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We’re catching up after our summer break, and if you’re wondering how Italy will likely choose its Eurovision 2025 representative, all eyes should be on the Sanremo Music Festival 2025 This legendary music competition, often a precursor to Italy’s Eurovision act, is returning for its 75th edition. Here’s what Eurovision fans need to know about Italy’s favourite song contest.
Sanremo 2025: The Basics
The 75th Festival di Sanremo will be held from 11 to 15 February 2025 at the iconic Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, with Carlo Conti taking on hosting and artistic director duties. Conti has previously helmed the festival in 2015, 2016, and 2017. As in recent years, the winner of Sanremo will be given the first refusal to represent Italy at Eurovision 2025.
A Slightly Tweaked Format
Sanremo is sticking to many of its traditions but with a few key changes for 2025:
- 24 Entries: The number of competing songs has been reduced from 30 to 24.
- Separate Newcomers’ Section: The festival is reintroducing a dedicated Newcomers’ section for fresh talent, last seen in 2021.
- Voting System: The festival will retain a mixed voting system that combines public televotes, a jury of the press room/TV/web, and a radio jury.
Voting Breakdown
- First Three Nights: The artists will perform in two batches, with each group judged by the juries. After the performances, a ranking will be announced.
- Cover Night: As always, Sanremo will feature a night dedicated to iconic cover performances, where artists will team up with special guests to perform well-known songs. However, unlike previous years, these results won’t affect the overall scores.
- Final Night: All 24 songs will be performed again, with the top five moving to a superfinal where the winner will be crowned based on a mix of televotes and jury scores.
Sanremo Giovani: The Road to the Newcomers’ Section
Sanremo 2025 will feature both established artists and new talents. The Newcomers’ section will be populated through the Sanremo Giovani competition, taking place on 18 December. Artists aged 16 to 26 can enter, with a selection process narrowing submissions to 40, followed by live auditions in Rome.
Four live episodes will air on 12, 19, 26 November, and 3 December, with six artists performing each night. Only three will advance, leading to a semifinal on 10 December. The finale, broadcast live on Rai 1 from the Sanremo Casino on 18 December, will determine the four who will earn a spot in the Nuove Proposte (Newcomers) category at Sanremo 2025.
Will the Winner Go to Eurovision?
As always, the winner of Sanremo will have the right to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel. If the winner declines, RAI will have the opportunity to choose another participant, but with Sanremo’s prestige, it’s likely the winner will take the Eurovision stage.
Why Sanremo Matters
Sanremo is more than just a stepping stone to Eurovision for Italy—it’s a cultural institution. The festival has been running since 1951 and was even the inspiration for the creation of Eurovision. With its mix of seasoned artists and rising stars, Sanremo continues to be one of the most-watched and discussed music events in Italy, regularly drawing millions of viewers across the country.
Keep an eye on Sanremo 2025—Italy’s Eurovision act will almost certainly emerge from this iconic festival!