Sanremo 2023

We wrote the manual on how to turn a partner into a rival

Hits …that already were: “Tranqi Funky”, “Maria Maria” and “Domani” but also those from “Domani smetto” and “L’italiano medio”.

The career, so far. Stop resisting the obvious truth of music history: Italian pop-rap runs through Articolo 31, Sottotono and Jovanotti, no matter how much (poorly) you think of their music.

Milan natives J-Ax and Dj Jad meet each other at a hip-hop party, straight out of some bargain-bin Netflix script, and from the start they aim for the mainstream audience, the mildest kind of provocation and, above all, fun. They even get the reasoning behind their own name wrong, mixing up one Irish law for another, and before they've even started, they're already writing a jingle for the “Fiat Uno Rap”. Hearing about a time when they were anything but commercial is enough to make you smile.

"Strade di città", from 1993, ought to present them as Milanese interpreters of American hip-hop, but rhymes in "one", "ato" or with verbs left in the infinitive abound. The lyrics lean hard into the most fun, adolescent and superficial side of the message, which also happens to be the ideal one for a broad, very young audience. Among their early hits were "Tocca qui", not exactly Petrarchan, and the sulky anthem of the not-too-rebellious teenager, "È Natale (ma io non ci sto dentro)" (how many years had it been since you'd heard the phrase "non ci sto dentro"?).

With their second album, "Messa di Vespiri", from 1994, they hit on the road to real success, banking on further singles that talk about sex the way Zerocalcare's buddy Cinghiale would ("Voglio una lurida") and about drugs the way a sophomore in high school would ("Ohi Maria"). To rake in even more, the hit "Domani" is an outright sentimental ballad, so shamelessly crowd-pleasing that it pushed the album "Così com'è", from 1996, to diamond status. Naturally, the hip-hop scene often brands them as sellouts, as shown by the insults directed at them by Dj Gruff. Even Adriano Celentano, for what it's worth, name-checked them as "kids who bust your balls with their rap".

By the end of the millennium the air smells of crisis, and they switch jackets, moving from pop-rap posing as hardcore to pop-rock posing as punk. Under the banner of a barroom-level rebellion, tracks like "Domani smetto" (2002) and "Italiano medio" (2003) mark the last flicker of a duo by now stripped of its original identity.

J-Ax and Dj Jad go their separate ways, with the former launching into a solo career full of second-guessing and contradictions, desperate stabs at success and tragicomic collaborative projects, though he stumbles into commercial gold with a string of singles alongside Fedez, who in the meantime has become a social media-media superpower.

They swore up and down they'd never get back together, and yet here they are again, right as Italian hip-hop reigns unchallenged over our mainstream. Strange, for a group with as hardcore a soul as theirs.

What to expect: their appearance at Sanremo revealed to millennials that they're turning into the new elders, and with a title like "Un bel viaggio" it's fair to expect a wave of nostalgia. Are you already braced to sigh, reminiscing about the springtime of life? The audience that grew up with their singles could make all the difference. The lyrics also bear the signature of Federica Abbate, who has already worked on numerous hit singles ("Karaoke", "Mediterranea", "Caramello").

Colapesce Dimartino – "Splash"

Preferisco il rumore delle metro affollate

Hits… already hits: the sensational, unexpected hit "Musica leggerissima" and the collaboration with Fabri Fibra on "Propaganda".

Their career, so far. Allow us this indulgence: here at OndaRock, we've been listening to Colapesce since people were still worrying about the Mayan apocalypse prophecy. Lorenzo Urciullo, born in Siracusa in 1983, began in 2012 with "A wonderful decline", launching a career as a refined and original singer-songwriter, unmistakably personal, which he went on to develop with "Egomostro" (2015) and "Infedele" (2017). A varied, refined style, which pairs well with that of Palermo-born Dimartino, another old acquaintance and likewise a sincere, down-to-earth singer-songwriter.

