Dallo Stornello al Rap

A bridge between stornello and rap

Dallo Stornello al Rap is a musical and cultural project created and produced by actress and singer Elena Bonelli, known as "the voice of Rome." Since 2014, she has worked to bring new generations closer to the heritage of Roman song. The underlying idea is both simple and provocative: the stornello, with its improvised rhymes, call-and-response structure, and popular irony, is not so far removed from contemporary rap. From this intuition, which also stemmed from a book published by Bonelli herself, a competition for young authors and performers was born, evolving over the years into a true city-wide talent show.

How the competition works

The rules require participants to submit an original track: a song dedicated to Rome written in Italian, or a composition in the Roman dialect on any theme. There are no genre barriers: pop, rap, urban, singer-songwriter, melodic, country, and all possible hybrids are welcome, provided the connection to the city and its language remains recognizable. Selections take place annually through the submission of materials and culminate in a final evening, structured as a gala of Roman song featuring guests, an orchestra, and the awarding of the winners.

A top-tier jury

One of the competition's hallmarks is the quality of its jury, which over the years has brought together well-known names from Italian music, film, and television. Participants in the commission have included Antonello Venditti, Simone Cristicchi, Peppe Vessicchio, Simona Izzo, Max Giusti, Federico Moccia, and Claudia Gerini. Alongside the jurors sit music critics, television writers, and producers who evaluate lyrics, arrangements, and stage presence with a special focus on writing in the Roman dialect.

A talent laboratory

Throughout its editions, Dallo Stornello al Rap has established itself as a small discovery lab. Artists who have passed through the competition or the project include Cranio Randagio, a key figure of the Roman rap scene who passed away prematurely, the singer-songwriter Mirkoeilcane, who later reached the Sanremo Music Festival, as well as Emilio Stella, Nicole Riso, and Simone Gamberi, winner of the third edition with the song «Il matto». For many of them, the finale was their first major opportunity to perform in front of an audience and industry professionals.

The venues of the finale

The closing evenings have taken place in some of the most prestigious halls in the Capital: the Auditorium Parco della Musica in the Flaminio district, the Teatro Olimpico, and the historic Sala A of the RAI on Via Asiago. The choice of theaters of this caliber speaks volumes about the project's ambition, which aims to be more than just a singing contest, but a city-wide event dedicated to the musical memory of Rome.

Rome, Lazio, and the city's language

The competition takes place entirely within the Municipality of Rome, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, and is supported by the Lazio Region as part of initiatives dedicated to enhancing local culture and traditions. For visitors, it offers an unusual perspective on the city: the Roman dialect is not just an accent, but a literary language that has spanned the works of Belli, Trilussa, Petrolini, Gabriella Ferri, and Lando Fiorini, and which today returns in the lyrics of young rappers from the suburbs. Attending the finale means seeing these two Romes—the one from the taverns of Trastevere and the one from contemporary neighborhoods—dialogue on the same stage.

Why follow it

• A free talent show open to emerging authors, with no musical genre limits
• A jury composed of music, theater, and television professionals
• Cash prizes and concrete opportunities for visibility for the finalists
• A final evening in a major Roman theater, structured as a popular song gala
• A path that has already launched artists who have reached the Sanremo Festival