Italy: Sanremo 2025 Kicks Off Tonight with the Prima Serata!

The wait is over! Tonight, the 75th Sanremo Festival raises its curtain at the iconic Teatro Ariston, marking the beginning of Italy’s journey to Eurovision 2025. Over the next five nights, all eyes will be on the Ligurian town of Sanremo, where 29 artists will compete for the golden ticket to represent Italy at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel this May.

What to Expect from Sanremo 2025?

This year’s edition sees the return of Carlo Conti as host and artistic director, taking over from Amadeus, who left his mark on the festival during his five-year tenure. Conti, who previously hosted the event in 2016, and 2017, is now tasked with continuing the legacy of innovation and spectacle that Amadeus brought to the Ariston stage.

Each night, Conti will be joined by different co-hosts, and for tonight’s Prima Serata, his companions will be Antonella Clerici—who co-hosted in 2005 and led the festival solo in 2010—and Gerry Scotti, a beloved TV personality.

Special Guests & A Strong Message of Peace

Beyond the competition, Sanremo 2025 is set to deliver a powerful political message. Israeli singer Noa and Palestinian artist Mira, who represented Israel at Eurovision 2009, will take the stage together to perform John Lennon’s “Imagine”, in what is expected to be a moving and symbolic moment.

Meanwhile, in a live broadcast from Piazza Colombo, Italian pop icon Raf—best known for his international hit “Self Control”—will deliver a special performance.

Tonight’s Lineup: Meet the 29 Contenders

All 29 competing artists will perform their songs for the first time tonight. The initial voting will be conducted by the press jury, composed of journalists from print, television, and online media. At the end of the night, the top five ranked songs will be revealed in a random order.

Here’s the full list of performers and their songs:

• Achille Lauro – “Incoscienti giovani”
• Gaia – “Chiamo io chiami tu”
• Coma_Cose – ‘Cuoricini’
• Francesco Gabbani – ‘Viva la vita’
• Willie Peyote – ‘Grazie ma no grazie’
• Noemi – ‘Se t’innamori muori’
• Rkomi – ‘Il ritmo delle cose’
• Modà – ‘Non ti dimentico’
• Rose Villain – ‘fuorilegge’
• Brunori Sas – ‘L’albero delle noci’
• Irama – ‘Lentamente’
• Clara – ‘Febbre’
• Massimo Ranieri – ‘Tra le mani un cuore’
• Sarah Toscano – ‘Amarcord’
• Fedez – ‘Battito’
• Simone Cristicchi – ‘Quando sarai piccola’
• Joan Thiele – ‘Eco’
• The Kolors – ‘Tu con chi fai l’amore?’
• Bresh – ‘La tana del granchio’
• Marcella Bella – ‘Pelle diamante’
• Tony Effe – ‘Damme ‘na mano’
• Elodie – ‘Dimenticarsi alle 7’
• Olly – ‘Balorda nostalgia’
• Francesca Michielin – ‘Fango in paradiso’
• Lucio Corsi – ‘Volevo essere un duro’
• Shablo feat. Gue, Joshua e Tormento – ‘La mia parola’
• Serena Brancale – ‘Anema e Core’
• Rocco Hunt – ‘Mille vote ancora’
• Giorgia – ‘La cura per me’

How to Watch Sanremo 2025?

Sanremo 2025 will be broadcast live on Rai 1 and available for streaming on RaiPlay from 20:40 CET (21:40 EET).

⚠️ Prepare for a long night! Sanremo’s legendary format includes extended performances, interviews, and special segments, meaning the show often continues well past 2 AM.

Italy’s Road to Eurovision 2025

Last year, Angelina Mango won Sanremo 2024 with “La Noia”, finishing 7th in the Eurovision 2024 Grand Final with 268 points. Will Sanremo 2025 produce another Eurovision success story?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp1FXHjkjpQ

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for the latest updates and full coverage of the 75th Sanremo Festival!