Latest news with #LucioCorsi
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Eurovision fans mercilessly mock Italy's Lucio Corsi as they compare him to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's Child Catcher (and Graham Norton agrees!)
Eurovision fans have ruthlessly poked fun at Italy 's Lucio Corsi for dressing like a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang character. Millions of viewers across Europe tuned in to see who would take home the crown before Austria's JJ emerged victorious in Saturday night's grand final. Despite the show's impressive performances, some viewers found themselves distracted by Corsi's attire as he belted out Volevo Essere Un Duro for his country. Graham Norton, UK's Eurovision commentator, sparked the comparison that Corsi was 'dressed like the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,' according to Metro. Social media users quickly shared their thoughts on Norton's comment online, with one writing, 'Italy - Isn't that the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?' A second said, 'Graham Norton the man you are, please never quit from commentating Eurovision. Saying Italy looks like the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has made my night.' 'I see that Italy has the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang representing them,' wrote a third. Another shared countless laughing face emojis with the writing, 'Child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang #Eurovision2025'. It comes after Estonian rapper Tommy Cash ignited fresh controversy with his Eurovision 2025 entry, Espresso Macchiato. Many Italians criticised the song for perpetuating offensive stereotypes about their culture - including ones about coffee, the Mafia, and smoking. The song, performed in a mix of English and mock Italian, includes lyrics such as 'Ciao bella, I'm Tomaso, addicted to tobacco. Mi like mi coffee very importante,' and 'Mi money numeroso, I work around the clocko. That's why I'm sweating like a mafioso.' While some viewers found the song humorous and satirical, others believed it crossed the line. Taking to X they expressed their upset writing, 'Estonia is just bad and not in a funny way lol'. 'I'm with the Italians. That was downright offensive from Estonia #Eurovision,' wrote another. 'Estonia there with the biggest crime against music I have ever had the displeasure of hearing. Pretty insulting to Italians there too. That's not music, that's just s***e. #Eurovision' Another viewer wrote, 'Estonia - absolutely terrible #Eurovision'. 'What in the racism was that? #Eurovision'. Before Saturday night's show Gian Marco Centinaio, Vice President of the Italian Senate, condemned the song. He said, 'We cannot allow a song that reinforces negative stereotypes about our country to compete in such a major international event. 'He [Tommy Cash] should come to Italy and see how decent people really work before daring to write such a stupid and stereotypical song.' Despite the backlash, Tommy Cash defended his song and noted that many Italians have approached him positively, saying, 'Everyone coming to me is like 'I'm from Italy, you're a legend there and we're so happy to have your song'. He added, 'The thing is, coffee is for the world. Everyone can drink coffee. Americans, Europeans, and this brings us together.' Elsewhere, viewers were left very impressed with the UK's girl group Remember Monday with their grand finale performance on Saturday night. The country-pop band, made up of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, all 30, represented the UK with their song What The Hell Just Happened? Viewers were left convinced the group would win the competition as they praised their 'unbelievable vocals'. While some fans worried that the UK wouldn't get enough points, others insisted Remember Monday's song would be a hit regardless of the result. The UK last finished triumphant in the contest 27 years ago with the victory of Katrina and the Waves in 1997, with their track Love Shine A Light. Remember Monday first gained prominence after appearing on The Voice UK in 2019 and have also had careers in theatre. Despite their high-energy routine, Remember Monday came 19th out of 26 places in the contest.
LeMonde
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
Eurovision: a political and poetic echo chamber
Let's brush up on our Italian: " Vivere la vita/E'un gioco da ragazzi/Me lo diceva mamma/E io cadevo giù dagli alberi." Which roughly translates to: "Living life/Is child's play/My mom used to say/And I would fall from the trees." These are the lyrics of Volevo Essere un Duro by Lucio Corsi. In poetic style, they encapsulate the essence of the 69 th Eurovision Song Contest, which is set to hold its final round on Saturday, May 17, in Basel, Switzerland. Long regarded as a friendly entertainment program, the musical contest show has become caught up in political laws of gravity. Beneath all the layers of kitsch that have always characterized Eurovision, the political fractures that run through the Western world have become increasingly visible. This year, this is evidenced by the excitement surrounding the Israeli candidate, Yuval Raphael. On October 7, 2023, the young woman was among the crowd at the Nova Festival near Kibbutz Re'im. That day, she hid under corpses for hours to escape the Hamas terrorists. That fact did not prevent a spectator from mimicking a throat-slitting gesture in her direction on May 11, while she participated in Eurovision's opening parade through the streets of Basel, according to the Israeli media outlet Kan. It also did not deter 72 of the song contest's former participants from calling for a boycott against Raphael, as a protest against the crimes her country has committed in the Gaza Strip. Yet the protest was in vain: According to bookmakers, her song, "New Day Will Rise," is tipped among the favorites to win in the finals. Another war, another tone: The Ukrainian band Ziferblat is set to play their song "Bird of Pray," playing on the English homonyms "prey" and "pray." The trio took its name, Ziferblat, from a café in Kyiv where they performed their first concert, in 2015. The fact that the restaurant chain's parent company is based in Russia will be seen as a sign of hope by some, and as a provocation by others. Moreover, the Armenian candidate, Parg, grew up in Russia. With barely veiled words, his song, "Survivor," reopens other wounds – those left by the genocide perpetrated against Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, from 1915 to 1923.
