On January 27, 1967, singer-songwriter Luigi Tenco took his own life in a Sanremo hotel room after his song Ciao amore ciao was eliminated from the Festival. His death marked a turning point in Italian music history, turning Sanremo from a song contest into a symbol of the conflict between artistic integrity and the system.

Nearly sixty years later, as the countdown begins for the 76th edition of the Festival (February 24–28), Sanremo feels worlds apart from Tenco’s era. Today it is a hyper-mediated event, endlessly debated and fiercely popular, capable of capturing the attention of an entire country for a full week. Social media amplifies everything, transforming performances into memes, controversies and trends.

Yet the question remains: is there still space on that stage for voices that challenge, disturb or refuse to conform? Or has Sanremo become little more than the most glamorous talent show on Italian television?

Sanremo still represents a dream for many artists, a launchpad and a turning point. One clear example is Ultimo, who turns 30 today. After winning the “Newcomers” category in 2018 with Il ballo delle incertezze, the Roman singer has gone on to become one of Italy’s biggest live acts. This summer, he will headline a historic concert at Rome’s Tor Vergata, selling 250,000 tickets in just three hours.

In a heartfelt social media post, Ultimo recalled the backlash he faced after Sanremo 2019 and a comment that almost broke him: “Someone told me I had ruined my career.” The following morning, a message confirmed his Olympic Stadium show was nearly sold out. “I realised it wasn’t over,” he wrote.

Predicting this year’s winner is still premature, but critics have already highlighted standout tracks from artists such as Fedez and Marco Masini, Tommaso Paradiso, Sayf, Ermal Meta and Malika Ayane. One undisputed winner, however, is Welo, whose song Emigrato has been chosen as the official jingle of Sanremo 2026, a powerful symbol of how the Festival continues to evolve.