Since 2020 the two have been working together, and when they arrive at Sanremo in 2021, one of those bits of magic that only the Ariston stage can produce takes place: two discerning songwriters land on a song, "Musica leggerissima" (five-times platinum), that wins over a very wide audience convincingly, without betraying its stylistic and poetic references. Turning into one of the year's biggest earworms, the song catapults the two Sicilians into national pop culture, complete with TV cameos.

What to expect: hard to say, because "Musica leggerissima" can't be repeated, and perhaps it's best not to even try. "Splash" is certainly a title that suggests a tone that isn't exactly gloomy, but we're expecting a game of contrasts and, perhaps, a new surprise. Word is of fast rhythms and vintage sounds. It will surely help that they've become recognizable figures in their own right, with faces more familiar to the general public than many of their fellow competitors.

Colla Zio – "Non mi va"

Mi piace la tua bocca and La spada nella roccia

Hits… already hits: now, "hits", hold on a second, counselor, we're talking about tracks by a band with under 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

The career, so far. The first in alphabetical order to come from “Sanremo Giovani”, and thus essentially unknown. They're a band from Milan, evidently with rather confused ideas in terms of style: a bit of it-pop, a bit of hip-hop, a bit of pop-rock, basically a proverbial shot in the dark in search of success, with a certain fondness for vocal harmonies.

One Ep to their name so far, “Zafferano” (2021), which besides sounding fairly forgettable, it's unclear how representative it is of what they're playing in 2023, judging by their latest single “Asfalto”, presented at Sanremo Giovani: this last one sounds like Il Pagante, whereas in the past they leaned more towards pop-rap.

What to expect: a funk track, according to their own claims, so once again different from what we heard on the Ep and the latest single. High risk of being forgotten within a week, but it'll be worth seeing the effect of watching all five of them perform on stage. A curious lyric, touching on wrestling, King Arthur, Tiananmen Square, the Savannah and much more. Careful, though: trying too hard to be quirky often ends up being boring.

Coma_Cose – “L’addio”

Happy eyes after bad days

Hits …already hits: “Fiamme negli occhi”, a 2021 track presented at Sanremo, is the only one on Spotify to top 30 million streams. “Mancarsi”, “Post concerto” and “Anima lattina” do well too.

The career, so far. The two Milanese artists Fausto “Lama” Zanardelli and Francesca “California” Mesiano are a pop-rap duo drawing on both local and international influences, with a love of wordplay and a fusion of the contemporary and the nostalgic. They've been active since 2016, first making a name for themselves with the it-pop-rap of “Anima lattina” (2017), still one of their high points, and “Post concerto” (2018), more entertaining thanks to its shower of pop culture references, but it's with the album “Hype Aura” (2019) that they win over critics (us included).

With their second album, “Nostralgia” (2021), released in the same year as their appearance at the festival with “Fiamme negli occhi”, they seem to head towards it-pop, but “Un meraviglioso modo di salvarsi” (2022) shakes up that trajectory again, ranging from the synth-pop of “Chiamami” to the electro-pop that blends Bluvertigo and Cosmo's “Transistor”, from the post-grunge of “Napster” to the self-analysis of “Sto mettendo ordine”. Coma_Cose seem ready to enter their mature phase, but the definitive album has yet to arrive.

What to expect: a song about fragility and being a couple, meaning the dynamic between the two of them on stage will once again take center stage. A track unlikely to aim for broad, crossover success, but one that could enjoy a long tail of spring and summer listens.

Elodie – “Due”

My tears or your tears, it comes down to two things

Hits …already hits: “Margarita” with her ex Marracash, “Nero Bali”, “Guaranà”, “La coda del diavolo” with Rkomi, "Bagno a mezzanotte".

The career, so far. Elodie from Quartaccio, who debuted on Amici in 2015 at 25, is a bit like our own Dua Lipa. Over time she's shifted increasingly towards a pop sound with international ambitions, helped along by high-profile productions, such as those behind “Margarita” (triple platinum, produced by Takagi & Ketra in 2019), “Andromeda” (platinum, produced by Dardust in 2020), “Guaranà” (double platinum, same year and same Dardust), “Ciclone” (a double-platinum flamenco number courtesy of Takagi & Ketra in 2020).

