RAI has officially announced that Lucio Corsi will compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 for Italy with his song “Volevo essere un duro”. This comes after Olly, the winner of the 75th edition of the Sanremo Festival, declined the opportunity due to scheduling conflicts. Corsi, who finished as the runner-up at Sanremo 2025, has now been confirmed as Italy’s representative for the upcoming contest in May 2025.
“Volevo essere un duro”: Italy’s Eurovision 2025 Entry
Corsi’s Sanremo 2025 entry, “Volevo essere un duro”, captivated both audiences and critics. The song explores societal pressures to appear flawless, using flowers as a metaphor—despite their beauty, they remain fragile and precariously balanced. With this track, Corsi delivers a deeply personal yet relatable message, reinforcing his distinct musical identity.
Lucio Corsi made a remarkable debut at the 2025 Sanremo Festival, finishing in second place, which significantly boosted his popularity. His monthly listeners skyrocketed from 115,400 to over 3.5 million following his Sanremo success. His newfound fame has also opened doors for major live performances, including:
- June 21 – Rock In Roma at the Ippodromo delle Capannelle, Rome
- September 7 – Milano Summer Festival at the Ippodromo Snai San Siro, Milan
Additionally, Corsi will release his fifth studio album, Volevo essere un duro, on March 21, 2025. The album, featuring nine tracks, explores themes of childhood, friendship, and love. The singer describes it as “a fantasy album with its feet on the ground”, blending deep introspection with an accessible, audience-friendly sound.
Sanremo 2025 Winner Steps Down Due to Tour Commitments
Olly, winner of Sanremo 2025 with “Balorda Nostalgia”, has officially announced his withdrawal from Eurovision 2025. His hectic tour schedule, with sold-out concerts across Italy, made it impossible to accommodate Eurovision.
In his official statement, Olly explained:
“I spent days thinking and asking for advice. The answer was always the same: ‘You have to follow your heart.’ Representing Italy in Eurovision is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I need to stay true to myself and focus on my live career. I hope to see you all on tour, where I can give back all the love I’ve received. I wish the best of luck to Italy’s Eurovision representative—our country is full of incredible artists!”
With Olly stepping aside, Lucio Corsi now takes the spotlight as Italy’s Eurovision 2025 representative, ready to dazzle Europe in Basel this May!
Who is Lucio Corsi? Meet Italy’s Eurovision 2025 Representative
Lucio Corsi debuted at Sanremo 2025 with “Volevo essere un duro” and, after finishing second, has now stepped up to represent Italy at Eurovision 2025 following Olly’s decision to withdraw.
Sanremo 2025, under the artistic direction of Carlo Conti, featured a stellar lineup, delivering five nights of unforgettable music and emotions. Lucio Corsi came in second place, finishing just 0.4 points behind Olly. However, with Olly stepping down to focus on his sold-out tour, Corsi was the natural choice to take Italy’s Eurovision ticket. Even before Olly’s decision, Corsi had expressed his desire to perform at Eurovision.
Lucio Corsi: A Journey Through Music
Born in Grosseto in 1993, Lucio Corsi is a rising Italian singer-songwriter who has become one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Italian music. He grew up in Vetulonia, where his family runs a restaurant in Macchiascandona. Influenced by his artistic background—his mother being a painter and his father working in various creative trades—Corsi developed a passion for music early on.
Early Life & Musical Beginnings
Corsi’s musical journey began after watching “The Blues Brothers” as a child, inspiring him to start composing his own songs. By 2011, he was already performing in local venues. Initially drawn to progressive rock, influenced by Genesis (Peter Gabriel era), his style later evolved into Italian singer-songwriter traditions, inspired by Flavio Giurato and Ivan Graziani.
After graduating from the Guglielmo Marconi Scientific High School in Grosseto, he moved to Milan to pursue his musical dreams, playing in various venues while composing songs with his duo Miaosatelliti. His debut EP, Vetulonia Dakar, was released in April 2014.
Breakthrough in the Indie Scene
Moving to Milan in 2012, Corsi launched his solo career, releasing his second EP, Altalena Boy, in 2015 under the production of Federico Dragogna. His first studio album, Altalena Boy/Vetulonia Dakar, compiled his early works and gained critical acclaim.
In 2017, his second album, Bestiario musicale, a concept album inspired by animal fables, cemented his presence in the Italian indie scene. That year, he also toured with Baustelle and Brunori Sas and collaborated with Gucci on its Cruise 2018 campaign.
Major Career Milestones
In 2019, Corsi signed with Sugar Music and released Cosa faremo da grandi? in January 2020, produced by Francesco Bianconi and Antonio Cupertino. The album was accompanied by a short film directed by Tommaso Ottomano, further enhancing his unique artistic vision.
In 2021, he performed at Premio Tenco, followed by an impressive 2024 Firenze Rocks appearance, where he opened for The Who. His fourth album, La gente che sogna (2023), explored glam rock influences from the ’70s, diving into themes of darkness, dreams, and imagination.
Recent Projects
On November 13, 2024, Corsi released “Tu sei il mattino”, featured in the third season of the series Vita da Carlo, in which he made a guest appearance. The music video starred Carlo Verdone.