Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Every year a certain part of Italian fandom is complaining and lamenting and suggesting Italy should have a selection separately from Sanremo, or select internally or something, anything but send the Sanremo winner automatically.  Which in my opinion is like the silliest idea ever - unless they want to do bad or at least not so good. Because why? Italy is the first country in three decades to have a consecutive six  top-6 streak! (Correct me if I am wrong but it's Germany from 1978 to 1983). And on top of that it would surely be a seven year one if 2020 Euroviison wasn't cancelled. Since Italy's return Italy has sent a non Sanremo winner in 2011 (2nd), 2012 (9th), 2014 (21st) and 2016 (16th). In 2013 it was Marco Mengoni with L'essenziale, Sanremo winner and placed 7th. And then only winners... 2017 Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma (6th) 2018 Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro - Non mi avete fatto niente (5th) 2019 Mahmood - Soldi (2nd) 2021 Måneskin - Zitti e b...

Ukraine received the incredible 28 times 12 points, 8 times 10 points, 2 times 8 (North Macedonia, Malta) points and once 7 points (Serbia) or 431 out of 468. That is certainly something that won't be repeated very easily. The European television audience really felt a need to support Ukraine and all I can say to that is Slava Ukraini! But the juries supported Ukraine as well. Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Romania and Lithuania gave them 12 points and Germany, Iceland and France 10 points, and they got 192 points in total, placing fourth after United Kingdom, Sweden and Spain.  What comes to the separate voting results by juries versus televotes it's remarkable how different they are. They totally agreed only on Spain (3rd) and less than five place difference on Armenia, Italy, Ukraine, UK, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic and the very bottom ones. Moldova has a difference of 18 places, and big differences also for Portugal, Norway, Australia, Azerbaijan and Switzerland.  An...

He did it. Soldi has been streamed over 122 million times beating Loreen's Euphoria and Måns Zelmerlöw's Heroes and has become the most streamed Eurovision entry ever. Another record to the already very long list of record broken.  And Italy also holds the top of Youtube views with Francesco Gabbani's Occidentali's Karma , followed by Il Volo's Grande amore so one could say Italy rules! Let's see if in time Mahmood will catch up on them, too.  Meanwhile Mahmood is getting ready for the European tour and besides his chart topper Barrio he has recently co-written and performed with Gemitaiz and MadMan in Karate , re-recorded Barrio with Lalo Ebratt and co-written Marco Mengoni's latest hit Duemila volte , Parolaccie for Sergio Sylvestre and written and performed  Fa paura perche è vero  with Myss Keta....

Before we talk more about Francesco Gabbani's victory let's have a final look on the audience and shares. And it's a real boom: the fianl was watched in average by 12.022.000 viewers or 58,45 share, the second best ever! The one doing better is 2009 with Polo Bonolis and Luca laurenti hosting. The festival's five day average is 50,7% (Conti was hoping for a 45% to be happy), the best share since 2005, with an average of 10.848.000 viewers per night, with over 40 milion contacts.  Conti has also done better every year: 48,6% in 2015, 49,6% in 2016 and now 50,7% in 2017. Sadly he's not returning for 2018.... And to stop the bad mouthing and false rumours about his salary he donated his paycheck (after taxes) 100.000 euro to the earthquake victims. it's worth remembering also Maria De Filippi was borrowed from the enemy television empire Mediaset for free.