Perché Sanremo è Sanremo! With only two weeks until the Sanremo Music Festival, juicy new details are coming thick and fast out of Italy.
On January 14 — during a closed-door, invitation-only meeting held at RAI television studios in Milan — journalists and bloggers from the country’s most important newspapers and music websites had the chance to preview the competing songs and to write down their opinions. Without a doubt, these have been among the most read articles in Italy over the last few days!
It has been an annual tradition for twenty years, and a celebrated first taste of what we might expect from the entries. As you already know, we won’t be able to hear the songs until the first performance on the stage, as required by sanremese rules and regulations.
Over two parts, we are going to report the general feelings of the press, sending our big thanks to the Italian Eurovision source Eurofestival News for sharing it with us.
"È questo il motivo per cui non si può mancare: perché tutto parte da qui".
— Ufficio Stampa Rai (@Raiofficialnews) December 16, 2021
? #Sanremo2022, dall’#1febbraio su @RaiUno, @RaiRadio2 e @RaiPlay con Amadeus.
Il promo di @SanremoRai ?? pic.twitter.com/ZPqekAdtsT
Sanremo Festival 2020 Songs: Early reviews (Part Two)
Fabrizio Moro – “Sei tu”
A summary of the reviews: Fabrizio Moro singing like Fabrizio Moro a typical Fabrizio Moro song, in lyrics and style. “Sei tu” speaks of brotherly love, friendship, a sharing of life experiences that have nothing to envy to the love of a couple.
Sample lyrics: “Sei tu che mi inietti nel sangue il destino e accompagni i miei passi come fossi un bambino, sei la cosa più bella che ho sempre difeso e ha sconfitto i miei dubbi quando mi sono arreso.”
English translation: “You are the one who injects destiny into my blood and accompanies my steps as if I were a child, you are the most beautiful thing I have always defended and defeated my doubts when I gave up.”
Gianni Morandi – “Apri tutte le porte”
Gianni Morandi, according to the critics, confirms himself as one of the artists able to always renew himself. “Apri tutte le porte” continues the collaboration with his colleague Jovanotti and therefore is considered to be the worthy heir of “L’allegria“, a track released last summer. Hence, probably, the cautious and not too enthusiastic judgments. Producing the song and conducting the orchestra is German-Turkish deejay Mousse T.
Sample lyrics: “A forza di credere che il male passerà, sto passando io e lui resta, mi devo trascinare presto fuori di qua, dai miei pensieri pigri nella testa.”
English translation: “By dint of believing that evil will pass, I’m passing and it’s staying, I have to drag myself out of here soon, out of my lazy thoughts in my head.”
Elisa – “O forse sei tu”
Overall, she is the one with the highest ratings (the only one to get a 9.5 and several 8s). There is unanimity on the fact that Elisa herself will be the added value, with her presence, voice and interpretation, and that therefore she will run for the victory because “O forse sei tu” will grow over the course of the evenings. An intimate Elisa, delicate but powerful at the same time.
Sample lyrics: “Sarò tra le luci di mille città, tra la solita pubblicità, quella scusa per farti un po’ ridere. Io sarò quell’istante che ti porterà una piccola felicità, quella stupida voglia di vivere sempre.”
English translation: “I will be among the lights of a thousand cities, among the usual advertising, that excuse to make you laugh a little. I’ll be that instant that brings you a little happiness, that silly desire to live forever.”
Michele Bravi – “Inverno dei fiori”
A deep ballad in which you can feel all the inner suffering that the Umbrian singer-songwriter still carries inside, after a difficult period of strong depression following the judicial aftermath of a car accident in which he was involved that caused a victim. “Inverno dei fiori” is a request for help but also a teaching for life.
Sample lyrics: “Nell’ipotesi e nel dubbio di aver disimparato tutto e nell’ipotesi e nel dubbio che io mi sia perso, che abbia lasciato distrattamente indietro un pezzo, tu insegnami come si fa ad imparare la felicità.”
English translation: “Assuming and doubting that I have unlearned everything and assuming and doubting that I am lost, that I have absent-mindedly left a piece behind, teach me how to learn happiness.”
