Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Italy took its well deserved third victory - finally! - at the Eurovision song contest 2021. Over the years several other Italian entries would have been worthy winners. In this series I will go through all of them from the worst ranking to the winners. In 1970 Rai decided to skip the Sanremo connection for the first time used Canzonissima to choose its entrant for Sanremo. Gianni Morandi (76), winner of Canzonissima 1965, 1968 and 1969 went to Eurovision with Occhi di ragazza (Girl's eyes) but managed only 8th out of 12 - the year after 1969's fiasco when several countries boycotted demanding a rule change.  Sanremo 1970 was won instead by Adriano Celentano with Claudia Mori and Chi non lavora non fa l'amore . Claudia's version .  Morandi is one of the Big names in in the Italian music scene since his debut. Over 30 studio albums, over a dozen movies, countless tv-productions including Sanremo 2011-12 and transforming from a teenage heartthrob to a ideal son-in-law an...

The wait is over. Marco Mengoni's new album Atlantico is out and already topping the charts and no wonder. The two singles released to launch it earlier, Voglio and Buona vita were said to represant the two ends of the album and indeed they do: the sound varies from electric pop to latin sounds and everything in between. Tom Walker duets in Hola (I say) and  Latin Grammy winner, Brazilian Vanessa Da Mate and Seiton in Amalia . Among the writers we have Fabio Ilacqua (in Buona vita, La casa azul , La ragione del mondo , Amalia, I giorni di domani , Dialogo tra due pazzi , known for his work with Francesco Gabbani), Mahmood, who's in Sanremo Giovani and could end up winning Sanremo and going to Tel Aviv 2019 (in Hola, Mille lire , Rivoluzione ), Tony Maiello of San Marino Eurovision wannabe fame and hitmaker for Laura Pausini ( Muhammed Ali ) and even legendary Adriano Celentano makes a cameo in La casa azul . Mengoni himself is credited as writer for each song as well, e...

Israeli Idan Raichel would be an awesome Eurovision entry. Or at least interval act in Tel Aviv next year! Singer-songwriter and musician known internationally for his fusion of electronic and folk music, Hebrew, Arab and Ethiopian music and texts with some gypsy music, tango and jazz thrown in making a mix that is still easy to listen to, catchy and most of all very beautiful and melodic. Real music. He uses a lot of other vocalists on his songs making them all unique and bringing global success. As Israel is again using the talent show for their next entrant maybe he could at least the song for the winner...? After all he has written and collaborated with many other stars, including Italian superstars Mina and Adriano Celentano in Amami amami .  Listen to Po co ,   Chalomot shel acherim , Mon amour , Todas las palabras , and he also collaborated with Portuguese Eurovision opening act Ana Moura in Sabe Deus . 

Francesco Gabbani (34) won the Newcomers selection last year with Amen and is back this year among the Big with Occidentali's Karma . Could he be the right one for Eurovision song contest 2017? Gabbani might be a new name to the great public but before hitting fame in Sanremo last year he has already released an album Greitist Iz in 2013 and songs like Clandestino , Svalutation  and Maledetto amore .  He has written songs for others like Francesco Renga ( L'amore sa ) and Adriano Celentano ( Il bambino col fucile ) and he has also written the soundtrack for Fausto Brizzi's movie Poveri ma ricchi .  Last year he also collected the Mia Martini Critic's choice award and the Sergio Bardotti award for the best lyrics in the festival. After Amen he released In equilibrio and   Foglie al gelo . His third album is ready for the release right after the festival.

Marco Mengoni has got a lot of support messages and good wishes from his fans, but not only. Even Italian heavyweight singers and superstars like Eros Ramazzotti, Claudio Baglioni, Andrea Bocelli, Gianna Nannini and Adriano Celentano with wife Claudia Mori have sent their wishes. I'm happily surprised they even know about Eurovision! Gianna, Eros.... could you consider it next year, please? :-) Also Take That's Marc Owen has sent his greetings, so he's not sore his song for him wasn't chosen! And that is of course Pronto a correre .

Italy has been suffering severe weather conditions like most of Europe these past times and Sanremo is no exception. The co-host Ivana Mrazova is in hospital and last year's ladies Belen Rodriguez and Elisabetta canalis have been called to replace her in hurry. Also a few of the artists seem to be ill, or have recently been and thus lacking voice, amongst them Samuele Bersani and Gigi D'Alessio. The word "play-back" has been brought in and could be used if needed, says Mazzi. Tonight also Adriano Celentano. Apparently his performance will last 50 minutes and RAI has given him a full freedom. Be scared!

This year the Sanremo's newcomers selection will be done mostly by Facebook it seems as six artists will come that way (adding to two from SanremoLab or AreaSanremo or whatever it is called this year). SanremoSocial it is called and anyone under 28 can submit a song and then there will we live audition in Rome on 12.1.12. And that age has caused the scandal as many artists over 28 are complainging they cannot participate. Anyways, there will be 14 Big and 8 newcomers and this year the festival will celebrate the Italian songs that have become evergreens all over the world and they will be performed by the Big in competition and foreign artists in duets so that promises to be great fun. We will know the names of the Big on January 10 and four days later the newcomers. Gianni Morandi will also announce his co-hosts on January 10. Adriano Celentano has been confirmed as the first super guest. Watch the spot here .

Non voglio lavorare or I don't want to work is the title of Jalisse's new single released both in Italian and Spanish. For some reason it makes me think of Adriano Celentano & Claudia Mori's Sanremo winner Chi non lavora non fa l'amore.. . In September they will released a new album. You can listen Non voglio lavorare in their MySpace Jalisseduo and here's the recent performance of classic Rios de palabras http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNBYZLy5d_w