Who is Italy’s Eurovision entry Mahmood?
The Italian former X Factor contestant is one of the favourites to win in Tel Aviv
Having not won the Eurovision Song Contest since 1990, 2019 might finally be the year Italy finish top of the competition. And it’s all thanks to Mahmood, the singer who's one of the favourites with his track Soldi.
But who exactly is he? Here’s all you need to know…
Who is Italy’s Eurovision entry Mahmood?
Real name Alessandro Mahmoud, Mahmood is one of the many contestants who first found fame on a TV talent show. In his case, Mahmood competed in the sixth season of the Italian version of The X Factor in 2012 where he was voted out early on in the show’s live stages.
However, he’s had quite the comeback, finally releasing his debut album in 2019, which went straight to number one in Italy.
What is Italy’s Eurovision 2019 song called?
Mahmood will perform Soldi (money) on the Eurovision stage. But we’ll warn you now: it’s not a particularly happy track. The lyrics are based on Mahmood’s relationship with an unreliable father, whose main priority is money (soldi in Italiano).
Interestingly, there’s one line of Arabic in this song – Waladi waladi habibi ta’aleena (my son, my son, darling, come over here). This makes Soldi the fourth Eurovision song ever to feature the language.
What will Italy’s Eurovision 2019 song look like on stage?
Expect quite a minimalist set: judging by his semi-final performance, Mahmood will sing as dancers wearing t-shirts with huge red dots will perform behind him. We're not sure why either.
What are the odds of Italy winning Eurovision 2019?
Pretty good. Mahmood is predicted a top five finish by most, with some even claiming he has what it takes to go the entire way. In other words, Mahmood is certainly a singer to put soldi on.
How did Italy do at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest?
Always a strong contender, Italy’s Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro finished in fifth place with song Non mi avete fatto niente.
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final takes place in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 18th May 2019
