Sanremo 2024, the covers tonight: the official list

For this one too 74th edition of the Sanremo Festival Friday evening is reserved for cover. The 30 participants in the competition were given the right to choose a national or international piece, from another’s or their own repertoire, published by 31 December 2023. Each of the competitors will be supported by another artist (or more artists in the case of groups or orchestras) .

The covers (which therefore enter into the final score) are judged by the three juries: the televoting, the press room, web and TV and the radio jury. At the end of the performances and voting, the ranking will be updated and the top five classified in the covers will be announced. The first in the ranking will be the winner of the evening.

Among the guests who will join the competitors on stage this evening we find some returning winners (Gabbani, Meta, Moro, Vecchioni, Umberto Tozzi), some debuts (Luchè, Venerus) and some artists who have chosen to present not covers but a medley of own hits (Renga and Nek, Ricchi and Poveri).

Here is the list of who will sing and what:

• Alessandra Amoroso with Boomdabash, Medley

A debut and a return in the name of Salento. Amoroso takes part in the competition for the first time on that stage where Boomdabash returns, having already been there in 2019 with “Per un mio”. It will be another opportunity to dance.

• Alfa with Roberto Vecchioni, “Dream, boy, dream”

Another Sanremo newcomer heads the generational queue with a song veteran who participated in Sanremo as an author and even won in 2011 with “Chiamami anchor amore”. The Professor has already duetted at the Festival: in 2006 with Nomadi

• Angelina Mango with the string quartet of the Orchestra of Rome, “La rondine”

A tribute from Angelina to her father Pino with the reinterpretation of his 2002 song (presented at the Festivalbar)

• Annalisa with La Representative di list and the Artemia choir, “Sweet Dreams (Are made of this)”

With Annalisa there is the return of La Representative di list on that, for them, lucky stage. They do it, in the wake of last year’s Mr.Rain, with a children’s choir reinterpreting a 1983 song by Eurythmics

• BigMama with Gaia, La Niña and Sissi, “Lady Marmalade”

BigMama brings Gaia back to the Ariston stage, who had already been there in 2021 (with “Cuore amaro”). With her two other Neapolitan artists. A female quartet that reinterprets “Voulez Vous Coucher Avec Moi Ce Soir? (Lady Marmalade)” great success of 1974 by Labelle and already covered several times (also by Sabrina Salerno as well as by Aguilera).

• Bnkr44 with Pino D’Angiò, “But what an idea”

This meeting will be characterized by funky rap rhythm. Song from 1981

• Clara with Ivana Spagna and the children’s choir of the Teatro Regio of Turin, “The circle of life”

Clara focuses on Walt Disney and is joined on stage by Ivana Spagna with whom she performs Elton John’s song “The Circle Of Life” contained in the Italian version of “The Lion King” (1994). Song nominated for an Oscar for best song

• Dargen D’Amico with BabelNova Orchestra, Homage to Ennio Morricone: “Modigliani” to the tune of The Crisis

Dargen D’amico points to Morricone from the soundtrack of “The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean” and combines it with his “Modigliani” of 2015. With him the newly formed Roman multi-ethnic orchestra

• Diodato with Jack Savoretti, “Love that comes, love that goes”

A meeting between two refined songwriters. The common point of reference is their love for Fabrizio De André, with a song that Diodato has had in his live lineup for a long time

• Emma with Bresh, Medley by Tiziano Ferro

The veteran Emma is joined by the Genoese rapper, also a lover of De André. They will reread Tiziano Ferro, someone who only experienced the Festival as a guest

• Fiorella Mannoia with Francesco Gabbani, “Let her be blessed”/”Occidentali’s Karma”

In 2017 Gabbani won the festival beating Fiorella Mannoia in front of whom, however, he knelt as a sign of respect. Now the two “play” on their respective songs from that edition

• Fred De Palma with Eiffel 65, Medley of Eiffel 65’s greatest hits
  For the occasion, the Ariston will be transformed into a wild dancefloor. Eiffel65, one of the most well-known European dance groups, returns to that stage after participating in the competition (“Quelli che non ha notte”) in 2003

