Amidst all the songs of lost love, doomed relationships, and regret at this year’s Sanremo (see: Leo Gassman, Michele Bravi, Chiello, Samurai Jay, Luche, Fulminacci, Fedez and Masini, Eddie Brock), there are two songs that stand out as beacons for hopeless romantics – “Ora Per Sempre” (Now and Forever) by Raf and “Per Sempre Si” (Forever Yes) by Sal Da Vinci. Both of these songs celebrate marriage and long-term happiness.
Now and Forever
Raf’s co-wrote his song with his song, Samuele, but the key phrase – “Ora Per Sempre” – is based on a phrase Raf used in his vows when he married his wife, Gabriella Labate, in 1995. Raf wanted to change the traditional wording of “till death do us part” to “ora per sempre.” The song is not without its wistfulness – Raf mentions wanting to go back in time briefly to experience the initial thrill of the early relationship, but it is still very much a tribute to his wife of thirty years, with Raf singing: “E tu sei sempre la più bella” (and you are always the most beautiful)
All of this may not be apparent if you don’t speak Italian. At Sanremo, the orchestral arrangement relies heavily on minor-note undertones at the beginning, making the song sound ominous. A slightly more upbeat arrangement can be found in the studio version, although the prominent shots of the wind farm make me think Raf loves clean energy as much as he loves his wife
Forever Yes
Sal Da Vinci also involved his family in writing “Per Sempre Si”, co-writing it with his brother, Francesco Sorrentino, along with five other songwriters, including the DJ duo Merk and Kremona. And it is the injection of beats that these producers have put into Per Sempre Si that have elevated the song from a man’s declaration of love to an instant wedding playlist stalwart.
The song can be read from the perspective of a man making a vow to his future bride, or a man committing himself to his wife long after their vows have been said. But the song is very much aligned with events in Da Vinci’s own life. Da Vinci married his wife, Paola Pugliese, in 1992, and their marriage has had difficulties, including hard financial times and illness in his children – mirroring the lines: “Perché un amore, non è amore per la vita/ Se non ha affrontato la più ripida salita” (Because a love is not a love for life if it hasn’t faced the steepest climb). Da Vinci also makes his Wife Guy status very clear when he ends both his Sanremo performance and his music video, holding up his right hand and pointing to his wedding ring with a huge smile.
It is interesting that in both of their music videos, Raf (age 66) and Sal Da Vinci (age 56) are not allowed to act as the protagonists of their own love stories. Instead, they must act as the narrators to young proxies of their relationships. Raf sings, standing alone in a candle-strewn room, as if he is memorialising a wife and a relationship that is still very much alive. Sal Da Vinci, on the other hand, takes on a mischievous cupid role – having found happiness himself, he now brokers happiness for others.
The Political in the Apolitical
Raf is an Italian music legend; this is his fifth time at the Festival, not including his special guest participation last year. Sal Da Vinci’s song is the #1 trending video on YouTube in Italy, having gained over 750,000 views in little over a day. There’s no doubt that both of these artists and songs belong in at #Sanremo2026.
But if Sanremo is a representation of Italian culture, each choice of song is one that says something about Italy today, whether Conti intended it to or not. And these songs must be read in the context of the whole contest, the last year of Conti’s hosting, but one that also has a very nostalgic thread running through it. Conti is using the festival as an opportunity to celebrate elderly Italian music legends, either by having them compete (Patty Pravo) or by having them receive tributes during the festival (Fausto Leali, Mogol, Caterina Caselli). With his guests, he is also spending time focusing on anniversaries – like the 25th anniversary of Tiziano Ferro’s first hit, or the 40th anniversary of Eros Ramazzotti’s Sanremo win.
All of this is entertaining, but it is also, as critics of the show have charged, backwards-looking.
Unlike Eurovision, Sanremo has featured overtly political songs in the competition. But what about the apolitical messages that are coming out? The subconscious message is one that romanticises the Italy of the past, which was also an Italy when heterosexuality was assumed, when there were clear expectations for women to be wives and mothers. And in that context, the songs of these Wife Guys take on a meaning that neither of them intended when they wanted to celebrate their relationships.