Levante returns to the Sanremo stage this year with “Sei tu,” a deeply personal and physically resonant song that marks a new level of vulnerability for the established artist. The track, which premiered during the first night of the 76th Festival di Sanremo on , is a stark departure from more narrative-driven love songs, instead focusing on the bodily experience of falling in love.
“Sei tu” – meaning “You are it” – is unique among the thirty competing artists at Sanremo 2026 in that Levante is the sole songwriter credited with both the lyrics and the music. This level of creative control allows for an intimacy and authenticity that permeates the song, exploring the disorienting and often unsettling sensations of new love. The song opens with a striking inventory of physical sensations – or rather, the *loss* of them – as the artist describes losing feeling in her limbs, struggling to breathe and a smile appearing involuntarily. It’s a depiction of love as a kind of bodily earthquake, dismantling the self and rebuilding it around another person.
The artist, whose real name is Claudia Lagona, described the song not as a dedication to a specific person, but as an exploration of “stories that fail and never end,” a theme that runs throughout her upcoming sixth album, Dell’amore e il fallimento e i passi di danza. The lyrics, which are almost clinical in their precision, detail a breakdown of sensory experience – lost sight, unsteady posture, a trembling throat, a voice that fails to find its way – framing love not as a purely emotional state, but as a physiological transformation. “I become fear,” she sings, suggesting that fear isn’t a byproduct of love, but an integral part of it.
Levante’s performance on the opening night of Sanremo, as noted by several reports, was stripped down and focused. She performed with just her voice, the orchestra, and her body, emphasizing the physicality central to the song’s message. This approach signals a deliberate move away from artifice, a commitment to presenting herself without filters.
This isn’t Levante’s first experience with the Sanremo spotlight. She first appeared at the festival in with “Tikibombom,” a seductive track that quickly gained traction. She returned in with “Vivo,” a song that addressed postpartum depression, sharing her personal experience and transforming it into a collective cry for support. Following that performance, she reflected on the experience, stating that Sanremo allowed her to “reconquer herself,” and rediscover a “magical girl” within.
The running order for the first night of Sanremo placed Levante amongst a diverse lineup including Ditonellapiaga, Michele Bravi, and Fedez & Masini. The performances were judged solely by a professional jury of journalists, with the top five acts to be announced randomly at the end of the night. The festival is hosted this year by Carlo Conti, Laura Pausini, and Can Yaman.
“Sei tu” anticipates the release of Dell’amore e il fallimento e i passi di danza, and will be featured on Levante’s 2026 club tour, which will blend new material with her established hits like “Alfonso.” The song’s lyrics, particularly the lines “Così ci si innamora, fare spazio dove posto non si trova” – “That’s how you fall in love, making space where there is no room” – encapsulate the song’s central theme: the willingness to surrender to the chaos and uncertainty of love, even when it means losing oneself in the process. The song’s power lies in its refusal to romanticize love, instead presenting it as a raw, visceral, and sometimes frightening experience.
Levante’s willingness to explore such vulnerable territory, both lyrically and in her performance, positions “Sei tu” as a standout track in this year’s Sanremo competition. It’s a song that doesn’t offer easy answers, but instead invites listeners to confront the complexities and contradictions of the human heart.
