Italy decided through the most complex voting procedure across Europe the winner of the Sanremo Music Festival 2016 who decided not to represent the nation in Stockholm in May, at the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. Night 5 was held tonight, with the Grand Final of Sanremo 2016. The winner of most popular music festival in the country were Stadio with the song Un giorno mi dirai
With the Campione dei Campioni as Italians say the 66th Sanremo Music Festival arrived to an end tonight. The big winner who will try to bring the victory for Italy in Stockholm were Stadio, rounding up the top 3 tonight were also Francesca Michielin and Deborah Iurato & Giovanni Caccamo.
The songs
As we have already reported you how the performance of the artists were in the 4 previous nights, we will focus on the Eurovision prospect of the songs.
- Francesca Michielin – Nessun grado di separazione
The Italian fans’ favorite for Eurovision. A new Gigliola Cinquetti ’64 in the making? She sings very well tonight and for Eurovision? Maybe. Why not. It’s a catchy pop ballad.
- Alessio Bernabei – Noi siamo infinito
This is no Nek last year, its Alessio. Alessio has one of the weakest vocals among the 16 artists. But he has a huge fanbase that helps him quallified yesterday. Good for Eurovision? No way.
- Clementino – Quando sono lontano
A rap act, and maybe not of the good ones. Vocals aren’t so good escpecially during the chorus. A song that could not do well in Stockholm and i think neither tonight.
- Patty Pravo – Cieli immensi
The best melody of the night. It flows in a lovely way and she does a good job. I’d love her to make the top 3 and even win. The idea of her in Eurovision is at the same time exciting, amusing and scary. We’ll see…
- Lorenzo Fragola – Infinite volte
A strong ballad that reminds us of L’essenziale. It’s a good song even for Eurovision. Lorenzo looks good on camera and fans love him. Will he manage to quallify to top 3? Maybe..
- Noemi – La borsa di una donna
This one needs further listens. A good song but not so intimate. Definitely not for Eurovision. Maybe the most Italian song of the night.
- Elio e le storie tese – Vincere l’odio
This could work better as an interval act in a contest held in Rome. It’s funny but not for Eurovision, joke songs are songs that the contest doesn’t need I believe. Many Italians like it, if the juries support them it could quallify to the top 3.
- Arisa – Guardando il cielo
One of the favourite to win. The problem with Arisa’s song is that her 2014 entry was much better. However, its a nice song that might bring Arisa to the top 3.
- Stadio – Un giorno mi dirai
Stadio becomes stronger every day. They won the cover prize and with their energetic performance they could even win tonight’s show. They could go to Eurovision, it would be nice to see Italy with something different.
- Annalisa – Il diluvio universale
Vocally good but thinking of Eurovision I suppose this wouldn’t just work at all. Dramatic. A lot of words and nothing to remember after.
- Rocco Hunt – Wake up
He’s got personality and the rapper next door image works. Important text, catchy song, much better day by day. He has said he’d love to do Eurovision and bring some Italian funk rap there. I don’t like rap but I think he could do well.
- Dolcenera – Ora o mai più
The song is a nice powerful ballad that grows stronger and stronger with a slight jazzy touch. Maybe not be the most modern track here, but it’s classy and quite enjoyable. A typical Italian song even in Eurovision, could easily make a top10 place in May.
- Enrico Ruggeri – Il primo amore non si scorda mai
He seems to be really enjoying his performance. A song that works and is catchy. He has said he’d love to do Eurovision again after 1993 but I doubt this song could do well in the contest. But one of his better entries ever.
- Deborah Iurato & Giovanni Caccamo – Via da qui
Excellent vocals, beautiful melody, amazing camera work. Maybe the safest choice for Eurovision. A song that many loves and is a sure top 3 I think.
- Valerio Scanu – Finalmente piove
The song gets better with further listens. Many fans want him for Eurovision. His vocals are not so good but he has a huge fans base so it could be a surprise.
