Buonasera Sanremo! This is Europe calling! What a fantastic show tonight from Teatro Ariston in the Italian Riviera to crown the winner of the 75th Sanremo Festival. The music competition which inspired the creation of the very Eurovision Song Contest a few years later has demostrated once again why it is considered of the most interesting national selection processes of the Eurovision season. And we have a winner!

Live from Teatro Ariston Carlo Conti directed the fifth and final night of the most important music competition in Italy. Several national and international stars have accompanied his throught the five long nights. This Festival has reached an impressive number of viewers, around 11-13 millions accross the week.

Damiano David, Mahmood, Duran Duran, Bianca Balti, Gerry Scotti, Geppi Cucciari, Alessia Marcuzzi, Alessandro Cattelan, Roberto Benigni, Edoardo Bennato, Katia Follesa, Cristiano Malgioglio, Planet Funk, Tedua, Antonello Venditti, Vanessa Scalera, the list of co-hosts and special guests is impressive.

After more than 26 hours of live television, the time had come to conclude the quest for the next Sanremo winner. Five nights, several co-hosts and 29 contestants from Tuesday until Saturday. Let’s have a closer look.

Tonight’s line-up

These were tonight’s 29 contestats in their running order:

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

The televote (34%), the press, TV and web jury (33%) as well as the radio jury (33%) were able to vote. Their results were added to those of the first three nights of the Festival.

The night began with a performance of Gabry Ponte and his Tutta l’italia, the unmissable jingle of this year’s Festival which is due to become a hit of the Italian summer 2025. Antonello Venditti received a lifetime achievement award. Former Sanremo winner and Eurovision representative Mahmood (Italy, 2019 and 2022) came back on stage to present his latest single Sottomarini.

The final ranking

At the end of all performances Carlo Conti announced the ranking from the 29th to the 6th position:

• 6th Giorgia – La cura per me
• 7th Achille Lauro – Incoscienti giovani
• 8th Francesco Gabbani – Viva la vita
• 9th Irama – Lentamente
• 10th Coma_Cose – Cuoricini
• 11th Bresh – La tana del granchio
• 12th Elodie – Dimenticarsi alle 7
• 13th Noemi – Se t’innamori muori
• 14th The Kolors – Tu con chi fai l’amore
• 15th Rocco Hunt – Mille volte ancora
• 16th Willie Peyote – Grazie ma no grazie
• 17th Sarah Toscano – Amarcord
• 18th Shablo ft. Guè, Joshua and Tormento – La mia parola
• 19th Rose Villain – Fuorilegge
• 20th Joan Thiele – Eco
• 21st Francesca Michielin – Fango in paradiso
• 22nd Modà – Non ti dimentico
• 23rd Massimo Ranieri – Tra le mani un cuore
• 24th Serena Brancale – Anema e core
• 25th Tony Effe – Damme ‘na mano
• 26th Gaia – Chiamo io chiamo tu
• 27th Clara – Febbre
• 28th Rkomi – Il ritmo delle cose
• 29th Marcella Bella – Pelle diamante

Which left us with…

• Brunori Sas – L’albero delle noci
• Olly – Balorda nostalgia
• Simone Cristicchi – Quando sarai piccola
• Lucio Corsi – Volevo essere un duro
• Fedez – Battito

The superfinal

The top five advanced to the Superfinal. They performed once again and received the votes from the same three entities in the same percentage.

Carlo Conti could then proceed to announce the final ranking. But before that there were the few usual awards to distribute:

• “Sergio Bardotti” award to the best lyrics to Brunori Sas – L’albero delle noci
• “Giancarlo Bigazzi” award to the best musical composition to Simone Cristicchi – Quando sarai piccola
• “Mia Martini critics award to Lucio Corsi – Volevo essere un duro
• “Lucio Dalla” press room award to Simone Cristicchi – Quando sarai piccola
• TIM award to Giorgia – La cura per me

And finally, after a long and exciting revealing sequence, this was the top five of Sanremo 2025:

1. Olly – Balorda nostalgia (23,8%)
2. Lucio Corsi – Volevo essere un duro (23,4%)
3. Brunori Sas – L’albero delle noci (20,3%)
4. Fedez – Battito (17,7%)
5. Simone Cristicchi – Quando sarai piccola (14,8%)

This has been an incredible week for Olly, also known as Federico Olivieri, the 24 year-old singer from Genoa. Only placed in the top 5 after the third night, his Balorda nostalgia has conquered more and more votes to finally reach the first place this Saturday night.

In a surprise move at the press conference following the closing of the Festival, Olly declared that he needs some time to decide whether he wants to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest on 17 May 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

Further communications from Italian broadcaster RAI should be disclosed during the week of 17 February 2025. According to the rules of the contest, should Olly decline the offer RAI would turn to the runner-up of the final ranking Lucio Corsi.

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 thrice with Gigliola Cinquetti (1964), Toto Cutugno (1990) and Maneskin (2021).

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 9 times in the top 10 of the scoreboard including a victory in 2021.

Last year Angelina Mango represented Italy at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden with her entry La noia, placing 7th with 268 points.