Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  After this exhausting and exciting Eurovision season it's time to take a break of it.  First off to my spiritual home,  Rome  and therefor here comes a series of songs celebrating Rome in its lyrics and/or videos.  After that at some point I'll relaunch the  #FinPop  series with all the goodies that have been released since January 2026. Have a good one !

The Sanremo 2026 rules have been revealed and there are no major changes to previous year. The festival takes place in Sanremo's Teatro Ariston as usual between February 24-28, 2026, after a long battle ( read more here ) a couple of weeks later than usual due to Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics earlier in February.  Carlo Conti might invite comedians Leonardo Pieraccioni and Giorgio Panariello as his co-hosts to this festival he says wil be his last, and there's a rumor Giorgia will be the main host next to Conti.  Carlo Conti is accepting and listening the entries until November 17, 2025 and the 26 Big will be revealed in due course, probably on  The songs must be in Italian (with minor bits in dialect or foreign language accepted) and max length is 3:30 (instead of 4:00 as previosuly), and for the Newcomers 3:00. The first night all 26 Big will perform their songs and are voted by Press center. The second night 13 Big will perform their song and are voted by Radio jury...

Super Pippo Younger Eurovision fans only know Amadeus and Carlo Conti as Sanremo gods but there's one man who has done more than anyone else, launched more Italian global stars , shaped more the Italian music scene in television than anyone else. He could really own the slogan he had created: "I have invented her/him/them!" The only miss I can think about his career is that he didn't get involved in Eurovision - if he put his efforts in Eurovision as much as in Sanremo Italy would have quite a few more wins I think. The man is of course Pippo Baudo. Born Giuseppe Raimondo Vittorio Baudo June 1936 in Sicily near Catania and died in Rome on August 16, 2025 at the age of 89. He studied law and became a lawyer but entertaining world was what he wanted to do and he started working as an actor, comedian, singer and pianist in the 1950's. He first appeared in tv in 1959 and got his big breakthrough in 1966 presenting the musical show Settevoci. Since then he was hosting ...

Carlo Conti has revealed he listened 280 Big songs, meaning 250 songs didn't make the cut even if a total of 30 songs instead of 24 were chosen. As for the Newcomers 336 songs were submitted for AreaSanremo and 564 for Sanremo Giovani, that's a total of 1.180 songs.  But now as the names are out the betting has also started and in various betting sites the odds seem to be the same for the Top-4 as Elodie, Giorgia, Achille Lauro and Olly in different order, followed by Noemi, Irama and Francesco Gabbani. I personally would love to see Giorgia finally at Eurovision - even if apparently she'd be more likely to say "No, grazie"- or Elodie.  Some authors of the songs have been revealed. Mahmood and Blanco are behind Noemi's song, and Blanco is also a coauthor for Irama and Giorgia.  Tiziano Ferro has written for Massimo Ranieri.  Giorgia comes from a very successful year as X Factor presenter. She has released 11 studio albums and is considered one of the best voca...

Apparently Carlo Conti couldn't decide so the 24 Big artists have become 30! Among them previous winners and Eurovision veterans Francesco Gabbani (2017), Massimo Ranieri (1988) and also Francesca Michielin (2016) and Achille Lauro (San Marino 2022). Other previous winners are Simone Cristicchi (2007) and Giorgia (1995), and among Newcomers Rocco Hunt (2014) and Clara (2024). Eurovision fan favorites Elodie, Coma_Cose, Irama and The Kolors are also back. If Massimo Ranieri (73) is back for the seventh time also another real veteran returns (finally): Marcella Bella (72). This will be her 10th Sanremo.  From last year we have again Clara, Rose Villain, The Kolors and Irama. For the first time ever we have in competition i Sanremo Brunori Sas, Emis Killa, Sarah Toscano (latest Amici winner), Dj and producer Shablo with rappers Gué and Tormento, Joan Thiele, Luco Corsi and Tony Effe. The hot gossip is both Tony Effe and Fedez are in, as Fedez recently divorced Chiara Ferragni, Sanremo...

The 74th Festival della canzone italiana kicks off in legendary Teatro Ariston in Sanremo tonight. The artistic director and main host is once again Amadeus for the 5th year, officially his last but there's demand from Rai for him to do it again next year. His festivals have been not only viewing successes but also an endless source for multiplatinum scoring hits. The first night's co-host is none other than last year's winner and Eurovision 2023 4th placed Marco Mengoni who will open the night with his winning entry (and the most streamed Italian song abroad) Due vite. Singer and Sanremo winner Giorgia will co-host second night, comedian/actress Teresa Mannio 3rd, showgirl Lorella Cuccarini 4th and finally legendary funny man Fiorello the final.  Among the artists Eurovision veterans Mahmood, Emma, Il Volo and Ricchi e Poveri with Diodato. Other previous winner is Francesco Renga. 15 out of 30 acts are debutantes, or 16 if you don't count Negramaro's participation ...

  And here are the music videos for the songs presented the second night. The first night is here . 

It's the holy week for Sanremo fans and yes, it is going to be looong nights from 20.45 to 1.30 from Monday to Friday and even 2.00 on Saturday. Plus all the extra minutes that will be needed as always. After two years of various restrictions Sanremo is back more or less to what it was in 2020, when it was just about the last big thing happening before the pandemic took over Italy and the world closing and cancelling most everything. Amadeus is in charge for the 4th year in a row and he has done better every year so pressure is on, but judging the list of singers he's got in there's no worries this year again will be a hit factory. And there's plentu on paper for Eurovision on mind, too. Marco Mengoni, maybe the biggest name on list along with Giorgia and Ultimo, has already declared he'd love to do Eurovision again and his song has become the one to beat after rehearsals. Giorgia on the other hand missed her chance to do Eurovision back in 1995 as Italy wasn't ...

Amadeus did it again. He surprised us with the news that not 2 or 3 but six (6) artists from Newcomers Sanremo Giovani will join the Big at Sanremo 2023 festival next February. He also surprised by actually bringing the big guns many thought pretty impossible, namely Marco Mengoni and Giorgia. He also brought Articolo 31 and Mr.Rain, both famous for stating they would never ever take part in Sanremo and here they are. As are I Cugini di Campagna debuting at the festival, a band that was the soundtrack of Italy in the 1970's with their sound and countless hits. He also brought in the comeback by Paola & Chiara. He brought back Anna Oxa, famously in fight with Rai for years. Add Ultimo, the sour loser to Mahmood in 2019, Tananai who came last year and is the only artist from last year's edition! I mean, you can't make these things up So in sort we have three winners: Giorgia (1995 when she would have a run for their money to Secret Garden had Italy participated), Marco Me...

Tonight's the night and the 69th Festival della Canzone Italiana in Sanremo starts and goes on until Saturday night when we will know the winner, and hopefully also the one going to Tel Aviv and Eurovison song contest 2019. A major change this year is there is only one category as the Newcomers were sorted out already in December in a festival for them alone and two winners got the ticket to the Big category: Mahmood and Einar.  Tonight's guest stars are Giorgia, Andrea Bocelli with his son Matteo, last year's host actor Pierfrancesco Favino, actor Claudio Santamaria and actor/director/writer/musician Rocco Papaleo. The hosts next to Claudio Baglioni this year are fabulous comedian, actress, impersonator Virginia Raffaele and actor, presenter, comedian, writer Claudio Bisio.  All 24 artists will perform their song tonight for the first time. The voting is 30% press center, 30% demoscopic jury and 40% televote. A notable mileston will happen tonight as well: Anna T...