One week after RAI announced the participants in the Newcomers category of Sanremo 2016 and only 4 days before the participants in the Campioni category are revealed, some of the most famous Italian singers with success all over the world have already confirmed their presence at the upcoming Sanremo music festival.
Every year, the music festival of Sanremo attracts the attention and interest of the music scene in Italy. RAI really tries its best to put together a show of high standards, inviting as guests the most famous Italian singers with a global reputation.
Amongst those who have already confirmed are Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, who confirmed he will be there on Twitter, and Andrea Bocelli and Ariana Grande who have previously released a duet single, complete with an official video, and will appear together.
Carlo Conti will once again host all 5 shows as in previous years. There seems to have been a plan to book Il Volo as Carlo Conti’s co-hosts but the young singers will be unavailable as they are currently in the middle of their American tour. Instead, Italian movie star beauties Sabrina Ferilli (a veteran Sanremo host) and Monica Bellucci are going to be the co-hosts of Sanremo 2016, the most popular TV programme in Italy.
Serata 1: February 9th (Tuesday)
Serata 2: February 10th (Wednesday)
Serata 3: February 11th (Thursday)
Serata 4: February 12th (Friday)
Serata 5: FINALE – February 13th (Saturday)
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, 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 they are the five biggest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
This 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 Andrea Bocelli and Ariana Grande, both of who will be guests in Sanremo 2016, singing their latest single, duet E Più Ti Penso:
