Marco Mengoni won Sanremo 2023, after the pop star dominated the song contest from start to finish with his song “Due Vite” (“Two Lives”). It was Mengoni’s second victory at the festival, his first coming in 2013 with “L’essenziale” (“The Essential”).
He triumphed over finalists Lazza, Mr. Rain, Ultimo, and Tananai – all male artists. Upon accepting the prize, Mengoni dedicated it to “all the women who participated this year and brought wonderful songs on stage.”
During a press conference with the top three contestants the day after, he added that “the women of this year’s edition had incredible songs. I was sorry to see that none of them were among the five finalists. Clearly, we still have a lot to do to change things in this country.”
Mengoni, who is signed to Sony Music Entertainment’s Epic Records Italy, also explained why he burst into tears during a previous press conference. “They were tears of joy, of course. You must walk through the difficult times of life. I’m grateful to my life for making me overcome tough experiences that made me grow up as a person. I’m talking about private experiences that I don’t want to disclose.”
The singer confirmed he will represent Italy at Eurovision Song Contest in May. “It will be my first time” in Liverpool, he said.
Rapper Lazza said his second-place finish bodes well for the Italian urban scene. “I’m so happy, long live hip-hop,” he said. While believing he could win, Lazza complimented Mengoni on his victory. “Marco had wonderful song and he’s a great singer.”
The third-place finish by Mr. Rain, another rapper, was also impressive. He maintained a low profile during the competition but then climbed up the rankings with a song about depression, which he sang accompanied by a children’s choir.
“Many people texted me on social media,” he said. “People connected to ‘Supereroi’ [‘Superheroes’] because it talks about asking for help in a moment of weakness. When you’re in a dark place, you feel like you’re the only one suffering and feeling those emotions. The important thing is having the courage to accept yourself and show you for who you are – with the innocence we had when we were children.”
In terms of audience, this year’s edition of Sanremo was the highest rated since 1995. Overall, 63.1% of TV viewers followed the five nights of the event. On average, the final night (Jan. 11) was watched by 12,256,000 people, or 66% of TV viewers.
Here is the definitive full final ranking of the 73rd edition of Sanremo.
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