Scotsman
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Eurovision 2025: 15 songs this year that are already making money on streaming services
Analysts look over YouTube and Spotify data to determine who is making 'bank' ahead of the Eurovision Grand Final Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The second Eurovision Song Contest semi-final is set to take place this evening (May 15 2025) The lucky 10 are set to join the winners of the first semi-final, the 'Big Five' and Switzerland at this year's Grand Final on May 17 2025. But there have been a number of songs that have already 'won,' by virtue of their streaming royalties alone. Who tops the list, and is this an indication what the results will be come the weekend? It's foolish to think that a Eurovision Song Contest entry can't translate into chart or, in the 21st century, streaming success. Ahead of this evening's second Eurovision semi-final, several acts are already seeing a healthy number of streams for their entries in the lead-up to this weekend's Grand Final at St Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It may seem like boasting, but thanks to CritiqueJeu, we can get a sense of who will be incredibly popular during the public vote on May 17, 2025, and, more importantly, which Eurovision song we'll be humming at work long after the extravaganza. So, which acts are 'making bank' before the Eurovision Song Contest grand final, and where does Remember Monday rank on the list? Methodology What 15 songs that are competing at Eurovision 2025 are doing huge numbers of streaming services this year? | Canva/EBU The researchers assessed the potential earnings of each of the 37 Eurovision 2025 entries by recording their Spotify play counts and main YouTube platform view counts as of May 13, 2025. Using estimated European royalty rates of €0.0039 per Spotify play and €0.0014 per YouTube view, they calculated the potential royalties for each song's authors and subsequently ranked the entries from highest to lowest estimated earnings. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What Eurovision 2025 songs are making bank before the Grand Final? Topping the estimated earnings chart is Sweden's KAJ with Bara Bada Bastu, boasting an impressive combined stream count of over 51 million, translating to a potential author earning over €174,000 (£146,603.) They are followed closely by Italy's Lucio Corsi with Volevo essere un duro, whose strong Spotify performance pushes his estimated earnings to over €152,000 (£128,056) from nearly 40 million combined streams. The Netherlands' Claude with C'est La Vie sits in third place, with over 20 million combined streams potentially earning its authors over €67,000 (£56,446) while San Marino's energetic entry, Tutta L'Italia by Gabry Ponte, has also resonated, securing a spot in the top five with over 15 million combined streams and an estimated €59,000 (£49,706) in earnings. Rounding out the top five is Estonia's Tommy Cash with Espresso Macchiato, whose unique blend of rap and electro-swing has garnered over 18 million combined streams, potentially earning its creators over €58,000 (£48,863.) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Those curious where the UK's entry, Remember Monday, placed on the list; they're not last by any means, but with 4,685,895 total streams, it leaves them in 22nd place. By no means a 'nul points' for the group. Eurovision 2025 Songs Making Bank - Top 15 (Estimated Author Earnings): What Eurovision songs, either from this year's selection or from previous years, do you find yourself returning to or adding to your streaming music playlists? Let us know by dropping a comment down below.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Italy's Lucio Corsi Shares His Thoughts About Eurovision Song Contest 2025
For the Italian public, he is now an artist who needs no introduction. His surprising climb to second place at the Sanremo Festival 2025 with the song 'Volevo Essere un Duro' ('I Wanted to Be a Tough Guy') made him famous thanks to its mix of tenderness, irony and aesthetic and musical references to glam rock – reinterpreted in his own way. However, for the international public of Eurovision 2025, Lucio Corsi is an artist who is still to be discovered. Italy's presence among the 'Big Five' guarantees him direct access to the final, but will he be able to replicate his unexpected success of Sanremo? He openly does not aim for victory: 'Music for me is not a competition. It would make no sense: how can you compete in music? It's not a sport,' he says, sounding sincere. More from Billboard How to Watch Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Online The Weeknd Says Tom Cruise 'Lip Sync Battle' Helped Him Score First Hot 100 No. 1 in 'Tonight Show' Preview Bad Bunny Reveals His Big Summer Plans in 'SNL' Promos: 'Doing Awesome Stuff' However, everyone's eyes and ears are focused on the Saturday (May 17) final, where the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest winner will be decided. Billboard Italy interviewed the 'anti-hero' songwriter after his performance in the first semifinal to gather his thoughts and impressions before the final. What was your first impression of Eurovision? It was interesting to see how many rehearsals there are before the performance. They are repeated several times a day and there is great attention to every