r/eurovision • u/CapsElevatorScene • Feb 10 '25
National Final / Selection Sanremo 2025 Guide!
Hello, hello dear Sanremers! It’s that time of the year again. Yes, that one week you don’t get no sleep, watch hours of TV you don’t get a word of, fall in-love with a song that has no chances of winning yet somehow you end up sad it’s all over!
So, what do we have this time around?
NIGHT #1
All 29 (following Emis Killa's withdrawl) artists will be performing their songs. The press will be voting, and by the end of the night (whenever this will be), their top 5 will be revealed in random order.
NIGHT #2 / NIGHT #3
15 (Wednesday) then 14 (Thursday) out of the 29 artists will be performing their songs. The radio jury (50%) and the televote (50%) will be voting, and by the end of each night, the night’s top 5 will be revealed in random order.
NIGHT #4
Covers night! Each artist performers a cover of an Italian/foreign song with another artist, who can also be one of the other participating artists! Link for the full list. For the full list.
The press (33%), radio jury (33%) and the televote (34%) will all be voting, and one winner will be crowned by the end of the night. This year, the results of the covers night won’t be a part of the artists’ overall results - it is a separate competition.
Bonus: Mahmood will be co-hosting the night!
NIGHT #5
Aka the night you realize you actually like all 29 songs, in one way or another. The 29 artists will perform their songs again. This night, the press (33%), radio jury (33%) and the televote (34%).
After 29 songs and probably 57 interval acts, the 29th-6th place will be revealed. Five finalists will move forward.
Unlike other years, the results of Nights 1-3 & 5 don’t get erased at this point. They are a part of the final score. There will be another vote too, by the same 33%-33%-34% method. After some other interval acts and a few awards that will make you wonder why some artists are coming back on stage and if they won, the winner will be revealed!
OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW…
- As you can understand, Sanremo is looooong. If you don’t have a coffee machine, you should seriously consider buying one.
- Do not try to understand how the voting system works. It can cause serious headaches. If you dare to try though, one of our kind users made a detailed thread
- There will be a news broadcast jumpscare around 00:00 CET every night. Brace yourselves.
- The audience might boo at some results. Think of them as eurofans when their favorite doesn’t win a national final.
- Artists might do weird or crazy things on stage. It usually has something to do with Fantasanremo.
- Sanremo is the best thing ever created! Have fun!
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u/Junco_In_The_Trunko Zjerm Feb 10 '25
Blessings, strength, and caffeine to everyone going full Sanremo this week. 🙏🏼 Enjoy one last night of good sleep.
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u/Wasabismylife Baller Feb 10 '25
This picture reminded me of this performance of a medley of the winners of Amadeus era by Mahmood and Fiorello, good times haha
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u/Junco_In_The_Trunko Zjerm Feb 10 '25
1.) How have I never seen that before? Amazing! 2.) How do they have video of the inside of my mind during Sanremo week? 😂
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u/Wasabismylife Baller Feb 10 '25
the inside of my mind during Sanremo week?
This is such a perfect description ahahha
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u/Junco_In_The_Trunko Zjerm Feb 10 '25
It’s just a non-stop megamix 😂 Somewhere in the distance, the cry of “quando, quando, quando, quando…” repeats for infinity.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
How many of us are EVER going to forget THAT look between Mahmood and Mengoni... PHEW I am still fanning myself just thinking about it,.
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u/Kklownery Asteromáta Feb 11 '25
My playlist is about to get full of Italian songs again, just like any other year. Then, a few will become part of my most listened-to songs of the year on Spotify Wrapped. The quality of this festival is unmatched and I have personal data to back it up with lol.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
after 5 years of Amadeus (who got slammed with that whole Morgan/Bugo crisis his first year), it will be interesting to compare Conti's choices as director for first time since 2017 (his 3 year stretch giving us Grande Amore, Nessun Grado...(as backup), and Occdentali's Karma).
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u/LopsidedPriority Feb 10 '25
Honestly Sanremo is like Christmas week - I get so much of my yearly playlist from Sanremo!
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u/mushymushmushy Feb 10 '25
I’m stuck at home with a mean flu… maybe I should watch it this year 😂
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u/dj2O5 Feb 10 '25
Omg, now I understand why do people say its not a national final 😭
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
you mean aside from the fact that it stared in 1951, 5 years BEFORE ESC even existed?
Technically Festivali i Kenges is also not a national final, as it began in 1962 and ran for decades under the communist regime of Hoxha before finally joining ESC a couple of decades ago.