She's already been to Sanremo in 2017 and 2020 as a singer and in 2021 as co-host, while in 2022 she also made it to the big screen with “Ti mangio il cuore” by Pippo Mezzapesa, suggesting we should really be talking about a full-fledged starlet.

While her singles often work well, with their blend of pop and electronics, her albums still sound unfinished and provincial, lacking that spark of ambition. Her latest, “This Is Elodie” (2020), dates back, however, to when she was less famous and established, more awkward in showing off her sensuality and perhaps less aware of her own strengths. Her fourth album will be called “OK. Respira” and is expected on the Friday of Sanremo week: will this be the one?

What to expect: a song about relationships, “Due”, so not exactly the most original subject matter. We're expecting electronic pop with a decent beat, co-written by Federica Abbate, but reading the lyrics it's easy to get bored. Elodie's stage presence and charm will surely count for something too.

Gianluca Grignani – “Quando ti manca il fiato”

Tu verrai o no al mio funerale?

Past hits …already hits: “La mia storia tra le dita” and “Destinazione paradiso” — its Spanish version, “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos”, has racked up two hundred and fifty-two million streams on Spotify.

His career, so far. Debuting as the brooding, poetically melancholic rocker of Italy's late-millennium scene, always armed with a guitar, this Milanese-born artist (b. 1972) first appeared on “Sanremo Giovani” with “La mia storia tra le dita” (1994), before competing in the main “Festival” itself in 1995 with “Destinazione paradiso”, also the title of his debut album: an incredible success, certified diamond and known even in the South American market.

Commercial triumph sent him spiraling fast, to the point that rumors circulated of a premature death by overdose, in true maudit fashion. He returned with “La fabbrica di plastica” (1996; inspired by “The Bends”), one of the most controversial albums in Italian rock, a cult record in its own way. Stories also began piling up of erratic behavior, true Italian-style rockstar antics, followed by a string of misfiring projects.

What brought him back from the dead was his third appearance at Sanremo in 2002, alongside the release of his fifth album “Uguali e diversi” (five platinum records) and the sheer ultra-kitsch power of “L’aiuola”, a song about a woman's nether regions that he calls an expression of his “naive soul” and which makes even the crudest Vasco look like a holy hermit.

Meanwhile, the shadow of drugs stretched over his life. In 2009 he hit rock bottom, showing up to a concert visibly out of it, tragically late, unable to perform.

His career never took off again. His last album dates back to 2014, though his last live performance was in 2022, at the Ariston no less, alongside Irama. He says he's been working on a triple album for years.

What to expect: his sixth Sanremo, presenting a song dedicated to his difficult relationship with his father. There'll obviously be some rock, complete with orchestration, but the real spectacle will be Grignani himself: everyone wants to see whether he'll deliver or implode. The risk of pathos-gone-wrong looms large.

gIANMARIA – "Mostro"

Non sei più mio ricordo

sei un'allucinazione

Hits… already had: “Vivo per lei”, “Come neve”, “Come saprei”, “Girasole” and many others.

Her career so far. One of Sanremo's great success stories, in its role as a popstar incubator. Rome-born Giorgia Todrani, long inspired by soul, blues and jazz, entered the history of Italian popular music in 1994 when she appeared in the "newcomers" category with "E poi".

She went platinum with her debut "Giorgia" (1994), then in 1995 came a collaboration with Andrea Bocelli, an alternative version of "Vivo per lei" already released by O.R.O., which has since become a modern classic around the world.

She returned to the Ariston stage in 1995 and won outright with "Come saprei" (also picking up the "Critics' Prize"). She sang for the Pope, co-hosted the festival alongside Pippo Baudo, duetted with Elton John, and her second album, "Come Thelma & Louise" (1995), went double platinum. These were years in which her voice, at once so pop and so soul, lent itself to successful projects that won over a wide audience.

In 1997 Pino Daniele produced her album "Mangio troppa cioccolata" (triple platinum), a success repeated by "Girasole" (1999) and the more internationally minded "Senza ali" (2001).

