TOthe Sanremo Festival 2026 we won’t just see the competition for the best song or performance on stage. There are two singers ready to compete for another scepter: that of most romantic among the competing artists. Why to face a Thomas Paradise who defined himself as “the last of the romantics”, there is a Enrico Nigiotti38 years old, who is certainly no less when it comes to good feelings and heartfelt impulses.
The singer-songwriter from Livorno will perform the song Whenever I don’t know how to flya poignant song but without a chorus – «better like this than a song with a bad chorus, right?», he jokes – while in the evening of duets he will go on stage with Alpha to sing En and Xanax by Samuele Bersani. From March 13th, however, he will start on tour with Cursed Loversfrom the title of his sixth studio album.
Enrico Nigiotti at Sanremo 2026 with Whenever I don’t know how to fly
Enrico Nigiotti participates in the Sanremo Festival for his fourth time, after 2015, when he led Something to decide (curiosity: among the competitors in his category, Nuove Proposte, there was Serena Brancalealso competing this year), 2019 – Grandpa Hollywood (winner of the Lunezia Prize) and 2020, when he presented himself with Kiss me now.
And he does it «with a song that for me is very important», he explained. But he was keen to specify that he will not go on stage at the Ariston «just for a song. I’m going to Sanremo with a record that represents something new musical journey».
In terms of adrenaline, he says he has no «particular anxietiesbecause I’m on tour and therefore I’m very trained. There is a bit of emotion but I have no fears. I started living off music late, Now everything is simpler for me. Even if in this world you never know what will happen.”
Enrico Nigiotti. (Getty Images)
Whenever I don’t know how to fly
He confesses that he expects nothing, but to go «without expectations of prizes, victories, rankingsIt’s something I’ve never been interested in. I’m happy to go because I know it will bring interest even to people who knew me less before.”
He has his own as an ace up his sleeve Whenever I don’t know how to flya song that «I wrote down years ago, before I even achieved success. I had thought about it at night, but I always had the impression that something was missing. So I asked for a hand Pacificwith whom I had written my very first song and who I had lost sight of. But luckily we have a friend in common, Gianna Nannini».
A few changes here and there, and voilà: he finally had in his hands «the right piece for Sanremo, a different, more intimate journey. It seems that in today’s world you really have to know how to fly… A I, on the other hand, like being on the road, falling, getting back upknowing the forces and people around you. It doesn’t scare me to have a different song, either Maybe I’m really crazy», he explained.
The evening of duets
On the cover evening he will go on stage with the very young man Alphato pay homage to Samuele Bersani by singing his En and Xanax. «I wanted to bring a song by Bersani, who is great and deserves even more», explained Enrico Nigiotti. «And I wanted to unite two generations, the previous one represented by Bersani and the one after, so I chose Alfa. In my opinion, letting kids discover Bersani is a way of creating culture.”
When everyone thinks of Bersani, they think of Universal judgments, «which is a masterpiece. But also En and Xanax it is no less. I liked the idea of taking advantage of the fact that that performance didn’t count towards the race. I can allow myself to say this because it is a song by someone else: En and Xanaxlike many other Bersani songs, should be studied in schoolsas well as the songs of Niccolò Fabi, which I adore.”
Thanks to the presence of Alpha«another artist I respect so much», hopes to conquer a wider audienceeven very young ones, like «15, 14, 16 year old kids, who maybe don’t know this song. Among other things It has incredible lyricstalks about mental problems, so it’s a delicate but current topic.”
Enrico Nigiotti. (Getty Images)
Festival 2025: not received
The artists know it: the decisions of the artistic director of Sanremo on duty are inscrutable. So much so that, last year, Enrico Nigiotti saw his participation disappear due to a text message sent by Carlo Conti. «Last year I presented myself at Sanremo with You are for me And he didn’t get me», said the singer-songwriter. «He was very nice, he sent me a private message the day before, saying “Look, out of respect, I don’t want you to stay in front of the television: know that I didn’t choose you among the 30″».
Having gotten over the disappointment, a year later, «I’m happy, because then it arrived Whenever I don’t know how to fly. Obviously I’m not Saint Francis: when he told me no, I didn’t answer him. They weren’t nice words, but that’s normal. When you get a “no” […] you can never be mature, you always feel bad about it. Now I’m glad I wasn’t caught last year, because This song has added value in my opinion».
Charged but serene, mature but still a dreamer, Enrico Nigiotti faces Sanremo «with a song that talks about me, but speaks a bit about everyone» and without «any fear: the only one I’ve had in my life was when I wasn’t doing this job».
