Since when does the Eurovision interest us so much? The triumph of the Maneskin in 2021 – third and to today the last victory of Italy – has rekindled attention to this music festival born in 1956, which the first years barely gathered about ten European countries, including the then west Germany . However, making a leap from the golden age of the ASC – when names such as Domenico Modugno, Sergio Endrigo, Morandi, Iva Zanicchi, the first winner Gigliola Cinquetti, the second Toto Cotugno, Ranieri and obviously Al Bano and Romina – to the more those participated recent, just think that Italy did not even participate from ’98 to 2010, to realize the long and rampant indifference by the discography of our home, but also of the public, towards the international event.

Eurovision mania

In short, we have lived very well even without, however obtaining successes beyond national borders. For some years now, however – especially after the victory of the Maneskin, in fact – the Eurovision seems to have even passed the old glories. It is Eurovision Mania, almost an obsession, so much so that one no longer wonders those who deserve to win Sanremo, but those who have to win it because they are more suitable for the Eurofestival. An antechamber for the international launch, as if the ESC was truly the large -scale musical consecration, when – let’s admit – we barely remember the winner of the previous year and of real, memorable phenomena, there are few. It should be added that often to win is not the best song, let alone the artist, but the story or message that brings on stage, like the bearded Austrian Drag Queen Conchita Wurst, in 2014, but also the Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra In 2022, the year of the violent Russian invasion, when the eyes of the world were all on the war just started and the band a poster of peace. Certainly an important sounding board, this yes, but if the result is the “express stained” speckle from the east of Tommy Cash, better not to go up to a wheelchair that lately risks often rising in a shack.

Olly’s brave no against artistic sprinkling

Olly, therefore, has seen us long. His no to the Eurovision, which leaves room for Lucio Corsi – more in line with the event, at least for a matter of image (because, let’s face it, “I wanted to be a tough” it will hardly be appreciated abroad with such a typically songwriting text ) – It is the signal that something in the Italian music scene is finally changing. The victory in Sanremo of the young Genoese singer -songwriter was not a surprise, nor a miraculous reversal on televoting, but the well -deserved goal after a year of success. Who “did not see him arrive” – ​​as they repeated several colleagues for days – is because he was distracted. Olly has climbed and dominated the rankings, multiplied gold and platinum records, torn stages from north to south and brought home a tour already completely sold out, from next May until October. Sold out also the date at the Snai San Siro racecourse in Milan, in September, with 34 thousand tickets sold in half an hour. Not really a ‘miraculous’ Novellino.

In front of such a boom, it is clear that Olly’s choice to give up the Eurovision is not due to the fear of disfiguring without Autune, as the most evil, let alone power choices imposed by his manager Marta Donà – Another shameful chapter Complottista linked to the success of the singer – but it is a clear refusal of the artistic sprinkling that for more than a few years overflows in the Italian panorama. Angelina Mango, winner of Sanremo 2024 and seventh classified the last edition of the Eurovision, teaches. From the triumph of friends to that of the Ariston in less than a year, without breath, inaneing one hit after the other, until the announcement of having to stop. A film already seen just a year earlier with Sangiovanni, always after Sanremo. The spasmodic race towards a higher milestone, the streaming war and ubiquity at all costs, have put art and talent at the mercy of a voracious market that reaps many victims.

A great example for young singers

Within this scenario, Olly’s no is the manifesto of a new generation of artists, who instead of riding the destructive wave of today’s market, slows down and reasoned, if needed it also remains on the shore. It does not sell off, it does not take everything.

Olly said no because it does not need the Eurovision, an important showcase but also a large straw fire that does not make the difference if you don’t get on the top step of the podium (see the Jalisse, but also Raphael Gualazzi and Nina Zilli, to name other names). It has its audience, destined to grow, which deeply respects the point of preferring it to the international one of the ASC, keeping faith with all the dates of the scheduled tour. And above all he has his artistic journey, which is carrying out with dedication and courage, showing that a career is also built with the “no”.