SANREMO 2022: PRIMA SERATA - LIVE BLOGGING AND REVIEW

Here it is finally! It looks like Sanremo has finally taken the crown off Melodifestivalen as the most anticipated national selection show. Which it isn't really but that's a minor detail for fandom. Makes me think of this blog's early years when Italy hadn't yet returned to Eurovision and I was pretty alone following and blogging about it. Oh well, things change.

I will be watching as always, blogging along and reviewing the songs as they happen.

Amadeus is the artistic director, the Godfather of Måneskin's global success. Next to him as always Fiorello and tonight's prettist host is film star Ornella Muti. Musical guest stars are of course Måneskin, and Meduza. Add tennis player Matteo Berrettini, actors Raul Bova, Nico Frascati and Claudio Gioè. Orietta Berti and Fabio Rovazzi are hosting a side show from a cruise boat where tonight's guests are Colapesce Dimartino whose last year's entry Musica leggerissima was the biggest success from Sanremo, recently covered in Spanish by Ana Mena.

Tonight 12 out of the 25 artists will premiere their song. They are voted by the printed media & TV, Web and Radio juries, each with 33,3%.

Sanremo kicks of tonight with pre-show at 20.30 and the show from Teatro Ariston 20.50 and runs at least until 1.20....

----- L I V E -----

20.54 Here we go and Amadeus gets visibly touched by the presence of the audience when he enters. I feel him.

Tonight's acts:

20.58 Achille Lauro - Domenica ***

Shirtless with all his tattoos in well displayed he belts out a song similar to his many previous (better) ones added with Harlem Gospel Choir. I quite liked this :-) All in all quite modest performance but maybe it's just good?

21.06 Yuman - Ora e qui **

He won the newcomers selection in December. His song is a typical Sanremo ballad flowing smoothly but not leaving much to remember afterwards, did it? A hint of gospel here, too. The stage is very blue and his wardrobe very black.

Ornella Muti has problems with her microphone and as this is Sanremo the audience protests loudly and the matters are fixed with applause.

21.13 Noemi - Ti amo non lo so dire ****

This song is co-written by Mahmood and it's very clear. Noemi gets modernized at her 7th festival and follows Elodie to become a fan favorite for Eurovision for sure. And she looks stunning! We need ads break to recover....

21.24 Gianni Morandi - Apri tutte le porte **

Living legend, Eurovision veteran and previous Sanremo winner brings a song written by Jovanotti and orchestra conducted by Mouse T. The song's a real jump to the nostalgia, up tempo nostalgia from the 50's/60's. he could have sung this when he was 17 and now he's 77. Fun but not my cup of tea maybe. Italians will go crazy though.

After that first appearance of Fiorello....His humor is divisive but I do like him. Can't help it. He makes me giggle no matter what.His first gag is Covid-19 related. He's the third dose aka third year in Samremo. The booster dose. But funny. And then he makes fun of their friendship with Amadeus. And Jalisse. Among other things. In short these times it's better to make fun of everything, even sing the sad songs in a happy way. Or like my granny would say: Ilo irti vaik syän märkänis. Amen. We need another ads break after all that.....

22.00 La Rappresentante di Lista - Ciao ciao ***

They really made it Big in last year's Sanremo and became big fan favorites. I never quite got them and same goes with this with the first hearing. The song has a nostalgic feeling to it, and some aspects that make me think it's made Eurovision in mind with some gimmicks. Oh well.... Let's see how this develops.

22.06 Michele Bravi - Inverno dei fiori ****

I loved his Il diario degli errori in Sanremo few years ago and he's got also many other great songs so this is one of those I have waited the most. And yes, he delivered. beautiful and touching with his particular voice. And those lyrics again.

22.10 Måneskin time! After a recap video of their year Amadeus dresses up as a chauffeur and goes to pick them up. Fantastico!

Fantastic Zitti e buoni again with the real violins and orchestra! Makes me remember all the talk pre-Eurovision that they must re-record with this version to do well at Eurovision. They didn't. But it would have been fab! Standing ovation. Of course. Phew, we need a break after that. Those strings!

22.31 Massimo Ranieri - Lettera di lá del mare **

Double Eurovision veteran and previous winner and singing legend he is. His first Sanremo was 54 years ago.... Theatrical as I suspected but beautiful story telling of his youthful American dreams across the ocean....

22.38 Mahmood & Blanco - Brividi ****

Tho most anticipated one by the fans perhaps. Two guys singing that they would like to love each other, a tender ballad, high falsetto vocals. Sounds very Mahmood ballad. Is this Italy's answer to Isaac Sene's Kuuma jäbä? Lyric wise that is.

Time for some tennis. Matteo Berrettini. Rome's finest. And not only. World's n.o 6.

23.03 Ana Mena - Duecentomila ore ***

Spanish Ana has delivered already several summer hits as featuring. And a summer hit with a touch of Latin music she offers this time, too. Quite nice but sadly won't go very high in the ranking here I suppose. Rather weak vocals, too. I would have given this song to Orietta Berti!

23.10 Rkomi - Insuperabile **

This makes me think of Måneskin last year. The effect on Sanremo stage. But this isn't my cup of tea either. He's hugely popular among the young folks though. I'm old.

