Stefano De Martino, newly confirmed as the artistic director for the Festival di Sanremo for both 2027 and 2028, has unveiled his initial vision for the iconic Italian music competition. Among his key proposals are a reduced number of competing songs, a greater focus on international appeal, and a dedicated evening to select Italy’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Stefano De Martino is set to lead the Festival di Sanremo as its artistic director for the next two editions, 2027 and 2028. He shared his early concepts for the show, aiming to bring significant changes to its format and international outlook.
One of the most notable changes proposed by De Martino is the introduction of a specific night dedicated to the Eurovision Song Contest. He outlined the structure for the five-night festival:
- Tuesday and Wednesday: All competing artists will perform their original songs.
- Thursday: The popular cover night will return, allowing artists to showcase their interpretations of classic hits.
- Friday: This evening will feature a special performance that will determine Italy’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
This innovative approach means that there will be two distinct outcomes: a winner for the Festival di Sanremo and a separate act chosen to go to Eurovision. De Martino noted that while the two could potentially be the same if the voting aligns, the exact mechanism for this dual selection is yet to be finalised. He emphasised that artists will have the creative freedom to stage their performances for this Eurovision-specific night, which he believes will add an international flavour to the festival.
Furthermore, De Martino plans to reduce the number of songs in competition, moving away from the 30 entries seen in the most recent edition. This reduction is intended to give more prominence and narrative space to each artist and their performances.
Regarding other aspects, De Martino jokingly addressed rumours of a Måneskin reunion at Sanremo and expressed his dream of having Vasco Rossi participate. He also shared his personal method for evaluating submitted songs: listening to them cleanly on headphones, then in the car, and finally while running. If a song withstands these three tests, he considers it to have potential. He is supported by a team, including musical director Fabrizio Ferraguzzo, and while he claims not to know the exact number, it’s reported that around 500 songs have already been submitted.