Her already well-known vocal and interpretive skills were further honed, as shown by the track "Di sole e d'azzurro", presented in 2001 again at Sanremo (where Elisa took the win, relegating her to second place). Not even the death of her partner Alex Baroni, at just 35, halted her success, which was fuelled by a greatest hits collection and by "Vivi davvero", another vocal tour de force.

From 2003 onward, fatigue began to set in: not exactly a decline, but a dignified maturity. In recent years she has tried to freshen up her style, and for the single "Normale" (2022) she brought in Big Fish of Sottotono to produce.

What to expect: given the title, one hopes for a prime-time track that finally clears up whether it's pronounced "collutorio" or "colluttorio". Instead, believe it or not, it's a love song that, believe it or not, will push her vocal cords to the limit. Let's hope that, alongside the undeniable talent, there's also something else going on.

Cugini di Campagna – “Lettera 22”

Come due uragani che distruggono

ma per dispetto

Hits… already hits: "Anima mia", "Un'altra donna", "Preghiera" and other relics of the Italian Seventies.

The career so far. They call themselves "di campagna" ("country cousins") because they were supposed to draw on traditional Italian music, but in reality this Roman group became famous thanks to the syrupy pop songs released between '73 and '77, including the anthem for which they're remembered by young and old alike, that meme song avant la lettre known as "Anima mia".

The latter, trotted out at every event the band has ever taken part in, has become almost a self-parody, an anthem that crystallizes the embarrassing obsolescence of a certain kind of period music — in this case steeped in a mawkish sentimentality that makes you reconsider Mino Reitano.

They barely survived the Seventies, but Fabio Fazio and Claudio Baglioni conjured them back through an Ouija board for the TV show "Anima mia" (fittingly enough) in 1997, and from there they've laboured back into pop culture ever since, though without ever landing a single hit.

In 53 years of career they've never taken part in Sanremo, but this grave omission (?) will finally be remedied thanks to a song written by La rappresentante di lista.

What to expect: cringe by proxy. The lyrics promise absolutely nothing original, and the sound is expected to lean on Eighties disco. It's not hard to see why the outlets that have already heard the tracks are pinning it to the very bottom of the rankings.

Lazza – "Cenere"

Ho visto un paio di inferni alla volta

Hits… already hits: "Uscito di galera", "Panico", "Piove", "Molotov" and even his unexpected remix of "Ferrari".

The career so far. Don't act like an old-timer: if you're interested in our popular music, you should know Lazza, seeing as "Sirio" was the most-streamed album in Italy in 2022. Jacopo Lazzarini is a Milanese trapper whose first official album dates back to 2017. He started out as a fairly confrontational singer: street-smart, a womanizer and a menace, he packed his lyrics with riocontra (Milanese verlan), foul language, self-glorification and misogyny — the very picture of the "nu buono guaglione".

In next to no time he moved on from foul-mouthed, aggressive trap, technical rhymes and a desire to smash everything, to becoming a major commercial success, first with "Re Mida" (2019) and then, above all, with the far poppier "Sirio" (2022). Few swear words remain, the trap that once wanted to be outright drill has become increasingly prime-time friendly, and now here he is at Sanremo: talk about the twists of fate.

What to expect: an emotional, radio-friendly track built for the mainstream, blending pop, rap and electronics. Dardust is producing, and given that Lazza is at the peak of his fame, he could aim very high indeed. They'll probably tell us for the twenty-sixth time that he can play the piano, or he'll play it himself right there on stage, because certain things always tug at the heartofitalians (yes, allonewordlikethat).

LDA – "Se poi domani"

Ti giuro sei bella da ogni prospettiva

Hits… already hits: "Quello che fa male" tops 25 million streams.

The career so far. Contrary to what you might read around, his full name is not lithium diisopropylamide but Luca D'Alessio. This 2003-born Neapolitan chose this initialism, presumably, so as not to look like a nepo baby, but the first thing anyone says about him is that he's the son of Gigi D'Alessio. Maybe next time it'd be better to go for something more charismatic, like "Alvaro The Chilean With The Singing Nose", especially if in 2021 you decide to appear on your dad's album.

