* Spotlight on the 2003 Festival di Sanremo *
The 54th Anniversary of the Festival of the Italian Song
March 2 - 6, 2004

·  Listen online!

·  Host

·  The 22 participants

·  Guest Stars

·  Notes about this year's Festival

·  Results

·  Last year's Spotlight on Sanremo

·  RAI is planning to broadcast the Festival live on the Internet most likely on their radio network.

Visit the RAI Official Festival di Sanremo site for more information! Unlike past Festivals, many of this year's songs will be heard on Italian radio while the Festival is taking place. The compilation will also be released immediately after the Festival ends.

·  Simona Ventura has been announced as host of this new Festival era. Her sidekicks will reportedly be different every night.
Ventura has also promised to critique each entry and says she will not be afraid to give a negative opinion on a song on air - a radical departure from Baudo.

·  H ere is the lineup for the 2004 edition of il Fesitval di Sanremo:

André “Il nostro amore”
This songwriter is the youngest participant in this year's festival at 16.

Bungaro “Guardastelle”
Had couple of hits in late 80s with Sanremo entry "Sarà forte" and "E noi qui;" most recently collaborated with Gianni Morandi on "Credo."

DB Boulevard “Basterà”
Huge international dance group also hit it big in the US clubs with "Point of View."

DJ Francesco “Era bellissimo”
Popular artist who recorded 2003 Festivalbar dance hit "La Canzone del Capitano;" don't count him out! the Festival's in his blood - his father is Roby Facchinetti of i Pooh, former Festival winners.

Daniele Groff “Sei un miracolo”
30 year old songwriter became well-known after winning "Sanremo Famosi" in 1989 with "Daisy."

Linda “Aria sole terra e mare”
Young artist who won "Una nuova voce italiana" when she was 16.

Danny Lo Sito “Single”
Formerly of the group, Sottotono.

Marco Masini “L'uomo volante”
Popular early 90's artist attempting another comeback.

Paolo Meneguzzi “Guardami negli occhi (prego)”
Italian-born superstar who became overnight sensation in South America before only recently hitting Italian charts.

Andrea Mingardi “E' la musica”
Frequent Sanremo participant will reportedly also perform a duet with James Brown during the Festival.

Massimo Modugno “Quando l'aria mi sfiora”
The son of Domenico Modugno will be collaborating with the Gypsy Kings for the Festival.

Morris Albert “Cuore”
Most surprising entry, this Brazilian songwriter is famous for releasing "Feelings" in mid-70's. He is scheduled to perform together with Mietta on this song.

Neffa “Le ore piccole”
Received huge success this past year with Festivalbar hit "Prima di andare via."

Pacifico “Solo un sogno”
Young songwriter from Milan.

Adriano Pappalardo “Nessun consiglio”
Popular 70's artist is the veteran of the group. He was MIA for many years until he popped up last year on "L'isola dei famosi," Italy's version of celebrity Survivor.

Omar Pedrini “Lavoro inutile”
Former lead singer of group Timoria

Stefano Picchi “Generale kamikaze”

Piotta “Ladro di te”
Popular Roman rapper.

Mario Rosini “Sei la mia vita”
Young jazz performer.

Simone “E' stato tanto tempo fa”
Signed to Vasco Rossi's recording label.

Mario Venuti “Crudele”
Formerly of the group Novo, but now achieving great success on Italian charts.

Veruska “Un angelo legato a un palo”
Her single was written by Gianni Bella and Mogol.

Guest Stars

While organizers have had some difficulty obtaining big Hollywood names for the Festival, they did manage to bring in Dustin Hoffman as a special guest. Performing will be Black Eyed Peas, Aventura (popular Dominican band from the Bronx), Haiducii (Romanian singer who currently holds top song on dance charts in Europe) and Lionel Richie.

Don't recognize many of the participants in this year's Festival? You're not alone. New director Tony Renis has totally revamped the show and combined "I Big" and "I Giovani" to represent a mostly young cast of participants in this year's competition. Many Festival regulars missed the final cut of song selections including Al Bano, Amedeo Minghi and Mino Reitano; their most recent contributions to the festival had all finished at the end of the final standings. Another interesting note about this year's participants is the lack of women in the final group; there are only 2 women and both are relatively unknown performers, Linda and Veruska.


Renis is also going back to an old feature of festivals past by allowing participants to sing in collaborations with international stars such as Modugno with Gypsy Kings, who achieved great success with their version of Modugno's father's "Nel blu di pinto di blu (Volare)."

Expect the Friday night edition to be dedicated to festivals of the past.

Results:

1 - Marco Masini, "L'uomo volante"
2 - Mario Rosini, “Sei la vita mia”
3 - Linda, “Aria sole terra e mare”
4 - Paolo Meneguzzi, "Guardami negli occhi (prego)"
5 - Bungaro, “Guardastelle”
6 - Massimo Modugno and Gipsy Kings, “Quando l'aria mi sfiora”
7 - Stefano Picchi, "Generale kamikaze"
8 - Morris Albert and Mietta, "Cuore"
9 - Neffa, "Le ore piccole"
10 - Mario Venuti, "Crudele"
11 - DJ Francesco, "Era bellissimo"
12 - Simone, “E' stato tanto tempo fa”
13 - DB Boulevard and Bill Wyman, "Basterà"
14 - Andrea Mingardi and Blues Brothers Band, "E' la musica"
15 - Omar Pedrini, “Lavoro inutile”
16 - Daniele Groff, “Sei un miracolo”
17 - Adriano Pappalardo, “Nessun consiglio”
18 - Veruska, "Un angelo legato a un palo"
19 - André, “Il nostro amore”
20 - Danny Losito e Las Ketchup, "Single"
21 - Pacifico, “Solo un sogno”
22 - Piotta, “Ladro di te”

Special awards:

Best lyrics: Marco Masini and Omar Pedrini
Best music: Pacifico and Bungaro
Best arrangement: Leonardo De Amicis
Best producer: Mauro Ferrucci (DB Boulevard)


For more news on Sanremo '04, visit the RAI Official Festival di Sanremo site, Italian newspaper sites such as La Stampa or sites like  www.festivaldisanremo.com.

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