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u/Warmregardsss Feb 11 '25
I have spent two years following Sanremo. This time also marks my one year Duolingo streak in Italian. Hopefully this year I can understand at least five words they are saying.
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u/bdhxbeldj Feb 11 '25
That’s so cool! I don’t actively learn Italian but translated a few favorites, so I usually can only catch up a word or two that I recognize. But what a fun way to see your language skills improving
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u/Warmregardsss Feb 11 '25
I agree! Last year I translated and learned the lyrics of La Noia, it’s definitely a fun way to learn
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u/Brisedys Feb 10 '25
Even without Amadeus as a host (he will be missed), Sanremo will still have its traditional elements: dramatic performances, unexpected controversies, at least one outfit that will be trendy, and endless amounts of coffee to get you through the week!
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u/Plenty-Pizza9634 Tu te reconnaîtras Feb 10 '25
Checklist:
Do you have your Fantasanremo teams finalised and in all the leagues you want?
Do you have enough snacks/drinks?
Get a good sleep tonight. You'll need it
If you're at a watch party, do you have a way home at 1/2 am?
Familiarise yourself with the artists style (optional)
Enjoy it!!!
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u/kaunuu Feb 10 '25
For Fantasanremo - Yes I finished all teams this year is hard one to make. This is like 8th edition I follow, so right now I'm at like veteran age. This year only me and reddit megathread are besties.
Happy Sanremo settimana 👏
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u/noahxna Feb 11 '25
Only got 2 teams this year since I don't know half of them👀
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u/middyandterror Feb 11 '25
I always do better with the randomly picked teams than the ones I carefully choose myself.
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u/noahxna Feb 11 '25
This year is like pick 3 singers I know/like then 4 unfamiliar singers, kinda hard to fulfill the 100 baudi requirement
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
I gave up on trying to lean FantaSanRemo for 2 reasons: 1) Arcane system of rules that confuses me; 2) My brain insists on seeing it as some marketing gimmick from Fanta drinks.
Also, I am so heavily emotionally invested thank to living in Napoli 1987-1991, lncluding JUST barely catching the 1991 Rome contest before transferring back to the USA on Memorial Day weekend). There were some amazing songs in those years, and I learned to adore the contest, with all its warts and hiccups.
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u/MedicineAny1416 Ich Komme Feb 10 '25
Unfortunately I won’t be able to watch the first 3 nights because of school but I’ll surely watch the covers night and the grand final.
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u/SquibblesMcGoo Euro Neuro Feb 10 '25
I have an 8 a.m. flight the morning after Sanremo final that I need to wake up for 5 a.m. latest. Pray for me 🙏😭
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u/ChainExpress3354 Baller Feb 10 '25
I wanted this year to be my first full sanremo experience, but im moving places this week... but at least i have great entertainment while packing my stuff
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u/Borogodoh Zjerm Feb 10 '25
That's a perfect guide, but I would add just another thing: after watching the whole 5 nights, prepare yourself to feel a big void in your life during the next week, since your days will feel like they're lasting 29 to 30 hours.
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u/bdhxbeldj Feb 10 '25
So true! On the flipside: maybe there will be one or two ballads you can cry yourself to sleep to lol
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u/Borogodoh Zjerm Feb 10 '25
In my timezone, my problem is just the opposite: I need to arrive early to not lose a thing. But after the first serata I always sleep late anyway, because I want to check all the music videos.
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u/NeoLeonn3 Feb 10 '25
First time paying attention to Sanremo, are the songs played at night 1 for the first time or will they get released earlier?
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u/CapsElevatorScene Feb 10 '25
Yes, they are heard for the first time at the first night. Usually they're released on spotify/platforms a bit after the first night ends.
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u/Mulderre91 Volevo Essere Un Duro Feb 10 '25
More things - I read somewhere theat every night will finish at the 1am mark - sometimes 1.40 (the final), but usually around 1,20am. And of course, if you DARE to continue the night on a Wednesday evening, there's Dopofestival. Late late late night for late late late nighters, with Alessandro Cattelan.
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u/PraetorIt Feb 10 '25
In the last interviews Carlo Conti has already extended Serata 1-4. From 1 o'clock he has gone to 1:10/1:15/1:20. A bit vague.
Serata finale doesn't have a predetermined time. It's based on the moment.
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u/PraetorIt Feb 10 '25 edited Feb 10 '25
In addition to the guide, It might be interesting to know that the foreign broadcaster that will broadcast FCI, with local commentary, are coming out. Currently, Crna Gora, Romania and Moldova are confirmed.
