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Since the rise of streaming, music has been “liquid” because it is pervasive, universally accessible and quickly consumed. But perhaps it has always been. Few other artistic forms have the same ability to interact in such a harmonious and, indeed, fluid way with other creative disciplines, enhancing their expression.
While for some people music is a pleasant soundtrack, for others it is much more. It is the very source of their creativity. The latter is certainly the case of Marco De Vincenzo, 45 years old, of Sicilian origin, and since last year creative director of one of the great Italian fashion brands, Etro.
For De Vincenzo, inspiration starts and is then supported by a musical suggestion. Music is the fundamental ingredient of the character of a collection, as well as the success of a fashion show.
With the latest Milan Fashion Week, the creative director went even further, having a young emerging band, Santamarea (also Sicilian), create a song for the Etro runway. “Acqua Bagnami” provided the perfect sonic extension to the lines and colors of Etro’s “Nowhere” collection, presented on Sept. 20 in Milan.
After the effort of Fashion Week, Billboard Italy reached out to De Vincenzo to talk about the tight connection between music and style that defines his work.
You recently curated Spotify’s “Runway” playlist. What kind of music inspires your creative work?
I discovered many songs that make up my playlists on the radio. As soon as I hear something I like, I save it. Otherwise, I’ll rely on Spotify’s suggestions, doing a sort of scouting. My taste could be defined as “indie”, but I have playlists of various genres. There is no formula. I am a “headphones” person: I like listening to music to lose contact with the surrounding world. I prefer the two-way relationship with music.
You said, “Music is more than just a simple ingredient of the creative process: It is the foundation of it all.” Could you explain how?
When I start a collection, I’m open to any possibility. Music defines a state of mind and therefore leads me to make choices. Some collections were sad or joyful because of the moment I was going through and that the music supported. I’ve never made a collection that didn’t have important music behind it. When I choose the music for my fashion shows I never want to rely on DJs who don’t know my personal taste. I have always surrounded myself with friends who knew me, until the experience with Santamarea, which was the first time with an unreleased song created especially for the occasion.
As a brand, Etro has always been inspired by the idea of travel, by influences from the world and other cultures. The latest collection is also based on the concept of travelling, but with imagination. This is exactly what music stimulates, isn’t it?
That’s why it is an ingredient. If there is a perfect way to travel non-physically, it is by listening to music. The collection that we presented in Milan is called “Nowhere” for this reason, because the imagination takes you to places you don’t know. The more you let yourself go to this unknown flow, the more interesting the result is, because you haven’t put boundaries on it.
How important is the musical component for the success of a show like a runway?
It’s very important. When the music is not perfect, the show gets penalized. Music manages to connect all parts. The reason for the success of this collection is partly due to the atmosphere that the music created. This hasn’t always happened. Sometimes I regretted the choices I made because they weren’t consistent. These are mistakes I learned from. Thanks to live streaming, runways are no longer a show for the elite and, if the music is wrong, you tell the wrong story. Images and music become one and have the same importance.
Despite its cosmopolitan influences, Etro is one of the symbols of Italian style. Do you also want to convey an idea of Italianness in your work? From your point of view, how are Italian designers considered in the world today?
I always remember what a friend of mine used to tell me after my fashion shows: “You’re so Italian,” probably meaning our predilection for decorum, for maximalism. But that happened ten or fifteen years ago. Today, Italianness has more to do with craftsmanship, with the whole artisanal supply chain, which is a treasure to be protected. As for the taste, it’s all very mixed. I’m careful to look around a lot, not to make Italianness an excessive look at the past. Today, “Made in Italy” is nothing but a voice of global fashion. Luckily there are fashion weeks that are flourishing around the world in addition to the four big ones. They have local designers who produce abroad and have a strong point of view. Given that we bring a lot of our culture into our work, clearly if you are Italian you have an approach that cannot resemble that of someone who grew up in Camden Town in London. I was born in Sicily and moved to Rome at 18. My experience is entirely Italian, but I always keep an open door to look elsewhere. To answer the second question, I think that today Italian designers have some more difficulties than foreigners because Italy is a nation that relies heavily on the past. Young Italian designers find themselves a bit swallowed up by the big names. Today there’s a whole scene of talented young designers who deserve more space. The Italian industry should open up to new things.
Etro fashion show at Milan Fashion Week.
Courtesy of Etro
Billboard Italy met Lazza one morning in early September at his press office, so he could speak quietly in private. He wore wide sunglasses and often ran his hand through his hair, which has been dyed blonde for some time.
He was visibly tired. The day before, he was at the Venice Film Festival and at night he was clubbing in Milan. “I needed to see with my own eyes. I no longer remembered what my city was like,” he says.
He has been touring Italy for months, except for a few days of vacation in Ibiza, and at the time of the interview he still hadn’t performed at the special final concert in Milan. But he never complained of tiredness, not even for a second. “For me, it’s like being on holiday. When I go on stage, I feel good,” he says.
Among singles and albums, he has amassed 70 platinum records, 37 gold records, and 21 weeks atop the Italian albums chart with Sirio, his third album, released in 2022. He also felt like apologizing to the legendary Italian rocker Vasco Rossi for beating his record (19 weeks in 2011). This year, he finished second at the 2023 Sanremo Festival, something truly unexpected.
Despite his success, Lazza has never forgotten his musical origins, namely the academic study of the piano. He also created a special version of Sirio for piano and voice.
