I-Italy was able to catch singer Gigi D’alesso before his arrival in the City and had the chance to ask him a few questions. The Naples-born singer has sold 12 million copies and achieved 100 platinum awards during a 20 year career.
February 14th is an important date for you and New York City. In 2011 you had a concert at Radio City Music Hall, a legendary venue, what do you remember of that experience, and what are you bringing to your North American audiences this time?
“New York’s Radio City Music Hall is the temple of world music, the greatest artists of all time have performed there. That definitely was one of the most emotional experiences of my career. I remember it fondly. It was the realization of a lifelong dream, despite all the sacrifices I had to endure, I made it there… but it was also a stimulus for the future. It was a destination and at the same time a stepping stone for new projects.”
The Italian superstar has released his 18th studio set Ora, via Sony Music on February 4th, followed by the kick off of his world tour with a seven city concert run of the continent on February 7th . Ora features D'Alessio in collaboration with Neopolitan musician Enzo Avitabile on the track Notte di lune storte while the song Serpente e sonagli features words penned by the legendary Italian lyricist Mogol and includes the voice of Anna Tatangelo, D'Alessio's life partner who will be joining him on stage in the US and Canada.
Tell us about your collaboration with Enzo Avitabile for the song Notti di Lune Storte. How important collaborating with other artists is for you?
“Notti di Lune Storte is one of the most significative songs of the new album. A singer’s artistic career runs parallel to his personal life, and often certain aspects of the latter are disregarded.
Once you get home after a bunch of engagements have taken place, you realize that things have changed and you are totally unaware of it. You understand that change is unavoidable and that you have held a supporting role, not a starring role, in your life. Collaborating with other artists is a way to enrich your artistic growth and a way to share something unique, in this case with a great artist and friend named Enzo Avitabile.”
Tell us about Ora, how did it become the song that defines the new album?
“Ora is a piece that I wrote with my audience on my mind. I was thinking of all those who have supported me since the beginning of my career. It is a direct homage to my fans. Its lyrics have developed, in the immediate, Ora, Right Now. Its immediacy fits perfectly with the new project.”
You have publicly declared that this is an album that you could have written only after having turned 40. How do you describe your music of today and that of when you started? How did you evolve?
“My music and the desire to sing are still the same, but the contents and the messages I want to convey through my songs have changed. You reach a certain artistic maturity mostly because you reach a personal maturity, simply by growing older. Experiences and emotions are lived differently during your life cycle. I hope I am able to communicate this evolution through all my songs.”
Has being from Naples been influential on your musicality?
“Neapolitan music, in all its authenticity, is an Italian product that is still exported abroad despite the new influences and trends that have saturated the music market.”
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