Italy: RAI confirms participation in Eurovision 2019

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 4,404 views

RAI, the Italian national has broadcaster, has confirmed that Italy will partake at the upcoming 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.

Buonasera Europe, this is Rome calling! The Italians are coming to Israel for Eurovision! Thus Italy joins the list of countries who have confirmed their intention to participate at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv.

RAI is yet to confirm the mechanism it will use to select its Eurovision act and entry for Eurovision 2019, it is more than likely that Italy will stick to its traditional Sanremo Song Festival in order to determine its Eurovision hopeful as has been the case in recent years. The Italian broadcaster will be revealing further details regarding its 2019 Eurovision project in due course.

The 2019 Sanremo  Song Festival will be running from 05-09 February with the Grand Finale scheduled to be held on Saturday 9 February. The coveted song festival will be held once again at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo.

Italy in Eurovision

Italy is one of the founder members of the Eurovision Song Contest having debuted in the very first contest in 1956. The country has won the event twice with Gigliola Cinquetti (1964)and Toto Cutugno (1990).

The country has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest by its most celebrated and internationally acclaimed artists throughout its Eurovision history: Ana Oxa, Domenico Modugno, Albano, Romina Power, Franco Batiatto, Umberto Tozzi, Matia Bazar, Marco Mengoni, Emma Marrone, Il Volo, Francesco Gabbani, Raphael Gualazzi, Massimo Ranieri, Ricardo Fogli, etc.

Italy withdrew from the competition in 1998 and returned to Eurovision in 2011 after a 13 year hiatus. Since their return to the contest the Italians have enjoyed great success in the event placing 6 times in the top 10 of the scoreboard.

Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro were crowned the winners of Sanremo 2018 and won the right to represent Italy at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with their entry Non mi avette fatto niente. The duo achieved an honorable 5th place in the Grand Final.