The interview began precisely with his love for classical music.
Lazza, you started your musical journey with the piano and you always say you love classical music. But seeing you in a tank top in front of the piano might irritate some people.
I did it on purpose. I couldn’t wear a shirt. It would have been obvious. I couldn’t decide what to wear and in the end I thought: “You know what? I’m wearing a tank top! So I’m really comfortable.”
Why did you decide to study piano as a child?
I couldn’t explain it. I was fascinated by the idea of being able to become a virtuoso. Also, I was excited by the idea of everyone looking at me. A healthy bit of exhibitionism, let’s say.
Did your parents push you?
No, it was my decision when I was 9 or 10 years old. I wanted to stand out. I didn’t want to end up playing soccer like everyone else.
How much did it help you?
Classical training always helps me. First of all, I developed an incredible memory.
Do you remember everything?
Well, I remember what interests me. Also, classical music helped me a lot because it is able to change my mood. If I listen to Mozart, I calm my anxiety.
For example, does Debussy also help you?
For me, it’s too far ahead as a historical period. I like him, but it’s not my cup of tea, or at least not all of it. There’s not much I like after Romanticism. I like everything by Chopin, however.
Speaking of Chopin, of whom you have a beautiful tattoo on your calf, you said you love him because he is able to describe true suffering.
I’m sure he was a very emotional person. You can feel it. In my opinion, it is with him that the piano as we know it today was born. Before then, it was all about the harpsichord and the fortepiano. With Chopin, you sense an incredible richness of phrasing. My piano teacher, Alex, is Polish. He’s the one who made me love him. I went to his father’s funeral, and on that occasion he played Chopin’s “Nocturne”: It gave me goosebumps, also because it was one of the pieces he made me practice the most. He told me: “At my funeral you will be the one who plays it.” I don’t know if I could do it, it would be too much of an emotional burden.
Is it banal to say that true art comes from suffering?
It is true. It’s the same reason why artists don’t come from downtown Milan. I always thought that if you are born without money, maybe money will solve your problems. But if you are born with it, what will solve your problems? Probably if you have a negative mood you also need to feel the approval of others, whatever your art is. I do what I do because I had the need to communicate.
Do you still think money solves problems?
You know, it simply allows me to do what I like and to make the people around me feel good. It doesn’t interest me in itself. I don’t know what problems it solved.
When you achieve such sensational results, do you ever think about what to expect next?
The results of this album scared me a little. I tend not to have expectations, but after these numbers I sometimes think with a bit of fear: “What will I do next?”. I had an obsession, which was to reach everyone and let them know what I think. I was happy that others liked what I had to say. But I didn’t want to become famous.
Do you have any other obsessions?
I would like to actually collaborate with the international artists I like. And by “actually” I mean without involving the record company that pays 100,000 euros for a single verse.
Could Italian rap break through abroad?
There are artists who respect you, others who see you as an ATM, others who can’t stand you because they think they invented rap. But I happened to go to dinner with some huge rappers — unfortunately I can’t name them — and their managers, and they told me they had never heard anything like what I did. For them, an album, not a single, that stays atop the chart for 21 weeks and gets seven platinum records just doesn’t exist. Only Drake, Post Malone, The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Rihanna achieve those results.
Well, they also have different parameters.
Absolutely, but my figures impressed them.
What about becoming famous abroad?
I think Italian is an obstacle, because I don’t know how many people want to translate my songs. But I’m planning to study English well.
Why did Måneskin make it so big?
Because they rock! There are some of their songs that I really like, for example “The Loneliest.” They are young, nice, they are rock stars, they have everything it takes. I’m so happy for them. Could you imagine that Damiano wrote to me as a fan in 2017? Recently I proposed to him to do some writing sessions together.
In these last two incredible years, did you also face any difficult moments?
More than one, but all for personal reasons. It wasn’t easy because of the stress and too many things to do. I try to carry on with a smile but I’m human, too. Yes, 2022 and 2023 were crazy. Maybe in 2024 I’ll let the others play, too.
When you bear one of the most well-known surnames in Italian music, the expectations of others (record companies, the public, the press) can be an unbearable burden. Yet one of the immediately noticeable qualities of 25-year-old Matteo Bocelli is an innate serenity, a perfect emanation of those polite manners that contributed to making his father Andrea Bocelli an icon of music and style famous in Italy and around the world.
For the Bocellis, music is a family matter. It was his father who launched Matteo’s career five years ago with the duet “Fall on Me,” a single from the album Sì, which debuted atop the Billboard 200. Not bad for his first public appearance.
Now Matteo Bocelli is ready to fly with his own wings. And he wants to do it in his own distinctive way: In the 12 tracks (14 in the deluxe version) of his debut album Matteo (out now via Capitol Records/Universal Music), his father’s operatic vocal style gives way to a clear pop approach that encompasses Ed Sheeran-style ballads (his great idol) as well as uptempo songs.
How did he come to find his own sound? How is he building his career? Billboard Italy met Matteo in Milan shortly before the album’s release.
Your artistic “baptism” was five years ago with the single “Fall on Me” in duet with your father. What did that moment represent for you, and what have the last five years of your life been like?
“Fall on Me” was unquestionably an important start. It was the spark that started everything, and these years were full of emotions and beautiful experiences. The song opened many doors, for example the possibility of signing a contract with Capitol Records in Los Angeles. The team supported me right from the start, allowing me to work on the project in the best way until reaching this first album. “Fall on Me” was a unique experience. Now it’s time to continue on my own two feet and start a new path with a project that I feel is totally mine.
