With less than one month until the Sanremo Music Festival, juicy new details are coming thick and fast out of Italy. On January 11 — during the first press conference held in Mediterranean coastal city — host and artistic director Carlo Conti revealed who will join him on stage as co-host for the five-night spectacle.

Maria De Filippi — currently the most influential and iconic Italian TV host — gets the gig. Interestingly, she works for Mediaset, RAI’s main competitor. This agreement between two “enemy” broadcasters is predicted to make the ratings even more explosive. Feel the cross-channel slayage.

Perma-tanned Carlo also revealed a provisional list of special guests who will attend the festival.

Italian superstars Tiziano Ferro and Giorgia will share the stage with international acts Mika — who has found renewed fame in Italy; Ricky Martin — the Latino singing sensation known for hits like “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “She Bangs”; and Brits Critics’ Choice Awards 2017 winner Rag’n’Bone Man  who recently clinched a platinum disc in Italy with his hit single “Human”.

COVER NIGHT

On February 9, during the third live show of Sanremo 2017, Campioni artists — these are the big names from which the Eurovision artist will be chosen — will perform cover versions of an existing Italian hit single. The so-called “cover night” is now an established tradition at the festival, inaugurated in 2011 and it has no influence on the final result. Consider it the amuse-bouche before the main course.

Not all competitors will have the chance to perform their cover. Only the sixteen acts who qualified from the first two live shows will sing their cover songs, while the other six temporarily eliminated acts must perform their original entries again. In the end four of them will gain access to the fourth live show. This means that we’ll definitely say arrivederci to two acts. It’s complicated, but such is life.

During today’s press conference Carlo revealed which cover songs the competing acts have chosen. They include hits by former Eurovision representatives Franco Battiato, Domenico Modugno, Gianni Morandi and Anna Oxa.

Albano – “Pregherò” by Adriano Celentano
Bianca Atzei – “Con il nastro rosa” by Lucio Battisti
Alessio Bernabei – “Un giorno credi” by Edoardo Bennato
Michele Bravi – “La stagione dell’amore” by Franco Battiato
Chiara – “Diamante” by Zucchero
Clementino – “Svalutation” by Adriano Celentano
Lodovica Comello – “Le mille bolle blu” by Mina
Gigi D’Alessio – “L’immensità” by Don Backy
Elodie – “Quando finisce un amore” by Riccardo Cocciante
Giusy Ferreri – “Il Paradiso” by Patty Pravo
Francesco Gabbani – “Susanna” by Adriano Celentano 
Fiorella Mannoia – “Sempre e per sempre” by Francesco De Gregori
Marco Masini – “Signor Tenente” by Giorgio Faletti
Ermal Meta – “Amara terra mia” by Domenico Modugno
Fabrizio Moro – “La leva calcistica della classe ’68” by Francesco De Gregori
Nesli & Alice Paba – “Ma il cielo è sempre più blu” by Rino Gaetano
Raige & Giulia Luzi – “C’era un ragazzo che come me” by Gianni Morandi
Ron – “Insieme a te non ci sto più” by Caterina Caselli
Samuel – “Ho difeso il mio amore” by Nomadi
Sergio Sylvestre – “Vorrei la pelle nera” by Nino Ferrer
Paola Turci – “Un’emozione da poco” by Anna Oxa
Michele Zarrillo – “Se tu non torni” by Miguel Bosè

READ MORE SANREMO NEWS

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AngieP
AngieP
7 years ago

Great news! I am really excited about the acts, as always. Last year I saw Laura Pausini performing, for whom I’ve heard but whose songs I hadn’t listen to and she was amazing!
This year we’re going to see great things for sure.
Love both Mika and Ricky Martin, their performance will be super, looking forward!
Really interested in watching Rag’n’Bone Man whom I learned from “Human” which I like.
I didn’t have the chance to listen to either Tiziano Ferro or Giorgia, so it will be a good oportunity for me to see them at Sanremo.

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Mika still has a fairly successful career going – to even have a career at all is an achievement in the cuthroat showbiz world. His last record from 2015 is great, he recently released a terrific live DVD (recorded in Italy) in which he was accompanied by a live orchestra – so he’s still going strong, if not maybe in the part of the world Denis is in – their loss. I personally would love to see him perform at the Eurovision – a shame he seems to have turned his nose up at it.

Denis
Denis
7 years ago

Mika:)
I remember when he was huge and was everywhere. You couldn’t escape him. That was only 10 years ago. Now look where he is! That’s pop music business for you..

I still love him though!

mad-professor
mad-professor
7 years ago

Not really keen on the guests… Hopefully they’ve got some better ones lined up.

mad-professor
mad-professor
7 years ago

Not really keen on the guests… Hopefully they’ve got some better ones lined up.

Official Månsters Association
Official Månsters Association
7 years ago

I mean big days.

Official Månsters Association
Official Månsters Association
7 years ago

Well, today and tomorrow will be a big day of listening to all these songs. 🙂

Chris (frostyw)
Chris (frostyw)
7 years ago

Maria does not look all that thrilled to be in that publicity photo with Carlo!

chessguy99
7 years ago

I think “cover night” has some influence on the finals. Last year neither Francesca or eventual winner Stadio had top score on their initial night. On “cover night” Stadio won and Francesca drew critical acclaim for her interpretation of the Battisti classic “Il mio canto libero”. In both cases, I think the “cover night” performances propelled them past the early favorites.