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Visit the RAI Official Festival di Sanremo site now!

This year's contest features the following artists:
 

Ricky Anelli, "Ho vinto un viaggio" Carlito, "Emily" Carlotta, "Promessa" Francesco e Giada, "Turututu" Gazosa, "Stai con me-forever" Isola Song, "Grazie" Stefano Ligi, "Battiti" Paolo Meneguzzi, "Ed io non ci sto più"

Moses, "Maggie" Pincapallina, "Quando io..." Principe e Socio M., "Targato NA Francesco Renga, "Raccontami..." Sara 6, "Bocca" X Sense, "Luna" Velvet, "Nascosto dietro a un vetro"

This year, a couple of the contestants, in particular, Francesco Renga and Pincapallina, are already receiving airplay with songs they used to qualify for this year's festival.  Pincapallina recorded a cover version of Alberto Cammerini's "Rock and Roll Robot."

Because of this year's internationally-known host Raffaella Cara, there will a number of international stars from the world of film and politics including Slyvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Russel Crow and Sharon Stone.  Even Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to make an appearance!

T here are a couple of former winners in this year's festival:  Matia Bazar won with the song "...E Dirsi Ciao" in 1978;  Anna Oxa won in 1989 with Fausto Leali ("Ti Lascero''"), in 1999 with "Senza Pieta'", finished in 2nd in 1978 with "Un'emozione da poco" and 2nd in 1997 with "Storie";  and Spagna ("Gente come noi") both have 3rd place finshes.  Giorgia won in 1995 with "Come Saprei" and finished in 3rd in 1996 with "Strano il mio destino." Syria finished in 3rd with "Sei tu (che mi manchi)" in 1997.
There are a number of winners in past New Singers competition, too:  Zarrillo won in 1987 with "La Notte dei Pensieri," Paola Turci won in 1989 with "Bambini," Syria won in 1996 with "Non Ci Sto," Jenny B won 1st in the New Singers competition just last year ("Semplice Sai").

Sanremo is always Sanremo... This year's Sanremo festival was a great example of what can happen when music and spetaccolo do not come together.  The songs were generally so lackluster that even more attention was focused on how poor the presenters and show built around the songs were.  Except for a handful of artists, the songs were a hodgepodge of generally unmemorable songs. I was in the record stores the day the Sanremo compilations went on sale and for a week thereafter, I visited the stores over and over.  What struck me was the lack of excitement around the displays.  It seemed that any display had people except the one for the Sanremo compilations.  Ratings for the televised portions were the lowest in years and Mediaset counter programmed on their networks rather than concede the battle.  Obviously, the festival did not go over as well this year.  This sometimes happens. Not every year can be a brilliant mix of music, variety and spectacle. Of course, there is always next year and the rumors already have Fiorello as the host of the show....stay tuned.

Champions

1) Elisa - "Luce (tramonti a nord est)"
2) Giorgia - "Di sole e d'azzurro"
3) Matia Bazar - "Questa nostra storia d'amore"
4) Michele Zarrillo "L'acrobata"
5) Paola Turci "Saluto l'inverno"
6) Jenny B - "Anche tu"
7) Alex Britti - "Sono contento"
8) Gigi D'Alessio - "Tu che ne sai"
9) Fabio Concato - "Ciao Ninin"
10) Anna Oxa - "L'eterno movimento"
11) Peppino Di Capri - "Pioverà"
12) Gianni Bella - "Il profumo del mare"
13) Syria - "Fantasticamente amore"
14) Sottotono - "Mezze verità"
15) Quintorigo - "Bentivoglio Angelina"
16) Bluvertigo - "L'assesnzio"

Most observers were satisfied with the results and were not too surprised.  Many complained that Gigi D'Alessio and Anna Oxa should have placed considerably higher.

I Giovani (Rookies)

1) Gazosa - ''Stai con me''
2) Moses - ''Maggie''
3) Francesco Boccia e Giada Caliendo - ''Turuturu''
4) Principe e socio M - ''Targato NA''
5) Carlotta - ''Promessa''
6) Francesco Renga - ''Raccontami''
7) Paolo Meneguzzi - "Ed io non ci sto più"
8) Carlito - ''Emily''
9) X Sense - ''Luna''
10) Roberto Angelini - ''Il sig. domani''
11) Sara 6 - ''Bocca''
12) Velvet - ''Nascosto dietro un vetro''
13) Stefano Ligi - ''Battiti''
14) Riky Anelli - ''Ho vinto un viaggio''
15) Pincapallina - ''Quando io''
16) Isola Song - ''Grazie''

Critics Award ("The Mia Martini award"):    Roberto Angelini and Francesco Renga

Other awards went to:
Best interpretation (a new category):    Elisa per 'Luce (tramonti a nord est');
Best lyrics:     Carlito, 'Emily' (written by Carlo De Bei);
Best music:    Alex Britti,  'Sono contento';
Best arrangement:    Quintorigo, 'Bentivoglio Angelina'.

Currently on Italian radio, a lot of air time is being given to Britti, Giorgia and D'Alessio while out from the Giovani, Renga, Carlotta, and Gazosa seem to be the most popular.