They’re the last of the Big 5 to confirm their participation in Tel Aviv. Italy‘s broadcaster RAI has finally confirmed to fans that the Eurovision power player will be competing at Eurovision 2019.
The news was confirmed with a post on the official Italian Eurovision Facebook group. The message asked “Did you have any doubts? Of course Italy will be in Tel Aviv 2019!”
Did you have any doubts ?? Of course Italy will be in Tel Aviv 2019! ?????
Posted by Eurovision Song Contest Italia on Friday, October 5, 2018
The news comes as a relief to fans of the Big 5 nation, who were worried that Italy had not previously publicly confirmed their participation in Eurovision 2019.
But while Italy has signed up for the song contest, RAI still hasn’t confirmed how the Italian act for Tel Aviv will be selected.
However, it is expected that Italy will use the same method as they have since 2015, where the winner of the Sanremo Music Festival is given first refusal to also become Italy’s Eurovision act.
Sanremo 2019 will begin in December with the newcomers contest, now held as a separate show. The two winners from Sanremo Giovani will also earn a place in the main Sanremo contest.
In early February, the Sanremo Music Festival will take place, again at the iconic Ariston theatre. It is expected that around 20 established Italian acts will compete in the song contest, all vying for the chance to win the Golden Lion trophy.
It is likely that that winner of Sanremo 2019 will also be offered the chance to represent Italy at Eurovision 2019 with their Sanremo winning song. Since 2015, the winners of Sanremo have mostly accepted the ticket to Eurovision. The one exception was in 2016, when festival winners Stadio turned down Eurovision. The honour instead went to Sanremo runner-up Francesca Michielin.
Since Italy’s 2011 Eurovision comeback, they have earned a reputation as a power player of the content. Italy has placed in the top ten six out of eight times, including second place in 2011.
Italy’s entries have often proved to be big televote favourites. In 2015, Il Volo’s epic romantic “Grande amore” won the televote and placed third overall. In Lisbon, Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro’s thought-provoking “Non mi avete fatto niente” was third in the televote and placed fifth overall.
What do you think? Should Italy continue to use Sanremo as its Eurovision song selection? Who would you like to see enter Sanremo 2019? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!
Can anyone out there help? How do you enter a song for Italy, if you are over 38 years of age?
You go to the Sanremo in February, I guess…
Excellent news. It’s officially my favorite country in the ESC right now (at least in XXI century 🙂 ) Italy deserves so much to win!
I need Arisa to come thru again, she’s one of our best artists and she would enrich the competition so much. Plus she’s super cynical and I love this.
YESSSS!!! I just recently discovered her and her earlier performances in Sanremo. I became hooked.
Why would they sit out? They haven’t sent a bad song since I started watching this contest from beginning to end in 2013. And the 2 songs before them (2011-12) were pretty good.
Like I said, no reason for them to withdraw. What this will hopefully mean is that San Marino will be back too. I feel like they’ll be in it as long as Italy is in it.
I never follow San Remo but considering how Italy enriches Eurovision almost every single year, I probably should.
One of my fav country, good luck Italy 🙂
Italy have been among some of my favorite Eurovision countries since they came back in 2011. I loved them in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018. They usually end up in my Top 10.
I’d actually love to see Italy win again soon. I’d love to see Rome/Milan/Naples/Turin etc host a modern day Eurovision.
With the exception of maybe France, I think of there is to be another Big 5 win, it will be Italy.
I was wondering if a Big 5 country wins, will there be 25 countries in the Grand Final? Or will they let the runner-up to be an automatically qualifier as well?
I think there is no rule stating that there must be 26 countries in the grand final. There were 27 countries in 2015. So they don’t need to let one more country qualify automatically.
The number didn’t become established as 26 until 2012. It was 24 (the ten qualifiers, top ten from the year before, and the then-Big 4) until 2008, then the two-semi system made it 25 (Big 4, host, twenty qualifiers), and it didn’t get beefed up to 26 until Italy made it a Big 5 and a non-Big 5 country (Azerbaijan) won.
I have started paying attention on Italian music since Francesco Gabbani competed in Eurovision in 2017, of course I would love to see him on the Eurovision stage again. But other than that, I also like Cesare Cremonini joining the competition. “Poetica” would have been a nice entry for Eurovision, but it is longer than the Eurovision requirement. Making it shorter would hurt its quality. “Kashmir Kashmir” would be a good choice as well. I love the music video. But both songs were released before September 1 this year, so there is no chance unfortunately. I would be happy too… Read more »
I knew they would confirm :3 Why wouldn’t they?
Because they are big5 rebels, and everything is too linked to politics, and they have missed 14 years.
But I’m happy too they are in, always quality they bring.
Oh thank god! My favourite Eurovision country, I’m glad you’re in it to win it once again. <3
I’m a fan of Italy too, but “to win it once again”? After Francesco Gabbani…this sounds like jinx.
Nah, I’m not saying they’re winning. (Btw I also never believed Francesco was gonna win) But Italy is always up there in the top 10 and they’re really trying their best.
Can we have an Amen and a Hallellujah?
Thank God! I was so freaking nervous.