Irama Sanremo 2021

He was forced to sit out the opening show of Italy’s Sanremo 2021 as he awaited the results of a COVID-19 test. However, despite testing negative, Irama will not be able to participate in the second evening due to quarantine rules. Technically, this means that Irama will be forced to withdraw from the competition. However, Sanremo’s artistic director Amadeus has come up with a potential solution — Irama’s rehearsal footage.

Irama forced to quarantine and miss Sanremo 2021

On Tuesday, it became known that a member of Irama’s team had tested positive for COVID-19. As a precuation, Irama had to be tested too. And while the singer’s test came back negative, a second member of his entourage received a positive reading. In accordance with local rules, Irama will have to go into quarantine for at least 10 days as he was a close contact of the infected person. This means he won’t be able to perform “La genesi del tuo colore” on the Ariston stage tonight.

If the rules are to be applied strictly, Irama will be forced to withdraw. However, in a press conference, Amadeus proposed a possible workaround. He suggests that Irama’s rehearsal performance be used in place of the live one. Unlike Sweden’s Melodifestivalen, such a scenario is not accounted for in the Sanremo 2021 rules. Therefore, the artistic director and host must seek permission from the remaining 25 competitors. If he succeeds, Irama may stay in the competition after all.

As there is a risk of other artists being placed in a similar position later in the week, this precedent would stay in place throughout the remainder of the competition.

You can watch Amadeus’ press conference comments (in Italian) here.

Sanremo 2021: Second Night running order

The running order for the second night is listed on the Sanremo website as follows:

  1. Orietta Berti
  2. La Rappresentante Di Lista
  3. Lo Stato Sociale
  4. Bugo
  5. Gaia
  6. Willie Peyote
  7. Malika Ayane
  8. Fulminacci
  9. Extraliscio
  10. Ermal Meta
  11. Gio Evan
  12. Irama (TBC)
  13. Random

What do you think of Amadeus’ solution? Do you think the other artists will agree? Let us know in the comments.

Follow all of our Italy Eurovision 2021 news.

8 Comments
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Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago

The others probably will never need to use rehearsals, because after tonight they’ll all have their first performance ready to go. I hope all 25 of them vote to include poor Irama.

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Including him is also the safest thing to do – nobody else will feel any pressure to hide symptoms if they ever get any.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

Sending my best wishes to Irama’s team. Of course that rehearsal footage should be competing. I hope that everything goes well, the song competes and then gets rated accordingly.

PS. It entertains me that the artist under number 13 is called Random. I expect a very Random song. šŸ˜‰

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Anhel
Anhel
3 years ago

He’s so pretty

Sale
Sale
3 years ago

Well if other artists refuse the offer guess karma will do the justice to them lol

Last edited 3 years ago by Sale
Antonio
Antonio
3 years ago

After last night dissapointment, I was so looking forward to see Irama on stage. I hope everything will be ok and they will allow him to use the rehearsal footage.

Phillybear
Phillybear
3 years ago
Reply to  Antonio

Amen!

BeepBoop
BeepBoop
3 years ago

It is so complicated… I feel bad for him and for his entire team, since I am sure they have been preparing hard šŸ™ From what they said in the press conference they have to be in quarantine from 10 to 14 days depending on the variant… I just hope that the infected person gets well and that nobody else from the team gets sick, for health comes always first! Still, I would like to listen to the song, and see his collaboration stage, and if as they say they are recorded, we might at least see the proposal they… Read more »