Italian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lucio Corsi is representing his country in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The musician from southern Tuscany is already known in Italy, having enjoyed a decades-long career that has featured a successful string of album releases, including the Seventies glam rock-inspired La Gente Che Sogna and his concept album Bestiario Musicale, an homage to the animals of his homeland.
He cites influences including Italian greats such as Paolo Conte and Lucio Dalla, as well as Bob Dylan and Randy Newman.
Follow live updates from the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 here.
Corsi is representing Eurovision with the song “Volevo Essere Un Duro”, which is also the title of his new LP.
While he is performing in the first semi-final on Tuesday (13 May), Italy’s status as one of the “Big Five” countries means he has an automatic place in the Grand Final on Saturday 17 May.
Italy has won the Eurovision Song Contest three times and finished in the top 10 in 11 of the last 13 contests between 2011 to 2024. This included second place for “Madness of Love” by Raphael Gualazzi in 2011, and “Soldi” by Mahmood in 2019. The country’s most recent win was in 2021 with the rock band Maneskin and their song “Zitti e Buoni”.
Read our Q&A with Lucio below:
Hi Lucio! Can you tell me a bit about yourself and how you first got into music?
I was born in Maremma, in a small village in the Tuscan countryside. I got into music after becoming infatuated with The Blues Brothers movie. It’s thanks to that film that I started playing music.
The idea of becoming a singer got stuck in my head because the Blues Brothers are portrayed like superheroes. I thought, if that’s how a musician lives, then when I grow up, I want to be a musician.
How did you come to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest?
By taking part in the Sanremo Festival (Italy’s most prestigious and important music competition, whose winner gets to represent Italy at Eurovision). The winner this year, Olly, declined to go to Eurovision. I came in second place, so they asked me — and here we are.
What is the meaning and inspiration behind your song Volevo Essere Un Duro?
It’s a song about how the world expects us to be unbreakable and perfect. But in reality, it’s very hard to stay balanced on a round earth — to stay upright.
How do you feel about this year’s competition?
I don’t see music as a competition. For me, it’s more of an experience. I’m curious to see what this journey will bring and what lessons I might learn from it.
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