After thirty years, Italy is hosting Eurovision once again. This cultural event has taken place in Italy twice. First, in 1965 in Naples, hosted by actress and presenter Renata Mauro after the success of Gigliola Cinquetti with Non ho l’Età in the previous year’s song contest in Copenhagen. Then, in 1991 in Rome, presented by the composer and songwriter Toto Cutugno and Gigliola Cinquetti herself.
For the 66th edition of Eurovision — which will take place from May 10 to 14 — the city of Turin has been chosen as the host city, beating competition from Rome, Milan, and Bologna. The Piedmontese capital won out because, among the other things, it is easily reachable, has ample accommodation and, moreover, it boasts Pala Alpitour, one of the most modern arenas in Italy, built for the 2006 Winter Olympics. Now, since the location was announced, bets have been opened to identify the names of the hosts. Several famous names have been considered: from Chiara Ferragni to Måneskin.
In the past, the figure of the presenter has never been given too much importance, in favor of the visibility of the artists. Yet for this Eurovision edition, RAI (Italy’s biggest broadcaster) didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Thus, after months of anxious waiting, during the last edition of the Sanremo Festival, the names of the three hosts were finally announced: Laura Pausini, Alessandro Cattelan, and Mika.
Who are these three people who will keep 200 million viewers glued to the television? Given the international nature of the event, the show will be multilingual: in Italian, English, French, and Spanish. The choice of the hosts, then, was not at all random.
Let’s get to know the three hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. When it comes to entertainment, Laura, Alessandro, and Mika might be the perfect people to host this amazing, lively, and multicultural song contest.
Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini is probably one of Italy’s best-known singers abroad. In 1993 she landed at the Festival of Sanremo with one of the songs that has made her famous and that carried her to climb the podium of the young section of the music festival: La Solitudine (Loneliness). Shortly after, her name became part of the international music scene, with more than 70 million copies of her records sold and 225 platinum certifications.
Her music repertoire was born out of Italian music history, but her style has evolved through pop-rock, dance-pop, and Latin music too. As a result, Laura has won the MTV Italian Music Award, many Latin Grammys, one Golden Globe, and an Oscar Nomination — in 2021, with the first-ever song sung entirely in Italian Io sì (Seen) for the movie The Life Ahead starring Sophia Loren. She is hugely famous in Latin American and Spain but her name has also reached China, where there are many fans who create covers of her most famous songs.
In addition to her musical career, Laura Pausini also has experience that will equip her as a Eurovision host. In 2014, she hosted Stasera Laura (Tonight Laura), for Rai Uno, a program focused on her life and career in which the singer told anecdotes from her twenty-year career. Then, in 2016, together with the Italian actress Paola Cortellesi, she presented Laura & Paola, a TV show made of musical performances interspersed with life stories, monologues, and comic sketches. She’s also been part of several juries: for example, she was a judge for X Factor in Spain and South America and for The Voice in Mexico.
Laura’s formidable talent and more than twenty years of experience make her one of the most appropriate Italian singers to conduct an event such as Eurovision. Her international stature helps a lot. We’re convinced that Laura will master both the Pala Alpitour stage and foreign languages very well.
Alessandro Cattelan
DJ, radio speaker, writer, host, and showman, Alessandro Cattelan is one of the most appreciated and loved faces of Italian television. His name was among the first on people’s lips as a favorite for being one of the Eurovision hosts in 2022.
Let’s find out what you need to know about Alessandro. He was born in Tortona (Piedmont) in 1980. Young Alessandro became a jujitsu champion at only 15 years old, and his biggest dream was to be a professional soccer player. However, he had a serious passion for show business that led him to his television career.
Thus, in 2001 he started out as a presenter and, over time, the list of programs presented by Cattelan has lengthened: from the debut with Play it, through Total Request Live, Most Wanted, Viva Las Vegas, and Da Grande on RAI 1 in addition to a collaboration with Quelli che il Calcio, a program focused on soccer, and Le Iene, a program of investigative journalism. But it was in 2011, when he presented X Factor Italia that Cattelan really became one of the most prominent and successful characters in the world of Italian television.
Cattelan has also had the opportunity to host his own program, E poi c’è Cattelan, an American-style late-night show in which he interviewed Italian and international personalities from the world of music and entertainment, such as James Blunt, Ed Sheeran, Spike Lee, and Robbie Williams. Now, Una semplice domanda (One simple question), a documentary series on Cattelan, was released on Netflix Italy with the goal of trying to discover how to be happy, through interviews and unique experiences narrated by figures like Paolo Sorrentino or Roberto Baggio.
His humor, his appeal, his readiness for improvisation, and his experience leading several shows and events make Cattelan really perfect to lead live and dynamic shows with international guests.
Mika
Finally, the third name that the media immediately suggested as a potential host for Eurovision 2022 was Mika. British-Lebanese artist, singer, and composer, Mika, is one of the greatest pop icons of our time whose songs have reached stellar sales and ratings.
His first album Life in Cartoon Motion, released in 2007, sold over 6 million copies worldwide and brought this eclectic and talented artist to light. Many of his songs are global hits: Grace Kelly, Happy Ending, We Are Golden, Good Guys, Stardust, Relax (Take it Easy), and Lollipop. But that’s not all he has to offer.
Instead, Mika’s style, his wisdom, his sweetness, his artistic knowledge and musical preparation, as well as his knowledge of 7 languages, suggest he is not your normal popstar, nor is he among your normal Eurovision hosts. X Factor Italia has confirmed him as a judge for several editions and, given his likable presence, he has been entrusted with presenting a one-man show of four episodes: Stasera Casa Mika. This success was really extraordinary, so much so that he won an award for television personality of the year.
What better choice than him to host this international music event alongside the other two presenters? None! Mika is truly a classy, elegant, and authentic artist and conductor.
Seeing our Eurovision hosts in action
This talented and explosive trio, therefore, will best represent the ‘la bella figura’ that distinguishes the Italian people. Their charisma, vast musical culture, and capacity for exceptional conversation are fundamental to mastering a stage like Eurovision.
We can’t wait to see this year’s Eurovision hosts in action.