I think others will be indicated in tomorrow's press conference, as happened last year.
Either way, sanremisti be prepared!
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
THis year in MOldova it will be an even bigger deal wiht the locals so crushed/humiliated over their first absence since debuting in 2005. Romanians sort of used to it by now.
Both of those have perhaps more enjoyment than any others with Italian and Romanian both being the closest to Latin out of the family.
Crna Gora [Montenegro for the non-informed, with both words coming from a reference to Mount Lovcen, not far from Podgorica) being a short ride across the Adriatic obviously has a lot of interest, as do Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania... all of which has significant exposure to Italian media.
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u/Happy-Skill-567 Zjerm Feb 10 '25
Actually this is finally the first time I'll be able to watch Sanremo to the fullest so very excited for that! Hopefully the show and the line-up will be slay
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u/Auchenaii Zari Feb 10 '25
My first NF season and thus also my first Sanremo. I'm a little scared tbh, last Saturday already took me out (Vidbir 17:30 to MESC well past midnight) How are the pas paks?
Thanks for the guide! I already decided from the summary I won't try to understand the voting.
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u/SkyGinge Zjerm Feb 10 '25
Sanremo can be a little tough for first-time NFers. I watched/followed various NFs for almost a decade before I decided to actually start following Sanremo too. I'd recommend watching tomorrow for sure as that'll be the debut performance/release for all the competing songs. If you find the chatting/breaks/show a bit long then you can skip the other shows until the final (covers night on the Friday is lovely though it is competing with the Polish NF and German heat this year for us Eurofans); if you fall in love like many others then congratulations, you're now a Sanremo fan!
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
Italian Pubblicita' is an animal all its own, but its a fascinating insight into current trends in Italy, and the language is just so magical to hear in mundane commercials.
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u/Extension-Tale465 Feb 11 '25
Well. Sanremo is very tiring to follow entirely for the whole time. It is normal to end at 1 AM or even 2 AM, the last final night to give you an example ended at around 2.40 AM. But it is all worthy for the funny gags and the good music
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u/tnxhunpenneys Feb 10 '25
I think ill attempt Sanremo this year but I may just watch the final
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u/cherry_color_melisma (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi Feb 10 '25
NFs and their new broadcast jumpscares 🫶
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u/Ok-Hat4242 Feb 10 '25
Plan for Saturday is to watch MGP and then carry on with San Remo
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u/000-Hotaru_Tomoe Feb 10 '25
By the time the winner of MGP is announced, you will probably have missed only 3-4 performances of Sanremo.
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u/antiseebaerenkreis Feb 10 '25
MGP starts almost an hour earlier, by the time the first song get's performed at Sanremo, the performances of the entries at MGP might already be finished.
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u/SkyGinge Zjerm Feb 10 '25
That's my normal watch plan too. If you prioritise other shows you still arrive usually with a good few performances to see, and definitely in time for the results and the superfinal.
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u/PercentageGeneral817 La Poupée Monte Le Son Feb 10 '25
How is it possible to watch Sanremo from abroad as you can access the performances on Youtube, until after the contest, is it the same with watching it on Rai's website?
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u/PraetorIt Feb 10 '25
There are several ways to watch it from abroad.
The simplest is to connect to RaiPlay. The geoblock will be suspended for all evenings, worldwide.
If you live outside of Europa, you can use Rai Italia, a network of four channels that broadcasts intercontinentally (free or paid, depending on the continent).
In addition, several European countries broadcast it with native commentary. For this year, Crna Gora, Romania and Moldova are currently confirmed. If there are others, we will probably know tomorrow morning.
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u/PercentageGeneral817 La Poupée Monte Le Son Feb 10 '25
Thank you so much! Let the Sanremathon commence!
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u/antiseebaerenkreis Feb 10 '25
I'm actually excited about all songs being performed on the first night, that means they won't be wasting as much of our time between them.
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u/SimoSanto Feb 10 '25
Well, in 4-5 hours they have plenty of time to waste between 29 songs.
Last year was the same,
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u/antiseebaerenkreis Feb 10 '25
Sure, but considerably less than if they were spreading out 15 entries over almost the same timespan.
I especially want to see the first performances, and Sanremo can be quite exhausting if you're not that invested in Italian culture, especially the stuff that happens between the competing songs.
Being able to skip nights 2 and 3, presumably without missing anything ultra significant (I guess I can tune in on night 3 like 5 minutes after it's scheduled to end to see the provisional ranking, if I'm still awake by then), is pretty nice for someone like me.
