Sanremo 2024: Evening 3 – Ratings & Performances (Pantani, Keys, Ramazzotti)

Once the second evening of Sanremo 2026 was archived, watched, like the first, by an average of 9 and a half million people, what did the third evening propose? Has there finally been a leap in terms of content and pace? Or has the encephalogram of emotions remained flat? What did the great lyricist Mogol say when they gave him the lifetime achievement award? And did the duo Eros Ramazzotti & Alicia Keys live up to their very high expectations?

The first five positions, not in order of placement, of the third evening of Sanremo 2026 are occupied by Arisa, Sayf, Luchè, Serena Brancale and Sal Da Vinci. This was established by the Televoting and the Radio Jury on the 15 Bigs who performed on Thursday evening.

For me there are no doubts about Serena Brancale, Arisa and Sal Da Vinci. Those come to me on Luchè and, partly, on Sayf. It is very likely that the two are going strong on social media and therefore in Televoting. In their place I would have promoted Malika Ayane. But I wouldn’t have been able, due to a lack of valid elements (unlike Wednesday), to complete the top five.

Filippucci wins among the young people, but the two critics’ awards go to Bove

The move on the second evening to open with the New Proposals does not signal a substantial change in the audience ratings, after the drop of 3 million less at the opening, compared to 2025. Which for Conti is not bad news.

The third also opens with younger faces. The winner, with the vote of the TV and Web press room (33%), the radio jury (33%) and the public (34%), was Nicolò Filippucciex Amici, with «Laguna» beating Angelica Bovewith «Mattone», which however obtained the Mia Martini Critics Award and the Lucio Dalla Press Room Award.

Laura Pausini takes the two to the exact spot on the stage where Pippo Baudo he led it when he won in 1993 with «La Solitudine»: «I want to see you around the world with our Italian music», is his wish.

Irina Shayk is not just a body…

The Russian supermodel enters the scene Irina Shaykco-host for one evening. Knowing very little of Dante’s language, he answers Conti and Pausini’s questions with a couple of phrases learned by heart.

Looking at her, however, you understand that she knows little about what she is saying. His presence and contribution remain a question mark. But as with other participants, it’s not his fault.

Conti then, during the model’s last change of clothes at the end of the evening, makes her turn around to show off the ample cleavage on her back. Classy move, definitely avoidable.

Because in doing so, taking into account that Irina spoke and said little, Conti automatically made her appear only as a feminine beauty on which to put a dress, conveying the message that the model would have to propose her beauty as the only value.

This fall in style is even more striking because shortly before a strong message from Conti for the elimination of violence against women had been launched, with the song “We are women” by Jo Squillo e Sabrina Salerno from Sanremo 1991.

Emotion has no voice… but Mogol’s words

«Emotion has no voice»… he sang Adriano Celentano…, but Mogol put words to that emotion, sung by the voices of the great artists who interpreted the over 1,700 lyrics he wrote for Italian music, many of which are now engraved in the collective memory.

And for all his merits Sanremo gives him the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ariston gives him the first standing ovation of the evening. And Mogol, almost 90 years old (he will do them on August 17th), arrives on stage looking very lively.

«Here is the history of Italian music», says Carlo Conti as he introduces it. «Such a welcome moved me», comments the author who recalls having «sold 523 million records in the world, even if no one believes it».

Among the over a thousand songs, the lyricist’s favorite is “Dormi amore”, written with Gianni Bella and played by Adriano Celentano in 2007: «I dedicated it to my wife, who is many years younger than me, I talk about what her life will be and what mine will be when it is no longer my life, but our love will survive it».

Ubaldo Pantani makes everyone laugh, including the singers

After these emotional moments he enters the scene Ubaldo Pantaniwho appears in the tricolor suit of one of his most successful parodies, Lapo Elkann.

We start immediately with the misunderstandings, Elkann “confuses” Sanremo with “Che tempo che Fa” by Fabio Faziowhere he is a regular guest. «I’m Carlo Conti» the owner of the house tells him.

«I didn’t recognize you with your glasses, I always cause confusion among you presenters». «But we are on Rai1, not Nove…». And he replies: «Rai9 is part of the great bouquet of Sky, an Italian excellence».

Pantani is a real hit of comedy, too absent in the early evenings. Luckily for us and for the show he comes back regularly and really makes us laugh with his senseless conjectures.

Some singers he introduces, such as Sal Da Vinci, laugh so much that they have to delay their performance for several seconds to regain the concentration and seriousness necessary to sing.

Those who couldn’t resist after midnight then missed out on a series of very successful imitations, those of the stars of the world of football Spalletti, Allegri, Gattuso and Buffon and then those of the journalists Vespa, Giletti and Giordano. Irresistible. The public appreciates it, and so do we at home.

Laura Pausini sings for peace

Laura Pausini’s performance in «Heal the World» was very good and scenically successful Michael Jacksonwith the little singers of the Coro dell’Antoniano and the Coro di Caivano.

The meaning is summarized in the writing in the background, which reads «Make Music Not War» – «Let’s make music, not war» – a concept also underlined by Pausini who says looking at the children: «We all want a world without wars and we want them for them».

Paolo Sarullo: «You don’t give up shit»

At Ariston the appeal finds space Paolo Sarullothe young man from Albenga who was attacked, while he was riding a scooter, by four teenagers who tried to rob him, fell to the ground and has since been quadriplegic.

“Stop violence against young people,” he says in connection. Tell us that Olly is his favorite singer, he mentions «Balorda Nostalgia» and addresses his attackers: «It shouldn’t happen to anyone again».

