Bambole di Pezza arrives at Sanremo 2026 as one of the most identifying presences among the Bigs. Milanese band active since 2002, all female, moves between punk rock, DIY attitude and a direct language that over the years has built a solid fanbase, even outside the mainstream circuits.
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History and formation of the band
The lineup has changed over time, but today the group is made up of Cleo on vocals, Morgana on lead guitar, Dani on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Kaj on bass and backing vocals, Xina on drums and backing vocals. After an initial intense phase in the early 2000s, the band went through a break, before returning with a reunion in 2014 which relaunched the project with new energy.
Since their inception as an independent label, Bambole di Pezza have chosen to use music as a tool for cultural positioning, not just as entertainment. A trait that today makes them a precious anomaly on the Ariston stage.
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The most famous songs and the album “Wanted”
Over the course of their career the band has released four studio albums, the latest of which is Wantedreleased in 2025. The album confirms their trademark: biting riffs, choral refrains and lyrics that oscillate between anger and vulnerability. Compared to the past, some tracks show openings towards more pop sounds and even rap influences, without betraying the rock imprint.
Among the most significant songs it stands out You Are Not Alonepublished in 2022 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with the participation of Jo Squillo. A song that has become a symbol of their commitment against gender violence.
They also reinterpreted Noise for a project linked to a miniseries dedicated to Raffaella Carrà, demonstrating the ability to deal with the Italian pop icon without losing identity. In 2025 they took the stage at the Concertone del Primo Maggio, consolidating their presence in major live events.
The Sanremo song: “Stay with me”
They bring to Sanremo Stay with mea song written together with Nesli. It is not a classic love song, but an invitation to emotional presence, connection and the choice to stay. The text alternates strength and fragility, while the structure grows up to a refrain that points straight to the collective memory. Cleo, the voice of the group, said that the song talks about the courage to stay united even in times of difficulty because by supporting each other you can get anywhere.
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The themes: feminism, equality and identity
If there is one element that truly defines Rag Dolls it is thematic coherence. Their lyrics address feminism, gender equality, the fight against sexism and the denunciation of violence. Not slogans, but personal and political narratives at the same time, rooted in experience.
Their journey demonstrates that choosing distorted guitars and a stage has never been a neutral gesture for an all-female band in Italy. They opened concerts for international groups such as Ska-P and collaborated with artists such as J-Ax on the single Raised Badlybringing their message even outside the punk circuit.
The landing of Rag Dolls a Sanremo 2026strongly supported by Carlo Conti, represents a precise signal: the Festival opens up to a collective female voice that speaks of identity and rights without mediation. On the cover evening they will be on stage with Cristina D’Avena to reinterpret Cat’s eyesa choice that combines pop culture and irony. And now, even the most institutional stage of Italian music will have to deal with their shock.
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The lyrics to “Stay with me” by Bambole di Pezza
Below is the text of Stay with me, the Sanremo 2026 song:
I wanted to tell you these nights
I still think of you
That my life since that day
It’s another story
And sometimes to change everything
One word is enough
To become what I am
I walked alone
I’m a woman who doesn’t look at anything
They looked at me badly but that’s people’s judgement
When you feel tired from disappointments
And the only certainty is the songs
And the day that doesn’t return of a winter with the love that is no longer here
Wherever the mistake is in the miracle of growing up like this
With my heart in my throat without tears and fear
With arms open to shout
Stay with me in these times of hate
You stay with me
Even if all this will change us
Now it’s me
To tell you that I need it
To tell you, everything in this place seems crazy
Stay with me
Stay with me
I’ve had dreams without ever
Close your eyes
Lived lives that you don’t know whether to imagine
I’ve seen good men fall apart
And I’ve seen street men become honest again
And pieces of newspapers scattered in my head
A girl, a guitar and a storm
They don’t know what I feel inside
Like a leaf that has always been in the wind
Rep. refrain
So tell me if you know a way to forget your troubles
For us who have always been hanging by a thread
Wait for me in the dawn of this morning
I got through years like these And I wanted to tell you
Rep. refrain
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