Italy’s Grammy-wining singer Laura Pausini, Alessandro Cattelan and Lebanese/British pop star Mika are set to host the upcoming 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy.
The hosts of Eurovision — which boasts an audience of over 180 million viewers, making it the world’s biggest and most-watched song competition — were announced Wednesday during the Sanremo song fest on Italian pubcaster RAI, the host broadcaster of this year’s Eurovision, which will be held May 10, 12 and 14.
All three hosts are proficient in English and have plenty of high-profile media experience.
Pausini is a 2006 Grammy Award winner for “Escucha” in the best Latin pop album category, one of 13 studio albums she has released, scoring more than 70 million album sales around the world. In 2020, she collaborated with Diane Warren to perform the Oscar-nominated theme song “Io Sì” (Seen) for Sophia Loren-starrer “The Life Ahead.”
Cattelan is an experienced TV host, having hosted talent show “The X Factor” in Italy for nine years, including the 2017 edition, which was won by hard rock band Måneskin. The band won both the Sanremo and Eurovision song contests last year, which is why Italy is hosting the event this year. Måneskin went on to become the biggest new rock band of 2021 and went platinum for sales of over a million in the U.S with their cover of the Four Seasons’ hit “Beggin’.”
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Cattelan will be making his debut on Netflix with his one-man show “One Simple Question,” which will drop in 190 countries on March 18.
Mika rose to fame following the release of his 2007 debut album “Life in Cartoon Motion,” which sold 5.6 million copies worldwide and led to him winning the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act. His hits include “Grace Kelly,” “Relax,” “Take It Easy” and “We Are Golden.”
Turin beat out Milan and Rome, among other Italian cities, in the bid to be chosen by the European Broadcasting Union as the first Italian city to host Eurovision after more than 30 years. The event, where 41 countries will compete, will be held in Turin’s PalaOlimpico arena.
