In March 2013 , Rai 2 announced " L'essenziale " as the song to be performed by Mengoni during the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 . The last time Italy was represented in the Eurovision Song Contest by the winning song of the Sanremo Music Festival was in 1997 , when Jalisse performed their song " Fiumi di parole " . Mengoni decided to perform the song in Italian , claiming he wanted to " export an Italian DOC product " . In order to fulfill the rules of the contest , the version of the song performed during the competition and included in the compilation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 was shortened to a length of 3 minutes and 11 seconds . In particular , the Eurovision version does not include an instrumental part , as well as some lines of the last chorus
Eurovision Song Contest 2013
Eurovision Song Contest 2013
L'essenziale