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In the spotlight: Diodato

19 April 2020 at 10:03 CEST
In the spotlight: Diodato Giuseppe Gradella
With his song, 'Fai Rumore', Diodato was chosen to represent Italy in 2020. In light of the unfortunate cancellation of the 65th Eurovision Song Contest, we wish to highlight the impressive acts that were set to appear. This is 'In the spotlight', our feature honouring the artists that would have made up this year's edition of the world's largest live music event.

Sanremo 2020, the 70th Italian song festival, brought viewers a week full of live music from the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo. This year's show staged many guests, a newcomer's competition and no less than 24 participants in the Big category, the one serving as the Italian selection for Eurovision Song Contest.

These contestants were judged each night by a variety of juries: a demographic jury, the Festival's orchestra and backing singers, a jury in the press room and the Italian public via televoting. Once all their results we're added, Diodato emerged victorious.

Who is Diodato?

Antonio Diodato, born 30 August 1981, is an Italian singer/songwriter born in Aosta and has lived in Taranto and Rome. After making his first music in Stockholm, Diodato came back to Italy where he has released 3 albums so far.

Diodato has previous experience in the Italian Song Contest, as he participated in the newcomer's section of Sanremo in 2014, placing 2nd. In the same year, he also won 'Best Newcomer' at the MTV Italian Awards. The performer participated again in Sanremo in 2018 with trumpet player Roy Paci and the song Adesso, reaching 8th place among the Big artists.

Italy's Eurovision 2020 representative Diodato Carosello - Giuseppe Gradella

READ MORE: Diodato's participant profile

After working as an actor in the film Un'avventura in 2019, Diodato returned to Sanremo for the third time in 2020, winning first place, the Critics Award and the Press Award for his song Fai Rumore. Fai Rumore was written by Diodato and Edwyn Roberts and released on his fourth album, Che vita meravigliosa.

Next up on Diodato's agenda? It's Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light! The singer took to his Instagram page to let fans know where they can see him next: "Have you read the good news yet?
On May 16th I'll take part in Europe Shine A Light, the format created to unite all of Europe under the colourful flag of music. It will be yet another very important opportunity to break down barriers, erase borders and show that we are much closer and more united than this difficult period would have us believe."

You can follow Diodato on the following social media platforms:

LISTEN: Stream Fai Rumore and other Eurovision 2020 songs on Spotify

Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest

Italy was one of the 7 original participants of the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956, but in 1997, they withdrew from the competition only to return in 2011 where they placed 2nd. Italy has won the Eurovision Song Contest twice, in 1964 with Gigliola Cinquetti and in 1990 with Toto Cutugno, subsequently hosting in Naples in 1965 and in Rome in 1991.

The Eurovision Song Contest was modelled on the Festival di Sanremo, which began in 1951. Although Sanremo is often used to select the Italian Eurovision entry, it continues to be a separate competition in its own right.

READ MORE: Italy's country page

Last year, Mahmood took the stage in Tel Aviv to sing his Sanremo 2019 winning song, Soldi. Mahmood came second in the Grand Final, behind the Netherlands' Duncan Laurence, with 472 points.

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