Carlo Conti come back to talk about Sanremo 2026 and he does it from the microphones of RTL 102.5guest of Non Stop News with Enrico Galletti, Giusi Legrenzi and Massimo Lo Nigro.
An intervention that arrives at a key moment, close to the pre-listening of the songs with journalists (here the votes of the press, here those of All Music Italy), and which offers various insights into the Festival to come, but also into what might (or might not) happen afterwards.
carlo conti at rtl 102.5: Pre-listening to the songs from Sanremo 2026
The artistic director talks about the emotion of the first collective listening to the competing songs, underlining how it was a significant experience for him too, despite already knowing the songs individually.
“Among other things, it was the first time I heard them all together like this, so for me too, yesterday is one of the most important and exciting days. Because I hear them all, I hear them well too, with a nice system, I hear them at high volume, and so it's a surprise for me too.“
Accounts he also explains the criterion with which he chose to play the songs, simulating a real radio playlist.
“I played them following a radio playlist, therefore alternating the fast one, the slow one, the rhythmic one, the busy one, the lighter one, man-woman. The effect was good.”
An interesting passage concerns the variety of opinions that emerged among journalists.
“What struck me is fantastic: even in today's voting some people get eight, others get four for the same song. This means that there is variety, there is a meeting of tastes, and I find this very positive.”
New artists and the historical role of the Festival
For Carlo Conti, Sanremo continues to be a place of discovery, not only for New Proposals but also among the Bigs.
“I think it's also one of the tasks of the festival, to throw names. He always did it, he taught us this too Pippo Baudo in the past, not only in the new proposals but in the big ones.”
The host underlines how today the speed with which people become popular makes the Festival's role as a meeting space between different generations even more central.
“Maybe what may be a myth for one generation is still unknown to another, and Sanremo also serves precisely this purpose.”
A Festival “à la Pippo Baudo”
Conti openly claims a Festival model that looks to tradition, citing the Baudian legacy several times.
“We have been doing the Festival for years now as he taught us: this great musical bandwagon followed by everyone, as if there were a national team playing in the final. This year it is clear that the festival will be dedicated to him symbolically, with the controversies, with the after-festival, with the journalists who intervene, with the criticisms.“
And today, compared to the past, everything happens in real time.
“What in Baudo's time was the next day's comment today also happens in real time on social media.“
Eurovision and artists' choices
On Eurovision, Conti clarifies that every decision remains individual and that any polls are only indicative.
“It's right to leave it to each artist as an individual decision.“
He also adds a reference to the role of RAI in relation to the international context.
“I find it positive that RAI has signaled to those at Eurovision that in the event of the presence of a Palestinian singer, do not close your eyes and think about it.“
Sanremo 2027: Conti staying or not?
An inevitable theme, that of the future of management. Conti doesn't close the door, but he doesn't open it wide either: “When I took the job last year, I took it for these two years. I get to five, I think that's a good number.”
Then the quote that says a lot about his approach.
“There is no certainty about tomorrow. For now I affirm my Sanremo adventure with this edition. Last year was a musically sensational year. I think that out of 30 songs you also put 28 in the playlist.“
Finally he denies the presence of a super international guest: “The presence of Madonna I see it as quite impossible.”
The full interview is available at RTL 102.5 Play.
