Italy’s glam rock band Maneskin wins Eurovision song contest

Italy’s entry, glam rock band Maneskin, won the Eurovision song contest, as the world’s most popular live music event was held in the Netherlands.

The contest was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Italian’s raucous “Zitti E Buoni” beat out professional jury favourites Switzerland and France, sweeping the public vote which counts for half the points.

Victoria de Angelis of Maneskin told a press conference the win was an important boost for Italy, one of the European countries worst hit by COVID-19.

“This is a message of hope after this hard year we’ve been through,” she said.

Maneskin’s rock song is unlike the kitschy pop Eurovision is known for, but their singer said their popularity showed the contest also looks at musical quality.

“That prize shows that this is not (a) cheesy event. This is a musical event,” Damiano David told journalists.

Italy was the favourite with bookmakers and fans before the contest.

Eurovision blogger William Lee Adams said its “punch in your face” song seemed the perfect anthem for European fans who have been stuck in lockdown.

“After this past year where we’ve been trapped at home I think a lot of people want that feeling of being at a party and that’s what they’re giving,” he said.

A limited audience of 3,500 attended the concert venue in Rotterdam to watch the performances after undergoing stringent testing for COVID-19.