Even at 9:30 a.m., Amadeus’ voice nonetheless sparkles with life. “He solely drinks chamomile, whereas I order 100 cups of espresso,” his publicist says. “I don’t understand how he holds up.”
This 12 months marks Amadeus’ fourth as principal host and creative director of the Sanremo Music Pageant. Italian broadcaster Rai already confirmed him for 2024, which was a simple choice: Below his path, the present’s TV scores skyrocketed, typically drawing greater than 80% of Italian viewers.
The Italian music trade is dominated by songs that competed at Sanremo. The pattern began with the earlier creative director, Claudio Baglioni, however Amadeus pushed it much more. Only one instance: The No. 1 music of 2022 in Italy was “Brividi” by Mahmood and Blanco, which additionally received at Sanremo that 12 months.
There have been others. Colapesce and Dimartino weren’t well-known once they participated in Sanremo 2020, and Amadeus was criticized for selecting them. Their music “Musica Leggerissima” nonetheless grew to become a radio hit and stored going sturdy for the remainder of the 12 months.
Then there was Måneskin, which additionally participated in 2020. Again then, nobody wager on the band. The members proved everybody incorrect by profitable Sanremo, profitable Eurovision and turning into world stars.
Since then, the Italian music trade began rising once more. In 2021, Italian music exports grew by 66% 12 months over 12 months, with revenues of 332 million euros ($356 million), in accordance with FIMI/GfK. Italy grew to become the Tenth-largest music market on the planet, up from No. 12 in 2020, as calculated by IFPI in its World Music Report. May Italy’s surge even be the results of Sanremo?
Billboard Italy spoke with Amadeus just a few days after a personal listening of the 28 songs competing at Sanremo. Critics have already revealed their opinions.
What music was understood the least, in your opinion?
I don’t like to evaluate another person’s opinion. Everybody has the appropriate to talk their thoughts. The [quality] stage this 12 months is absolutely excessive, and everybody understood this. Songs must be listened to many instances. In a month from now, perhaps, one will have the ability to say whether or not she or he actually likes a music or doesn’t. That’s why I don’t like harsh criticism. You possibly can charge a music eight out of 10 if it struck you on an emotional stage. However if you happen to charge it two, that’s a threat! I imply, there have been so many songs that had been criticized at first however then grew to become hits on radio and streaming platforms — they even received the pageant typically. I bear in mind unhealthy opinions acquired by Måneskin, Diodato, even Mahmood and Blanco.
This 12 months, you determined to “promote” six skills of the Sanremo Giovani contest to the primary competitors. Why so many?
This world must belief the younger, each in music and leisure. Folks my age usually reject their concepts, however they’re incorrect. It’s us who have to adapt and enter their world, additionally as a result of they spontaneously fall in love with the previous. That’s why I need them to have their area. I usually point out Tananai for instance. Final 12 months, many individuals criticized his music and my option to have him at Sanremo. However regardless of ending final, over the course of 1 12 months his reputation grew exponentially — everybody can see that. So, we should give the younger their time. I’m positive that the six artists I’m bringing to Sanremo 2023 can have a future. It’s similar to soccer: You possibly can’t prepare the boys after which hold them within the bleachers. They need to play and have the possibility to do incorrect. It’s the one option to discover the true champions.
They are saying that it’s inconceivable to be really keen about new music after your twenties, however you’re a dwelling instance of the other. Don’t you ever cease listening to new releases?
By no means. Due to my job, I’m inclined to take heed to a little bit of the whole lot, even when it doesn’t belong to my technology. Additionally, my kids, who’re 25 and 14 years previous, assist me perceive why a singer is favored or not. However music could make you relive your reminiscences, at any age. Everybody ought to take heed to it.
Everybody can see that you just don’t choose the lineup primarily based on label illustration: Like, six artists from Common, 5 from Sony, 4 from Warner, and so forth.
Completely not. Typically a label is just not represented in any respect, and so they complain about it.
Each artist instructed me that they actually don’t know whether or not they’re collaborating or not till the final minute.
That’s proper. Not even their labels [know].
Rumor has it that earlier than saying the lineup, you keep at residence for 3 days along with your spouse and your 14-year-old son after which determine.
