SANREMO 2022: SECONDA SERATA - LIVE BLOGGING AND REVIEW

Ops, they did it again! Sanremo 2022 started with a bang: 54,7% share, an average of 10,9 million people watching, especially young folks (71% of 15-19 yrs old and still 65% of 15-34 yrs old) with peak of 16,5 million and the best start of these three Amadeus era Sanremos that have been highly successful in every sense. Last night's show even almost stayed in schedule and the flow was good, no dull moments but a steady flow of things happening and songs being performed. Well done!

Amadeus co-hostess tonight is Lorena Cesarini, Fiorello might be there or then not.

The Eurovision song contest hosts in Turin might be announced or then not. The rumor is they are Laura Pausini, Alessandro Cattelan and MIKA. At least MIKA has been spotted in Sanremo already yesterday.

But Arisa and Malika Ayane are there to launch the voting for the XXV Olympic Games anthem, and Laura Pausini anyways to present her new song Scatola.

Gaia Girace and Margherita Mazzucco are back to Teatro Ariston to promo their fantastic tv-series L'amica geniale's third season. Add comic Checco Zalone and Ermal Meta from the cruise boat with Orietta Berti and Rovazzi and tonight's script should be complete.

Tonight I'm most looking forward to Elisa.

Tonight's acts:

------ LIVE ------

20.52 Te Deum! Here we go again! With an homage to great Monica Vitti who passed away this morning.

21.00 Sangiovanni - Farfalle ***

I may be a bit old but I'm not a fan of the way these youngsters (Blanco, Rkomi etc) sing/pronounce and he's one of them. This said the song is quite nice, maybe a grower for me. Great arrangement at least live, I wonder how the studio is.

21.07 Giovanni Truppi - Tuo padre, mia madre, Lucia ***

As expected this si something else. Also as a look. Still he's wearing more than Achille did. I kinda like this. Not sure how many times I will listen to this or if this will be the one I keep listening until summer? Now I'm enjoying this.

Lorena tells a story....... #racism. #socialmedia

21.30 Le Vibrazioni - Tantissimo **

I never liked their last year's succesful entry. This one's a bit better. But that's it. A pop rock, quite catchy. Sarcina may not be at top form vocally tonight I think.

21.37 Checcho Zalone comedy hour next .... (And the announced program is already changed from original and about ten minutes delayed.... Emma should have sung already.) I didn't know him beforehand but indeed, he was funny! A lot lost in translation or dialect for me but still funny!

22.00 Laura Pausini! Singing her latest, Scatola. Then a lot of talk about her new film, and then enters MIKA and Cattelan to belt out I have a dream by ABBA. Euroviison is true!

22.16 Emma - Ogni volta è cosi ****

The shows matured 2 hours 36 minutes and we have song number four..... But then we get as a bonus Francesca Michielin as director of the orchestra! The song is surprisingly slow until her voice exploses in the chorus. This needs a few further listenings.....She looks glamorous and clearly is having a good time just like she said that she's here to have fun and not to win (or go to Eurovision again) A hug between them in the end. Sweet.

22.29 Matteo Romano - Virale ***

Maybe better than I expected but that's maybe thanks to Faini? The stage took my attention as in this one and with la Pausini it showed its potential, so underused my many.

22.35 Iva Zanicchi - Voglio amarti ***

Her song sounds like it's her big hit decades ago, her voice maybe a bit rusty but she's giving it all. This year's Orietta Berti for me, a guilty pleasure.

Checco Zalone returns with a parody of this young "little rich" rappers from Milan . Those I just critized earlier a bit. Not very funny.

22.57 Ditonellapiega con Rettore - Chimica ***

Ok, very Rettore. Dito is nice. All this together... I don't know. Fun for one listen, maybe two. Or maybe more? Makes me think of Adrenalina of Rettore with Giuni Russo. Without Giuni's original talent. Everyone seems to get a *** tonight with the first hearing.....

23.03 Elisa - O forse sei tu ****

Ok, this sounds like Elisa's biggest hits/best songs and probably she's going to win tonight's heat and give Mahmood & Blanco run for their money. Love the piano, often present in her my favorite songs. Classic and beautiful perfection.

23.10 My brilliant friends aka Amica geniale stars. Can't wait! Love them!

23.13 Fabrizio Moro - Sei tu ****

If Elisa was 100% Elisa at her best so is Moro 100% Moro at his best. Beautiful ballad like he does when he's inspired, sings well with emotion as well. Could end up very high, too.

All of sudden we are back in schedule by a minute!

After that another comedy hour. This time around virologist. Al Bano-esque. Yawn.

And after that we go to the cruise boat with Orietta and Rovazzi. And Ermal Meta.

23.45 Tananai - Sesso occasionale *

Ok, this one's not for me. There's nothing I like about this one. Beforementioned bad singing/pronunciation, uninteresting melody. No.

23.51 Irama - Ovunque sarai ***

Last year he missed the festival being one of the favorites thanks to Covid-19 and watched his rehearsal video being shown. Now he's on stage and brings a typical standard Sanremo ballad. It can be only saved by his fandom from being midtable or even lower. If there's justice in this world.

23.57 Aka7even - Perfetta cosi ***

Fresh winner of MTV Music award, one of those new young artists I don't really know. Sounds like he sings better than all the rest and his song is pop rather than rap that I expected. My bad I guess. But still a *** again. I really need another listen to make any ranking of tonight's songs except those a couple of exceptions.....

00.01 Highsnob e Hu - Abbi cura di te **

This song says nothing to me, I'm afraid. One of those I need to hear the studio version I guess. This one doesn't keep my attention at all, but hey, we almost heard all the song before midnight again! Incredible but true!

00.15 Let's talk another big event happening in northern Italy soon besides Euroviison, the Olympics! Last year in Sanremo the voting was opened for the logo (see above the chosen one), this year we choose the anthem. Or present the two finalists, performed by Arisa and Malika Ayane for the occasion. The voting is open in the Olympics website.

Malika Ayanane - Un po' piú`in là.... Uo uo uo uo uoooo. Quite nice!

Arisa - Fino all'alba,,, wooo wooo woooo..... Maybe I prefer Malika's song, it did sound kinda Olympic.

Winner announced 22.2.22.

Anf tonights partial ranking by the various medias is:

1. Elisa

2.Emma

3. Ditonellapiega & rettore

4. Irama

5. Fanrizio Moro

6. Giovanni Truppi

7. Sangiovanni

8. Matteo Romani

9. Highsnob & Hu

10. Iva Zanicchi

11. Aka7even

12. Le Vibrazioni

13. Tananai

00.43 End the full ranking of the all 25 based on yesterday's and tonight's scores where from we start again tomorrow adding new votes and scores:

1. Elisa

2. Mahmood & Blanco

3, LRDL

4. Dargen D'Amico

5. Gianni Morandi

6. Emma

7. Ditonellapiaga & Rettore

8. Massimo Ranieri

9. Irama

10. Fabrizio Moro

11. Giovanni Truppi

12. Noemi

13. Sangiovanni

14. Michele Bravi

15. Rkomi

16. Achille Lauro

17. Matteo Romano

18. Highsnob & Hu

19. Giusy Ferreri

20. Iva Zanicchi

21. Aka 7even

22. Le Vibrazioni

23. Yuman

24. Tananai

25. 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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