AreaSanremo

The artists competing in the newcomers section were selected through two different contests. The first one, formerly known as SanremoLab, was called Area Sanremo, and it was organized by the Comune di Sanremo. The contest was divided into two different sections, SanremoLab, featuring Italian-language songs, and SanremoDoc, reserved to songs in an Italian dialect.^[13] After some courses and lectures, two different juries chose 8 artists in the SanremoLab section and 2 artists in the SanremoDoc section as the winners.^[14] The jury for the SanremoLab section was composed of Mario Lavezzi, Roy Paci, Eleonoire Casalegno and Mariano Dapori, while the jury for the SanremoDoc section included Maurizio Coruzzi, Davide Van De Sfroos, Giordano Sangiorgi and Enrico Giovannini.^[15] The winners—Ida Massaro, Lorenzo Vizzini, Roberto Amadé, Erika Mineo, Eleonora Crupi, Ernesto De Luca, Martino Iacchetti and Gabriella Ferrone for the SanremoLab section, Trenincorsa and Ilaria Palmieri with Terre del sole for the SanremoDoc section—were announced on 24 November 2010.^[16][17] On 27 November 2010, a jury presided by Gianni Morandi selected two artists, Roberto Amadè and Gabriella Ferrone, among the ten winners, which became the first confirmed participants in the newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2011.^[18]

Sanremo Giovani 2011

The second contest held to select the remaining 6 participants in the newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2011 was held in two separate steps. During the first step, auditioning artists were asked to uploaded a video including the proposed song on the official website of the festival, or to send a DVD containing it by ordinary mail.^[19] The SanremoAcademy technical jury, presided by Gianni Morandi and Gianmarco Mazzi, selected nine artists. The artists chosen in this step were:

• Anansi, performing "Il sole dentro"
• Serena Abrami, performing "Lontano da tutto"
• BTwins, performing "Mi rubi l'amore"
• Raphael Gualazzi, performing "Follia d'amore"
• Infranti Muri, performing "Contro i giganti"
• Marco Menichini, performing "Tra tegole e cielo"
• Micaela, performing "Fuoco e cenere"
• Neks, performing "Occhi"
• Le Strisce, performing "Vieni a vivere a Napoli"

During the second step, the selected artists performed a popular Italian song during three different episodes of Domenica in, and a ranking was compiled based on televoting and on the points given by a jury representing Italian radio stations.^[19] The top 6 artists were admitted to the newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2011.

The winners of the contest, Serena Abrami, Anansi, Btwins, Raphael Gualazzi, Marco Menichini and Micaela, were announced on 30 January 2011, during the TV programme Domenica in.^[25]

Big Artists section

During the first night, each act in the "Big Artists Section" performed a previously unreleased song. Each song was ranked by 300 people between the age of 18 and 65 years, selected by Ipsos among music listeners.^[29] At the end of the night, the two songs receiving the lowest points, Anna Tatangelo's "Bastardo" and "La mia anima d'uomo" by Anna Oxa, were eliminated from the competition.^[30][31]

Guests and other performances

• Antonella Clerici, who presented the Sanremo Music Festival 2010, opened the show. The Italian presenter told her experience in a dialogue with her three-year-old daughter, Maëlle, who was on the stage with her.^[35]
• Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu sang a satirical version of the song "In amore", originally performed by Gianni Morandi and Barbara Cola during the Sanremo Music Festival 1995.^[36] The comic duo's version of the song, "Ti sputtanerò", featured lyrics referring to the clashes between Silvio Berlusconi and Gianfranco Fini.^[35]
• Argentine tango dancer Miguel Ángel Zotto performed La cumparsita with co-presenter Belén Rodríguez, and danced with Daiana Guspero to the song Canaro en Paris.^[37]

Big Artists section

On 16 February 2011, each song was performed for a second time by the singers still in competition in the Big Artists Section. As in the first night, the songs were rated by 300 people chosen by Ipsos,^[29][38] and the songs receiving the lowest points, "Amanda è libera" by Al Bano and "Il vento e le rose" by Patty Pravo, were eliminated.^[39]

Newcomers section

At the end of the night, four artists in the newcomers section performed their entries for the first time. A ranking was obtained combining televoting with the points given by the Sanremo Festival Orchestra technical jury,^[38] and the artists in the bottom two slots, Anansi with "Il sole dentro" and Gabriella Ferrone singing "Un pezzo d'estate", were eliminated.^[42]