It’s not precisely like that. I’m very reserved and jealous concerning the songs they suggest to me. To place it merely, if I made others take heed to them, even individuals from my very own group, I might be too affected by their judgment. I simply have to calm down during the last three days. Nobody else is aware of the songs.
Not even Giovanna and José (Amadeus’ spouse and son)?
Possibly they’re the one ones, along with my trusted author Massimo Martelli. However not even he is aware of the whole lot, as a result of I actually search solitude the previous few days. My spouse and son hear the songs for a easy cause: I play them on audio system. Clearly, I’m keen on their opinion to raised perceive a lady’s and a younger boy’s factors of view. They’re often proper. However I attempt to not get conditioned an excessive amount of.
Do you search for the music that might impress probably the most onstage or for the one that might work higher on streaming and radio?
Exactly the second case. To me, the stage dimension is relative. In the event that they inform me, “Look, this band kicks [butt] in live performance,” that doesn’t modify my judgment in any respect, if I don’t just like the music. I attempt not to decide on primarily based on my private style solely. A music — of any sort, be it a ballad or up tempo — has to maneuver me. I attempt to think about its future. That’s why I like to pick out the songs after I’m driving. In the event that they make me wish to take heed to them once more, that’s it. However typically they will tire you.
Rap doesn’t have a lot illustration this 12 months, besides Lazza and Madame. Didn’t profitable artists reminiscent of Rondodasosa, Vale Ache, Paky, Rhove apply? Would you might have known as them?
No, they didn’t. I might have favored to have them. They’re cool and I like rap. Even when he represents a unique shade of it, I’m completely happy to have [Articolo 31 vocalist] J-Ax. I invited him for previous editions, however he didn’t have a challenge appropriate for Sanremo.
What choice of yours had the strongest impression internationally, in your opinion? Selecting Måneskin is the very first thing that involves my thoughts.
Måneskin’s system was simply good. They grew to become a world success exactly with the music somebody criticized. However I selected it with out asking for any modification, and now they’re a band with unprecedented [awards and achievements]. Typically I’m glad to go in opposition to the pattern. Even Diodato’s victory at my first Sanremo [in 2020] was form of surprising. He was appreciated however unknown to many.
And everyone knows what occurred subsequent. To not point out Dargen D’Amico: He was adopted by a distinct segment [audience, but] now even my 80-year-old mom is aware of him.
Can we are saying that Sanremo’s new path contributed to the resurgence of the Italian music trade on a world scale?
That’s the purpose of the pageant. It was actually the case 40 or 50 years in the past, when our music was exported internationally and folks from overseas needed to come back right here to sing in Italian. The vital factor is that Sanremo stays open to any style and any goal. It should liberate itself from preset schemes. One ought to think about the standard of the music, whatever the artist, the label, the style. That’s the one option to attain worldwide success. However we nonetheless have lots to do. That’s why I need three levels, as a result of I need everybody to be current at Sanremo. Once we launched the stage in Piazza Colombo, many individuals criticized it at first, nevertheless it was an enormous success, like it will likely be this 12 months, too. And if I carry Guè on the ship (the favored Italian rapper will carry out on a Costa Crociere cruise ship anchored in entrance of Sanremo), that’s as a result of I need him to have such a great time that he joins the competitors subsequent 12 months.
You managed to carry to the pageant many huge names that — till current years — would have carried out solely as company. For instance, Marco Mengoni and Giorgia.
It’s vital to be a part of the competitors. They understood that Sanremo has modified and that they’ll have far more relevancy in that position. Clearly, we’ll have fun the careers of our visitor artists, reminiscent of Al Bano’s or Pooh’s. That’s perhaps for a extra mature viewers, however I’m not so positive. My daughter, for instance, is absolutely curious to see these tributes.
Did you ever remorse inviting somebody?
No, I don’t. The artists who joined the competitors lately allowed me to create festivals of the very best stage. There are nonetheless many artists I’d like to incorporate.
Like whom, for instance? Tiziano Ferro, perhaps?
They’re too many. If Tiziano Ferro had a music to current, I’d be completely happy to take heed to it. However my checklist could be limitless. The large artists of Italian music that I’d like to have at Sanremo are so many, and it could be unfair to call just some of them.
