Effe , known for his explicit lyrics , had been all set to perform at the state-funded event , but backlash swiftly followed the announcement . Feminist organisation Differenza Donna strongly opposed his participation , stating , " una scelta scellerata organizzare un concerto – dove il pubblico target saranno ragazze e ragazzi giovani – con un cantante come Tony Effe , autore di testi sessisti , misogini e violenti ."

The official New Year ’ s Eve concert went ahead with a revised lineup featuring Gabry Ponte , Culture Club with Boy George , and Italian progressive rock band PFM . Undeterred , Effe organised a counterconcert for the same evening at Rome ’ s PalaEur , selling out all 8,000 tickets . On Instagram , he wrote , " Sono sempre me stesso , non so fare l ' attore . Faccio musica e la musica non può essere censurata . Scrivo quello che vedo e vivo quello che scrivo . Grazie a tutte le persone e i miei colleghi che hanno preso posizione . ' Damme ' na mano ', ci vediamo a Sanremo ." Effe ' s partner , Giulia De Lellis , also took to her Instagram story in defense of his music with a quote from Robert Frost ' s poem L ' Uccelletto ( 1928 ): " E qualcosa non va , qualcosa manca in chi vuol far tacere uno che canta ".

The criticism quickly spread to the political arena , with councillors from both the centreleft Partito Democratico and the right-wing Fratelli d ' Italia calling for Effe ’ s removal from the lineup . Maurizio Gasparri of Forza Italia also weighed in , questioning the consistency of the decision , pointing out the contradiction of barring Effe from the Rome event while allowing him to perform to an audience of millions at Sanremo .

Despite accusations of censorship , Rome ' s mayor , Roberto Gualtieri , defended the decision to remove Effe from the lineup . Speaking to Ansa , he stated , " Quando è diventato chiaro che quella scelta avrebbe diviso la città e offeso la sensibilità di molti , abbiamo ritenuto opportuno chiedergli di fare un passo indietro ." He emphasised that public funds should not be used to support a controversial artist , adding , " Il concerto di Capodanno deve unire , quella scelta avrebbe creato contrapposizioni e avremmo dovuto pensarci prima : è stato un errore ."

Tony Effe ’ s exclusion from Rome ’ s New Year ’ s Eve concert may have sparked the debate about censorship and artistic freedom but his inclusion in the Sanremo Music Festival has only intensified these discussions . Despite being deemed too controversial for one event , Effe remains part of one of Italy ' s most-watched cultural showcases , which recently attracted a recordbreaking 12.6 million viewers in its opening night . Sanremo ’ s stage now becomes a key battleground in the debate over who should decide what is acceptable on public platforms . If Effe ’ s lyrics were considered harmful for one public event , why is he still given a platform at Sanremo ?

The controversy highlights a larger issue about the role of public institutions in regulating artistic expression and where to draw the line between artistic freedom and censorship .

By Lucy Breen ( She / Her ) // Final Year ; French and Italian

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