Despite what one might expect from your surname, your project has a clear pop dimension. Over the years, how have you honed the sound you wanted to achieve?
I have always been close to opera and classical music, but the music I sang at home was pop. But that doesn’t mean you know exactly what you want. You need to work on things, to try, to experiment. These years were very useful in finding the sound I’m comfortable with. In recent years we wrote about a hundred songs, then we selected 14 for the [deluxe] album.
Talking about pop music, who are your idols from the past and the present?
I always say Ed Sheeran. He is not only an incredible artist, but also a beautiful person — at least that’s what I perceived the times I met him. Yes, I could say he’s an idol of mine. Plus, I’m a romantic, and he’s the king of ballads! But at the same time, he’s been able to achieve a huge success with more uptempo songs too. That has always been a dream of mine: to have slow and sentimental songs but also be able to make people jump at concerts. However, I have always listened more to the music of the past, especially Lionel Ritchie, Elton John, Queen, as well as the great Italian artists.
The album starts with “For You,” an uptempo track. Why do you think it is the best opener for the project?
In that case, I asked the record company for advice. Capitol Records focused a lot on that song. When I made a demo of it, I immediately understood that it was a song in which I felt really good from a vocal point of view. Also I perceived it as a “top” song for concerts.
“Chasing Stars,” written by Ed Sheeran with his brother Matthew, talks about their relationship with their father. It seems like a song tailor-made for you.
I met Ed when he released “Perfect Symphony,” the duet he did with my father. He then sent me a couple of ideas. “Chasing Stars” was the one that struck me the most. I was struck by the melody, because Ed has an unmistakable touch, and the message, perfect for my story. Even when a song is written by someone else, you have to see yourself in what you sing. When you sing certain words, you have to feel them. Yes, that seemed like a song written especially for me. We have in common the fact that we have a family that loves music and has encouraged their children to learn about it.
The songs are mostly sung in English but some are in Italian. Why did you want to use both languages?
Having signed the contract with Capitol Records in the United States, I also have to make music in English. But the deep reason why I signed with them is that I grew up singing in both Italian and English. So it has always been my desire to sing in English, and I knew that label would give me many opportunities to collaborate with great international songwriters. At the same time, it is important not to forget your origins. I consider Italian lyrics the deepest and most beautiful in the entire history of music. English-speaking songwriters consider us almost saccharine, excessive. But I think that’s the beauty of our language. We are romantic, there is nothing we can do about it!
Your project has a strong international projection. What idea of “Italianness” do you want to convey abroad?
To put it simply, I’m very proud to be Italian. I hope that beyond our national borders, people can appreciate the songs I sing in our language. Italy is so loved around the world; there is no need for Matteo Bocelli to push that.
In 2019 you performed at the Sanremo Festival in a duet with your father. Now your album is out: Is it the right moment to go there again, as a contestant this time?
It’s a question they’ve been asking me ever since… [Laughs] I understand that in Italy, the Sanremo Festival has a fundamental importance, it is the best thing an artist can aspire to. And I don’t deny that it would be a great emotion for me too to go on that stage — not alongside my father as a guest, but on the frontline as a contestant. But in my opinion you must go there when you are truly convinced, with a song that really identifies you.
Last year you collaborated with Sebastián Yatra. Do you also wish to step into the Latin market too?
One of my biggest fanbases is the Mexican one, so it’s important to keep an eye on that market. But you have to get there starting from the assumption that you must do what you like. I will never [do] something just because that’s what the market expects. If a collaboration with another Latin artist were to happen and convince me, then why not?
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Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori have made a number of head-turning appearances over the years as is the “Way of Ye” as it relates to his public persona. Speaking of head-turning, a risque photo of Yeezy allegedly getting his mic checked while on a boat made its rounds online and the reactions were priceless.
Kanye West, 46, and Bianca Censori, 28, were spotted on a private boat in Venice according to several reports from TMZ and other outlets. From what we could tell from the photo, Ye, dressed in all Black with his face covered, was sitting on the back end of the small boat with Censori kneeling in front of him.
By way of onlooker photos and other snaps, Ye’s pants are clearly down around his ankles and Censori’s arm can be seen resting as if she’s getting a good look at things, if you catch our drift. As shown in TMZ’s report, other boaters had their phones out and Ye didn’t seem bothered by all the attention. In fact, he didn’t do anything to cover up the situation.
Making all of this particularly interesting is that Ye and Censori aren’t on the boat alone. In one flick, it looked like the captain turned around to take a gander himself. In a video that was posted to TikTok, Ye and Censori casually exit the boat which appeared to be a river taxi, and casually stroll down the street like Ye’s buttcheeks weren’t exposed on a boat.
Of course, we can’t post photos or videos of the moment but it’s out there if you know where to look. We’ve got reactions from X, formerly known as Twitter, below.
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Photo: Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire Italian entrepreneur and former prime minister who died Monday (June 12) in Milan at age 86, will be remembered as one of Italy’s most controversial leaders. But before his career in politics, record labels he formed in the 1980s and 1990s helped launch the careers of popular Italian artists like Cristina D’Avena, Sabrina Salerno, Ambra Angiolini and Francesco Salvi.
