Mariah Carey sings a 1958 Eurovision classic at the Winter Olympics 2026
- Kyriakos Tsinivits
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Global pop icon Mariah Carey sings a 1958 Eurovision classic at the Winter Olympics 2026 Opening Ceremony.
The Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics officially got underway at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium, with global pop icon Mariah Carey delivering a show-stopping performance that blended contemporary pop with European musical history.
As part of the Opening Ceremony, Carey performed a stirring rendition of the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest classic Nel blu dipinto di blu, better known worldwide as Volare, paying tribute to one of Italy’s most beloved songs on one of the world’s biggest stages.
The performance was presented as a medley alongside Carey’s own track Nothing Is Impossible, taken from her sixteenth studio album Here For It All.
The story behind Volare
Written by Franco Migliacci and Domenico Modugno, Nel blu dipinto di blu first captured public attention after winning Italy’s prestigious Sanremo Music Festival in 1958. Its joyful melody, poetic imagery and Modugno’s expressive, unconventional performance style quickly set it apart.
Later that year, the song went on to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1958, finishing in third place. Despite not taking the top prize, Volare stood out instantly, helping Modugno become one of the first Italian artists to achieve widespread international recognition.
Global impact and historic success
While it missed out on Eurovision victory, Volare became a worldwide phenomenon. It was named Billboard’s Song of the Year for 1958, topped the US Billboard Hot 100, and sold millions of copies globally, cementing its place as one of the best-selling singles of its era.
The song also enjoyed major success in Australia, where versions by both Modugno and Dean Martin reached No.1.
Its accolades continued at the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959, where Volare won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year, remaining the only foreign-language recording ever to claim both honours.
An enduring Eurovision legacy
Decades on, Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) has become the most covered song in Eurovision history, translated into numerous languages and recorded by artists including Ella Fitzgerald and Gipsy Kings. The song continues to feature in films, television, and Eurovision retrospectives, maintaining its status as a timeless cultural classic.
Carey creates a defining Olympic moment
By performing Volare at one of the world’s largest sporting events, Mariah Carey added a powerful cultural moment to the opening of the 2026 Winter Games. Her tribute to Italy’s musical heritage — set against the dramatic backdrop of San Siro Stadium — is likely to be remembered as one of the ceremony’s defining highlights.
Carey was first announced as part of the Opening Ceremony lineup in December 2025, generating significant anticipation ahead of the Games.
Star-studded Opening Ceremony lineup
Mariah Carey was just one of several high-profile names featured during the Milan–Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony. Other performers and participants included world-renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini — winner of Sanremo’s Newcomers section in 1993 and a presenter at Eurovision 2022 — acclaimed actor and producer Pierfrancesco Favino, actress Sabrina Impacciatore, and Italian rapper Ghali, who competed at Sanremo 2024.
Australian audiences can catch coverage of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Channel 9.
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