Europe get ready for some Gorilla Dance and rhythm in Kyiv, as the winner of the 2017 Sanremo Song Festival Francesco Gabbani will defend the Italian colours at the forthcoming 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv next May with his unique performance.

Francesco Gabbani will represent Italy at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest with his entry Occidentali’s Karma next May in Kyiv.

Francesco Gabbani won the 2016 Sanremo Song Festival Nuove Proposte (Newcomer) category last year. He has gained much fame and name in Italy since he won Sanremo last year. Now the Italian artist has won the Campioni category of the Italian song fest.

The 2017 Sanremo Song Festival  kicked off on Tuesday 7 February and concluded tonight.

Italy has the tradition of selecting its Eurovision act via this internationally acclaimed Italian Song Contest. The country returned to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 after a 13 year absence from the competition. Italy has selected its Eurovision act via Sanremo every year since its return to the contest in 2011 with the exception of 2014 when the country went internal and sent Emma Marrone to Copenhagen.

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 competition twice in 1964 with Gigliola Cinquetti and in 1990 with Toto Cotugno.

The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 9, 11 and 13 May at the IEC in Kyiv, Ukraine.