In the 1950s, Berlusconi performed as a young crooner on cruise ships, where he met his friend and lifetime professional partner Fedele Confalonieri, who would later become chairman of Mediaset, Berlusconi’s media giant.
Music played a big role in the origins of his media empire. In the 1980s and 1990s, Berlusconi was an influential executive in the Italian music industry. In 1981, after founding Fininvest, the holding company that owned Mediaset, he launched his first record company, Five Record (renamed RTI Music in 1991).
Inspired by American songwriters, French chansonniers and the melancholic, existentialistic style of singers and songwriters from Genoa, the label initially commercialized the theme songs of the TV series and programs broadcasted by Mediaset, from cartoons to variety shows, from quiz shows to telenovelas. Then it expanded and released albums by Italian artists such as Gino Paoli, Orietta Berti, Patty Pravo and Bruno Lauzi.
Within such a wide artistic spectrum, Berlusconi’s enterprises launched the careers of artists who quickly became immensely popular (and transgenerational) in Italy: D’Avena, Angiolini, Salvi, Sabrina Salerno (her song “Boys” became a hit in Europe), Lorella Cuccarini, Giorgio Faletti and singer/comedian Fiorello.
Five Record had a strong connection with dance music. Take Change, an Italo-disco project produced by Italian musician and arranger Mauro Malavasi, saw their album The Glow of Love (1980) reach No. 29 on the Billboard 200 — a first for an Italian dance production.
The label also released Joe Smooth’s “Promised Land” in Italy and works from Double Dee (house music from Ancona, Italy) and Novecento.
After leaving office in 2011, Belusconi briefly revived his music career, releasing a new album, True Love, with longtime musical collaborator Mariano Apicella. The three-time Italian premier didn’t sing on the album but co-wrote all 11 songs, which were a collection of love songs and jazz arrangements.
Berlusconi’s biggest success in the music industry was D’Avena, the queen of theme songs for cartoons in Italy. In a career spanning 40 years, D’Avena has stayed relevant and sold more than 7 million copies of singles and albums, including compilations such as Fivelandia and Cristina D’Avena con i suoi amici in TV. The single “Kiss Me Licia” alone sold over 200,000 copies, reached No. 7 on the Italian chart and was certified Gold.
D’Avena’s biggest hit was “Canzone dei Puffi,” the theme song of the Italian version of The Smurfs cartoon. Released in 1982, it sold 500,000 copies and became her first Gold record.
“I always hoped this moment wouldn’t come,” D’Avena tells Billboard Italy about Berlusconi’s passing. “To me, he was immortal. But watching his last interviews you could tell that he was sick. … I’m feeling a huge loss. … An important piece of our country is gone.”
LONDON — Facebook parent Meta and Italy’s largest collecting society are locked in a dispute over the use of songs on the platform from thousands of songwriters and composers, with music rights groups accusing the tech company of using strong-arm tactics to try to get its way.
Meta has started to remove all licensed works from the Italian Society of Authors and Publishers (SIAE). The company has “been unable to renew” its partnership agreement with SIAE and will therefore “no longer make available SIAE licensed works in Meta’s music library,” a spokesperson for Meta confirms to Billboard. The number of SIAE licensed music works that are affected by Meta’s actions is around 5.7 million works, according to SIAE.
The withdrawal means that any content-containing songs managed by SIAE, except those obtained through sub-licensing, will be blocked on Facebook, including Facebook Reels and Facebook Stories. On Instagram, content using SIAE members’ repertoire will be muted, unless users choose to replace the banned audio with another piece of music, Meta says.
The move affects repertoire from all European countries and multiple markets outside the European Union, but does not include the United States, an SIAE spokesperson tells Billboard.
Based in Rome, SIAE is the world’s sixth-largest copyright collective management organization, according to the International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies’ (CISAC), representing the rights of around 5.7 million Italian music works and around 95,000 members. The organization has agreements in place with 178 authors’ societies worldwide and administers public performance and other rights of 62 million Italian and international works, spanning music, cinema, literature and other areas.
Notable music artists it represents include composer Ennio Morricone, singer Zucchero and hard rockers Mäneskin. “It is important to notice,” a rep for SIAE said, “that in the midst of the removal process many other works from the international catalog and from international authors, thus not related in any way with SIAE, have been erroneously removed.”
Meta’s music-licensing agreement with the Italian society expired at the end of December. During negotiations for a new deal, Meta offered a lump-sum value without providing the necessary information for SIAE to evaluate whether it was fair compensation for rights holders, the SIAE spokesperson says.
The Italian organization also claims the tech company refused to share data about how its members’ repertoire was being used and monetized, citing internal policies. “When it comes to complex platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and their many services (posts, stories, reels), if we’re not given any clue about the amount of advertising, video and music that they host, it means we’re negotiating blindly,” Matteo Fedeli, the CEO of SIAE, tells Billboard.
Fedeli says Meta threatened to remove all music works managed by SIAE if the offer was not accepted. “Meta gave a take-it-or-leave-it final offer when our positions were still pretty far from each other,” he says. “That’s imposing, not negotiating.”
The refusal to share relevant information, says SIAE, places Meta in contravention of the European Copyright Directive approved by the European Union in 2019, which requires platforms that rely on user-generated content — such as YouTube, TikTok or Facebook — to obtain “fair remuneration” license deals with rights holders and provide them with transparent reporting on revenues generated from the use of their work.
