According to reports in the Italian press, 22 singers will be competing in the Campioni Category of Sanremo 2017, up 2 songs on previous years.
TV Sorrisi e Canzoni reports that a total of 22 singers will be competing in Sanremo 2017, up two songs over previous years. The website reports that Carlo Conti has decided to increase the number of participants in this years contest following the high quality of the singers wishing to participate this year. Conti is reported in saying:
For the songs of San Remo this is a very good year, there are many and very interesting and to pick just 20 is complicated.
The participants in the Campioni Category of Sanremo 2017 are to be revealed by RAI on December 12th during the a special broadcast. Sarà Sanremo will be shown live on both RAI Uno and Radio 2, with Carlo Conti revealing the artists.
All of artists in the Campioni Category will be performing on February 7, 20 with the performances being voted on by 50% televote and 50% press vote. Then on February 8 and 9, 10 singers at a time will be performing again. The top six singers from the each of the two nights will go straight to the final, the final three qualifiers will be selected from a second chance round on February 10.
In total 15 singers will the perform in the final of the Campioni category on February 11. The winner will be selected by televoting, an expert jury and a popular jury. The three singers with the highest total will go through to a superfinal, the winner of the super final will be selected by the same voting method.
The winner of the Campioni Category receives the right to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest. However they are not obliged to take part in Eurovision, as seen in 2016 when Stadio declined to participate in the contest. In the event that the winner decides not to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, RAI and the organisers of Sanremo reserve the right to select the Italian entrant.
Source: Sorrisi
