The last time San Marino held a national final, they send a Maltese singer, German rapper and some cute robots to Eurovision. Now the microstate has revealed more information about its new national final Una voce per San Marino that will select San Marino’s act for Eurovision 2022.

Back in April, broadcaster SMRTV announced Una voce per San Marino (A voice for San Marino) as part of its 2021-2022 tourism events calendar. Local government hoped that a richer selection of music and entertainment events will attract tourists to the microstate once coronavirus pandemic restrictions are eased.

Now San Marino’s Secretary of State for Tourism Federico Pedini Amati and the Director of the Tourist Office Nicoletta Corbelli have given an update on the plans to revitalise tourism in San Marino — including more information about the new national final.

Una voce per San Marino will begin in December and will continue through “the first months of 2022”. But at this stage, no further details have been confirmed about the new national final, including whether the contest will be open to singers from outside San Marino.

As well as selecting San Marino’s entry for Eurovision 2022, the national final is one of many events being held to revitalise San Marino’s tourism industry. Tourism plays a major part in the microstate’s economy but it has taken a hit from reduced visitor numbers due to the pandemic.

San Marino’s national final history

This is only the second time San Marino has used a national final to select its act for Eurovision. In 2018, San Marino used the new format 1in360.

The competing acts attracted familiar faces from national finals around Europe, including Finland’s Emma Sandström, Malta’s Jessika and Franklin, and Austria’s Sara de Blue. San Marino’s own rap star IROL also competed.

After several wildcard rounds and three live shows, the contest was won by Malta’s Jessika with guest rap from upcoming German rapper Jenifer Brening. In both the national final and Eurovision performance of their song “Who We Are”, the human performers were joined by cute robots.

Sadly the performance did not give a good result for San Marino. They finished 17th in their semi-final with only 28 points.

In 2020, while artist Senhit was internally selected, she used an online vote to select her song for Eurovision 2020.

What do you think? What format do you think San Marino’s national final will take? Who would you like to see compete? Tell us your thoughts below!

Read more San Marino Eurovision news here

28 Comments
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Iván el Conquistador
Iván el Conquistador
2 years ago

I wish Italian artists can see San Marino as the alternative to go to Eurovision in the case they aren’t willing to accept the challenge that is Sanremo. Just like Cyprus is an alternative for Greek singers or Monaco used to be for French artists.

Arisa and Nanowar of Steel could be terrific representations for the microstate, they cannot depend on Senhit and Valentina every year.

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

go watch his performance.

West
West
2 years ago

Just make sure not to change the rules every other day and have fair voting system and it’ll be fine. Although not having a songwriter as a member of a jury or not having all of the contestants sing the same 4 songs would also helped.

MartyMcCu
MartyMcCu
2 years ago

The last time they had a selection process like this it was a disaster , don’t have hopes too high . Would be fun if Serhat, Senhit and Valentina sang as a trio 🙂

Jar
Jar
2 years ago

Can’t wait for the NF. Beyonce, Lady Gaga and The Pope have already submitted songs! <333

Nah all jokes aside. Imagine if an Italian artist or even better one from san marino pens a esc song that could do a top 5. It would be brilliant to see!

Jo.
Jo.
2 years ago

all this talk about valentina, serhat, sara blue…i just want my boi IROL with a killer rap

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

I hope it’s not the mess we witnessed in 2018. Just focus on local or Italian talent and send a song in Italian since the contest takes place in Italy (basically same country).

If SMRTV were smart, they would ask a San Remo act (from any category) to represent them. Eurovision is now popular in Italy so record companies could cover the costs (which wouldn’t be a lot since the show takes place in Italy).

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

but they aren’t smart unfortunately haha..

Alex
Alex
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

honestly i doin’t know what’s their goal is. To go viral? To be Eurovision memes? I don’t see them taking it seriously.

Nils
Nils
2 years ago

Actually, I’d even love to see Serhat return although that would be a really bad idea. But first, Miodio deserve another shot at Eurovision.

Last edited 2 years ago by Nils
Patrick
Patrick
2 years ago

Let Sara De Blue go, she was robbed in 2018

Alex
Alex
2 years ago
Reply to  Patrick

she should represent Austria. ORF selected an unknown singer in 2019 so why not Sara De Blue?

Btzbtz
Btzbtz
2 years ago

I’m expecting Pitbull Snoop dog and Wiz khalifa to battle it out for this prestige!! I’ll accept no less !

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

I hope they send something in Italian for next year. Maybe a Sanremo act. Also costs will be down as their team will be within driving distance to the host city.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

I need Italian and something less generic… I really don’t get San Marino tho… select Arisa already.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

why arisa? she has nothing to do with san marino and i doubt she can cover the costs herself. plus she’s irrelevant outside of sanremo here in italy

Giolo
Giolo
2 years ago

Not charting well doesn’t mean being irrelevant, she has many fans in Italy, just not in the younger categories.

Kredential
Kredential
2 years ago

I can totally see a few Italian singers tossing their hat in the ring given that the contest will be taking place on home soil. I think Arisa has been open to representing SM in the past, would love to see it happen

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Kredential

I could see it if it were the songs competing… she won’t compete if it’s a talent show tho.

Alex
Alex
2 years ago
Reply to  Kredential

Arisa said they asked her team to pay for everything. San Marino is so cheap..

Sot
Sot
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Well obviously bc I remind you that they have a population of 22000… So, two choices for them: 1. Leave the artists to do everything economically by themselves or 2. Withdraw…

Euro Fan
Euro Fan
2 years ago

We saw Serhat, the Turkish singer, then we saw Flo Rida, the American rapper, who would be next outside San Marino representing San Marino at Eurovision in 2022, by the way?

Sot
Sot
2 years ago

I really think I’m the only one here but I like or LOVE every Sanmarinese entry, except for 2012 (cheap but still enjoyable) and 2015 (just cheap)

I even loved 2018 which, according to the majority of the Eurovision community, is really forgettable; well, not to my ears…

If San Marino can pull it off successfully, I can see another Serhat coming our way, or even a rapper, like that spokesperson in an earlier edition of the contest… 2011? Idk

Sot
Sot
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

Oh, wait, I also love-hate 2017… for obvious reasons

Eugenie
Eugenie
2 years ago

I really want San Marino to send something more interesting than televote-oriented 2010-alike bops. Rock, rap, blues, country, jazz, anything! I guess , if they take a risk they might end up with low places and even reach top 10.

esc_fl
esc_fl
2 years ago
Reply to  Eugenie

I’d love it if they sent something like Complice next year, which suffered heavily from bloc voting.

Giolo
Giolo
2 years ago
Reply to  Eugenie

Exactly, we have had enough disco songs between 2016 and 2020, with Adrenalina still being a bop type of song. We need something different in 2021 and we can finally see San Marino cracking the top 18 maybe.

Last edited 2 years ago by Giolo
GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago

If Valentina Monetta doesn’t participate, then I’ll riot.