Sanremo Music Festival is next to none in the world of Italian music. A cultural phenomenon and gives outsiders a sneak peak into a unique Italian spectacle. This year we have been treated to 24 songs and five nights of music shows with the all important final night starting at 7am AEDT tomorrow morning.
The winner will be decided with a mixed voting system comprised of: Televote (34%), Press Vote (33%) and Demoscopic Jury (33%) with the songs in twenty-third* through to fourth position being announced. A new vote will be cast to decide the top three. Artists have already indicated their interest in going to Eurovision in the event of winning prior to the final evening - if the winner is not interested then the broadcaster RAI ultimately reserves the right to select the representative.
*Bugo and Morgan were disqualified on the fourth night of the contest.
With that - let's meet the five entries that really captured the fandom, bookies and jury's attention the past four nights:
Diodato - Fai rumore
Italy's televoters were itching for Ultimo to win Sanremo last year - and Diodato is their closest chance to reward another powerful male ballad. About the breakdown of a relationship and the unbearable silence between the two it's full of authenticity and passion. Diodato has captivating simplicity to his performance that allows the song and emotion to speak for itself. Topping the press ranking on the fourth night of the contest and placing consistently throughout the festival makes him strong chance to take home top honours.
Elodie - Andromeda
Penned by non-other than Mahmood and Dardust Andromeda and Elodie's performance have all the swagger and undeniable cool vibes of Soldi but paired her unique bold, feminine touches. Contemporary and fresh it has all the usual Italian wordiness but similar to Soldi it utilities the backing instrumental and main melody to play with the phrasing and timing to keep the listener on their toes. Looking fresh off the runway of an Armani fashion show Elodie certainly online caught the attention of much of the fandom.
Francesco Gabbani - Viceversa
Not quite as punchy as his 2017 Sanremo winning entry Occidentali's Karma - but still has the hallmarks of a classic Francesco vocal, story-telling and thought-provoking message. Topping the Demoscopic Jury scores from the first two nights paired with Italy's love for the performer put him in strong stead for the coveted top three performances.
Pinguini Tattici Nucleari - Ringo Starr
Full of pop-culture references Pinguini Tattici Nucleari ("Tactical Nuclear Penguins") stand out being one of the few bands in Sanremo this year plus having a very radio friendly entry. A catchy-memorable title with some quirky lyrics brings a fresh young-vibe to the contest which is much appreciated by the fandom to give some variety to the festival. Unlikely to go all the way but is a shout for a top three finish.
Le Vibrazioni - Dov'è
A classic Sanremo entry - big, grand male ballad with an equally big, grand message. About the would around us and the hustle and bustle of the modern world - the main vocalist Francesco Sarcina asking where is the love, but in the most Italian way possible. Although not as radio friendly as many of the other entries it has streamed well and consistently placed high in the intermediate results - a high likelihood of making the final three.
Special Mentions
Although unlikely to finish at the top of the leader board some personal favourites that I highly recommend for everyone's Eurovision playlists are:
Rancore - Eden
Dardust had his hand in another high impact, contemporary song at Sanremo. Although failing to inspire the Press and Demoscopic Juries on the first four nights it's streaming successfully and has left a positive impression on the fandom.
Irene Grandi - Finalmente io
A let your hair down, be yourself and bras d'honneur anything holding you back type of song. She is a real performer and this song is a Friday night anthem.
If I had to tip someone tonight I would be on Diodato but would love to see almost anyone win the event - it is a very strong year! My personal favourites are Elodie and Rancore.
In bocca al lupo a tutti!
Italy has been knocking on the door for a win at Eurovision since their return - could 2020 be the year they make it happen? Give us your take at @aussievisionnet on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.