• Gazelles with Fulminacci, “Night before the exams”

All-Roman duet on a 1984 song by the Roman Antonello Venditti. Fulminacci returns to Ariston after his participation in the race in 2021 with “Santa Marinella”

• Geolier with Guè, Luchè and Gigi D’Alessio, Medley entitled “Strade”

Rap and melodic song meet. Three debutants on that stage flanked by one who has already been to Sanremo six times (five in the race, one as a guest)

• Ghali with Ratchopper, Medley entitled “True Italian”

Ghali and the Tunisian producer (with whom Ghali has already collaborated) will sing a medley about Italianness. A provocation that will raise many eyebrows.

• Il Tre with Fabrizio Moro, Medley of Fabrizio Moro’s greatest hits

Another debutant who brings a veteran to the stage. Fabrizio Moro has seven festivals in his pocket (between protagonist and author) and also a victory in 2018 with the song “Non mi hai niente” paired with Ermal Meta

• Flight with Stef Burns, “Who Wants to Live Forever”

For Il Volo it is the third Sanremo with a victory. For Stef Burns, Vasco Rossi’s American guitarist since 1993, it is a debut. When the Komandante went up on that stage he wasn’t there yet. Burns will play Bryan May’s guitar part and the trio will give lyrical emphasis to Freddie Mercury’s vocal performance on a 1986 Queen song

• Irama with Riccardo Cocciante, “When a love ends”

The two go back to 1974 on the song by the singer-songwriter of Italian-Vietnamese origins who won the Festival in 1991 with “If we’re together”. You will be able to hear each other’s voiceprint.

• La Sad with Donatella Rettore, “Lamette”

Young and historic provocations. Rettore has five Sanremos on her CV, the last one in 2022 with Ditonellapiaga

• Loredana Bertè with Venerus, “My boy”

The Festival veteran is accompanied by one of the most prominent young people at the moment. Another generational spin on a song by Luigi Tenco.

• Mahmood with I Tenores di Bitti, “How deep the sea is”

Mahmood returns to his origins and “homages” his mother’s Sardinia with one of the most famous Sardinian choirs. There is also his passion for Lucio Dalla.

• Maninni with Ermal Meta, “You haven’t done anything to me”

The debutant Maninni (at least among the big names) with another who won the Festival (see Fabrizio Moro) and has three participations among the young people and the same number among the big names

• Mr.Rain with Gemini Different, “Mary”

In 2009, Gemelli Diversi presented themselves in Sanremo with a hard rap entitled “Mary” against poverty, baby prostitution and domestic violence. They didn’t have a great response. Sin. Maybe it’s a second chance

• Negramaro with Malika Ayane, “The song of the sun”

They both know the Ariston stage (Malika has attended it five times). Battisti met him once, in 1969 when he qualified in ninth place with “Un’avventura”. For the occasion they reread one of the most famous songs by the great Lucio.

• Renga Nek – Medley of their hits

As consummate veterans they do what they did live last season: they re-read themselves

• Ricchi e Poveri with Paola & Chiara, Medley of “It will be because I love you”/Mamma Maria”

For Angela and Angelo it is the 13th time at the festival, where everything began for them. The two Iezzi sisters return after the success of their reunion last year with “Furore”

• Rose Villain with Gianna Nannini, Medley

Two generations and two different musical styles meeting. Gianna Nannini has only ever attended the Ariston stage as a guest, never competing

• Sangiovanni with Aitana, Medley of “Farfalle” and “Mariposas”

Sangiovanni is supported by the Aitana stringer who brought “Farfalle” to the Iberian peninsula which became “Mariposas”

• French Saints with Skin, “Hallelujah”

We expect a rock version of Leonard Cohen’s somewhat overused classic

• The Kolors with Umberto Tozzi, Medley of Umberto Tozzi’s greatest hits

Umberto Tozzi has participated in the Sanremo Festival four times in his career, winning in 1987 with “You can give more” together with Morandi and Ruggeri. This is one of the many successes signed by the Turin singer-songwriter which for the occasion will be re-read with the Milanese band.