Ahead of the official press conference by the Sammarinese broadcaster SMTV, the Italian website Sorrisi has revealed that two of San Marino’s former Junior Eurovision entrants, Michele Perniola and Anita Simoncini, will represent the country at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna!
About Michele Perniola
Michele will be sixteen years old when the contest takes place in May, and was San Marino’s first ever Junior Eurovision entrant in 2013. He took part with the song “O-o-O Sole Interno a Me”, finishing in tenth place. Not only that, but he rocked that gold jacket for all its worth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z3kEwbwYOc
About Anita Simoncini
He will be sharing the stage with Anita, who performed alongside Michele’s younger sister Rafaella at Junior Eurovision 2014 as part of The Peppermints. Simoncini, who is only fifteen at the moment, will turn sixteen in April, making her one of the youngest participants ever since the sixteen years old age limit has become a rule. Y’all are also going to see history being made – Anita will be the first act to ever take part in Junior Eurovision and the adult Eurovision within the same year!
Anita’s inclusion means that San Marino will have a Sammarinese representative for the fourth year in a row; Anita was also the only native member of the Peppermints. Michele himself was born in the small town of Palagiano in Italy, some 600 kilometres away from San Marino.
We don’t know about y’all, but we are excited by this! It’s great to see San Marino sticking with local talent and the country has clearly got themselves some Perniola fever going on too, taking the whole family to heart. There were lots of rumours flying around that Michele would be representing the country, which our interview with him in Malta helped to spark!
Anita’s inclusion is a very interesting twist though. Sending such a young duo shows that San Marino has a lot of faith in both acts and some would say it’s the perfect change of pace from three years of Valentina!
So, what do you think about SMTV’s decision to send Michele and Anita? Let us know in the comments below!
YES! I’m so excited! This is the best Eurovision news so far! I was hoping so hard that Michele would go, and a duet with a fellow JESC alumn is an interesting concept. I’m looking forward to see how they do. I just have to keep my fingers crossed they get an amazing song. The Italian language has been well received at Eurovision the past few years, so they should stick with that, maybe a little English peppered in. Who knows? San Marino 2016?
I’m not big on the Junior 2013 song. I thought the Peppermints’ song this year was much better though. It was a little annoying, but it was also fun and had a good sense of character. Although it wasn’t one of my favorites, I’d put it on par with the Italian song that won. I like the idea of a duet for ESC 2015. However, they need to remember that it is hard to compete for San Marino. A silly, teen romance song will have the same fate as the Social Network Song. I would like to see a classy… Read more »
@Mei International – I personally think its a smart strategy to send familiar faces to the contest. San Marino is still a largely unknown country to the rest of Europe and the world. They had to make their mark to be remembered and voted for among the other 35+ bigger countries competing. The Valentina Monetta Trilogy actually helped the country get some recognition for once. I’m looking forward to seeing Michele and Anita competing again as soloists in the future.
I’m so happy with this choice, and it’s interesting a young duo in ESC
I can’t believe that I’m happy with all the countries (SO FAR)
I think a Glee or High School Musical flavour WOULD suit them. Though that is not 100% original, it’s unlikely that other acts would go that way so they could stand out on the night.
Ooooh this is so amazing! Cool that Anita will represent her country on the Eurovision, right after being a member of the girl group that represented San Marino in the Junior Eurovision! I’m curious for the song of this duo!
You know what…that is AWESOME!!!
I know San marino is a small country but must they cycle and recycle singers? I want to see somerging ORIGINAL. Many other countries can do it, even if they have returning artists (ie Dima and Lena). I am skeptical of them doing well and frankly their future in eurovision
Charles, that’s some awfully selective reading to conclude that “almost everybody” is talking about the haircut when only three people have mentioned it (not including yourself). And only one of those people didn’t mention anything about music. Sure, it really shouldn’t matter to anyone what the singer looks like and I agree with that, but there’s no need for dramatic hyperbole. Regarding the singers: I have no idea what Anita sounds like on her own, but the Peppermints honestly didn’t sound too bad live. Michele didn’t sound bad either… were the instrumentals really so quiet at JESC 2013? Geez. I… Read more »
Two young kids working hard to be singers (if they are good or not that changes quite easily from one person’s view to another) they are taking part of a song contest … yet … it’s the hair style that almost everybody here seems to be dramatically worried about … definitively a world shattering factor to be taken seriously, no doubt … specially in a …. SONG contest where apparently looks are far more relevant that singing abilities … wow and they still ask why there are people complaining ESC has no musical credibility. I am not gonna even bother… Read more »
Good thing I am not the only one who notices his haircut. It’s unbearable in a funny way.
Being young could help them stand out!
If they had to pick them, I recommend:
-change Michele’s haircut, it is AWFUL
-come up with nice song not High School Musical style or something similar
-make good performance
-send Valentina as spokesperson and let her write the song, she is Amazing.
I hope they stick away from 80s-type music as Michele and The Peppermints had some throwback instrumentals. As someone here mentioned, hopefully no Glee or High School Musical type of song.
Change it up San Marino, I believe in you!
Maybe… Valentina can write lyrics or compose music?
Who will be composer of song. Ralph Siegel, Thomas G:son…. or some author from San Marino or Italy
Don´t know man. They´re so young, will they really be able to hold a tiny country´s head high in a adult´s contest?
They look a bit young to me. I have a feeling they will look out of place, and seem juvinial compared to everyone else. I hope not. Good luck San Marino.
Good idea, San Marino! And I’m pretty sure Valentina would be the spokesperson 🙂
This is so wrong!
Come back, Valentina! Come back, please!
What is it with San marino and recycling contestants?
I am afraid we will get some kind of “High-School-Musical” or “Glee” song
The only thing what is wrong in my opinion is the haircut of Michele. I am very curious about the song! 🙂
I’m excited for this. I loved Anita and the Peppermints, Michele not so much but he did have a strong voice. Can’t wait until I hear the song.
I’m impressed, San Marino has actually more than one singer! 😀
At least it’s not Valentina again. 😀
I’m just hoping their song will be completely different from their JESC entries, because honestly? I didn’t like neither of them. Michele has charisma, I admit it, but his JESC song was not of my liking, or maybe is just his voice. However young men can change a lot in two years, specially when you go from 14 to 16, so I hope he’ll sound completely different in Vienna. I can’t judge Anita by herself because The Peppermints was a group effort, but I disliked their song to the point that it was one of my least favourites in fact.… Read more »
At least the Valentina-madness is finally over … enough was enough!
I didn’t like either of them in JESC, Peppermints were out of tune all the way through. Not my style of music either. But I hope they bring some youth and fun to the party! Excellent news, but bye bye Valentina <3!
Amazing! Really excited for this!
I KNEW HE WOULD REPRESENT SAN MARINO
DIDN’T EXPECT ANITA
IM EXCITED!!!
Excellent choice San Marino; Michele Perniola had one of the best songs of JESC 2013 (unfortunately not reflected in the results). Interestingly the Tolmachevy Sisters (JESC 2006 winner) were only 17 when they placed 7th at ESC 2014.
I want Valentina for the 4th year in a row, that will give San Marino a record in Eurovision, at least… Good luck anyway!
Nice! Hope they have a good song!
It might be interesting, because it will probably be the youngest duo in the history of Eurovision.
I Hope they win for the first time, or at least, reach the top 5
Colour me excited! The contest needs a shot of young blood on the 60th anniversary 🙂
And both Michele and Anota are talented and so, so cute. I am curious about the song now!
I have a feeling they’re going to sound like shit…