Meta responds that it has successfully renewed music licenses with many of its largest partners throughout Europe — including the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France and Sweden — based on the same fee model and terms it offered SIAE.
“Protecting the copyrights of songwriters and artists is a top priority,” a spokesperson for Meta says in a statement. “We continue to have music deals in more than 150 countries and remain committed to reaching an agreement with SIAE that works for everyone.”
Meta’s fallout with SIAE comes after the company announced on March 14 it would trim 10,000 jobs and would not be filling 5,000 open positions as part of cost-saving measures. In November, the company announced 11,000 job cuts, representing about 13% of its overall workforce.
On Friday, music rights and publishing trade bodies slammed Meta for its decision to pull SIAE repertoire from its platforms.
“Meta has decided to use its position as a corporate mega power to hold artists at gunpoint and undervalue their hard work and creativity,” the Brussels-based Independent Music Publishers International Forum (IMPF) says in a statement. “Fair and honest negotiation is the only way forward. Meta needs to retract.”
John Phelan, director general of ICMP, an international music publishing trade association, criticizes Meta for “using unsurprising strong-arm tactics of demanding a ‘take it or leave it’ fee and when not happy, removing music to try and devalue the deal.”
The tech company, Phelan says in a statement, “must obey the law and take a full and fair license for the music it wants to use and profit from. If it does not, it is in breach of Italian and EU law.”
Fedeli says the music industry “understands that there is a problem with [the] value gap and that the excessive power of [tech] platforms allow them to pursue such unilateral actions.” He is, nevertheless, keen to resume negotiations.
“We want to reach an agreement in good faith that is satisfying for both parties,” he says. “We know that we’re not aiming for the moon. We’re asking for a perfectly reasonable figure.”
Additional Reporting By Federico Durante Of Billboard Italy
Laura Pausini sits in front of a gorgeous terrace. She is already packed and ready to head off to Spain for a few days of promotion. And she has a message for her doubters.
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“There’s only one way to respond to those who tell me that I’m too old to do something, or who express doubts because I’m a woman,” she tells Billboard Italy over Zoom. “Then I’ll do it.”
One of Italy’s most-revered singers, the Grammy-winning Pausini, 48, says she “went through some sort of crisis” over the past two years. “I felt like I was lacking support from those around me, I thought I couldn’t make it,” she says. “But now I’m feeling more confident than ever.”
And she is proving it.
Born in Faenza, a small town between Bologna and Rimini, Pausini started a music career at age 19 that few Italian artists can compete with. Her records have sold more than 70 million copies worldwide, she did nine world tours and landed three songs in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (“Las Cosas Que Vives,” “Viveme” and “Como Si No Nos Hubieramos Amado”; all of them are Spanish versions of songs originally in Italian).
Billboard Italy accompanied Pausini to concerts in Madrid and Milan, two of the three gigs (the first at New York’s Apollo Theater) on her 24-hour live marathon on Feb. 27 to celebrate a 30-year career that started with her breakthrough single “La Solitudine” (“Solitude”).
How do you respond to those who thought [the 24-hour marathon] was a bizarre idea? Was it worth it?
I wanted to do it for a long time. At first, I wanted to sing 30 songs, each one in a different city of Italy, from south to north. I would have travelled with a van and reached my fans with very short notice. But I wouldn’t have made it in 24 hours, and that was essential to me. The celebration must last one day. It couldn’t go on for a year, that would mean being stuck in the past. I don’t reject the past, it’s just that we must look forward with courage.
How did you get prepared for it?
The preparation lasted six months. I worked with my phoniatrician (a doctor specializing in vocal cord issues), nutritionist and personal trainer. Not to lose weight, but for the vocal and physical effort I was about to endure. I abstained from all acid foods to avoid reflux. I used to eat at precise hours and train like an athlete to make sure my legs and my diaphragm would be strong enough. When I finish a concert, I never fall asleep easily – I actually slept very little in between those shows. And we had different set lists and different roadies. It’s been hard, but also one of the three most meaningful experiences I’ve ever had, after the victory at Sanremo in 1993 and the concert at the San Siro stadium in Milan. Also, I thought I had owed my fans something.
What do you mean?
So many people have been following me since 1993 and did crazy things to see me in concert. People from Italy spent a lot of money to see me in New York, Miami, London, Las Vegas. I saw them with my own eyes. That’s why I often felt like I was in debt, my songs were not enough to thank them. I had to do something special.
In Madrid you said that in Spain you feel freer than in Italy. How so?
In Italy, people know who my parents are, their job, what schools I attended, the little village I’m from. They have been following my personal growth since my teenage years. But it’s not like that when I’m abroad. They have a different form of respect and maybe see me like a huge star, like it happens when someone comes from far away.
What was the most valuable teaching you learned singing abroad?
Coming from such a small village and going abroad opened my mind in a way that no course of studies would. After high school, I wanted to study architecture at university but stopped there. Sometimes I feel like I fail to express myself in a ‘cultured’ way.
Well, you speak five languages…
But that creates confusion. My life is so fast that sometimes I lose track of time and forget where I am. Sometimes I’m in Italy and think in Spanish or Portuguese, for example. When I won Sanremo in 1993, Eros Ramazzotti was the only Italian singer who was famous in Latin countries.
And then you came. The only woman.
