Italy: Elodie defends Giorgia and says women are unfairly treated at Sanremo
When the first-round results were read on the final night of Sanremo Music Festival, there were gasps heard in Italy and around the world - the favourite Giorgia had finished 6th and missed the top five.
The results shocked the hosts and members of the audience audibly jeered with some in the orchestra even showing their frustration.
Despite winning over the press and radio voters, her poorer public vote saw her just miss out in Sanremo's rather complicated scoring system.
The winner and the top five were all men. In the past 11 Sanremo Music Festivals there has only been one female winner (as vocalist).
The Sunday after the final, the Sanremo acts appeared on the television show Domenica in.
Elodie, who finished 12th at the festival, made her feelings known about Giorgia's result.
"I was really hurt for Giorgia. I think it was disrespectful for her career, for her talent, for the song she had," she said on the show.
"It pisses me off that she wasn't there, it's unfair. There must be respect for careers. We praised her all week: "It's the winning song", then what happened? Did people forget to vote? Because she's Giorgia, she doesn't need it?"
She then addressed the issue of women consistently underperforming at the festival.
"It always seems that women have to do somersaults, sing well, be great performers, even do pole dancing. It's never enough," she said.
"It's not a question of victimisation, it's objective data, it's statistics.
"We are always in the minority and it makes us angry: we are not artistically inferior."
Giorgia also appeared on the show where she was introduced by host Mara Venier as the moral winner.
When asked about the controversy Giorgia said:
"My victory is having made a song that the public liked, of reaching the people. And in any case Olly deserved it."
Olly won the Sanremo Music Festival with Balorda Nostalgia but has not confirmed if he is going to Eurovision.
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Source: RAI Domenica in / la Repubblica
