It was back in late 2010/early 2011 that websites were previewing a massive announcement that we’d remember for ever. It was an intriguing thing to say, and did, momentarily, have me wondering what it would be. An expanded contest of 68 songs? Proof that Carola is actually 127 years old? Or the fact that a new country would be participating?
It wasn’t quite any of these things. It was the news that Italy had been persuaded to come back, after 14 years off. Since they returned in 2011, they’ve now won our favourite TV show after some very close calls along the way. Today’s birthday boy Raphael Gualazzi sang Italy’s returning song. He must have given RAI the fright of its life when he only went and finished second to Azerbaijan.
Raphael is 40 today.
Buon compleanno, Raphael!