Italy’s internal selection didn’t quite work out to plan last year, as their biggest pop star Emma Marrone placed a disappointing twenty-first. Afterward, RAI announced that Sanremo (the long-lasting Italian music festival that was the basis of Eurovision) would once again function as their national selection. Now we are excited to announce the twenty names that will compete for the honor…
Sanremo 2015 Participants
ANNALISA – Una finestra tra le stelle
MALIKA AYANE – Adesso è qui
MARCO MASINI – Che giorno è
CHIARA – Straordinario
GIANLUCA GRIGNANI – Sogni infranti
NEK – Fatti avanti amore
NINA ZILLI – Sola
DEAR JACK – Il mondo esplode
ALEX BRITTI – Un attimo importante
BIGGIO e MANDELLI – Vita d’inferno
MORENO – Oggi ti parlo così
BIANCA ATZEI – Il solo al mondo
RAF – Come una favola
LARA FABIAN – Voce
GRAZIA DI MICHELE e MAURO CORUZZI – Io sono una finestra
IL VOLO – Grande amore
ANNA TATANGELO – Libera
NESLI – Buona fortuna amore
IRENE GRANDI – Un vento senza nome
LORENZO FRAGOLA – Siamo uguali
Familiar Names
The most recognizable name on the list is, of course, Nina Zilli. This Amy Winehouse doppelgänger reached the top ten in Baku, with the song “L’amore è femmina“.
Lara Fabian, the Belgo-Canadian who represented Luxembourg in 1988, is also back. Since Eurovision, she has become the best-selling Belgian artist of all time, releasing eleven albums and selling twenty million records. She most recently released “Make Me Yours Tonight” with Turkish artist Mustafa Ceceli.
http://youtu.be/syEkR-fMhdM
Another Eurovision veteran on this list is Raf. In a collaboration with Umberto Tozzi, he performed the song “Gente di mare” in Eurovision 1987. The duo placed third, behind Ireland’s Johnny Logan and Germany’s Wind.
http://youtu.be/TPH0D1CX8ns
Italy’s Biggest Stars
Sanremo is not a competition filled with nobodies, like some of the other preselections. A lot of these artists have already had several hits in the Italian music industry.
Chiara was a winner of the Italian version of X Factor, back in 2012, and has since been on her game. She competed in Sanremo last year as well. Her biggest hits include “Un giorno di sole“, “Due respiri”, and “Stardust” (a collaboration with Lebanese-British singer Mika).
Annalisa is also a talent show winner, but from Amici di Maria De Filippi. Like Chiara, she also competed in Sanremo last year. She has sold nearly 150,000 records, released three albums (of which one went platinum), and toured twice.
One other name that pops out is Dear Jack, a pop rock band who also competed on Amici. Their sound is different, to say the least, and we aren’t very sure about how successful they will be in Sanremo. However, we will leave that up for the juries to decide.
Last year’s edition of Sanremo was won by Arisa with the song “Controvento”.
EMMA MARRONE HAS GOT THE VOICE, THE ENERGY AND THE STAGE PRESENCE BUT THE MUSIC SHE CHOSE IS NOT FOR COMPETITION, EVEN IF THE SINGER IS COMPETITIVE BUT HER SONG IS NOT, IT WILL
SURELY BE A FLOP. THOSE WHO CHOSE EMMA MUST HAVE COLLABORATED
WITH HER EVEN IN HER STYLE OF DRESS WHICH ALSO WAS NOT SUITABLE WITH HER SONG,, IF THEY WANTED HER TO WIN., DONT THEY THINK WISE
for me, eurovision is a big chance in the start of a carreer, so , famous singers like lara fabian with 12 millions albums, singing since 25 years, shows in the world for 200 dollars or 150-200 euros ??? why not, sorry but what’s she want ??her carreer is down ? not just for the others artists, yes great artist, nice voice but even represented in 1988 ! , eurovision for me, it’s better if the artists want to start a carreer, it’s my opinion
@Racal – Emma placed so poorly because she was dreadful live
@Deniz@TurkNL: Here’s a copy-paste of Turkey’s 10 last entries: Everyway That I Can, For Real, Rimi Rimi Ley, Süperstar, Shake It Up ?ekerim, Deli, Düm Tek Tek, We Could Be The Same, Live It Up, Love Me Back… Doesn’t sound very Turkish to me. 😉 In the 2014 finale (not counting UK, Ireland and Malta, cause it’s just too easy for them ;)), 17 out of 23 songs were entirely in English, 3 were partly in English; that makes only 3 songs that were sung only in national languages: France, Montenegro and Italy. I don’t call that “a lot of… Read more »
@Padraig Muldoon: I did? LOL See … the amount of time great Eurovisions artists are mentioned makes me feel like it’s always the first time whereas everybody else current but questionable seems to take a lot of focus and coverage … but anyway lol I rectify myself: Lara is really showing up as a participant in Sanremo … and though I like the idea … the fact that she could represent Italy in Eurovision does not please me. She does not need this whatsoever .. and unlike Sanremo which remains true to its music essence … Eurovision has changed too… Read more »
Lara Fabian will take part in it! I’ve seen the annunciation of the entries yesterday
@Charles how do you define “a million years”? We wrote about Lara during the summer and you even commented on the post.
Lara Fabian … who would ever wonder in a million years that I would read the name of the female singer I really like and take seriously in this website? LOL Quite ironic …
By the way: Lara Fabian is not taking part of the competition … she’s a guest the same way she back in 2007 alongside Gigi D’allesio for their duet “Un Cuore Malato”
Racal, a lot of countries sing in their own languages.
like mostly Montenegro, Slovenia, FYR Macedonia, Poland, Portugal. And English by the Englishspeaking nations. (UK, Ireland and Malta).
And when they participate, B&H, Bulgaria, Serbia and Turkey mostly too.
I will never understand how Emma could place so poorly last year. Such an injustice!
Italy has one of the best music scenes in Europe, and most importantly they are one of the last few countries to still sing in their beautiful language at Eurovision (along with only France and Spain, if I’m not mistaken). They sent very good acts recently, especially Raphaël Gualazzi, Marco Mengoni and Emma. I hope they can take home the crown soon!
Annalisa (she has been also the italian entry for the OGAE Song Contest 2013) or Malika Ayane.
Nina Zilli would be wonderful, too, but maybe it’s too soon for her comeback.
Il Volo or Analisa will win… That’s for sure… If Il Volo wins THEY ARE GOING TO BE STRONG CONTENDERS IN VIENNA
thing is which one of these singers will want to go to eurovision considering its still not popular in Italy
Lara Fabian please. Her vocals are pitch perfect. For me she was the best in 1988 along with Celine Dion. If she brings a song like “Croire” again, Italy will see a really high placing!
THAT’S EXCITING.
And “Controvento” is a cool song.
Annalisa!!!!!!!!
I hope that we see Lara Fabian at Eurovision again for some countries Italy, Belgium or France.
Actually I think the best choices for us would be Malika Ayane or Chiara. The first one started her career singing in English and her songs have always been more contemporary than the other singers in Italy. The same goes for Chiara, her last album is amazing, though the reception here hasn’t been the best. Nina could be a good choice, but I’m worried about the Amy Winehouse comparison that would always be around the corner. Also the last one on the list, Lorenzo Fragola, the last X Factor Italy winner is truly interesting, a sort of “Italian Ed Sheeran”,… Read more »
Nina or Annalisa please. “Alice e il blu” is absolutely stunning.