As the dust settles after the conclusion of Sanremo 2025 last week, Olly, this year’s festival winner, has today confirmed that he will not represent Italy in Eurovision 2025 in Basel.
Tour clash during Eurovision 2025
After winning Sanremo last week, Olly took the time to think about participating in Eurovision 2025, as it wasn’t on his radar. Now that a week has past, it has now been revealed that Olly will not be heading to Basel in May.
Olly confirmed the news of his non-participation at Eurovision on social media, where he penned a long caption, as follows:
I’ve been asking myself and asking everyone’s opinions for days, the answer is always the same: “in the end you have to do what you feel”, because everyone knows how much it means to me to be myself, always.
Well, I don’t think you would be sad if I moved concerts for Eurovision, but I firmly believe that I need to connect with everything that is happening to me, before looking even further ahead, before continuing with my beloved live apprenticeship that I always talk about with infinite pride.
I have therefore decided to give up the opportunity to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, with the awareness that it is one of those things that maybe only happen once in a lifetime.
I thank those who voted for me and gave me the opportunity to have this privilege: I hope to see you soon at one of my concerts to reciprocate all the love I’m receiving these days.For me, this decision is my way of listening to myself and perhaps also my twisted way of saying thank you.
Some will say that I am giving up on a dream, well I think I have simply chosen to live it in my own time.I wish a huge good luck to whoever takes my place: music in Italy is full of formidable artists and this year’s cast is the most sincere proof of that.
Always believe!
Something is changing and it is clear for all to see.I hug you and see you on tour,
Federico
Italy has used Festival di Sanremo to select its Eurovision representative (except in 2014, when it internally selected Emma Marrone to represent them in Copenhagen). In 2016, Stadio, a Pop-Rock band won the Big Artists category in the festival but declined the opportunity to represent Italy in Stockholm, with the opportunity being given to Francesca Michielin. Since then, the winners of the festival have participated in the competition, until now, when it was confirmed that Olly will not represent Italy at Eurovision 2025, marking the second time that the winner of the festival will not participate in the contest.
At the time of writing, RAI is yet to confirm who will represent Italy at Eurovision 2025.
Italy’s Eurovision Journey
Italy has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since the very beginning and have always been considered a powerhouse in the contest. The country has won the contest on three occasions in 1964, 1990 and 2021. Italy withdrew after 1997, returning again in 2011 with Raphael Gualazzi who sang ‘Madness Of Love’. Raphael placed second in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest after scoring 189 points.
Italy’s most recent entry in 2024 was “La Noia” by Angelina Mango. At the close of voting, Italy scored a total of 268 points in the Eurovision 2024 Grand Final, placing 7th. Of these, 164 points came from the juries, whilst the remaining 104 points came from the televote.
Are you excited to see Olly on the Eurovision stage?As always, let us know what you think by commenting down below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2025!
News Source: Olly
Photo Credit: IPA
Giwrgos Oiko 
Samantha