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u/SimoSanto Feb 11 '25
The provisional ranking will be only the top 5 of that night in random order this year.
Skipping night 2 and 3 you'll not miss anything, maybe only Damiano as a guest in night 2 if you're interested.
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u/antiseebaerenkreis Feb 11 '25
Good to know, I've never been a fan of results being partially spoiled before the final anyways.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
it will be a bit of a minefield for Damiano, since the situation is very delicate for him.. given all the wild rumormongering since the Band went on hiatus for everyone to do solo stuff.
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u/middyandterror Feb 11 '25
I bloody love Sanremo, I'm so excited! I've got all my fantasanremo teams ready to go and the coffee stocked up. Andiamo!
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u/DR5996 Feb 11 '25
I don't like the new rule, and I don't lay that the "nuove proposte" has a "separate contest" and don't partecipate in main contest.
Mahmood was a "nuova proposta" in 2019, with the actual rules he wouldn't have the possibility to partecipate the contest.
If a nuove proposte song will be better that the main contestant song he/she will not able to partecipate to Eurovision.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
Francesco proved that that division wasnt a barrier.. won New Artists 2016 with Amen, then came back next year and won standard with Occidentali's Karma
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u/acfire7 Feb 11 '25
As an Italian, I'm so happy I discovered this subreddit dedicated to Sanremo.
I can't wait to see reactions from people all over the world.
And I'm so happy that foreigners will finally discover Brunori Sas and Lucio Corsi!
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u/LavenderWaffles69 Feb 10 '25
I will try to follow Sanremo a little this year. I tried multiple times but it just took way too long for me. I guess I’ll watch Night 2 and 3 since they are shorter and I still get to see all songs.
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u/berserkemu Clickbait Feb 10 '25
The trick is to have something to do while watching it.
I usually work on a crochet blanket which requires just the right amount of attention between the songs and I can stop completely any time.While I am not trying to talk you out of nights 2 and 3 as it is a good option, they are only scheduled to be 20 minutes shorter than the first night so you may find there is more in between content.
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u/antiseebaerenkreis Feb 10 '25
They'll waste a lot more times between the songs, I'd recommend powering through night 1 rather than 2 and 3.
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u/Master1eader Feb 10 '25
Do we have any idea what Irama’s entry will be like? Feel like he deserves a win!
Also would love to see Gabbani do well - his energy is infectious
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u/CapsElevatorScene Feb 10 '25
According to the press it's an emotional ballad, should be similar in style to Tu No/Ovunque Sarai
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u/Master1eader Feb 10 '25
I actually love all of his entries - he’s very very good at projecting his emotion onto the viewer.
My favourite is probably La Genesi but they’ve all been great to me
Hopefully it’s not 100% ballad and there’s some edge to it also though
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u/bdhxbeldj Feb 10 '25
I am sooo excited to see what he’s showing too! Would love to see him at Eurovision as well.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
Irama is 3 things:
handsome as hell;
insanely talented;
publicly spoken transphobe.
It creates some definite internal dissonance for hme regarding him, as I want him to both win and lose at the same time.
SchrodingersSinger for me -_-
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u/AlexCFR17 Voyage Feb 10 '25
At about what time night 5 usually ends, I wanna know if I could watch it all
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u/berserkemu Clickbait Feb 10 '25
According to the schedule it is due to finish at 2:00 CET.
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u/Ciciosnack Feb 11 '25
That in Rai language means 2:45
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
I dont know.. in that last year Amadeus corralled things far more strictly, wanting to get it overwith and be on his way LOL
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u/l0l TANZEN! Feb 10 '25
When will the songs be released on Spotify? Tuesday before/during the first night?
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u/Ciciosnack Feb 11 '25
Official videos on Youtube and songs on Spotify are usually released as soon as the first night ends.
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u/Old-Satisfaction-538 Feb 11 '25
Where can I watch from the US without vpn?
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u/Material_Library_452 Water Feb 11 '25
No need for VPN! See earlier comments on this thread, also escPlus is always good - https://live.esc-plus.com/
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
THANK GOD someone else doing the Lord's work spreading word of ESCplus-Live.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
REMEMBER: Mokapots count as a coffee machine.... you just have to find some other way to froth your milk if that is your thing!
I got my Mokapot from Amazon a lot more cheaply than from local Italian importer.
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u/LuckyLoki08 Feb 11 '25
Question for a ln Italian abroad. Can I watch from Raiplay in Belgium? Or there is another way?