Guests and other performances

• During the show, Cuban American actor Andy García was interviewed by Gianni Morandi. He also played piano while Morandi sang "Cuba Libre" and co-presenters Belén Rodríguez and Elisabetta Canalis danced to the song.^[44]
• Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu performed a satirical piece, talking about Roberto Saviano, Michele Santoro and Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, among the others.^[45]
• British singer–songwriter Eliza Doolittle sang her hit single "Skinny Genes".^[44][46] After her performance, she was briefly interviewed by Gianni Morandi and Elisabetta Canalis.^[47]

Celebration of the anniversary of the Italian unification

On 17 February 2011, all the acts competing in the Big Artists section, including the eliminated ones, performed a cover of a popular Italian song, in order to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Italian unification.^[48] During the night, the public's vote determined the winner of the prize "Nata per unire" (English: Born to unify), which was completely unrelated to the outcome of the contest. The song receiving the most votes was "Va, pensiero", performed by Al Bano.^[49]

Newcomers section

After all the Big Artists' performances, the four newcomers which didn't sing on the second night performed their entries for the first time. As in the previous night, the two artists receiving the lowest rating obtained combining the points given by the Sanremo Festival Orchestra technical jury and by the public's vote were eliminated.^[38]

Repechage round

In the end of the night, the four artists eliminated during the previous nights performed again their entries. The two acts receiving the most votes, Anna Tatangelo and Al Bano, were reinstated in the competition.^[52][53]

Guests and other performances

• Roberto Benigni, after entering the stage on the back of a horse, performed an exegesis of the Italian national anthem, "Il Canto degli Italiani". His long monologue included several references to current political events in Italy.^[48]
• Gianni Morandi performed the previously unreleased song "Rinascimento". Its lyrics, referring to the Italian unification, were written by Mogol, while the music was written by Italian singer-songwriter Gianni Bella some years before.^[54]
• Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu performed Giorgio Gaber's "Noi due stupidi", as a tribute to the popular Italian singer-songwriter.^[55]

Big Artists section

During the fourth night, the twelve remaining artists in the Big Artists section performed their entries in a new version, together with guest artists. Each song was ranked by the Sanremo Festival Orchestra technical jury and the results were combined with televoting. The two songs in the bottom two slots were eliminated.^[38]

Newcomers section

In the end of the night, the four newcomers still in competition performed their entries for a second time, and the winner was determined by combining the public's vote with the ratings given by the Sanremo Festival Orchestra technical jury.^[38]

Guests and other performances

• Monica Bellucci and Robert De Niro were interviewed by Gianni Morandi, promoting the film Manuale d'amore 3, directed by Giovanni Veronesi. De Niro was later interviewed a second time by Elisabetta Canalis.^[58]
• British pop group Take That performed the single "The Flood". After their performance, Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow were briefly interviewed by Elisabetta Canalis and Belén Rodríguez.^[58]
• Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu performed a satiric version of Morandi's "Uno su mille", featuring lyrics about leadership problems in the Italian Democratic Party.^[58]

First round

During the final of the show, the ten remaining artists in the Big Artists section performed their entries, and were voted by the Sanremo Festival Orchestra technical jury and by the public, through televoting. Music journalist were asked to vote for one of the artists, who received the "Golden Share" and was allowed to gain four slots on the previous chart.^[59] The Golden Share was received by Roberto Vecchioni, who already was in the top three artists of the night.^[60]

Second round

In the end of the night, the top three artists performed their entries for the last time, and the winner was determined by televoting only.^[38]

Guests and other performances

• Belén Rodríguez performed the song "Tú", accompanied by her father Gustavo Rodriguez playing guitar.^[62]
• Elisabetta Canalis danced to Ciara's song "Like a Boy", with Italian dancer Valerio Pino.^[63][64]
• Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu performed the traditional Italian songs "Reginella" and "Ma se ghe penso", dueting with Massimo Ranieri.^[64]
• Canadian singer Avril Lavigne sang her single "What the Hell" and answered a few questions by presenter Gianni Morandi.^[64]
• Massimo Ranieri was interviewed by Gianni Morandi. During the interview, they performed together Ranieri's "L'amore è una cosa meravigliosa", Morandi's "La fisarmonica" and Domenico Modugno's "Nel blu dipinto di blu".^[64]
• Italian television presenter Milly Carlucci appeared on stage to promote the seventh series of Ballando con le stelle, while Italian actors Giulio Scarpati and Nino Frassica promoted the TV series Cugino & cugino.^[65]
• Orchestra conductor Marco Sabiu performed his composition "Sabiu n. 7".^[65]
• A few minutes before the announcement of the top three artists, Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu performed Cochi & Renato's "Finché c'è la salute".^[65]

Big Artists section

Newcomers section

Big Artists section

• Winner: Roberto Vecchioni with "Chiamami ancora amore".^[67]

Newcomers section