Sanremo 2026, debuts and returns (and reactions)

No more rumors: the list of 30 big names competing at the next Sanremo Festival has finally been announced. The impression is that the artistic director, Carlo Conti, preferred the so-called safe usedwith well-known but uninspiring faces, to the detriment of younger and more interesting names.

Judging from the list of competitors, in fact, it is probable and reasonable to expect that the surprises will come more from those who will take the Ariston stage for the first time; especially when it comes to rappers and feminist pop punk rock bands. Let’s see who is participating in the Festival for the first time, who is returning as a veteran and how the cast was received on social media.

The rookies

The list of 30 big names in the race has a clear male majority. A fact that will not please the Bambole di Pezza, an all-female rock band that has made rebellion, authenticity and freedom of expression its artistic signature. Will Le Bambole be able to infect Sanremo with the explosiveness with which they supported Def Leppard, the Sex Pistols and Motley Crue?

It will be interesting to understand how he will carve out his own space there rep. sharethis year represented mostly by artists making their Sanremo debut: J-Ax, Samurai Jay, nayt, Luchè, Chiello, Tredici Pietro (son of Gianni Morandi) and Sayf. Some already know what it means to tread the Ariston stage: Luchè as a guest of Geolier in 2024, J-Ax with Articolo 31 in 2023, but as soloists it’s a completely different story.

The line-up of debut artists is completed by Maria Antonietta & Colombre, Eddie Brock (read Rockol’s in-depth analysis here to learn more about the Roman singer-songwriter) and Tommaso Paradiso, who just a few days ago let us know that he had presented a song at the Festival.

The veterans

More than half of the competitors have already participated in the Sanremo Festival in the past. It is no mystery that Carlo Conti – especially when compared to Amadeus – is a lover of tradition, so this was to be expected: little news, many certainties. Among these, obviously, veterans of the city of flowers such as Francesco Renga and Patty Pravo, as well as Malika Ayane, Arisa and Raf.

The winner of the 2018 edition, Ermal Meta, returns for his seventh participation in the Festival. Déjà vu for LDA (paired with Aka 7even), Leo Gassmann, Mara Sattei and Levante, who have already shared an edition of Sanremo together, in 2023. Fedez takes a liking to it and after last year’s debut he chooses to return to the Ariston accompanied by his same guest from 2024, Marco Masini. Sal Da Vinci is also back in the competition, in the wake of the viral success of “Rossetto e caffè” (which last year he sang as a guest on the covers evening, with the Kolors).

Indie and pop are also well represented, with many well-known faces: from Fulminacci to Serena Brancale, from Enrico Nigiotti to Dargen D’amico, from Elettra Lamborghini to Michele Bravi up to Ditonellapiaga (this time without Donatella Rettore).

The reactions

On the social media, on the one hand, there are the artists admitted to the competition, who post the now usual “reaction video” to the news – often filming themselves while watching Tg1 and Carlo Conti. On the other side there is the public who, as always, tends not to take half measures. The reactions, sifting through tweets and posts, they certainly don’t show fireworks, but dry and harsh judgments. The “sentiment”, as social media experts would say, is not the best: from “I save three or four” to those who already say “the worst Sanremo in modern history is expected”.

In short, a cast, for now, controversial and as expected without any big surprises or big names. However, we always say, before giving such a definitive judgement, you need to listen to the songs and see them on stage and on TV. What is certain is that Sanremo also thrives on controversies and discussions, and this cast is certainly causing discussion.