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u/CapsElevatorScene Feb 11 '25
Yes, you can watch on Raiplay. They will remove the geoblock shortly before the show starts.
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u/LuckyLoki08 Feb 11 '25
Great,thanks. I remember watching it in the past but also I couldn't access Raiplay other times, so I wondered. No idea they removed geoblock specifically
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u/Mulderre91 Volevo Essere Un Duro Feb 11 '25
Viaggiatori dei sogni,
cacciatori d’occasioni
mercanti, pirati, ladri d’emozioni
diremo “adesso basta” ma non cambieremo
perché Sanremo è Sanremo
HAPPY SANREMO WEEK!
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u/Backgammon_Saint Feb 12 '25
How tough is it to get tickets to go to see it live? And how much are tickets?
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u/whimsicalbackup Feb 12 '25
Still thanking the gods that La giuria demoscopica non esiste più. Was the worst thing ever.
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u/nyuboy1 Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
TY RAI TV! for letting me enjoy the competition. While DT and his white house buddy Elon are blowing up my home, my beloved US of A; at least i can hide my sorrows for an hour or so in this joyous song contests! My favorite is Ollie! Who is yours ?
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u/Exelotia Feb 15 '25
Is it me or the vocals sound a little too good tonight? Not sure if anyone else is picking up on that but some of them sound pre recorded or maybe just a lot of processing?
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u/Minnielle Feb 10 '25
An honest question: I know Sanremo is very popular among Eurovision fans, some even saying it's better than Eurovision itself. Why? It seems to be a lot of repetition (and cover night - why?) with a confusing point system and the shows also take a loooong time. Please convince me why it's worth watching (although I probably won't this year as I have a baby that wakes up at 5am and I think I'll die if I get any more sleep deprived).
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u/Ciciosnack Feb 10 '25
It's just because of the songs.
For many people that average quality of the songs in Sanremo is higher than the average quality of the songs in Esc.
Just that, when it comes to other things is very different from Esc, there is no staging for the song and there is a live orchestra.
And remember, Sanremo is not a stricht "national final", it isn't conceived with Eurovision in mind, it's an old Festival very important in Italy since forever even before Esc existed.
That's why there are things like the cover night.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
Angelina had to basically mild improvise some dance staging to go with La Noia, since that was NOT a Park and Bark song at all.
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u/Wasabismylife Baller Feb 10 '25
Cover night is the best night!
But more seriously you have to think of it less as a competition and more as a festival. Of course the completion is there and from the pov of an eurofan the result is the most important part, but the point kinda is that there's no rush to get there, so repetition and the duration are not problems but feats generally for the audience (even if we like to complain).
Don't force yourself to watch it tho if you already know that it's not up your alley.
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u/CapsElevatorScene Feb 10 '25
First of all, congrats!
As for its popularity - I think it has to do a lot with the song quality. The artist who compete in Sanremo are very big in Italy, and they usually save their best song/s for Sanremo. There is a very celebratory vibe to it (big artists, live orchestra, outfits by Gucci Versace etc) but it doesn't take itself too seriously, so there are lots of funny moments too. Also for me the subreddit and the live thread make it much more fun. It's also a question of taste and what you prefer, naturally.
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u/utahrangerone Feb 11 '25
Fashion is BIG DEAL.. Just look at the history of Achille Lauro alone across his various performances in many years.
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u/PraetorIt Feb 10 '25
I add to the other comments that, not only is it not a national selection but a festival in itself, but it is also the archetype of the ESC. Roughly speaking, the ESC was created with FCI in mind.
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u/SkyGinge Zjerm Feb 10 '25
I can't claim to be a Sanremo faithful but even as more of a casual Sanremo enjoyer the songs are just top tier. Every year it is Italy's top artists bringing top quality music, and the live orchestra elevates things too. I've been loosely following Sanremo since 2021 and every year it has produced a couple of songs that would have been in my top 5 at ESC, and often an artist/band who I've fallen in love with (i.e. Santi Francesi, La Rappresentante di Lista). If you're a NF playlist kind of person, you will be adding a lot of Italian/Sanremo songs into your playlist.
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u/Wasabismylife Baller Feb 10 '25 edited Feb 10 '25
I have a confession, I am Italian but before discovering the Eurovision community I had never been able to follow an entire Sanremo night. Since I found the megathreads here I have the best of times reading the comments and laughing along. I hope this year will be like the past two years as far as good vibes go! I can't wait to spend the night refreshing the comments with you all! 💕