Well-known and emerging singers are to set foot on the Ariston stage this week as the 66th edition of the Sanremo festival kicks off tomorrow.
The contest, to be hosted by Carlo Conti assisted by comedian Virginia Raffaele, Romanian actress and model Madalina Diana Ghenea and actor Gabriel Garko, will be as usual replete with song, dance and special guests. It is basically keeping the same format as last year, with 20 acts in the established singers category and eight newcomers.
Some veteran artists are returning to the music contest after many years, foremost among these being rock band Stadio who are participating for the fifth time after placing last in the editions of 1984 and 1986.
Patty PravoAlternative band Bluvertigo, led by the quirky Morgan, are returning after a 15-year absence, while male duo Zero Assoluto are participating for the third time after their 2006 and 2007 performances.
Patty Pravo, who last participated in 2011, is celebrating her 50-year career at the festival – she made her debut in 1966 with the song Ragazzo triste.
Other veteran acts include funny five-piece folksy band Elio e le Storie Tese and rocker Enrico Ruggeri, who won the contest in 1993 with Mistero and Si puo dare di più together with Gianni Morandi and Umberto Tozzi.
There is also a strong female element. Arisa, Annalisa, Noemi, Dolcenera and Irene Fornaciari have participated in past editions of the festival. Among them, Arisa won both the newcomers category with Sincerità in 2009 and the main contest in 2014 with Controvento.
Rapper ClementinoFormer reality show star Valerio Scanu, who won the main contest in 2010 with Per tutte le volte che… is trying his luck again.
Fresher faces are those of Francesca Michielin, who is participating for the first time after winning the 2011 Italian edition of The X Factor and Lorenzo Fragola, who is returning for the second time after winning the same reality show in 2014.
Giovanni Caccamo, who won last year’s newcomers category, will be duetting with Deborah Iurato, the winner of last year’s edition of Amici.
Rock band Dear Jack, who won the 2014 edition of Maria de Filippi’s talent show, is participating with a new lead singer, as their former one, Alessio Bernabei has gone solo.
The five-day song extravaganza will host many Italian and international guest stars and has kept many surprises under wraps
Rap music will not be excluded from the contest: the genre will be represented by Clementino and Rocco Hunt, who won the newcomers category in 2014 with Nu journo buono. They will perform separately but have collaborated in the past. Rapper Neffa, who is also returning to the stage after 12 years, will not be sticking to his favourite music style but is incorporating reggae and Yiddish music influences in his entry.
The five-day song extravaganza will host many Italian and international guest stars and has kept many surprises under wraps. The opening night will see Elton John, Laura Pausini and French rapper and singer Maître Grims. Wednesday is the turn of international Italian star Eros Ramazzotti and, on Thursday, I Pooh will perform in their original format – with former bandmate Riccardo Fogli.
Francesca MichielinFriday’s special guests are Elisa, who won the festival 15 years ago with Luce, veteran singer Renato Zero and Cristina d’Avena, who is best known for her many cartoon signature tunes.
Apart from these, British star Ellie Goulding and Colombian reggaeton singer J. Balvin, are also expected on stage at some point in the festival.
The winner of the main category, who will be announced on Saturday, will also win the right to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in May. Operatic trio Il Volo, who won the Italian contest last year with their song Grande amore, went on to place third in the glitzy European show.
Songs in the main category
Alessio Bernabei – Noi siamo infinito
Annalisa – Il diluvio universal
Arisa – Guardando il cielo
Bluvertigo – Semplicemente
Clementino – Quando sono lontano
Dear Jack – Mezzo respiro
Deborah Iurato and Giovanni Caccamo – Via da qui
Dolcenera – Ora o mai piu (le cose cambiano)
Elio e le Storie Tese – Vincere l’odio
Enrico Ruggeri – Il primo amore non si scorda mai
Francesca Michielin – Nessun grado di separazione
Irene Fornaciari – Blu
Lorenzo Fragola – Infinite volte
Neffa – Sogni e nostalgia
Noemi – La borsa di una donna
Patty Pravo – Cieli immensi
Rocco Hunt – Wake Up
Stadio – Un giorno mi dirai
Valerio Scanu – Finalmente piove
Zero Assoluto – Di me e di te