Amici di Maria De Filippi faces criticism over new season format

The new edition of the Italian talent show ‘Amici di Maria De Filippi’ has faced early scrutiny regarding its structure and artistic direction. Critics have noted a slow start to the season due to repetitive explanations of the school's entry mechanics and have questioned the integration of the new ‘Suzuki Stadium’ segment, which introduces sports like judo and boxing alongside traditional singing and dancing.

Artistic director Samurai Jay (Gennaro Amatore) has also faced criticism regarding his professional credibility in the role of singing teacher compared to previous instructors. This tension was highlighted during a recent episode when Samurai Jay confronted contestant Erness. The instructor reprimanded Erness after discovering that a song presented as an original composition was actually a cover, warning the student that such actions violate the rules and disrespect the opportunity provided by the program.

Additionally, the performance of new artistic director Ambra Angiolini and certain contestants, such as dancer Lollo, has been met with mixed reviews, with some viewers finding certain profiles lacking a defined artistic identity.