Nek first gained international success in 1997, when he took part in the Sanremo Music Festival in the Big Artists section, and although he didn't win, the song "Laura non c'è" (in Spanish: "Laura no está") went on to become his international breakthrough as it became a major hit in Europe and Latin America that year, as well the release of his fourth and million-selling album "Lei, gli amici e tutto il resto", which was his first album to also be recorded in a Spanish language. After eighteen years he performed at the Sanremo's 2015 edition with the song "Fatti avanti amore" where he reached second place.