23.17 The return of Måneskin with Coraline. So good to hear them sing a ballad in Italian for a change. More of that please! Stuff like Torna a casa rather than Mamamia, please! And another standing ovation. This has been great, a full circle from last year's win to this night as national heroes giving back.

23.25 Dargen D'Amico - Dove si balla ***

Unz unz unz.... Sanremo's take on 80's fever.... Unz unz unz

A moment with Ornella Muti and her memories of Italian cinema's greatest she has worked with....

And then a visit to the cruise boat with Orietta Berti and Rovazzi.

And then last year's mega success Samremese Colapesce Dimartino. My favorite last year, too, btw.

Then Sicilian actor Claudio Gioè promoting his latest tv-series Mákari...... Poor Giusy. Still waiting.....

23.53 Giusy Ferreri - Miele ****

Very nice atmosphere and arrangement, classy look, somewhat weak vocals (but that's nothing new) but I do like her and this song. Recalls summer somehow but fitting nicely to this winter, too. Nostalgic.

Incredible but true, all artists have managed to sung before midnight!

23.59 In true Amadeus style Theatro Ariston turns into a discotheque with Meduza. With Hozier.

Tv-news, ads break, more Rai's tv production promo with Raoul Bova and Nino Frassica....

00.40 A moment to remember late Franco Battiato. I may have shed a tear.

First award of the season goes to Amadeus himself from the City of Sanremo. Btw I love that lion and palmtree trophy. Shame they don't sell replicas or I would buy one for myself, lol. Or maybe they do in Sanremo souvenir shops? Hmmm....

And tonight's partial ranking is:

1. Mahmood & Blanco

2. LRDL

3. Dargen D'Amico

4. Gianni Morandi

5. Massimo Ranieri

6. Noemi

7. Michele Bravi

8. Rkomi

9. Achille Lauro

10. Giusy Ferreri

11. Yuman

12. Ana Mena

Nina Badrić for Croatia

Croatian TV went for internal selection in the end and chose Nina Badrić. She has been around for almost 20 years and has released ten albums between 1995 and 2011. She has also treid to get to Eurovision four times already without a win (1993, 1994, 1995 and 2003). She is popular also in the other ex-Yogoslavian countries so let those 12s run in.... Listen her here: Moje oci pune ljubavi , Dat ce nam Bog , Nebo and Mama . And lovely Carobno jutro .

Sabina Babayeva for Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani selection show for the represant was as long as the selection process for the five finalists. Kurt Calleja from Malta and Can Bonomo from Turkey were present with Ell/Nikki to see Sabina Babayeva to emerge as the winner after each and every finalist had done about zillion songs amongst other guests. Now the Azeri TV will shop around a suitable song for her.

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

FINLAND: LORDI RELEASES SEXORCISM - THEIR 9TH STUDIO ALBUM

Brand new studio album SEXORCISM is released tomorrow, 12 years and 5 days after their monstreous victory in Athens 2006 Eurovision song contest. It is quite possibly the most controversial Lordi album yet and already their 9th stuido album (plus three compilations and one Ep)

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

SWEDEN TRIES TO STEAL THE FINNISH KISS

We all know about Krista Siegfrids "lesbian kiss" and reactions to it in worldwide media, and especially in some more conservative countries like Turkey, Georgia and Greece (this blogger is still waiting for reactions from Azerbaijan and Russia). But that's not all, SVT is also featuring a gay kiss in their interval act. Martin Österdahl, the executive producer says they are expecting hard critic for it but think it's important finally to show some attention to the gay community in the show. It hsn't been easy for the gay fans and journalists in some present Eurovision contests in Belgrade and Moscow, not to even mention Baku! But... one question pops into my mind: when did they come up with this idea? Hmm... As we know, the interval and script's jokes and lines are worked until the last minute and for example Björn Gustafsson's part/lines have been cut after dress rehearsasl them being too provocative and causing protests from the commentators. ...

FINLAND: VIRPI KÄTKÄ NARROWLY MISSED THE SURVIVOR FINAL

Virpi Kätkä of CatCat fame came 4th in the Finnish Survivor against all odds, and was even the longest surviving female competitor. She managed to get this far by being friendly and helpful to everyone and staying out of any major fights and double-talk. Or so we thought.... she confessed afterwards it was just the game she played! She was voted out in unison by the remaining guys in a rather ugly way. after Kim won the last challenge and got safety when the other had planned to vote him out. No one wanted to be in the final against Virpi anyways so she would have been next one out perhaps but Kim's victory messed it all up. Kim is actually Kim Herold, of Humane Euroviisut 2007 (7th) fame. Let's see if he misses the final two as well and is on the next Plane Away. Virpi took her elimination "the same way I did with Eurovision, five minutes of depression, get over it and that's it!" she told. And the bikini in top photo she found in Thailand and as ...

THE ABBA REUNION 2016 - WATCH THEM SING TOGETHER AGAIN

The 2016 Eurovision song contest organizers didn't manage it - or any of the previous ones either nor those offering them millions of dollars - but they seem to get together for birthdays, the way the old friends do. Back in 1999 they performed together in a private party for Görel Hansel's 50th birthday, and now to celebrate the first meeting of Björn and Benny 50 years ago. Venue was Stockholm's Bern's Salonger and once again in a private setting but today even they can't stop the cell phone videos and social medias. Enjoy the magic of Frida's and Agnetha's voices again.

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o...

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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