RAI, the Italian national broadcaster, has unveiled the names of the 22 competing acts at the forthcoming 2020 Sanremo Song Festival.

The 2020 Sanremo Song Festival will be held at the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo, Italy from 04-08 February. The Grand Final is scheduled to be held on Saturday 8 February. The winner of the competition will be eligible to represent Italy at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam.

A total of 24 artists will partake at the upcoming Sanremo 2020 edition.

Amadeus will be the artistic director and presenter of the song festival. Two former Italian Eurovision representatives are back in the competition vying to represent their country once more at the Eurovision Song Contest: Raphael Gualazzi ( 2011) and Francesco Gabbani ( 2017).

The 2020 Sanremo Candidates

• Anastasio
• Giordana Angi
• Bugo feat. Morgan
• Diodato
• Elodie
• Francesco Gabbani
• Irene Grandi
• Raphael Gualazzi
• Paolo Jannacci
• Junior Cally
• Elettra Lamborghini
• Achille Lauro
• Levante
• Le Vibrazioni
• Marco Masini
• Enrico Nigiotti
• Piero Pelù
• Pinguini Tattici Nucleari
• Rancore
• Riccardo “Riki” Marcuzzo
• Alberto Urso
• Michele Zarrillo
• Tosca
• Rita Pavone

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 7 times in the top 10 of the scoreboard.

The southern European country has partaken 45 times in Europe’s favourite television show.

Mahmood was crowned the winner of Sanremo 2019 and won the right to represent Italy at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest with his entry Soldi. The multi talented Italian star achieved an honorable 2nd place in the Grand Final in Tel Aviv.