Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Latest Amici winners Riki and Andrea (the dancer, he won it all while Riki won the singers) have a joint affair in Riki's latest Balla con me . Well, he's just fooling around in this party summer video while the rumors of their bromance heats up the web more than Lucifer.... Samuel continues his string of hits with very summery La statua della mia libertà . The video makes me think of Cuba but I suppose it's Palermo? Paola Turci covers Anna Oxa's classic Un'emozione da poco from Sanremo's cover night.  May I say this is almost better than the original...? Marco Carta is trying hard to have a succesful comeback but Il meglio sta arrivando promises the best is yet to come. When? Nothing wrong with this groovy radio friendly song either, it just didn't really go anywhere, did it?

The rumour is back also this year. The leading lady of the competing tv-company could join forces with Carlo Conti in Rai this year. Usually the other channels have tried to do everything to steal viewers from the festival and even Maria De Filippi has done her best by placing Amici final during the festival at times. Now, Amici. The talent show of her creation uniting a bit of Idols, X Factor and Got Talent is currently running its 16th season and over the years many artists from there have ended up in Sanremo - to the horror of purists. The fact is the whole top-3 of the last season is in Sanremo: winner Sergio Sylvestere and runner up Elodie amongst the Big, and third placed Lele amongst the Newcomers.  Previous winners Marco Carta , Valerio Scanu  and  Emma Marrone have won also the festival and quite a few others have participated. Last year Amici winner Deborah Iurato placed third, and Dear Jack , her runner ups did Sanremo already twice, and their ex-fr...

The primetime show on Raiuno on December 12, 2016 to select the six Newcomers for the festival - and announce the two that made it through from the AreaSanremo selection - got just a tiny bit more interesting! Carlo Conti will in the same show reveal the 20 Big. A smart move from the Sunday afternoon shows or some random last bit of the tv-news to let the world know. This will also attract surely more viewers for the newcomers and hype up Sanremo in general. Apparently we will also know his co-host(s) who could and should be Laura Pausini .  Meanwhile the guessing and wishing for the Big artists has also started. Chiara, Nina Zilli, Francesco Sarcina, Michele Zarrillo and Giusy Ferri are given as sure thing. Marco Carta (well, he has treid to get back to Sanremo many years by now), Clementino, Fausto Leali, Syria, Nesli and Elodie are also highly tipped, as is last year's newcomers winner Francesco Gabbani . One to propose themselves - once again - is  Jalisse . ...

Sanremo 2009 winner Marco Carta seem to be the first artist to come out and express his disappointment after today's announcement of the artists and songs that made it to the festival next February. (Yes, the artists were sitting at home in front of the television like the rest of the common mortals to find out their fate.....) He throws the dirt on Carlo Conti with a list of his entries that were not accepted the previous years: 2012 Mi hai guardato per caso - eventually made it to #6 in charts and sold gold 2014 Splendida ostinazione - eventually a #1 hit and sold platinum 2015 Ho scelto di no - eventually #22 and a gold disc Truth to be said Conti is responsabel only for the 2015 and now 2016 dismission so he may have it with the festival itself.... Now let's wait and see how his this year's entry will do when released. 

Rumors, rumors, rumors. I already wrote here about the possible Sanremo 2016 names but as the date December 13 is coming closer, the rumor mill is just getting wilder and new names are coming up. The most interesting one is Ricchi e Poveri ! But with a twist: there might be a reunion with Marina Occhiena , the original 4th member who was fired back in 1981 in a scandal involving her and Angela's husband or something.... Could it be that after 35 years they would be again in talking, or rather singing terms? It all ended in Sanremo and could restart in Sanremo? Other names that have come up are Patty Pravo , Loredana Bertè , Paolo Vallesi, two newcomers Amara and Levante who might just not qualify to be among big ones. Rocco Hunt is a newcomers winner so he could make it instead. Then we have Negrita , Francesco Renga once again, Daniele Silvestri and those crazy Elio e le Storie Tese . Marco Carta and Valerio Scanu , two previous young winners are among the rumored on...

The Sanremo gossiping and rumoring is at full forse less than two months before the names will be out. This week, to the horror of most Italian Eurovision fans, rather reliable source TV Sorrisi e Canzoni magazine revealed a list of names, most of them from various reality shows and appealing to the youngters: Valerio Scanu , Marco Carta , Clementino , Dear Jack , Alessandra Amoroso , Kekko Silvestre (of Modà ) as a singer or writer for Dear Jack or/and Amoroso, Annalisa Scarrone .... but also old glories Marco Masini , Irene Grandi and most of all Dolcenera - that most seem to think very suitable for Eurovision, too, including this blogger. She won Sanremo newcomers back in 2003 with Siamo tutti lá fuori and has since matured a very strong and interesting artist.  We can't forget Marco Carta already won in 2009 with La forza mia fresh from Amici reality success, idem for Valerio Scanu and Per tutte le volte che the year after. All these youngsters have a very active fan...

