Despite San Marino receiving a colossal 1,050 candidates for their first ever national final, only eight entries came from the Most Serene Republic itself. This is hardly a surprise, given that the population of San Marino is barely larger than the capacity of this year’s Eurovision arena. However, 1in360 have kindly accounted for local artists’ statistical disadvantage, and offered them a lifeline.
Whilst their first wildcard was awarded to Finland’s Emma, as voted by international fan groups, and their second is currently being decided by online vote, wildcard #3 is slightly different. San Marino’s third and final wildcard, which will be announced on December 15th, is offered exclusively to Sammarinese artists. So, with no further ado, I present you the lucky candidates.
Anita Simoncini
Aiming for a second shot at Eurovision victory, Peppermints alumni Anita Simoncini enters the selection. After singing a Ralph Siegel penned entry often mistaken as “Chain of Farts”, her and Michele Perniola unsurprisingly crashed out in the semis of the 2015 contest.
However, covering Ed Sheeran’s “The A Team” in her audition video, we see a more delicate side to this beautiful, young talent. Give her a quality song and she will most definitely shine.
IROL
Arguably the most famous artist in the whole of San Marino (which admittedly isn’t saying that much), IROL has expressed his desire to represent his homeland at Eurovision, after revealing the Sammarinese points in 2016.
One of our dream candidates in our own San Marino wishlist and the winner of the 2015 edition of San Marino’s very own talent contest I Talenti de Castelli, IROL certainly has the qualifications. If given a killer chorus, his feel-good hip hop could finally give rap music a name at Eurovision.
Alessandra Busignani
With the confirmed involvement of Christof Straub, father and songwriter to Austrian chanteuse Zoë, we may have found a match made in heaven.
Alessandra Busignani – also known under the alias of Feinpunkt – keeps it slick and sensual, using her smooth jazz vocals and flawless English to seduce the stage. Or if that’s not up your street, she’s also a DJ, and could go all Björk on us with one of her wacky expressive dance numbers.
Alibi
Has Samir ditched Viktor and his Melodifestivalen dreams for a Sammarinese band quartet?
No: This is, Alibi, a group formed in 2014 who create music in a range of genres from funk to rock, and are currently competing in this year’s edition of Talenti dei Castelli.
Jimmi JDKA
If there’s any artist here to get people talking about San Marino again, it’s Jimmi JDKA. His music is creative, fun, and quite frankly, outrageous (expect cavemen, machine guns and farting women in lingerie).
Needless to say, he would easily achieve status as Eurovision’s fastest-ever rapper. After the success of “Yodel It” last year, this man may be exactly what viewers crave as the contest grows more and more serious by the year.
Fiorella Guidi
Raised in Argentina but of Sammarinese origin, Fiorella Guidi presents a very different kind of entry for San Marino.
The Rising Star Argentina contestant possesses beautiful tango vocals and a splendid talent for the accordion. Fiorella could play on Salvador Sobral’s success in bringing us a beautiful, classical ballad in her native tongue. Either that, or she’s the perfect excuse for a “Despacito” rip off.
Gianluigi Colucci
Singer and apparent body builder, Gianluigi Colucci, is also after one of the ten spots in 1in360’s televised finals.
San Marino’s answer to Sakis Rouvas, he doesn’t shy away from drenching his body in fake rain throughout his audition video. What more could you ask for?
Fabrizio Valentini
https://youtu.be/2z3KklXtMY4
We’ll let you judge this one for yourselves…
Poll: Who should win the 1in360 Sammarinese third wildcard?
You can vote for as many artists as you like, but you can only vote once — so cast your vote carefully.
[polldaddy poll=9891623]What happens next?
San Marino’s local wildcard will be decided by December 15th. It is unclear whether the result will be decided by an internal jury, or by which artist of the eight Sammarinese artists receives the most votes during the second wildcard round. You can vote for your favourite’s on 1in360’s official online platform.
What do you think? Could any of these artists win 1in360? Should San Marino hold a national final exclusively for Sammarinese artists for 2019? Leave your comments in the box below!
Valentina!
Loved that Tango! Great voice, Fiorella should represent San Marino!
excelente Fiorella…hermoso tango, muy buena interpretación…Tocar el bandeneón merece un primer puesto…Vamossss.
My top 8;
1. IRON
2. Anita (3 is my lucky number, 3rd time to represent San Marino give her luck?)
3. Alessandra
4. Gianluigi
5. Alibi
6. Fiorella
7. Jimmy JDKA
8. Fabrizio
Little Tony is bigger than IROL…
Why is Anita leading by such a huge margin? Just because she was in ESC already? First Emma and the rest of the top 10 on the first wildcard voting, now this. Come on guys, give everybody an equal chance and listen to all of them, not just the past ESC/NF participants…
I hate rap, hip hop. This is not musical genre, it’s GARBAGE !!!!!!!
lol
Correct me if I am wrong but I think that we’ve never had any rap songs (solo) at Eurovision yet. That would be really cool if San Marino sent one.
Does Kølig Kaj (Denmark 1997) count? His backups sang.
Irol. There’s something so wrong about his style and how it mixes with ESC that feels so right. Big bold and unique. Would be killer.
I can’t believe that so many ppl wants Anita to come back. lol. I would like to see IROL at Eurovision stage, some rap music would be good for a change. 🙂
voted for my favorite rapper from san marino
Am I the only one who liked “Chain of Lights”?
Really? “Chain of farts”? Thanks for putting that in my mind. *sigh*
Guess who else likes “Chain of Lights”? ME! 😀
Too bad it remained trapped in the semi-final back then. 🙁
Hopefully Anita Simoncini wins the wildcard for ESC 2018. 🙂
If they were 4 years older it might have been a more convincing performance. I felt sorry for them because I thought Ralph Siegel was feeding them (both of whom were 16) to the lions.
@Edd: Aye. If Anita were to go with a song like the one she sang in the video (Ed Sheeran’s), she’d be in a world of hurt. Better to try something that isn’t nearly that slow…
…Oh, yes, of course; it had better be written by someone other than Ralph Siegel. :-X
I’m here for Irol tbh, Anita already had her chance. Twice.
Twice?
ESC and JESC
Since they clearly have artists from San Marino interested in ESC, why have they outsourced their acts so often lmao
It’s an interesting point. There are some great singers in this Sammarinese line-up.
Funding.
Yaaaaaassss
Irol and bring some rap to the house!!!!
Please, don’t let Anita win, she did a so bad job in vienna.
Hopefully she does better in Lisbon. 🙂