Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016

Italy in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2016
Eurovision Song Contest 2016
Participating broadcasterRadiotelevisione italiana (RAI)
Country Italy
Selection processSelection among Sanremo Music Festival 2016 entries
Selection date14 February 2016
Competing entry
Song"No Degree of Separation"
ArtistFrancesca Michielin
Songwriters
Placement
Final result16th, 124 points
Participation chronology
◄2015 2016 2017►

Italy was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "No Degree of Separation" written by Federica Abbate, Francesca Michielin, Cheope, Fabio Gargiulo and Norma Jean Martine, and performed by Michielin herself. The Italian broadcaster Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI) announced in October 2015 that the winning performer(s) of the Big Artists section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2016 would have the right to represent the nation at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, Sweden. The selected performer would also be given the right to choose their own song to compete with at Eurovision. The group Stadio ended up winning the Big Artists section, however they declined the opportunity to represent Italy in Stockholm. RAI then appointed the runner-up, Francesca Michielin, as the Italian entrant. Michielin performed a bilingual Italian and English version of her Sanremo runner-up entry "Nessun grado di separazione", which was titled "No Degree of Separation" at Eurovision.

As a member of the "Big Five", Italy automatically qualified to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Performing in position 6, Italy placed sixteenth out of the 26 participating countries with 124 points.