... they would be sending a reality born star with huge online fanbase. If the polls posted before in Spain and France have been by fans, the Italian one is conducted by RAI on Facebook, and thus heavily influenced by those artists having a huge fan base online. As stated by RAI this poll has most likely absolutely nothing to do with the eventual selection - unless they go to Sanremo 2014 (which is likely with a couple of these artists).  The poll was launched already weeks ago and there really hasn't been much of variety; Emma Marrone in a clear lead followed by Annalisa Scarrone (Also Italy's represent in OGAE Song contest), Marco Mengoni , Alessandra Amoroso and Marco Carta completing the Top-5. If you haven't yet voted, you can do it here .

Italy and RAI is almost certain to participate in Copenhagen 2014 and it's good to remember it's also 50 years since Denmark hosted its first Eurovision in Copenhagen, won by Italy. Could they do it again? Certainly they have a lot of singers who could cross over and appeal to European audiences. RAI, despite not confirming their participation (but that comes as no surprise as it may happen again only once EBU publishes the official list) nor have they hinted how the song and/or the singer will be selected. Similar poll was launched last year, yet the singer came from Sanremo festival as the previous year's after their comeback, and this time it was the winner of it, L'essenziale by Marco Mengoni.  This poll also underlines the problem with these online polls; it is the fans of certain singers flooding it as the top names in it are all singers from reality series Amici with strong online fanbese: Emma, Annalisa, Alessandra Amoroso, Marco Carta and yes, even Marco...

If you want to get into some Italian Sanremo mood the songs of the newcomers selection are already online here . These 60 have been invited for a live audition and then the finalists will be chosen. Eight newcomers will take the stage of Teatro Ariston next February and  as said their songs are already there to be heard, unlike the 28 songs by the 14 Big artists who will present their songs only in the festival for the very first time.  RAI hasn't yet given any hint how the song and artist for Malmö will be chosen but it's worth remembering the 2011 entry Raphael Gualazzi's Follia d'amore came from the Sanremo newcomers selection, while Nina Zilli came from the Big category of 2012 but the song from her album.... Meanwhile RAI has a poll on it's Facebook page for fans to have their say who'd be the ideal represent.... (and Marcos Mengoni and Carta are leading)

Nothing has changed since 2011 when Italy returned to Eurovision. Marco Mengoni's name pops up every year. This time RAI confirmed its participation surprisingly early, and even more surprisingly added a poll on its Eurovision Facebook page here about who the fans would like to see represent the country. At the moment Marco Mengoni has nearly 800 votes while runner up Tiziano Ferro less than 200.  Marco Carta fans seem to be tricking the poll but there are three different voices for him and it's hard to think RAI would think about him when selecting the artist. Also a question comes to mind: Will RAI select internally, or without Sanremo effect this year? (Even if they say this poll is just out of curiosity and they have not decided how to choose the singer for Malmö 2012)

It's not looking very promising for the Eurovision 2012 in Italy. RAI is hoping to increase the interest and get the viewing figures up after last year's failure but the competing channel Canale5 will have its very popular reality show Amici's final on the same night at the same time. A huge show is planned live from the  Arena di Verona (built in 30 AD). Not only the talent show's finalists will be on stage to battle it out but also the previous winners or other success stories of Amici, including three of the latest four Sanremo winners Emma , Valerio Scanu and Marco Carta . Also Karima , Virginio Simonelli , Annalisa Scarrone , Antonella Amoroso , Antonino Spadaccino and Pierdavide Carone will be there. Needless to say the Italian youngsters- and not only - will tune into Canale5 instead of Raidue on May 26 night. Shame. 

The winner of X Factor 2009 Marco Mengoni got a ticket to Sanremo 2010 amongst the big as a bonus but that will not happen to the future X Factor winner. The season kicks off these days in Italy but the organizers of Sanremo have already said the winner will not get in. Which is rather questionable as X Factor is one of Raidue's most succesful shows. Also, it has been announced Raiuno will invite the artists to next year's festival directly to the big category. Is that to make sure no reality winners from competitor Mediaset's programmes won't be in and win, like has happened the past two years with Marco Carta and Valerio Scanu ? Instead Raiuno itself will run a series of reality show within Domenica In show to find out the competitors for the newcomers category. However there won't be televoting but jurors will decide.  It's already Settembre but more than this is not know. The namedropping for the possible host(s) has not really kicked off, and the artists ...

