Sal Da Vinci came, sung and won. After being rejected 13 times. Out of the (it may seem) blue like he did in 1994 in Festival Italiano with Vera.(Sadly there's only a very, very bad live Youtube of it but the Passion comes through anyways) He remains the only artist ever to have won both contests now. (Festival Italiano was created my Mediaset to compete with Sanremo but Rai managed to kill it after only three editions by forbidding any artist taking part in it even dreaming of taking part in Sanremo ever again, as the story goes). And to think that many (critics), as has happened in the past, didn't even see him coming. Relegated to the semi obligatory "neomelodic quota of the Festival" (where neomelodic stands for kitch, which in turn stands for trash), mocked like a living meme, they had to change their minds the first time he sung live his "Per sempre sì," dedicated to his wife Claudia Pugliese.
All it took was one live performance with his usual passion and great vocals and sincerity. Italy, old and young, fell into his feet, and soon after international audiences and even Eurovision fandom followed. Catchy melody that sticks in your head and a choreography made for TikTok that couldn't be more viral, with the wedding ring on his finger shown during the final step in case anyone slow of understanding hadn't yet grasped the song's message: even Mahmood and Alessandro Del Piero are already dancing it together. To the pride of Sal Da Vinci himself, who, cheered on by "Sal dai vinci (Sal please win)" signs and unstoppable ovations, spent the entire festival week with the energy of the twenty-somethings competing with him, singing at the top of his lungs everywhere, not just on the Ariston stage.
Fifty-six years old, born in New York where his father Mario Da Vinci was on tour, but deeply Neapolitan. Acting is his first passion, aided by his father, a great interpreter of Neapolitan songs. He alternates between film and theater. Then one day, James Sanese, legendary saxophonist and pillar of the Neapolitan Power movement, wrote a single for him: "Mannaggia e viva 'o Rre" on the A side, "Guaglione" with lyrics by Peppe Lanzetta on the B side. It was the beginning of a long career in music, full of ups and downs. He went through times when he couldn't even afford to buy milk for my two kids. But he believed in what he was doing, And Sal, born Salvatore Michael Sorrentino, persisted, despite being slammed in the face and rejected. Especially from Sanremo and mainstream Italian opportunities.
He acted in five movies, performed before Pope John Paul II and 450,000 young people, wrote songs and dueted with Ornella Vanoni, released an album with Renato Zero, and has released 25 albums and three soundtracks. He also did musicals, which earned him prestigious awards. In 2009 finally he participated in Sanremo Festival placing 3rd with Non riesco a farti innamorare più di me but that was a bumby ride: he got eliminate, then made it through second chance round, and in the end, the popular vote put him on the podium," Yet, despite everything, national attention was lacking and he never really managed to burst out of the Neapolitan bubble.
And then, along came Rossetto e caffè. "I produced it myself. I was coming off a musical and returning to the music industry after three and a half years: I was a bit terrified of going unnoticed. After a week, it felt like it wasn't working. Then, however, it started to grow, and they called me to tell me it had gone gold (it was later certified double platinum, ed.). Generation Z took the song to the top. I didn't know TikTok was connected to Spotify: it's a new system for me, beautiful and fascinating. The disruptive effect of big numbers, which I'd never thought about, is surprising: I'm still amazed today when a child comes up and knows my song.
This blogger got to know him in that Festival Italiano 1994. Love that song! His passionate performance is tattooed forever in my mind and I continued to follow his career and buy the albums until the end of 1990's when I lost track on him. In 2009 I wasn't following Sanremo so much as I wasn't in Italy anymore and couldn't watch it anywhere, no streaming those days! I came across him again in 2015 when his son released Amo l'amore and made me curious who is he and happily discovered the connection.
It wasn't just the Rossetto e Caffè generation that took it to the top at its second Festival competition. Everyone sang Sal Da Vinci: "With my hand on my chest / I promise you / In front of God / It will be me and you." An ode to marriage, the most traditional song of this recently concluded edition, it works because he makes it: authentic, over-the-top, passionate beyond words, a lover of the word "heart." And we're already dreaming of him at Eurovision, where he's promised to officiate a wedding ceremony. Sal Da Vinci is forever.
First, 120 million streams on Spotify/Youtube etc with "Rosetto e caffè." Now, Sanremo 2026 as the overall winner and the audience's captivator. No one can ignore Sal Da Vinci anymore. I'm sure he will conquer Europe as well with Per sempre si in Vienna as he has that unique and these days rare sincerity. The song may be old fashioned and dated but the emotions and feelings, and the before mentioned passion is there and one cannot not feel it.
Per sempre si is co-written by his son Francesco Da Vinci who is also a singer. Three generations of Da Vincis! (Ans yes, Sal is also a proud grandpa!) Forza Napoli!
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