The stage is set for the inaugural San Marino Song Contest 2025, set to take place on March 8 at the Teatro Nuovo di Dogana. This event births the new identity for San Marino's traditional selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest, previously known as 'Una Voce per San Marino'. Following numerous successful iterations, the competition promises to bring fresh talent and seasoned artists to the forefront of European music.
Roberto Sergio, the director general of Rai and San Marino RTV, described the contest as "an event renewed and recognizable" and expressed excitement about the high-profile team guiding the show. Hosting the evening will be television personalities Flora Canto and Francesco Facchinetti. Canto, enthusiastic about her role, said during the press presentation, "I hope this year will be refreshing. We will surely enjoy it, as it will be a lovely mix of music and entertainment!"
The contest will feature 20 artists competing for the chance to represent San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest, which will occur later in May 2025, hosted this year by Switzerland amid much fanfare.
Highlights of the roster include notable acts such as Gabry Ponte, whose entry "Tutta l’Italia" has already garnered attention as part of the Festival di Sanremo, and Marco Carta, returning with "Solo fantasia". Other competitors include established names like Bianca Atzei and Pierdavide Carone, alongside rising talents from various countries. The full artist lineup includes:
- Bianca Atzei (Italy) - Testacoda
- Besa (Albania) - Tiki Tiki
- Boosta (Italy) - BTW
- Vincenzo Capua (Italy) - Sei sempre tu
- Pierdavide Carone (Italy) - Mi vuoi sposare?
- Marco Carta (Italy) - Solo fantasia
- Luisa Corna (Italy) - Il giorno giusto
- Curli (Sweden) - Juliet
- Elasi (Italy) - Lorella
- Haymara (Italy) - Tómame las manos
- King Foo (Slovenia) - The Edge of the World
- Paco (San Marino) - Until the end
- Gabry Ponte (Italy) - Tutta l'Italia
- Questo e Quello (Italy) - Bella Balla
- Silvia Salemi (Italy) - Coralli
- Angy Sciacqua (Belgium) - "I"
- Taoma (Italy) - NPC
- Teslenko (Ukraine) - Storm
- The Rumpled (Italy) - You Get Me So High
- Giacomo Voli (Italy) - Ave Maria
The competition will be evaluated by a diverse jury, comprising prominent figures like Luca De Gennaro and Ema Stokholma, who will provide insights and feedback during the event. Unlike past editions, the 2025 contest emphasizes artistic evaluation, allowing jury members to listen to tracks beforehand to understand the songs' artistic concepts thoroughly.
With social media already buzzing about the contest, organizers are confident it will resonate not just with local audiences but with fans across Europe. Federico Pedini Amati, the Secretary of State for Tourism, expressed hope for the event's visibility and stressed the importance of diversity within the participant roster. "Our intent is for global artists to partake, symbolizing international collaboration through music," he said.
Additional excitement will come from live performances by guests such as La Rappresentante di Lista and Senhit, who previously represented San Marino at the Eurovision, enriching the contest experience.
Fans can follow the event live through multiple platforms. The show will air at 8:30 PM on March 8 across San Marino RTV, Rai Radio 2, and RaiPlay, ensuring wide accessibility to viewers and listeners.
With anticipation building, the San Marino Song Contest appears poised to carve out its own identity within the vibrant Eurovision framework, blending established and fresh talent as it embraces this year’s theme of unity through song.