Marco Carta who won Sanremo 2009 with La forza mia is back with a new hairstyle and single Quello che dai and a new album, his thrid, will be released on May 25. He has a tough job tfollowing his own footsteps: the previous album sold 350.000 copies and its two singles 150.000. (The other being Dentro ad ogni brivido ). I kinda like this.... somehow.

The Italian talent show that has taken over Sanremo the couple of past years has concluded its season 9 last night with Emma Marrone as a winner . Most likely she also won a ticket to Sanremo 2011, just like Valerio Scanu did, who won Sanremo 2010. Also in 2009 the Sanremo winner Marco Carta came from Amici. Emma (24) comes from Florence and to me who listened her for the very first time this morning she looks and sounds like Irene Grandi - yet another husky rusty voiced female singer from Italy! Judge yourself here . Loredana Errore came second , and the author of the Sanremo 2010 winning song Pierdavide Carone third .

Sanremo 2010 is also getting its pieces together and Sanremo Lab is in full swing. Out of this selection 2-3 ones will be chosen to take part in Sanremo newcomers selection and this year's winner Arisa came through this method. 40 names has been selected at this point and amongst them many names from various talent shows X Factor, Amici (wherefrom this year's winner Marco Carta came from originally), Sanremofestival.59 internet selection, Castrocaro and so on. But not all "famous" names didn't make it, including Michele Imberti who many of you Eurofans might now. Shame! A partly new jury will now judge the artists again and choose the finalists wherefrom the Sanremo participants will be chosen. Giulia Anania, Anima Popolare, Dott. Fra, 21 Grammi, Eleonora Crupi (Amici 2005), Giorgia Del Mese, Devacian, Diastema, Rossana, Gabriella Ferrone, Andrea Gregori, Federica Lanciotti, Angelica Lubian, Selenia Mazzucco, Mario Nunziante (Amici 2008), Rino De Maria (Sanre...

The 4th annual Venice Music Awards, awarded by Italian music experts were held in PalaGalileo, Lido di Venezia's music hall. Here are the winners in various categories: Albano (SIAE Award), Marco Carta (Male singer of the year), Audio 2 (Musical production of the year), Arisa (New comer from Sanremo), Michele Zarrillo (Social awareness), Dolcenera (Female artist of the year, RTL 12.5 radio award), Lelio Luttazzi (for the career) Alice (Province of Venice award), Donatella Rettore (Veneto region award), Marco Masini (Singer-songwriter). Some of the awards are rather strange but never mind, it's always nice when someone worthy gets any award, like Alice! http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx9Xt34g13o

Here are some Sanremo 2009 videos for you to enjoy: The newcomers winner Arisa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1RHx7bb8qI Third placed Sal Da Vinci: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2AkVdjnGAU Second placed Povia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8F3U-StM4Q Winner Marco Carta: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnsh3fpbkfE Gemelli DiVersi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kQmZsXlZUw Dolcenera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eVc6jaAco8 and a couple of favourites of mine from the newcomers: Irene "Zucchero's daughter" Fornaciari: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ_4UgQJq8M Malika Ayane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bDRLZPSsB0 In the Italian top-20 download charts Sanremo takes the lead: Arisa enters at #1, Marco Carta at #2, Povia at #3, Malika at #4, Dolcenera at #5 followed by Francesco Renga at #10!

The winner of Sanremo 2009, Marco Carta picked up a platinum disc for his album La forza mia after 4 days of sales. His debut album from 2008 has also sold platinum, and a live album also from 2008 gold. This is good news to Sanremo where most songs have no life afterwords, and have no place but Teatro Ariston. He was helped to win by his huge fanbase and who can blame him or them if he was against to nobody? This year the most radio-friendly songs were kicked out before the final (Dolcenera, Gemelli Diversi) and if Eurovision have managed to renew itself over the years and produces hits and follows the times, Sanremo seems to have stuck into its past. It is worth mentioning Carta was the youngest Artist this year (23) while Sal Da Vinci at 39 being the third youngest and Povia there in between. Several artists around 60-70 took part. When is Sanremo getting a facelift? Have again more than 1-3 songs that will make it in radio and sell records? Enjoy here some videos from Sanremo incl...

Marco Carta (23) has won Sanremo 2009 with La forza mia . Povia came second with Luca era gay and Sal Da Vinci third with Non riesco a farti innamorare . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35EtLhHmECU , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTVuDZbw6AE , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFDJv8I8LZg