- Irene Fornaciari – Blu
Irene quallified to the final through the repachage round of voting as she was in bottom 5 in semifinal. However Blu is a dramatic ballad about the refugees. I love this song, very sweet voice. I think the only problem is that is too dramatic. I wouldn’t mind to see that in Eurovision.
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The show
The fifth and last night of Sanremo Music Festival 2016 concluded the competition by determining the winner of the Big Artists section. Sixteen entries competed tonight. The fifteen entries that qualified from the fourth evening and the winner of the repechage round. The overall winner of the Campioni section was determined over two rounds of voting. In the first round, the top three entries from the sixteen competing entries advanced to the second round of voting. In the second round, the winner was decided. All results was determined through the combination of public televoting (40%), the votes of the expert jury (30%) and the votes of the demoscopic poll (30%).
In addition to the performances of the competing entries, guest performers included Renato Zero, Cristina D’Avena and Willy William. Other guests included ballet dancer Roberto Bolle and actors Guglielmo Scilla and Giuseppe Fiorello. The show was hosted by Carlo Conti actress and comic Virginia Raffaele, Romanian actress and model Mădălina Diana Ghenea and actor and model Gabriel Garko.
The results
The five songs that didn’t manage to reach the top 15 yesterday were entered in an extra voting round called the repechage round. The results of the repechage round was determined solely by a public vote that started in the end of the fourth evening and concluded today in the beggining of the Final. The five songs competing in the repechage round for the last place in the final were:
- Zero Assoluto – Di me e di te
- Dear Jack – Mezzo respiro
- Neffa – Sogni e nostalgia
- Bluvertigo – Semplicemente
- Irene Fornaciari – Blu
Carlo Conti announced that the winner, which simultaneously was the 16th contestant in the Campioni Final was: Irene Fornaciari.
The three artists that entered top3, the second round of the voting were:
- Francesca Michielin – Nessun grado di separazione
- Stadio – Un giorno mi dirai
- Deborah Iurato & Giovanni Caccamo – Via da qui
The rest of the results were as follows:
After the top 3 performed again, the voting started from a zero (the already familiar threesome voting) and finally it was announced that the winner of Sanremo 2016 were Stadio
In the second place was Francesca Michielin and in the third place Deborah Iurato & Giovanni Caccamo
The special prizes were as follows:
Award for the best text: Amen– Francesco Gabbani
Award for the best music: Un giorno mi dirai – Stadio
Award Lucio Dalla: Un giorno mi dirai – Stadio
Critic award Big: Cieli immensi – Patty Pravo
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
Italy has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 40 times since making its debut at the first contest in 1956. It was one of only seven countries that competed in the very first contest. Italy competed frequently in the contest until 1997. After a fourteen-year absence, the country returned for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, with a respectable second place achieved by Raphael Gualazzi and Madness of Love. Italy has won the contest twice (1964 and 1990).
Along with Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, Italy is one of the Big 5 who are automatically allowed to participate in the grand final because of their contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest, both with a substantial amount of viewers and economically.
Last year in Vienna, Il Volo was one of the favourites to win. They finished third, but the Italian group was rated first in the televoting.
Below you can watch the song with which Stadio won the 66th Music Festival of Sanremo
RAI through twitter announced just after the final that Stadio won’t use their right to represent the country at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, so we have to wait and see if Francesca Michielin who ranked second will represent the nation in Stckholm.
#Sanremo2016 Complimenti agli Stadio!Gli Stadio non intendono avvalersi della facoltà di rappresentare l'Italia all'#Eurovision di Stoccolma
— Eurovision Rai (@EurovisionRai) February 14, 2016
RAI announced that according to the rules of Sanremo Music Festival they will soon announce their representative for Stockholm.
#Sanremo2016 Rai, according to the Festival di Sanremo rules,will soon announce the name of the Italian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest
— Eurovision Rai (@EurovisionRai) February 14, 2016
