The popular Italian song contest Sanremo is returning today without a live audience for the first time in its 71-year history. The festival is also being held about a month later than usual, following the example of other major international events which have been postponed to later in the year due to the pandemic, such as the Golden Globes, held on Sunday, and the Oscars, to be held in April.
Some things, however, never change. The festival will, once again, be held over five days at the prestigious Ariston stage and will again be hosted by Amadeus, who is also the artistic director of the competition. Showman Fiorello, who has been a regular guest at the festival over the years, will return as co-host.
The format will also remain the same, with a small newcomers’ section and a main category of 26 established singers.
The latter category will include numerous fresh faces, some of whom have become popular after their participation in Italian TV programmes. These include Annalisa, Irama and Gaia, who emerged from the Amici talent show, and pop rock band Måneskin and Francesca Michielin, both having participated in the Italian version of The X Factor.
A good number of rappers form part of this year’s line-up
A good number of up-and-coming rappers form part of this year’s line-up: Madame, Ghemon, Fasma, Random and Willie Peyote.
Other participants in the main category are progressive pop-rock band La Rappresentante di Lista; songwriting duo Colapesce and Dimartino; band Lo Stato Sociale, who had placed second in the 2018 Sanremo festival; Italian writer, poet and singer-songwriter Gio Evan; Italian folk band Extraliscio, featuring comic book author Davide Toffolo; indie pop-hip hop musical duo Come_Cose; singer-songwriter Filippo Uttinacci, known professionally as Fulminacci; singer Antonio Aiello, simply known as Aiello; and singer-songwriter Bugo, who last year controversially left the Ariston stage while performing, after a tiff with co-singer Morgan.
Among the better known singers are Orietta Berti, who is re-entering the competition after a 29-year break; Arisa, whose career kicked off when she won the festival’s newcomers’ section in 2009 and went on to become a household name; Italian-Albanian singer-songwriter Ermal Meta, who won the main competition of the 2018 festival; Francesco Renga, winner of the 2005 edition; pop singer Malika Ayane, who has participated in the festival a number of times; singer-songwriter Max Gazzè, who is this year competing together with La Trifluoperazina Monstery Band (which includes Daniele Silvestri and the band that usually accompanies him on tour); and red-head Noemi, who has had a very successful career since her first participation in The X Factor in 2009.
The artists competing in the newcomers’ section were selected through two contests: Sanremo Giovani and Area Sanremo, which were held last year. These are Elena Faggi, Folcast, Greta Zuccoli, Wrongonyou, Gaudiano, Avincola, Davide Shorty and Dellai.
Voting over the five days will take place through the combination of four methods: public televoting, a jury made up of journalists, a jury composed of music fans and by musicians and singers of the Sanremo orchestra.
As regards this year’s guests, one is not to expect international stars but more homegrown talent, such as previous winners Diodato, Il Volo, Mahmoud and Giorgia. Another former winner of the festival, Laura Pausini, who has just won a Golden Globe for best original song (Io Sì from the Netflix film The Life Ahead), is set to make an appearance.
Other confirmed guests include Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimović, Italian race walker Alex Schwazer and swimmer Federica Pellegrini.
Various female guests will also accompany Amadeus as co-hosts, including singers Elodie and Ornella Vanoni, actors Mathilda de Angelis and Luisa Ranieri, top model Vittoria Ceretti and TV host Simona Ventura.
And, as in previous years, Thursday evening will be cover versions and duets night, which will see the established singers performing well-known Italian hits with guest artists.
The festival’s winner will go on to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in May.
Entries in main competition
Ora – Aiello
Dieci – Annalisa
Potevi fare di più – Arisa
E invece sì – Bugo
Musica leggerissima – Colapesce & Dimartino
Fiamme negli occhi – Coma_Cose
Un milione di cose da dirti – Ermal Meta
Bianca luce nera – Extraliscio feat. Davide Toffolo
Parlami – Fasma
Chiamami per nome – Francesca Michielin & Fedez
Quando trovo te – Francesco Renga
Santa Marinella – Fulminacci
Cuore amaro – Gaia
Momento perfetto – Ghemon
Arnica – Gio Evan
La genesi del tuo colore – Irama
Amare – La Rappresentante di Lista
Combat Pop – Lo Stato Sociale
Voce – Madame
Ti piaci così – Malika Ayane
Zitti e buoni – Måneskin
Il farmacista – Max Gazzè & La Trifluoperazina Monstery Band
Glicine – Noemi
Quando ti sei innamorato – Orietta Berti
Torno a te – Random
Mai dire mai (La locura) – Willie Peyote