And when Carlo Conti invites him not to give up, he replies with a smile: «You don’t give up shit».

Fabio de Luigi and Virginia Raffaele were embarrassing

I found the passage of very unsuccessful (perhaps because I didn’t understand the intent). Fabio de Luigi e Virginia Raffaele.

They already didn’t get off to a great start. They wanted to self-promote their next film, and it could be, but repeating the title and date so many times has disturbed more than one viewer. Nobody, but absolutely nobody, felt the need. Conti “scolded” them, but the damage was done.

They pretended to be multi-instrumentalist “masters”. “What will you do?” asks Conti. Virginia: «We have prepared a show this afternoon». “When?”. Virginia again, echoing the gaffe of Elettra Lambirghinthe evening before: «This afternoon while you were having bilateral parties». «But it’s not possible… Are you ready? Do you have the scores?” “How naive, we don’t need scores, we have everything in our heads” is the response.

And so they infiltrate the members of the orchestra by pretending to play the violin, then the piano, do the choirs, the guitar, the kazoo… Finally with the direction of the orchestra itself. All with a very dubious television pace. Ineffective.

In the end only one thing remains, the question: but why?

A chat (too little) with Eros Ramazzotti

The most awaited moment of the evening arrives: that of Eros Ramazzotti. 40 years later, “it was February 26, 1986” recalls the singer from Romagna, repeating the beautiful “Adesso tu”.

During the interpretation, in some very brief passages, we can sense that the voice is no longer what it used to be, but no one cares, all of Ariston sings, and we with him.

To allow the installation of the piano with which the superstar Alicia Keys will perform a few minutes later, Conti suggests that Eros sit on the steps of the stage and have a little chat. As he sits down, the singer’s self-irony comes out… «Well, with the belly I have… it will be difficult to get up… The first one who succeeds helps the other».

Conti tries to remember some episodes of his long and successful career. Eros explains, for example, how it was Tina Turner to look for him for the famous duet that gave another dimension to his musical journey. «When she invited me to her place I didn’t believe it».

There would be many interesting anecdotes to tell, but as always, time is running out. We are, after all. at the song festival.

But Eros still says: «Humanly I am worse than before, success hasn’t made me feel superior, it has only given me the great strength to do what I like best, it’s nice to do it. But we know well what is happening in the world, we hope that things will change.”

A technical problem postpones «L’Aurora» for a few minutes

Alicia Keys enters the scene, exchanges a few words with Conti, who underlines how the star has Sicilian grandparents, then approaches the piano, which she always plays without sitting down.

The lights dim, Eros positions himself behind the grand piano, everything is ready for the magic. But suddenly the American says in English, pointing to her earphones: “I can’t hear my voice, I can’t hear the sound of the piano.” Eros: «It’s the beauty of live broadcast. Technical problem.”

Conti returns hastily from behind the scenes and, even if in the dark and therefore not visible to viewers at home, launches the advertisement.

Upon returning, the duet starts, performing for the first time, as a world exclusive and in Italian: «L’Aurora». Ramazzotti is excited and it shows. Keys doesn’t pronounce all the words very well, but the intensity of the interpretation makes you forget these small imperfections.

«Empire State of Mind» to scream

The American singer-songwriter and musician gives the public a special «Empire State of Mind», changing «Here in New York» with «Here in Sanremo». His interpretation is pure spectacle for the ears. It’s the apotheosis in the room, applause as if it were raining.

If the live broadcast had ended here, few would have remembered that 9 out of 15 competitors would still have to perform.

Among these then, not to pale in a hypothetical and unlikely comparison with Keys, there would be only one Serena Brancale.

We laugh a lot with Vincenzo de Lucia

Once the highlight of the evening has passed, Pausini meets his somewhat disturbing imitator Vincenzo De Luciawhich had already appeared in very brief bursts the first two evenings.

The direction offers a half screen, like Le Iene do. On the left the real Laura, on the right Vincenzo.

To understand who the fake is, Conti starts with the questions: «Surname?» Laura: «Pausini», Vincenzo: «Pausini official». “Profession?” «Singer-songwriter» which Vincenzo echoes: «But in reality I don’t feel like a diva, I’m a woman like many others… I’m like you. I haven’t changed, my bank account has changed.” The audience laughs.

“What’s your first thought when you wake up in the morning?” «My daughter Paola», replies Pausini. «That I have to be grateful to life for being born Laura Pausini. Imagine if I were born you: twenty years of hosting “L’Eredità”, what a drag» says his alter ego… and everyone actually laughs.

There’s mail for you…

Before the ranking with the top 5 there is still time to savor De Lucia’s latest performance in an exceptional imitation of Maria De Filippi, queen of «You’ve Got Mail»: «We’ll see the bonfire confrontation» of Temptation Island «between Andrea Pucci and Elly Schlein».

«There’s no point of comparison», replies Conti, laughing… «You know, Carlo, I specialize in mail delivery. I have read more letters than the Corinthians in the Bible…”.

«I’ll start with this: it’s a fine for speeding, driving too fast. There’s another one about speed, it comes from your wife…” After a couple of other letters he concludes with a letter for the host of the next festival… «There is talk of a supply of dog food in the name of Gennarino and a dancer’s dress…».

The references are obviously for Stefano De Martinoindicated by many as the probable successor to Carlo Conti, who for his part cuts it short: «We’ll find out…”

The time has come to discover the Top 5, which I mentioned at the beginning…

The covers evening will be on Friday, which I hope will show more quality in the competitors’ pieces…

However, it will be a completely different story.