As happens all too often, the launchpad was “Amici”, which led to her first hit single, “Quello che fa male” (2021), essentially a more Ultimo, more soul version of her father's songs.

What to expect: a love song sung with a light Campanian inflection, plenty of feeling, inevitable vocal runs. If Campania didn't have 5.6 million inhabitants, we wouldn't even be talking about it.

Leo Gassmann – “Terzo cuore”

Damn this third heart!

Hits… already been there: “Vai bene così” and “Piume”, mainly.

The career, so far. Speaking of nepo baby, here's the son of Alessandro and grandson of Vittorio. After going through “X Factor” in 2017, this Rome-born 1998 kid has had every possible stroke of luck: a deal with Universal, winning the “newcomers” category at Sanremo in 2020, and plenty of media attention. He brings to it a way of singing that makes him sound like a fifty-year-old, with all that Grand Theatre pomp that might just run in the family. Practically nobody listens to him on Spotify, even though in his photo he poses half-naked.

What to expect: an intense, anguished pop ballad, about love of course, entirely devoted to explaining the title. Let's at least hope the tormented delivery goes viral and becomes fodder for a thousand instant memes.

Levante – “Vivo”

La puttana che ha ridato un senso ai giorni miei

Hits …already hits: she started with the gut-punch of “Sciccherie”, then came “Voce”, “Marea” and many others, some in collaboration with other heavyweights of our hip-hop scene.

The career so far. Francesca Calearo aka Madame is from Vicenza, and made a name for herself at just sixteen, in 2018, thanks to her slurred delivery, explosive emotional intensity and genuine quest for a contemporary expressive language that blends hip-hop, trap and r'n'b. Her first hit, “Sciccherie” (2018; platinum record), is still today one of the most original takes on Italian urban music.

In 2021 she took part in Sanremo with “Voce”, earning four platinum certifications, and released her debut “Madame”, which strikes a good balance between growth and staying true to her own traits. She also established herself as a public figure, appearing frequently on TV and becoming a regular guest for many artists, from her friend Sangiovanni to Ghali. The real problem is that some of her recent singles have seen her retreat into an all-too-conventional pop sound or general blandness: on “L’eccezione” (2022) she sounds like Caterina Caselli, and on the pop-rap nursery rhyme “Tu mi hai capito” (2021) she pretty much just repeats the title over and over. Her career is anything but settled.

What to expect: billed as an electronic, rhythm-driven track, hopefully it will also be a way for her to reassert her artistic identity. It's a love song, which is hardly a surprise, so all that's left is to find out how she's put her own spin on such a worn-out theme.

Mara Sattei – “Duemilaminuti”

E poi dammi duemila minuti anzi duemila ore

Hits …already hits: almost all collaborations, from “La dolce vita” with Fedez and Tananai to Carl Brave's “Spigoli” with his little brother thasup, by way of Gazzelle's “Tuttecose”.

The career so far. Rome-born Sara Mattei opted for a stage name that's in its own way inspired, a less unsettling version of the inversions and mutations pulled off by deejay Cristiano Crisci (aka Digi G'Alessio, Paura Lausini, etc.).

She started out on YouTube at just fourteen, in 2009. She entered “Amici” in 2013, went to London, came back and released a handful of tracks produced by her brother, then “Spigoli” (2020) with Carl Brave served as her first hit, a triple-platinum track on which she features as a guest.

This career built on features has ended up mattering more than her work as a lead artist, especially in light of the double platinum for Gazzelle's “Tuttecose” (2021) and the quadruple platinum for “La dolce vita” (2022).

Her debut album, “Universo” (2022), doesn't manage to convince all that much: nice production work from her brother, a handful of interesting guest spots, but in splitting her focus between pop, r'n'b and rap she never finds a clear identity.

What to expect: with lyrics written by DamianodeiManeskin (read as a single word) and music co-written by thasup, it's genuinely hard to predict how it might sound. She'll bring the voice, and we can only hope that's enough. Numbers-wise, Ana Mena's “Duecentomila ore” blows it out of the water.

Marco Mengoni – “Due vite”