Eurovision in Liverpool is now less than a month away. In the run-up to rehearsals we will be getting to know a little more about this year’s artists, their discography and their Eurovision journey so far. The next act we will be previewing is Italy’s Marco Mengoni.
Marco’s Eurovision journey so far
Marco Mengoni won the chance to represent Italy in Liverpool through the prestigious Festival di Sanremo. While Sanremo is not technically a national final, the winner is offered first refusal to represent Italy at the contest, which Marco chose to accept. He placed first with all three juries at Sanremo with his entry, “Due vite” (Two lives).
Mengoni will perform in the Grand Final at Eurovision 2023, bypassing the semi-finals as Italy is a member of the Big Five.
Marco has not performed at any of the pre-parties for Eurovision this year, but has been touring Europe as part of his Marco negli stadi concert series.
What do we think of “Due vite”
The team at That Eurovision Site have been doing their reviews for this year’s contest. Isabelle and Jazzi gave their thoughts on “Due vite”, which you can see here.
Who is Marco Mengoni?
Marco Mengoni rose to fame in Italy after winning the 2009 series of The X Factor, winning €300,000 and an automatic spot in the following year’s Festival di Sanremo. During the 2010 edition of the festival, he performed “Credimi ancora” and finished in third place. The song was later certified platinum. Later that year, he became the first Italian artist to win the Best European Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
In 2011, he released the first of his seven studio albums, Solo 2.0. This was followed by #prontoacorrere in 2013. In 2015, he released two albums – Parole in circolo and Le cose che non ho. That year, he was awarded the Best European Act prize for the second time. Between them, his seven albums have gone 69-times platinum.
Mengoni is no stranger to the Eurovision stage. Following his victory at Sanremo in 2013, he represented Italy in 2013 with “L’essenziale”, finishing in 7th place. After the contest, he shared in an interview how his Eurovision experience had left him “a little astonished” and that he would compete again without a second thought.
In an interview with Vanity Fair Italia, Mengoni explained how “Due vite” was inspired by the work of singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla, and talked more about the meaning of the song.
“It is my never-ending story because it is the story of a relationship between the ratio and the unconscious. I am devoting a lot of hours a week to my thoughts with a professional and I am realising that my unconscious gives me more realistic input than everyday life. In the song I told this double life: the life of the night and dreams that becomes more real than the dreams themselves, and the life I live every day. […] I am a sinner, I am one who makes mistakes. There are slaps and you have to go on in life. There are moments of boredom and downsides that are needed like all things: for me, “Due vite” is this.”
Marco Mengoni
The song is the lead single from his upcoming eighth album, the third part of his Materia trilogy.
“Due vite” is written by Mengoni alongside Davide Petrella, Davide Simonetta and E. D. D.
Italy’s Eurovision Journey
Italy have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since the very beginning and have always been considered a powerhouse in the contest. They have won the contest on three occasions – in 1964, 1990 and 2021. Italy did withdraw for a while after 1997, returning again in 2011 with Raphael Gualazzi who sang ‘Madness Of Love’ Raphael placed second in the 2011 Eurovison Song Contest after scoring 189 points. Italy’s most recent entry in 2022 was “Brividi” by Mahmood and Blanco, performed on home soil after rock band Måneskin won the previous contest in 2021. At the close of voting, Italy scoring 268 points in the Eurovision 2022 Grand Final, placing 6th.
What do you think of “Due vite”? Can Marco Mengoni bring Eurovision back to Italy? Let us know your thoughts! Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok as we prepare for Eurovision 2023!
News Source: That Eurovision Site/Marco Mengoni
Photo Credit: Andrea Bianchera
One thought on “🇮🇹 TES Previews: Who is Marco Mengoni?”