Isabella's Night with Jovanotti

April 24. Lorenzo Cherubini "Jovanotti"'s concert at the  Webster Hall was a sold out. It was an unforgettable evening for those who could enjoy the music of the internationally known and loved Italian rapper from the very first to the last minute and song. Isabella was among them... She was one of the two winners of our contest, that required all the partecipants to send us an original answer to the question "What would you tell Jovanotti if you met him?". She expressed the desire to bring him to her school, the Scuola d'Italia, the bilingual and bi-curricular Italian-American education institution based in New York.

In these pictures:  Jovanotti; Isabella Cuda, one of the winners of our contest, with her mother  Simona Vaccari

 
We followed her in this special night to recount our readers how enthusiast and excited she was to attend it. Our contest, addressed to participants of all ages, gave her an almost unrepeatable opportunity: spend an evening at the Webster Hall, legendary meeting place of the American jet set, and attend the concert of her idol in the VIP area of the club. It was an event that both her and the rest of the audience will remember for a very long time.

Jovanotti started his tour in the United States on April 22 and New York was his second stop. His public was literally set on fire by his funky and somehow tribal rhythms.

After a long stay in New York last summer, the artist decided to come back to North America for a short tour that brought him from Washington to Chicago and then to Canada. Together with exceptional musicians such as Saturnino, Riccardo Onori, Gil Olivera, Kristos Rafaelidis ,Charles Blenzing, Gilamr Gomes, and Meia Noite, he gave life to an original mix of dub, jazz, and afro-beat music that made almost everybody dance.

 
The Webster Hall, built in 1886, has become one of the most exclusive venues in the country, having hosted world stars such as the Linkin Park, the Green day, Madonna, and Lady Gaga.

The location was not chosen by case: the Tuscan singer-songwriter performs only in historical clubs that have welcomed internationally renowned singers and musicians.
After New York, the tour touched Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal and Toronto: a brief visit that has indeed surprised even the most sceptical for its outstanding outcome and that has paved the path for the launch of Jovanotti's new album in 2011.

Useless to say, Jovanotti is Isabella's true idol.
She came with her very youthful mother Simona and crossed the shiny threshold of the club to enjoy two vibrant hours of fun characterized by extraordinary bass solos by Saturnino and the Latin sound of Gil Oliveira's percussions.

Lorenzo's more than 20-years career has been increasingly successful and still today he conquers fans among the new generations, renewing his music continuously. Now he is facing his new US adventure bringing to this side of the ocean his all-Italian improvisations, music and words.

Isabella's idea to ask him to sing in her school is symbolically important. It will give her non-Italian schoolmates not only the opportunity to meet Jovanotti but also to approach a new musical world, where Italian lyrics are accompanied by rhythms close to the American ones. She understood that the key to the singer's success is to keep his "Italian singing" also when performing before a foreign audience. His style is simple and unrepeatable.

His reinterpretations of both new and old successes excited the extremely various audience, that was encouraged to sing and move at the rhythm of the songs on the dance-floor.
It was a "Dancing tribe", as the title of one of his songs suggests. He played historical pieces such as "Penso Positivo" (I think Positive); "Serenata Rap" (Rap Serenade); "Non m'annoio" (I am not bored); "Piove" (It's raining); "L'ombelico del mondo" (The bellybutton of the world); "Bella" (Beautiful). He also sang more recent songs such as "Tanto" (A lot); "Baciami ancora" (Keep kissing me); and "Dove ho visto te" (Where I saw you).

This performance, fully dedicated to his Italian fans living in the New York area, was like a "Monday of vacation after a year of work", as Jovanotti himself said.
Although the artist decided to start his new American adventure to enter a new market and conquer a new audience by exporting and promoting his music Made in Italy, he can still count on a huge number of fans that welcomes him with extraordinary warmth and love every time he comes. 

As the concert was about to end, Jovanotti dedicated a song to his wife and daughter, both attending his performance from a private spot. An eternal child that "thinks positive" and "never gets bored", he often mentions the two women of his life in his songs and never wastes an occasion to homage them.

Isabella and her mother, after having spent all their energies singing and jumping, left the Webster Hall tired but with a huge smile on their faces. They felt also a little nostalgic, though: the young student's parents had to leave Italy two years ago for work reasons but never forgot their country, that accompanies them at every step of their life in New York. 

“This city never stops surprising and offering you exciting things to do. Being here tonight, however, had a special meaning to me: my daughter lived an Italian evening, and enjoyed a music that is very close to her generation" said Simona at the event of the event.

After this very special night, Isabella is wishing even more that her dream will come true and that she will finally be able to bring her idol among her professors and schoolmates and have him sing in the gym of the Scuola d'Italia.