That’s right. There was not much room for women back then. What happened to me was the result of several coincidences. For example, I won the contest Sanremo Famosi in 1991 so, in theory, should have participated among the New Artists of Sanremo 1992, but they didn’t call me. If they did, I wouldn’t have sung “La Solitudine,” which was the key to my success. In 1993 the head of Dutch radio attended the festival. He saw me and decided to make the most important radio stations of the Netherlands play my song. Then Dutch television and other countries followed. Belgium, France, Germany… It all started from an honest song and a good amount of luck.
Don’t you think it would have happened anyway?
Many people told me this, but I don’t believe it. I know so many artists that are great singers but stopped after a few songs.
Singing well is not enough. Is your “Italianness” equally appreciated in Latin countries and in English-speaking countries?
We’re still labeled with many stereotypes and that’s annoying. I notice that I am appreciated in English-speaking countries when I don’t mock their music. They usually want to hear “Pausini’s melody,” as they call it. I also don’t like artists who follow trends that are not theirs. I mean, if I listen to Shakira, I expect her to do her own thing. There’s a reason why we’ve been chosen by the audience, and that’s our authenticity. I couldn’t do R&B, it’s not part of my culture. I only used to sing it when I performed at a piano bar.
Your new single “Un Buon Inizio” [“A Good Start”] was written by Riccardo Zanotti of Pinguini Tattici Nucleari. His style is very recognizable. Didn’t you fear it would overshadow yours?
No, I didn’t. In the last two years, I tried to sing on the backing tracks of famous songs. For example, I tried to sing Mahmood and Blanco’s “Brividi” (“Shivers”) [with which they won Sanremo 2022], but it was not for me. I want to step out of my comfort zone, but at the same time I don’t want to lose the character people expect from me. I always try to work with younger people who can give me a more contemporary perspective. When I worked with Madame for “Scatola” (“Box”), many people wondered what we had in common. But she knows my entire album “Simili” (“Similar”) by heart, even more than me. After all, we artists influence each other. We take inspiration from the past to create something new. I was influenced by Claudio Baglioni, Vasco Rossi, Eros Ramazzotti, even Jethro Tull, and brought them into my own world. Now that I am a certain age and experience level, I must listen to what’s new and try to understand why and how newer artists say certain things. That’s fundamental. Two years ago, I thought I had nothing more to say.
How did you overcome that phase?
I listened to too many songs and got even more confused than before, so I reached out to [former director of Island Records Italy] Jacopo Pesce for advice. I listened to many songs that others sent me, without knowing who wrote them. I always do that. Zanotti’s song immediately caught my attention, but I struggled to identify with the lyrics. I asked him to change them a bit and he was more than willing to do so. We met in Milan and realized that we had many things in common, despite the differences in age and gender. Of course, he hasn’t had all the experiences I have had.
Such as the feeling of having achieved too much?
That’s right. It’s what I felt when I won the Golden Globe in 2021 with “Io Sì (Seen),” but also when I felt like I was missing the support from those around me. Those who used to encourage me had started to behave the opposite way.
How much did you have to fight as a woman in an industry that was – and is – dominated by men? From the outside you look so strong and confident.
That’s how I am on stage because that’s where I belong. But in my private life I’m more insecure, I have my weaknesses. The bigger the success, the more you get both positive and negative consequences from it. People will tell you: ‘Now you are a certain age and you’re even a woman.’ It’s crazy to see how this way of thinking spreads to all countries. But I push back. If you diminish me and tell me to do things in a certain way, I’ll do the opposite. I’ve been facing a lot of discrimination since the beginning of my career.
For example?
When I participated in Sanremo in 1993 I didn’t have an album, nor a contract. All the artists had one, except me. My record label, Warner Music Italy, didn’t expect it and prepared one quickly. I signed it 15 days after the festival. It said that my debut record should sell at least 30,000 copies in order to make a second album. I didn’t question the fact that another new artist, a male, had a minimum of a 100,000. And I would get 4% of the revenues, while his cut was 8%. The day my album was released, it sold 60,000 copies. Within six months, that figure grew to 1.5 million. My perspective changed and my manager demanded a cut of 8%. Anyway, I perfectly remember the diffidence I faced when I started. When I signed my contract, they told me to keep in mind that the last woman who had sold so many copies was Anna Oxa. But those were the 80s. Can I tell you something that bothers me about journalism?
Sure.
Everyone talks about about women and gender equality, but in at least in six or seven countries I’ve seen that a magazine won’t put a woman in her 40s on the cover.
Age becomes a problem. Madonna also said that.
But men over 40 don’t have that problem. And editors in chief are often women. Not everyone is like that, and it’s not like I have to be on the cover at all costs. I’m just saying that words don’t always match actions. As a woman I learned that there’s a need to be concrete. Between 1993 and today so much has changed. But we still have a lot to fight for and must convince ourselves that we’ll make it, even when it seems all odds are against us. Even when we just want to lock ourselves in and stay with our children. In Italy, everyone is ready to say: “What is Pausini even doing nowadays?” In the last two years I couldn’t even react, I only felt like crying. But now I react. It’s important to feel both energy and urgency. That’s why my new logo depicts a woman running forward.
Is there anything you would say or do differently if it happened today?
Just one thing. I’d be more careful when it comes to trusting people. If I could speak to the young Laura, I’d give her a list of names of people to avoid. I mean, those people were also important. I am who I am today also thanks to the experiences I went through. I may look strong but I’m very emotional and I suffered a lot.
What can you say about the spirit of the concerts in Venice and Seville this summer?
