Sanremo 2026 duets lineup emerges with Zucchero, Stadio and Ricchi e Poveri
Italian music festival's cover night set for February 27 features confirmed guest appearances and unexpected artist pairings.
January 29, 2026
Details of the Sanremo 2026 cover night lineup have begun to circulate ahead of the festival's official announcements, with several guest appearances and duet pairings emerging from industry sources.
The cover night, scheduled for February 27, represents a traditional highlight of the annual Italian music festival. During this evening, competing artists perform songs from the Italian or international repertoire alongside guest performers, who may be singers, musicians, or other performers.
According to reporting from the podcast Pezzi Dentro La Musica, hosted by Luca Dondoni, Andrea Laffranchi and Paolo Giordano, Zucchero "Sugar" Fornaciari is confirmed at approximately 99 percent certainty to appear on the Ariston stage. The blues artist is expected to perform a duet with rapper Samurai Jay, combining international blues with Neapolitan urban music.
The Ricchi e Poveri are confirmed to perform during the duets evening, according to multiple sources. Fabrizio Moro is also confirmed to appear, performing the song "Portami Via" alongside Eddie Brock.
Among the confirmed pairings, Dargen D'Amico will duet with Angela and Angelo on "Sarà Perché Ti Amo." Fedez and Marco Masini are set to perform together with competing artist Chiello on "Meravigliosa Creatura," a song by Gianna Nannini.
Additional rumors circulating ahead of official confirmation include the possibility that Patty Pravo may pay tribute to Ornella Vanoni, and that Tommaso Paradiso could take the stage with the band Stadio. Elettra Lamborghini is reported to be in discussions with an international guest performer, though details remain unconfirmed.
The Sanremo Music Festival is scheduled to run from February 24 to 28, 2026, adjusted from its traditional dates to accommodate the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The cover night represents the fourth evening of competition, following three nights of performances by competing artists with their original entries in the festival contest.
Official confirmation of all guest appearances and duet pairings is expected from festival director Carlo Conti in the coming days.