayer and Low, had the crowd going crazy and screaming for more. Singing into a bling-encrusted, winged microphone, Flo Rida literally took off into the crowd - first to hand out roses to the ladies during smash hit Wild Ones, then to high five as many people as possible, running almost all the way to the back of the square past thousands of screaming fans and performing the remainder of the chart-topping "Good Feeling" from atop a fence. Also performing Whistle, Club Can't Handle Me, Flo Rida was clearly thrilled to be in Malta again.

Having performed here in 2009 as part of the group that shot him to international super-stardom, Black Eyed Peas, producer, performer, philanthropist and TV personality will.i.am returned to the Isle of MTV stage, this time as a chart-topping solo artists, to bring this year's show to a climatic close. Surrounded by dancers wearing 3D iPad helmets with moving images of his face, will.i.am opened with smash hit "T.H.E (Hardest Ever)", before serenading the crowd with dance ballad "This is Love featuring Eva Simons", for which she returned to the stage.  The electrifying duo was surrounded by circus performers, on-stage pyrotechnics and dozens of popping dancers. Moving his talents to the decks, will.i.am continued with an unforgettable DJ set providing the ultimate summer soundtrack to crown what has undoubtedly been the best Isle of MTV Malta Special to date.