Italian Rock Band Maneskin Wins Eurovision 2021

Maneskin of Italy pose with the trophy following a news conference after winning the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Reuters)
Maneskin of Italy pose with the trophy following a news conference after winning the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Reuters)
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Italian Rock Band Maneskin Wins Eurovision 2021

Maneskin of Italy pose with the trophy following a news conference after winning the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Reuters)
Maneskin of Italy pose with the trophy following a news conference after winning the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Reuters)

Rock band Maneskin won the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with Zitti E Buoni, in Amsterdam, on Saturday, thanks to a major boost of votes from the public, ending a 31-year drought for Italy.

The band overtook Gjon's Tears of Switzerland, France's Barbara Pravi and Malta's Destiny, who were ahead in the standings after all jury votes were counted, thanks to 380 points from the public.

"We just want to say, to the whole of Europe, to the whole world, rock 'n' roll never dies," Maneskin's frontman Damiano David said after the win.

Gigliola Cinquetti was the first Italian contestant to win in 1964, followed by Toto Cutugno in 1990.

The 2021 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), held in Rotterdam, saw 26 performers compete in the sparkling finale. The complex voting system combined with some great discrepancies in votes between the Eurovision juries and viewers set up a nail-biting end to the competition.

Among the more shocking results were the mere 47 points handed to Destiny from the public, dropping the Malta act from third after the jury vote to a final seventh place.

Icelandic band Dadi og Gagnamagnid, who had to perform their entry remotely after a member tested positive for coronavirus, ended in fourth place.

The event saw many of the participants who were due to compete in 2020 in the running, after last year's event was cancelled due to the pandemic, the first time in the competition's history.

The Rotterdam event was designed to avoid infection as much as possible. Everyone participating in this year's song contest underwent intensive testing. Delegations were restricted to their hotels unless they were rehearsing or performing. No one with an active infection was allowed to perform.

But despite all efforts, the reigning ESC champion Duncan Laurence from the Netherlands tested positive for the virus.

Some 3,500 people were allowed to attend this year's event in person, as long as they tested negative. A further 150 million viewers were expected to watch from around the world.

Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Ireland, Croatia and Australia were all knocked out in the semifinals.



Nate Bargatze Will Host the 2025 Emmy Awards

Nate Bargatze Will Host the 2025 Emmy Awards
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Nate Bargatze Will Host the 2025 Emmy Awards

Nate Bargatze Will Host the 2025 Emmy Awards

Stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze will host the 77th Emmy Awards, CBS announced Wednesday.
One of the most popular stand-ups currently working, Bargatze will emcee the Sept. 14 ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
While the Oscars have found success with Conan O'Brien, set to return in 2026, and the Golden Globes with returning host Nikki Glaser, the Emmys have had a harder time finding a regular host, The Associated Press reported. The last four Emmys have been hosted by Eugene and Dan Levy, Anthony Anderson, Kenan Thompson and Cedric the Entertainer.
“Nate is one of the hottest comics in the business with a remarkable and hilarious brand of comedy that deeply resonates with multi-generational audiences around the globe,” said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy.
Bargatze, while yet to emcee a major awards show, is among the most sought-after entertainers, releasing three Netflix specials including December's “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze” and hosting “Saturday Night Live.” With more than 1.2 million tickets sold in 2024, according to Pollstar, he was the top-earning comedian of the year.
“It’s a huge honor to be asked to host such an iconic awards show and I’m beyond excited to work with CBS to create a night that can be enjoyed by families around the world,” Bargatze said.
Last year's Emmys, hosted by the father-son Levy duo, reached 6.87 million average viewers, according to Nielsen, up 54% from the previous year.