Thirty-nine countries are competing with the aim to lift the trophy in Malmö. The twelfth country to be introduced is San Marino. The country debuted in 2008 and is yet to appear in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest. This year Valentina Monetta will once again represent San Marino, this time in Sweden.

Basic information

Performer: Valentina Monetta
Song: Crisalide (Vola)
Language: Italian
Music: Ralph Siegel
Lyrics: Mauro Balestri

The song

The moving ballad that turns into an up tempo song refers to the the pupa stage of the butterfly, infact in her song Valentina sings about flying on the wings of confidence.

Certe volte dentro me
Ho sentito un vuoto che
Mi chiamava dentro di sé
Vieni ora a vedere la verità
C’è un ponte sull’immensità

Cosa sono in fondo io
Sogno fragile di dio
Con un corpo fatto così
Grandi occhi colore
Vivendo si muore
Rinnovati per l’eternità

Vola, vola
Che la forza arriverà
Sempre sola
Verso un’altra libertà
La farfalla nuova lascia sempre giù
La crisalide che eri tu
Vuota senza me

The performer

Valentina Monetta is a 38 year old singer born in San Marino. Valentina has enjoyed great experience in the world of music. She has been a backup for artists like Silvie Vartan, DJ Master Frees, Bombo’s, El Ruben and R. Fame, Elena Cattaneo and Dance-House for musical productions. She has has also performed at the Bob Marley Tribute concert with her group Parafunky  with vocalist Vanessa-J and the New York artist R. Fame in Pisa. She released two singles, one of them being a song she submitted to represent San Marino in 2008 but was rejected. Last year she released her first album Il mio gioco preferito. Last year Valentina Monetta performed Ma che differenza fa at the Titano Theatre in San Marino, a musical monolog directed by Fabrizio Raggi dedicated to the Italian singer Ornella Vanoni. She also represented San Marino in Baku.

The songwriters

The writers who penned this year’s entry for San Marino need no introduction. This will be the 21st song that the Eurovision legend composer Ralph Siegel has in Eurovision. He composed fourteen German entries, three more to Luxembourg, one for Switzerland and another one for Montenegro. He also wrote the first ever victory song for Germany in 1982. Mauro Balestri developed a great passion for music. Under the guidance of Walter Calloni and privately with Giulio Capiozzo he studied drums and started working both in studio and live with various artists and bands. He joined the Italian Extravaganza band with whom he recorded the album L’età del ferro.

The national selection

Both singer and song were selected internally for the third time in a row.

San Marino in the Eurovision Song Contest

This is only the fourth time that San Marino takes part in the Eurovision Song Contest. Their first participation in 2008 resulted in a last place in the semi-final. In 2011 the country returned to the contest and yet again it didn’t manage to qualify to the final. Last year Valentina Monetta represented the country with the song The social network song.

Statistics

This will be San Marino’s fourth participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. For the third time, the country is represented by a female solo performer. Valentina will represent the small country twice in a row.

San Marinese vote in Eurovision

Throughout its short history in the Eurovision Song Contest, San Marino gave its most points to Greece. The small country received the most points from Albania. Infact their highest point awarding was eights points.

The betting odds

According to oddschecker.com, San Marino is currently standing at number 13 to win the Eurovision Song Contest, while it looks favourable that the country will make it to the final for the first time as it is 5th favourite to qualify from semi-final two.

Auguriamo a San Marino e a Valentina Monetta buona fortuna ed un buon risultato a Malmö!  

Videos

Preview clip

The social network song – Eurovision 2012

Performing on SMTV

Tomorrow another country will be introduced (hint – their wine is particular and good!)

Have your say

You can rate the San Marinese entry by voting in our poll

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You can view previous parts of this series by clicking here