The third night of the 76th Italian Song Festival in Sanremo delivered emotions that went beyond the competition performances. A technical failure interrupted the anticipated duet of Eros Ramazzotti with Alicia Keys, forcing the host to abruptly call for a commercial break. However, the evening was dominated by the brilliant parodies of Vincenzo De Lucia and Ubaldo Pantani, and the presence of world-famous model Irina Shayk, whose cold demeanor became the subject of sharp criticism from some commentators and media.

Technical failures on air

Sound system problems interrupted the performance of Eros Ramazzotti and Alicia Keys, forcing an unexpected commercial break.

Success of comedy performances

The parodies by Ubaldo Pantani and Vincenzo De Lucia were hailed by the press as moments that saved the evening's pace.

Irina Shayk's cold reception

The world-famous model was criticized for her lack of energy and curtness during a conversation with Carlo Conti.

Patty Pravo incident

The legendary singer had a harmless fall in the press room, which quickly spread across social media.

The third festival evening at the Ariston Theatre was full of unforeseen events that momentarily destabilized the precise broadcast schedule. The most serious incident was sound problems during the performance of Eros Ramazzotti and Alicia Keys. A technical glitch forced the artists to interrupt their joint performance of the song, and the evening's host, Carlo Conti, was forced to intervene and order a commercial block to control the situation. After returning to air, the artists finished their performance to a standing ovation, but the bad taste from the production shortcomings remained the subject of numerous analyses. The artistic and entertainment level was lifted by the comedians' performances, which were hailed as the strongest points of the program. Ubaldo Pantani presented a brilliant parody of Lapo Elkann, appearing on stage in a characteristic suit in the colors of the Italian flag and peppering his act with verbal blunders. No less acclaim was earned by Vincenzo De Lucia, who first impersonated Laura Pausini, conducting a „double interview” with her, and then transformed into Maria De Filippi. His performance, styled after the Temptation Island program, included reading supposed letters from previous hosts of the event. The Ariston Theatre, home to the festival since 1977, has repeatedly witnessed technical mishaps and scandals which, paradoxically, have strengthened the event's legend as a lively, unpredictable spectacle. The media also detailed a series of minor incidents and blunders. Patty Pravo unfortunately fell off a chair during a meeting in the press room, which fortunately did not result in injury. Meanwhile, singer Raf became the hero of a viral video when cameras recorded him in an ambiguous situation just before going on stage. Model Irina Shayk also sparked controversy; her distance and cold responses towards the host were perceived as a lack of enthusiasm, which some journalists described as an „icy atmosphere”. Simultaneously, Belén Rodriguez was criticized for a lip-sync performance that clearly did not match the picture. „Come fai con quelle scarpe col tacco?” (How do you do it with those high-heeled shoes?) — Laura Pausini

Mentioned People

  • Carlo Conti — Host and artistic director of Sanremo 2026.
  • Eros Ramazzotti — Italian singer whose duet with Alicia Keys was interrupted by a technical failure.
  • Alicia Keys — American soul star, special guest of the festival.
  • Irina Shayk — Model whose presence on stage evoked mixed feelings.
  • Vincenzo De Lucia — Impressionist and comedian, star of the third evening.
  • Ubaldo Pantani — Comedian known for his parody of Lapo Elkann.
  • Patty Pravo — Icon of Italian song, participant in the festival press conference.
  • Laura Pausini — Singer and co-host, subject of conversation with Shayk.