text Francesca Lombardi
Tuscany stars in Sanremo 2025
Leading the Festival Carlo Conti, Jovanotti super host and among the Bigs Francesco Gabbani, Irama and Lucio Corsi
The 75th edition of the Sanremo Festival is underway: appointment from February 11 to 15 at the Ariston Theater. Now that the Festival is back in the mainstream, everyone tune in, young and old, armed with gadgets, rituals and appropriate friends.
Carlo ContiThe artistic direction is given to Carlo Conti, who had previously served in this role from 2025 to 2017. To get to know this veteran of the small screen, read our Interview here. Alongside him two different co - presenters each night: Antonella Clerici and Gerry Scotti on the first night, Bianca Balti, Cristiano Malgioglio and Nino Frassica on the second night, Miriam Leone, Elettra Lamborghini and Katia Follesa on the third night, Mahmood and Geppy Cucciari on the fourth night, Alessia Marcuzzi and Alessandro Cattelan for the final. They will present with Conti the 29 big and 4 new entries.
Lots of super guests: Jovanotti (here is our interview with Lorenzo from a few years ago) and Raf on the first night, along with them also Noa and Mira Awad, an Israeli-Palestinian duo who bring a moving Imagine, sung by an Israeli/Palestinian duo, to the stage; on the following evenings Damiano David, Duran Duran, Planet Funk and many other national and international actors and artists. Young Edoardo Bove, Fiorentina midfielder, will descend the stairs of Sanremo on the last night. But he is not the only person linked to Tuscany present on stage: apart from the emblazoned Conti and Jovanotti, singers linked to this land include Francesco Gabbani, Irama and a new entry, Lucio Corsi, one of the main characters in Carlo Verdone's Vita da Carlo 3.
Jovanotti (ph. Giovanni Ghidini)Francesco Gabbani
Conti brings good luck to Francesco Gabbani. From Carrara class of 1982 , who grew up in his father's instrument store, he won in 2016 in the Newcomers category with the song Amen, also receiving the Emanuele Luzzati Award, the Mia Martini Critics' Award and the Sergio Bardotti Award for best lyrics. In 2017 in the Big category he won with the song Occidentali's Karma. In the 2020 Festival hosted by Amadeus, Gabbani came second with the song Viceversa. These days Mina's new single Throw It Away, written by Gabbani himself, now also consecrated as an author, has been released.
Francesco Gabbani (ph. Albrizio Iole Photography via Instagram Gabbani)Lucio Corsi
Among the new features at the 75th Festival. Lucio Corsi, 31, of Vetulonia, made his small-screen debut with Vita da Carlo 3. In the series directed and starring Verdone Corsi is a young musician who is chosen by the Roman director to participate in the Sanremo Festival of which he is artistic director. TV fiction thus anticipated reality in fact. The Tuscan artist ranges from rock to blues to folk music and visionary lyrics. He has just released his new single Tu sei il mattino (Sugar Music), which has been broadcast widely on the radios. Of the Festival, in which he will duet with Topo Gigio, he said it is scary “But scary things, in the end, are also interesting.”
Lucio Corsi (ph. Simone Biavati via Instagram)Irama
Tuscany again for Filippo Maria Santi, born in Carrara but originally from Pontremoli. He spent his early years in Lunigiana and then in Monza, where he moved with his parents. Five appearances at the Festival, in 2022 with Ovunque sarai he came fourth and in 2024 with Tu no he reached fifth place. Beautiful, also last year, was his duet with Riccardo Cocciante.
IramaThe Florentines who made the Sanremo Festival great
Waiting for the start, let's look back at past Tuscan successes (may it be a good omen!): from that 1971 with a beautiful Nada and her Il mio cuore è uno zingaro, followed in 1977 by Homo Sapiens who won with Bella da morire, Toto Cutugno in 1980, Riccardo Fogli with Storie di tutti i giorni, which later became an evergreen of Italian song.
andrea bocelli with his wife veronica, during Celebrity Fight Night in ItalyMore recently Paolo Vallesi, Alessandro Baldi and Andrea Bocelli (here is our exclusive interview) became an international star who won in the youth section. Since 2000 on the podium Irene Grandi, Povia, Marco Masini who returns this year on the cover night with Fedez. He did not win but was unforgettable Florentine rocker Pietro Pelù in 2020.
Piero Pelù