I want to look forward without forgetting the past. Over the next weeks I’ll start a radio tour in Italy, even the small local stations, which I haven’t done since my victory at Sanremo. And then I’ll perform in public squares, just like I did in 1993. That’s why I chose two iconic ones such as Piazza San Marco in Venice and Plaza de España in Seville. I’d like all these moments to have a common theme, such as celebrating the past, but at the same time to make the audience see what’s coming next. I want to create a setlist specifically for those two locations. We’re still planning things, but everything is clear in my mind. Now I have to look at the details, which is difficult, but I like it, because when I find something that makes a difference I go crazy. I want to communicate the will not to settle for what you achieved, to always challenge yourself and chart new paths.
Do you think you’re as demanding with those around you as you are with yourself?
I do. Because this job is like a mission to me. It’s commitment, dedication, discipline. Regardless of the results, I like when people working with me believe in the project. The most difficult thing is maybe staying focused on what we do, in terms of availability and work schedules. But I think that it’s the only way to do a good job. Music must not be taken lightly. It can actually change people’s lives. The artistic part has to be pure instinct, but the work that makes it possible must be taken very seriously.
What is your ultimate goal?
To demonstrate that pop music matters. Even the most light-hearted songs can change a few hours in the life of someone we don’t know. Over the last 30 years I often visited hospitals that use music therapy to help the patients. I experienced one of the most touching moments of my life when I sent an Italian guy in a coma a vocal message in which I sang and spoke to him. After a few days, he woke up. That was incredible. We should never underestimate what we write and sing. That’s why I’m not able to sing as a mere performer. Writing lyrics or at least taking part in the process is fundamental to me. I value what people will get from my music. I think that’s my mission and the reason why I’m still here.
The top three finishers at Italy’s Sanremo music festival have entered Billboard’s global charts, including the contest’s winner, Marco Mengoni. The Billboard Global 200 dated Feb. 25 sees debut from rapper Lazza’s “Cenere” (“Ashes”) at No. 68; Mengoni’s “Due Vite” (“Two Lives”) at No. 80; and Mr. Rain’s “Supereroi” (“Superheroes”) at No. 97.
The Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart features two more Sanremo artists – Madame and Tananai – for a total of five songs from Sanremo 2023. On that chart, “Cenere” debuts at No. 29, “Due Vite” bows at No. 32 and “Supereroi” enters at No. 42. Meanwhile, Madame’s “Il Bene nel Male” (“The Good in the Bad”) starts at No. 104 and Tananai’s “Tango” arrives at the No. 195 spot. On Luminate’s Global Hits – Italy chart for the week ending Feb. 16, “Cenere,” “Due Vite,” “Supereroi,” “Il Bene nel Male” and “Tango” are Nos. 1-5, respectively.
Since the launch of the Billboard global lists in 2020, Sanremo’s most successful songs enter the charts each year after the event. The 2021 edition saw three songs make it to the Global 200 and six enter the Global Excl. US immediately after the contest. In that year, the song that won Sanremo, “Brividi” by Mahmood and Blanco, reached the highest positions on both charts, and at more impressive spots: No. 15 on the Global 200 and No. 7 on the Global Excl. U.S.
Mengoni, who is signed to Sony Music Entertainment’s Epic Records Italy, won Sanremo 2023, after the pop star dominated the song contest from start to finish with “Due Vite.” It was his second victory at the festival, his first coming in 2013 with “L’essenziale” (“The Essential”).
Under the artistic direction of Amadeus, who oversaw his fourth Sanremo this year, recent editions of the Italian song contest have started resonating with younger audiences, especially on streaming platforms. This year’s edition was the highest rated since 1995. Overall, 63.1% of TV viewers followed the five nights of the event, with the final night (Jan. 11) drawing an audience of 12,256,000 people, or 66% of Italian TV viewers.
The 73rd edition of the Sanremo Festival ended just a few days ago but its aftermath will last for a long time. Not just for the quantity of funny memes, but also for the impact that the event had on streaming platforms and on the growth of the artists’ profiles on social media. And finally, for spurring a debate topic that concerns not just music but the society we live in: The absence of women among the five finalists. Was that just a matter of appreciation of the songs – like many artists themselves said – or is there something deeper?
Also: Did the six new artists coming from Sanremo Giovani really benefit from the participation in the main competition?
The impact on streaming platforms
The TV show ended, so the competition is now shifting to the digital world. Like after the last editions, streaming platforms are dominated by Sanremo songs, as clearly shown by Spotify’s Top 50 (Italy and Global) and Apple Music’s Top 100 Italy. The most streamed songs on both Spotify and Apple Music are Lazza’s “Cenere” (“Ashes”), Mr. Rain’s “Supereroi” (“Superheroes”), and winner Marco Mengoni’s “Due Vite” (“Two Lives”) – the top three contestants of Sanremo 2023.
The impact of Sanremo on streaming platforms can also be observed on a global scale. Six songs of the top 10 of Spotify’s Top Songs Debut Global are from Sanremo: Besides the three already mentioned, also Madame’s “Il Bene nel Male” (“The Good in the Bad”), Rosa Chemical’s “Made in Italy,” and Tananai’s “Tango.” Is streaming the festival’s true democracy?
Growth on social media
The Italian agency of influencer marketing FLU analyzed the contestants’ impact on social media. In the digital world, the most active audience was the one comprised between the age of 18 and 24. It is another confirmation of the generational turnover that characterized Sanremo in the last years, supported by the growing number of younger artists participating in the contest.