Highsnob & Hu – “Abbi cura di te”
The track mixes rap, trap and hip hop and is one of the most difficult on first listen. The lyrics are interesting, in which Japanese erotic practices (the “shibari”) and leaders mentioned in the Bible (Holofernes) appear together. On the whole, negative reviews are half. To appreciate them are mainly colleagues more attentive to new sounds.
Sample lyrics: “Come tagli sopra le mie mani queste lenzuola sanno ora come ti chiami, in questo gioco quando hai vinto hai perso, esseri umani senza essere umani.”
English translation: “Like cuts above my hands these sheets know now what your name is, in this game when you won you lost, human beings without being human.”
Rkomi – “Insuperabile”
A “smart” song, destined for radio airplay, in which the autotune effects on the voice are present from beginning to end. There is an almost rock attitude in the way Rkomi sings, tight rhythm and distorted guitars.
Sample lyrics: “L’amore per me è quel lasso di tempo in cui ci sentiamo soli.”
English translation: “Love for me is that time frame when we feel alone.”
La Rappresentante di Lista – “Ciao ciao”
“La Rappresentante di Lista wins Sanremo, goes to Eurovision and we win again”, is perhaps the best synthesis of the evaluations, none of them negative. Overall, they are the ones to have the most positive reviews and the most 9s. Electronic and 80’s pop with a catchy refrain and an invitation to leave behind the negative moments. For almost everyone they are at least podium worthy.
Sample lyrics: “Con le mani, con le mani, con le mani, ciao ciao, con i piedi, con i piedi, con i piedi, ciao ciao, e con la testa, con il petto, con il cuore, ciao ciao, e con le gambe, con il culo, coi miei occhi, ciao.”
English translation: “With your hands, with your hands, with your hands, ciao ciao, with your feet, with your feet, with your feet, ciao ciao, and with your head, with your chest, with your heart, ciao ciao, and with your legs, with your ass, with my eyes, ciao ciao.”
Irama – “Ovunque sarai”
The turning point of Irama, who presents a typical sanremese ballad without the use of vocal effects after the electronic uptempo of last year, divides the press. His voice, the strings and his interpretation will play a fundamental role.
Sample lyrics: “Se sarai vento canterai, se sarai acqua brillerai, se sarai ciò che sarò, se sarai la luce scalderai, se sarai luna ti vedrò e se sarai qui non lo saprò, ma se sei tu lo sentirò.”
English translation: “If you’re wind you’ll sing, if you’re water you’ll shine, if you’re what I’ll be, if you’re light you’ll warm, if you’re moon I’ll see you and if you’re here I won’t know, but if you’re you I’ll feel it.”
Sangiovanni – “Farfalle”
It seems to be a song that “could win Sanremo, but also the Zecchino d’oro” (an annual international children’s song competition established in 1959 and broadcast by Rai 1), not exactly a compliment. “Farfalle” is a radio-friendly track that perfectly winks at the young target audience and reflects the style of the new Italian pop star.
Sample lyrics: “Non volano farfalle, non sto più nella pelle, ho perso le emozioni, me le ritrovi tu? Da questa notte no, no, non voglio stare male, dammi due ali per volare.”
English translation: “No butterflies are flying, I can hardly wait, I’ve lost my emotions, will you find them for me? From tonight no, no, I don’t want to feel bad, give me two wings to fly.”
Yuman – “Ora e qui”
The press is also divided on him, more than anything else the very soulful genre is hardly suitable for the Sanremo context. Some judge it “flat and without flashes”, already heard, unfinished, even if the public will probably appreciate the interpretation of the young Italian-Capoverdian.
Sample lyrics: “C’è una strada tutta curve tra il cuore e la testa, senza mappe né scorciatoie o un’area di sosta, a perdersi, io lo so bene, basta niente, come in mare. Ma quando stavo per arrendermi, mi hai insegnato a respirare.”
English translation: “There’s a road full of curves between your heart and your head, with no maps or shortcuts or a rest stop, to get lost, I know better, it only takes a little, like in the sea. But when I was about to give up, you taught me how to breathe.”
Ditonellapiaga & Rettore – “Chimica”
Full ’80s electronic music for this irreverent and ironic track with an obsessive chorus that winks at the radio. The lyrics are already causing quite a stir: “I don’t care about modesty, I don’t give a damn about nuns”. Will it catch on? It will only be a matter of… chemistry.
