Francesco Gabbani to join Toto Cutugno and Gigliola Cinquetti as Italian winners of the Eurovision Song Contest?
With Italy predicted to win this years contest, Toto Cutugno and Gigliola Cinquetti the only singers to have won Eurovision for Italy have spoken about their memories of the show. In an interview with Sorrisi, the two giants of Italian music reminisced about their experiences on the Eurovision stage.
Gigliola holds fond memories of narrowly missing out on victory to ABBA, adding that over the years the song “The Winner Takes It All” has become an established part of her repertoire. While Toto remembers the call when he was asked if he wanted to take part in the contest in 1990 and instantly saying yes. The duo is probably best remember however for their hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest 1991.
Toto when asked about issues with the sound on the night, said that his issues presenting were brought upon by feeling sick and as a result mis-hearing things. While Gigliola joked that Toto was distracted by Amina, that years singer from France. She added that she was nervous throughout the whole night, thinking that Toto instead was more confident than her in hosting.
Toto Cutugno and Gigliola Cinquetti are both supporting Francesco Gabbani this weekend as Italy is tipped for victory in Kyiv, Ukraine. Toto commented that;
I like it: his “Occidentali’s Karma” might work. Ukraine adore Celentano and Gabbani reminds me of him in his witty ways. If he doesn’t go over the top then he is likely to win.
With Gigliola adding;
The song I like, I know Gabbani is among the favorites. At Eurovision there are so many variables … but I wish him huge luck.
Source: Sorrisi
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Italy debuted in the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, and has participated a total of 42 times to date. Italy returned to the contest in 2011, having last participated in 1997. Italy has won the contest twice, the first time being in 1964 with Gigliola Cinquetti’s “Non ho l’età”, and the second being in 1990 with Toto Cutugno’s “Insieme: 1990”. Italy’s hosting of the contest in 1991 has been remembered as one of the most chaotic contests to date. Since their return in 2011 Italy has finished in the top 10 on four occasions, finishing in 2nd in 2011 with Raphael Gualazzi’s “The Madness of Love” and 3rd in 2015 with Il Volo’s “Grande amore”. The former was the jury winner of Eurovision 2011, and the latter was the winner of the public vote in 2015.
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