little detail. There is also great readiness to improve the shots and the sound. It is a fortune to be able to invent what we want on stage. What are the similarities and differences between Sanremo and Eurovision? In Sanremo everything is very concentrated: from morning to evening there are interviews, rehearsals, performances. Here, instead, everything is more dilated in time and there are fewer things on your schedule. In Sanremo you continuously breathe the atmosphere of the festival, here you can also isolate yourself: in some moments you don't even feel like you are at Eurovision. It is also interesting to be able to encounter other types of musical expression, from other countries and with other conceptions of the songs. You said that you particularly like Napa, the Portuguese band. Have you had the chance to meet other Eurovision artists in person? Yes, I met Go-Jo, the Australian artist. I first met him by chance while walking in Rome: we turned a corner and found ourselves face to face. It's a small world…. Then I met [Estonian artist] Tommy Cash here in the hotel. These encounters are among the nice things of these experiences. After your performance, many people appreciated your reference to a glam rock sound and aesthetic. Is it an element you are counting on to appeal to an international audience? I have always tried to find my own way of being inspired by that type of sound. I have always liked it, since adolescence. It is not something aimed at making an impression: it just interests me on the level of composition, sound, research. However, I like many types of music, from folk to prog rock. In the future, I would like to delve into other things as well. This is just a snapshot of this period of mine. How was your 'anti-hero' style received by those who didn't know you before? I'm very happy that the English subtitles to the lyrics did their job. I'm happy to see that foreign journalists understood the meaning of the song. I hope that can happen in the final, too. The English translation we did is the simplest possible, because it has to reach non-native speakers as well. We didn't need a sophisticated translation but a clear, immediate text. Your collaboration with Tommaso Ottomano, who is with you on stage, is very close: tell us about the human and professional relationship that binds you guys. He's like a brother. We've known each other since we were kids and we've invented everything together, from songs to music videos [Ottomano is also a director, ed.]. We both come from Tuscan, in particular from Maremma, which is a sort of Italian Wild West. Music took us away from the boredom of the province, which is also wonderful because it's very similar to peace. Learning to deal with such boredom as kids gave us the opportunity to find escapes in music. Also, the stories of people from the provinces are very epic: since the places are 'small,' these stories have to be in some way gigantic. This inspires me a lot. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Estonia's Tommy Cash says Italians aren't in a froth over his Eurovision song ‘Espresso Macchiato'
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — One song generating a lot of froth at the Eurovision Song Contest is 'Espresso Macchiato,' a dance-pop ditty by Estonian rapper and visual artist Tommy Cash. Estonia's entry in the pan-continental pop competition, which holds its grand final on Saturday in Basel, Switzerland, is a playful dance-pop track that reels off a string of Italian cliches — including references to spaghetti and 'sweating like a mafioso' — before a singalong chorus: 'Espresso macchiato, macchiato, macchiato.' The song has some fans singing it in the streets of Basel. But it raised a few eyebrows in Italy, where a consumers' association branded it offensive and complained to Eurovision organizer the European Broadcasting Union. Cash said that he's seen media articles about a backlash, but 'I see only the love.' 'Everyone coming to me is like 'I'm from Italy, you're a legend there and we're so happy to have your song,'' he told The Associated Press on Friday amid rehearsals for the Eurovision final. Cash said that if U.S. singer Sabrina Carpenter can have a hit about espresso in her Grammy Award-winning 2024 hit of that name, he too should be able to sing about coffee. 'She should be singing about Big Gulps,' he joked. As Europeans, 'we're the OGs. (Coffee) originated from Italy. 'The thing is, coffee is for the world,' he said. 'Everyone can drink coffee. Americans, Europeans, and this brings us together.' Italian themes are in vogue at Eurovision this year — another competitor is Italian DJ Gabry Ponte, representing tiny San Marino with 'Tutta L'Italia.' Many Italians have embraced the cheery catchiness of 'Espresso Macchiato,' even though most would never dream of adding milk to espresso, widely considering macchiato a tourists' drink. 'We Italians are nice and we laugh at these things,' said Francesco Malferrari, enjoying an espresso — no milk — in a Rome cafe. 'Yes, there are some stereotypes, but we in Italy are used to it, so in reality we smile. 'But this year we have to root for Lucio Corsi,' the glam rocker who is Italy's Eurovision competitor. 'Because we are for Italy, so let's root for Lucio Corsi. But let's have an espresso and laugh it off.' ___ Dario Artale contributed to this story from this Rome.
