On February 11, 2025, the opening night of the Sanremo Music Festival, hosted by Carlo Conti, alongside Antonella Clerici and Gerry Scotti, captivated audiences across Italy. The event achieved remarkable success, drawing approximately 12 million viewers on Rai 1, surpassing the overall audience of the previous year, which was hosted by Amadeus.
The festival's first segment garnered an impressive 15.7 million viewers, with a staggering 63.6% share, and the second part attracted nearly 8 million committed fans until the early hours, bringing the total to around 11.9 million viewers and maintaining about 65% of the audience share. The show, when compared to previous years, showcased significant growth—last years’ opening night had around 10.6 million viewers and 65% share.
Emphasizing the festival's stellar viewership, preliminary data indicated the 'Prima Festival' segment, airing just before the main event, attracted 9.2 million viewers with a 40% share. This exceptional performance was boosted by previews, which brought 13 million viewers at peak times, equaling 51.7% share. Meanwhile, other channels struggled to match this viewership, with Canale 5's airings falling flat.
The vibrancy of the festival was nearly tangible, particularly as the audience awaited the rankings revealed during the festival, which honored talented performers such as Giorgia, Simone Cristicchi, Brunori Sas, and others for their captivating performances. Interestingly, Canale 5's airing of the film 'Benvenuti al Sud' only garnered 1.2 million viewers, showing how dominating Sanremo was on the viewing charts.
Also significant was the exciting start to FantaSanremo 2025, which began alongside the festival. Lucio Corsi emerged as a top contender thanks to his daring and original performance, amassing 90 points. His impressive showing reflects how far he has come, performing at Sanremo for the first time. Anticipation also surrounded his collaboration with Topo Gigio for the cover night, indicating potential advantages for his fantasy team owners.
Trailing closely behind Corsi was Brunori Sas, who scored 85 points fueled by his guitar-playing skills and strong presence among the top contenders. Other notable performances included Bresh with 75 points and Rkomi with 65 points, showcasing how the FantaSanremo framework not only judges performances but also interaction styles and stage presence.
Despite high expectations, some participants underperformed, like Achille Lauro and Elodie, both of whom scored 35 points—disappointing numbers for fans who expected more. These variable scores highlight the nimble and often unpredictable nature of the festival.
While the excitement built over the music, there were many standout moments away from the competitive scores. A unique interaction occurred when 70 drummers from the collective Rockin’1000 accompanied Jovanotti outside the Teatro Ariston. This impressive gathering of talents performed energizing medleys, overcoming the elements of chilly rain as they celebrated the festival atmosphere.
Among the drummers were Riccardo Fontanarosa and Giorgia Maina, whose personal stories added depth to the event. Fontanarosa, 19, spoke candidly about his passion for music stemming from family influences, noting, “Jovanotti is a person with heart; he complimented my playing, making me feel at ease.” Maina, who started drumming at just 7 years old, expressed her pride being part of the Rockin’1000 group, noting the increasing presence of women musicians and saying, “The world is changing, and it’s great to see more girls entering this space.”
This year's festival not only presents exciting talent but also indicates broader changes within the music industry, like greater inclusivity and diversity among performers. With multiple nights yet to come, the anticipation continues to build, with artists and fans alike eager to see how the competitions and performances will evolve, with the opportunity for considerable shifts and surprises still on the table.
All eyes will remain on the various performances, and the stakes get higher as the festival progresses, pushing the limits of artistic expression and audience engagement. The results from this opening night are merely the prelude to what could be another unforgettable Sanremo experience.