Overall, Sanremo generated more than a billion views for the hashtag #sanremo2023 and millions of views for the videos published by the festival’s official profile. The artists’ profiles also benefited from such a visibility and massively raised their number of followers. Rosa Chemical saw a growth of 158%, Mr. Rain of 98,84% and Colapesce & Dimartino of 55%. In absolute numbers, Marco Mengoni surpassed all the others once again, with 400,000 new followers.
The absence of women among the five finalists
Marco Mengoni immediately said that he wanted to dedicate his victory to “all the women who participated this year and brought wonderful songs on stage.” During a press conference the day after, he added that Italy still has a lot to do when it comes to gender equality. The female artists themselves did not want to accuse anybody and minimized the issue. Still, the last time a woman won Sanremo was with Arisa’s victory in 2014.
Before the beginning of Sanremo, Elodie said in an interview with Vogue Italy: “Male artists don’t get bothered as much. If you’re a male, you do your thing and that’s it. But I have the impression that someone is always there to judge me. That pisses me off. I get the feeling that I’m not good enough. Men get judged less.”
There are many factors to consider, starting from a deeper understanding of the demographics of those who vote from home. But the gender gap is still an issue in the Italian music industry.
Equaly, an Italian community of female professionals of the music industry, analyzed the problem closely. In the last year’s edition of Sanremo, women were 36% of the contestants. This year, that figure fell to 33.7% – 11 female artists out of 28 contestants. No wonder women had fewer chances to make it to the final stage of the contest.
“There are several reasons why the Italian music market is not very inclusive,” said Francesca Barone, co-founder of Equaly. “For sure, a few factors are the way Spotify’s algorithms work, the success of trap music, the pandemic giving women the burden of family care, and also Italy’s traditional mentality, still dominated by patriarchal schemes.”
The new artists at Sanremo
If you are 20 and have the possibility of showcasing your talent in Italy’s prime music event, the final result is maybe not too important. Still, it is worth noting that the six artists coming from the contest Sanremo Giovani occupy the lower positions of the final ranking: with a No. 20 ranking, Colla Zio were the most successful. It is difficult to compete with household names and their fan bases built over the course of decades.
Prior to the event, Billboard Italy asked artistic director and main host Amadeus about this issue. He said that he just wanted to give newer artists the right space: “This world needs to trust the young, both in music and entertainment. People my age often reject their ideas, but they’re wrong. It’s us who need to adapt and enter their world, also because they spontaneously fall in love with the past.”
Sethu, Shari, Colla Zio, gIANMARIA, Olly, and Will paid the price of not being known to the general public before the beginning of the festival. Sanremo’s younger audience has been getting bigger and bigger, but how many of them actually vote?
Marco Mengoni won Sanremo 2023, after the pop star dominated the song contest from start to finish with his song “Due Vite” (“Two Lives”). It was Mengoni’s second victory at the festival, his first coming in 2013 with “L’essenziale” (“The Essential”).
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He triumphed over finalists Lazza, Mr. Rain, Ultimo, and Tananai – all male artists. Upon accepting the prize, Mengoni dedicated it to “all the women who participated this year and brought wonderful songs on stage.”
During a press conference with the top three contestants the day after, he added that “the women of this year’s edition had incredible songs. I was sorry to see that none of them were among the five finalists. Clearly, we still have a lot to do to change things in this country.”
Mengoni, who is signed to Sony Music Entertainment’s Epic Records Italy, also explained why he burst into tears during a previous press conference. “They were tears of joy, of course. You must walk through the difficult times of life. I’m grateful to my life for making me overcome tough experiences that made me grow up as a person. I’m talking about private experiences that I don’t want to disclose.”
The singer confirmed he will represent Italy at Eurovision Song Contest in May. “It will be my first time” in Liverpool, he said.
Rapper Lazza said his second-place finish bodes well for the Italian urban scene. “I’m so happy, long live hip-hop,” he said. While believing he could win, Lazza complimented Mengoni on his victory. “Marco had wonderful song and he’s a great singer.”
The third-place finish by Mr. Rain, another rapper, was also impressive. He maintained a low profile during the competition but then climbed up the rankings with a song about depression, which he sang accompanied by a children’s choir.
“Many people texted me on social media,” he said. “People connected to ‘Supereroi’ [‘Superheroes’] because it talks about asking for help in a moment of weakness. When you’re in a dark place, you feel like you’re the only one suffering and feeling those emotions. The important thing is having the courage to accept yourself and show you for who you are – with the innocence we had when we were children.”
In terms of audience, this year’s edition of Sanremo was the highest rated since 1995. Overall, 63.1% of TV viewers followed the five nights of the event. On average, the final night (Jan. 11) was watched by 12,256,000 people, or 66% of TV viewers.
Here is the definitive full final ranking of the 73rd edition of Sanremo.
Marco Mengoni
Lazza
Mr. Rain
Ultimo
Tananai
Giorgia
Madame
Rosa Chemical
Elodie
Colapesce & Dimartino
Modà
Gianluca Grignani
Coma Cose
Ariete
LDA
Articolo 31
Paola & Chiara
Leo Gassmann
Mara Sattei
Colla Zio
Cugini di Campagna
gIANMARIA
Levante
Olly
Anna Oxa
Will
Shari
Sethu