Sample lyrics: “Non mi basta avere un cuore per provare dell’amore veramente, non mi servono parole per un poco di piacere, è solamente questione di chimica.”
English translation: “It’s not enough for me to have a heart to truly feel love, I don’t need words for a little pleasure, it’s solely a matter of chemistry.”
Le Vibrazioni – “Tantissimo”
The rock share in the wake of Måneskin, but without Måneskin, so much weaker. The fairly widespread opinion is that we won’t hear anything different from Le Vibrazioni’s stuff, which neither adds nor takes away from their production.
Sample lyrics: “Chiamiamo amore, per quante volte facciamo finta di non ricordarci il nome che sotto voce si sente eccome, ma di profilo c’è il tuo seno che mi vuole e anche se non lo dico mi fa male tantissimo.”
English translation: “We call love, however many times we pretend not to remember the name that underneath the voice you can totally hear, but in profile there’s your breasts wanting me and even if I don’t say it it hurts so bad.”
What do you make of the previews so far? Which of the above are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments. And read Part One here!
It seems like this year the contribution of the televoting to the final result will be much more than the previous two years. I wonder what impact can this have in the final results, since we’ve witnessed the Sanremo audience supporting bot classical as well as modern entries in the past.
do you have the detailed voting rules? I’m aware of a formal change in vote percentages as you say but the underlying point attribution method is what really determines which jury is more powerful, last year televoting was supposed to be 40% of the total vote but due to the difference in how each jury expressed their votes, nearly 90% of the total variability in the final ranking was determined by televoting alone, so a larger formal percentage combined with a fairer voting method for each jury would actually decrease the strength of televoting, but I have no idea of… Read more »
Let Vibrazioni makes true rock music, not this wannabe tiktok garbage like maneskin
Is there anywhere where we can see a ranking of the averages?
https://www.eurofestivalnews.com/2022/01/15/sanremo-2022-preascolti-la-rappresentante-ana-mena-eurovision/
We have no idea about the songs, but I’m already over intrigued and waiting for super final between Elisa, La Rapresentante and Blanco/Mahmood
True!
Knowing them, and reading these reviews, I also think this is the likeliest super final outcome. I’m so excited because it’ll be a great competition!
nothing official, but the rumor is that the maneskins could be the hosts of eurovision 2022! let’s see if it’s true.
Mmmmmm I don’t think so… Some gossip newapaper says that the hosts Will be Alessandro Cattelan, Laura Pausini and Matilda De Angelis
If it is true, it would be a blasting success for this edition. Of course they have never hosted any show. But if RAI confirms this rumour, hats off. I was thinking the same when they won ESC2021. But none of them speaks french. Maybe there will be a professional host, such as Cattelan, plus them. Its true they will attract an incredible audience of fans watching the show. On the other side, there are no rumours if they will participate as guests to the American song contest or not.
Maybe Elisa got mostly high ratings because of who she is?
The descriptions of other songs are much more interesting than hers.
100% true! She is an icon in Italy, so that will surely help
I’m glad to see the press giving a push to La Rappresentante di Lista, because I still believe they had one of the best songs last year. Too bad it was a star-packed Sanremo, so getting to the superfinal wasn’t an option. Maybe they’ll make this time. And face Elisa there, because I guess nobody is expecting her to be outside the podium. She’s indeed that good. I’ve noticed that the reviews are a little harsh on more radiofriendly music (and being considered radiofriendly music in Italy is not a bad thing at all, their pop scene is going through… Read more »
Two weeks… it does not seem like eleven months since the last festival. Somebody please slow down time.
Very exciting. Just to have music critics analyze songs gives it a sense of importance that few National selections have.
As you sure know, Sanremo is not only a music festival, but a cultural institution in Italy. During the Sanremo week it seems as if the whole country stopped and the only topic were Sanremo. It has such a powerful impact on Italian society that people are always worried when Sanremo and elections overlap, because of possible political messages during Sanremo. Taking all of this into consideration you can easily understand why musical experts and journalists of the most important newspapers are invited to have a listen before the Festival for them to express their opinions about the songs 🙂