SANREMO: Twenty-nine competing songs, young voices, and artists with decades of career and success—everyone on the stage of the temple of Italian music: the Teatro Ariston. Mariasole Pollio, a Neapolitan actress and presenter, will co-host the PrimaFestival of Sanremo 2025. Alongside Bianca Guaccero and Gabriele Corsi, she will be one of the key faces of this highly anticipated event.
“A festival with a shared hosting approach, centered on friendship: this is the Sanremo I envisioned. A collective hosting experience, filled with fun and lightness. I like to recall a phrase that Ezio Bosso said on the Ariston stage before his 2016 performance: ‘Music, like life, is made together.’” With these words, Carlo Conti introduces the 75th edition of the Festival della Canzone Italiana, which, under the direction of Maurizio Pagnussat, will be broadcast from Tuesday, February 11, to Saturday, February 15, on Rai 1, Rai Radio2, RaiPlay, and Rai 4K (channel 210 on Tvsat).
Conti returns as host of the festival, choosing to be accompanied by 12 co-hosts. In the first evening, he will be joined by Antonella Clerici and Gerry Scotti. The second night will feature Bianca Balti, Nino Frassica, and Cristiano Malgioglio. On the third night, Katia Follesa, Elettra Lamborghini, and Miriam Leone will take the stage. The fourth evening will be hosted alongside Geppi Cucciari and Mahmood. Finally, on the fifth and final night, Conti will be accompanied by Alessandro Cattelan—who will also host the Aftershow—and Alessia Marcuzzi.
At the heart of the event is music, with an incredible lineup of artists competing: Achille Lauro, Serena Brancale, Bresh, Brunori SAS, Clara, Coma_Cose, Lucio Corsi, Simone Cristicchi, Elodie, Fedez, Francesco Gabbani, Gaia, Giorgia, Irama, Marcella Bella, Francesca Michielin, Modà, Noemi, Olly, Massimo Ranieri, Rkomi, Rocco Hunt, Rose Villain, Sarah Toscano, Shablo feat. Guè, Joshua & Tormento, Joan Thiele, The Kolors, Tony Effe, and Willie Peyote. As always, the fourth evening will be dedicated to cover performances, with all 29 artists selecting a song in agreement with the Artistic Director and Rai.
Sanremo will also be a significant opportunity for four rising artists from Sanremo Giovani 2024, who will compete in the Newcomers’ section with the song that secured their place at the Ariston: Alex Wyse, Maria Tomba, Settembre, Vale LP, and Lil Jolie. The winner of this section will be announced during the festival’s third night. All performers will be accompanied by the Festival Orchestra, composed of professional musicians selected in part by Rai and in part by the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra Foundation, along with backing vocalists.
The festival will also welcome major figures from the entertainment industry. On the first night, Israeli singer Noa and Palestinian artist Mira Awad will deliver a message of peace with their rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine. The opening night will also see the high-energy performance of Jovanotti. On the second night, Maneskin’s frontman Damiano David will be a guest, along with the cast of Follemente, Paolo Genovese’s new comedy, featuring Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati, Emanuela Fanelli, Maria Chiara Giannetta, Claudia Pandolfi, Vittoria Puccini, Marco Giallini, Maurizio Lastrico, Rocco Papaleo, and Claudio Santamaria. Thursday marks a major return: Duran Duran will take the Ariston stage, 40 years after their last performance in Sanremo. Additionally, there will be a tribute to iconic Italian artists: Iva Zanicchi and Antonello Venditti, who will receive lifetime achievement awards.
From February 11 to 15, Bianca Guaccero and Gabriele Corsi will host the PrimaFestival, a daily segment live from the glass box outside the Teatro Ariston, leading up to the 75th edition of the festival with a mix of entertainment and behind-the-scenes stories. Joining them as a field reporter is young Mariasole Pollio, offering a fresh and dynamic perspective on the event. Adding to the humor, the Sicilian comedy duo I Sansoni (Fabrizio and Federico) will deliver witty takes on the festival’s backstage moments.
The Dopofestival – Tutti guardano Sanremo will be hosted by Alessandro Cattelan, alongside Selvaggia Lucarelli and Anna Dello Russo, also from the Glass Box. This segment will provide real-time reactions to each night’s events, featuring interviews with journalists, artists, and live performances by Street Clerks, along with the most viral social media content.
Rai Radio2, the official radio station for Sanremo 2025, will have three key locations to immerse listeners in the festival: the Box in Piazza Borea d’Olmo, the OVS store in Via Matteotti, and the Blue Room backstage at the Ariston, where exclusive interviews and real-time emotions will be captured. From February 11 to 15, all Sanremo 2025 prime-time broadcasts on Rai1 will be streamed live on RaiPlay, including a 4K version. All performances and highlights from the Ariston stage will be uploaded in real-time on RaiPlay.
Viewers can also access exclusive interviews with artists and guests, conducted by Ema Stokholma and Gino Castaldo from the Visual Radio Studio of Rai Radio2 in the Ariston’s backstage area. To create a direct connection with fans, RaiPlay will air a special daily format, Conversazione – Sanremo Edition, at 5:00 PM from February 11 to 15, allowing viewers to call in and chat with festival participants.
RaiPlay Sound will also cover the festival, streaming the five main nights live on Radio2 and offering on-demand content, including songs, guest appearances, and monologues. The platform will also feature special editions of Rai Radio programs and a new Rai Radio2 show, Sanremo è sempre più blues. Additional content celebrating the festival’s history includes the Sanremo Story series, the Molto rumore per Sanremo podcast, and Radio Sanremo – Non solo brutte.
Sanremo 75 will be covered extensively on social media, with official festival accounts on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and RaiPlay’s WhatsApp broadcast channel, alongside accounts from Rai1, RaiPlay, Rai Radio2, Rai Ufficiale, RaiPress, RaiPlay Sound, RaiNews, and Rai Accessibility. Sanremo continues to emphasize inclusivity, offering subtitles, audiodescription, and LIS (Italian Sign Language) translation on RaiPlay. Special segments like Sanremo Accessibile 2025 – The Day After and Sanremo 2025 – The Day After will provide interviews and behind-the-scenes insights.
As per tradition, Sanremo extends its performances beyond the Ariston, bringing music to the streets. At Piazza Colombo’s Suzuki Stage, Raf will perform on February 11, followed by Big Mama on February 12, Ermal Meta on February 13, Benji & Fede on February 14, and Tedua on February 15. On February 8, hosts Jody Cecchetto and Mattia Stanga will present performances by young talents from Area Sanremo and Urban Theory.
Additionally, the floating stage aboard the Costa Toscana cruise ship will host Planet Funk, who will perform during the grand finale, making it a true celebration.
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