The 18-year-old singer from Verona defeated dancer Alessio Di Ponzio in Sunday's finale, claiming 150,000 euros in prize money and releasing "Stupida Vita" on May 22.
6:10 PM
Lorenzo Salvetti, an 18-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist from Verona, won the 25th season of Amici, Italy's longest-running talent competition, in a finale that aired Sunday on Canale 5. He defeated dancer Alessio Di Ponzio in the public vote, securing 51.40 percent of viewer preferences against Di Ponzio's 48.60 percent.
Salvetti claimed the absolute prize of 150,000 euros in gold tokens. The finale drew approximately 3.5 million viewers and achieved a 26 percent audience share.
The young artist's path to victory began earlier in the finale when he won a public vote against fellow contestant Angie. Throughout the season's live episodes, Salvetti built a connection with audiences through his sensitivity and interpretive abilities, despite facing multiple elimination ballots during the competition.
Salvetti had previously appeared on X Factor Italia in 2024, where he finished fourth in Achille Lauro's team. Lauro, who coached him on that show, posted a celebratory message on social media following Salvetti's Amici victory, writing "AND THE WINNER ISSS… lorenzo.salvettii BABYYY!" and expressing emotion about the young artist's journey.
Born in 2008, Salvetti studied piano, guitar, and vocals from an early age and attended a music conservatory high school. His musical identity draws from contemporary Italian singer-songwriter traditions. He is also a songwriter and composer.
Following his victory, Salvetti shared his reaction on Instagram, writing: "Ancora non ci credo, non trovo le parole. Sembra tutto un grande sogno, invece è la realtà" (I still can't believe it, I can't find the words. It all seems like a big dream, but it's reality).
On May 22, Salvetti will release his debut EP "Stupida Vita" through Atlantic Records Italy and Warner Music Italy. The six-track project is now available for pre-order. The EP includes songs Salvetti performed during his time on Amici—"Dimmelo tu," the title track "Stupida Vita," and "Prima di te e dopo"—alongside three previously unreleased tracks: "Via Santini," "Rollercoaster," and "Romeo e Giulietta."
According to the label, the EP explores themes of fragility, personal growth, relationships, and generational anxieties through authentic, direct, and deeply personal songwriting. The project represents Salvetti's emotional and musical world developed during his time on the competition.
The 25th season finale concluded a competition in which many observers noted the absence of standout vocal talents considered likely to make a significant mark on the Italian music landscape, though the dance category was regarded as particularly strong.
The 14-year-old from the Russian Federation won the competition's top prize at Teatro Ariston, performing Nemo's "The code" with jury unanimity.
The 71st David di Donatello ceremony honored Italian cinema with Sergio Romano and Aurora Quattrocchi taking best actor awards at Cinecittà.
The Neapolitan singer, who won the 2026 Sanremo Festival, responded to critics who questioned his song's merit during a Tuesday appearance on the RAI 2 talk show.
The Sanremo 2026 winner's track "Per Sempre Sì" has slowed in Spotify rankings ahead of the contest, despite solid streaming numbers.
Italian broadcaster celebrates four decades on air, discussing her career trajectory and expressing confidence in Stefano De Martino's hosting abilities at the upcoming festival.
Italy's Eurovision 2026 contestant appointed to represent classical Neapolitan music in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage candidacy.
