With the grand reveal of the 30 participants for the Festival di Sanremo, it’s time to buckle up for a glittering celebration of Italian music. As we approach the 75th edition of this iconic event, here’s everything you need to know—and why you should be as hyped as we are!
Sanremo Music Festival
Let’s start with the basics: Sanremo is more than just a music show; it’s the beating heart of Italian music culture. Since its introduction in 1951, it has crowned some of Italy’s most legendary artists, launched global superstars and given us unforgettable melodies.
The Festival di Sanremo takes place annually in the city of Sanremo, primarily hosted at the aristocratic Teatro Ariston. Organised by the Italian public broadcaster RAI, it’s the longest-running annual TV music competition in the world on a national level.
The purpose of the festival is to celebrate Italian music and showcase Italian artists. The songs selected in competition are in Italian or any regional language, and the three most voted songs are awarded.
Sanremo has been a career-launching pad for icons like Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Andrea Bocelli, Il Volo, and Måneskin.
Sanremo and Eurovision
This festival isn’t just a national treasure—it’s the very inspiration behind the Eurovision Song Contest! The idea came from Marcel Bezençon, a Swiss television executive, who saw the potential of creating an international event modeled after the glamour and success of Sanremo. The festival inspired other national seletions like Sweden’s Melodifestivalen and Spain’s Benidorm Fest.
Sanremo has also played a key role in selecting Italy’s Eurovision entry. The format officially shifted in 2015, with the Sanremo winner gaining the right of first refusal to represent Italy at Eurovision. This means that while the winner isn’t obligated to go, they have the first chance to seize the opportunity.
Sanremo 2025
Next year will mark the 75th edition of Sanremo, which will take place between 11-15th February. All the shows will be hosted by Carlo Conti, who previously hosted Sanremo in 2015, 2016 and 2017, replacing Amadeus after his five-year reign.
The festival consists of 5 nights:
• Night 1 (Tuesday): All 30 acts take the stage for the first time. At the end of the night, the Top 5 (in random order) are revealed.
• Night 2 & 3 (Wednesday & Thursday): The acts are split into two groups of 15, performing again. Each night, another Top 5 emerges.
• Night 4 (Friday): The fan-favourite Cover night! Artists perform iconic covers, often with surprise duets. It’s a party—and while a winner is crowned, this night won’t affect the main competition score.
• Night 5 (Saturday): The grand finale! All 30 acts return, with combined rankings determining the Top 5. These finalists perform one last time before the winner is decided by jury and televote.
Meet the 2025 lineup
Yesterday, Carlo Conti announced the 30 artists that will compete in the festival:
• Achille Lauro
• Bresh
• Brunori Sas
• Clara
• Coma_Cose
• Elodie
• Emis Killa
• Fedez
• Francesca Michielin
• Francesco Gabbani
• Gaia
• Giorgia
• Irama
• Joan Thiele
• Lucio Corsi
• Marcella Bella
• Massimo Ranieri
• Moda
• Noemi
• Olly
• Rkomi
• Rocco Hunt
• Rose Villain
• Sarah Toscano
• Serena Brancale
• Shablo ft. Guè, Joshua, Tormento
• Simone Cristicchi
• The Kolors
• Tony Effe
• Willie Peyote
Spotlight on Returning Eurovision Stars
• Achille Lauro: you might remember him from representing San Marino in 2022 riding a bull with his song ‘Stripper‘. He previously participated in Sanremo in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
• Francesca Michielin: she represented Italy in 2016 with her song ‘Nessun grado di separazione‘ (=no degree of separation), finishing 16th. She also participated in Sanremo 2021 with Fedez.
• Francesco Gabbani: the man behind ‘Occidentali’s Karma’ (Eurovision 2017, 6th place) is ready to charm us again. He also participated in Sanremo in 2020.
• Massimo Ranieri: this legend represented Italy in 1971(with ‘L’amore è un attimo‘) and in 1973 (with ‘Chi sarà con te‘). He also participated in Sanremo in 1988, 1997 and 2022.
Who are you the most excited to see performing in Sanremo? Let us know in the comments! And stay tuned for more Sanremo updates and predictions as the countdown to February begins. 🎤✨
