L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS arrangement. Other times I add something unexpected – maybe a cover, maybe some- thing very intimate on guitar. T h e s h o w m u s t l i v e a n d b r e a t h e , n o t j u s t r e p e a t itself. Y o u o n c e p l a n n e d a life as a vet. What was the hardest part of leav- ing a safe career path for a completely uncertain one? I c h o s e m u s i c b e c a u s e , deep down, I couldn't live without it. That was more frightening than failing. At the beginning it has been dif- ficult but when the success a r r i v e d o f c o u r s e m y l i f e changed a lot. However, I've never lost my roots. You've performed in places with huge politi- cal or cultural weight – f r o m t h e K r e m l i n t o Havana. Which of those s t a g e s c h a l l e n g e d y o u the most, and why? When I played Moscow, j u s t a f t e r t h e f a l l o f t h e Berlin Wall. There was so much tension, but also so much hope. To play there felt like being part of history. The audience wasn't just lis- tening to music, they were looking for freedom in it. The concert in Havana in 2012 has been a great challenge too: I love Cuba and I did it b e c a u s e I g e n u i n e l y l o v e Cuban people. W o r k i n g w i t h i c o n s like Eric Clapton and Joe Cocker, was there ever a moment in the studio or on tour that completely changed how you think about music? Yes. With Joe Cocker, I learned that the most power- ful performances often come from imperfection. He could sing one note and break your heart. With Eric Clapton, I s a w t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f silence… the space between notes. Both taught me that honesty is more important than technique. Your duet with Russell Crowe, who also directed t h e v i d e o , o n J u s t Breathe has a backstory o f f r i e n d s h i p . W h a t detail about this collabo- r a t i o n w o u l d s u r p r i s e people the most? That it started when we met in Australia: I was there on tour and that night I had my show at the Opera House i n S y d n e y . R u s s e l l i s a friend, not just a star, and when we were talking about life and music, the idea just happened naturally. People might be surprised by how genuine and spontaneous it all was. When you sing in Eng- lish versus Italian, do you approach the phras- ing or emotion different- ly, or is it purely about the song? It's always about the song. In English, the rhythm of the words is different, shorter, sharper. In Italian, the lan- guage is round, melodic. But in both cases, I try to serve the emotion of the story. After so many shows a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , i s there a ritual, before or a f t e r a c o n c e r t , t h a t keeps performing fresh for you? Before the show, I like to have quiet time but if there is a good friend around I'm happy to welcome him in my d r e s s i n g r o o m t o h a v e a g l a s s o f w i n e a n d h a v e a l a u g h t o g e t h e r . A f t e r t h e show I never go back to the h o t e l b e f o r e h a v i n g g o o d food. It is important for me to sit at the restaurant after the show for some food and some chat. It helps to bring down the adrenaline of the show. L o o k i n g a h e a d , i s there a musical idea or experiment you've been s a v i n g f o r t h e r i g h t moment that you might finally try soon? I ' m a l w a y s w r i t i n g a n d experimenting, but I prefer to let the music speak when it's ready. Lately I've been playing with fresh arrange- ments and a few unexpected collaborations that push my b l u e s r o o t s i n n e w d i r e c - tions. When it's ready, you'll hear it first on stage. "California gave me a kind of freedom – the idea that music could be bigger than borders. Every time I return, I feel that same spirit" - Zucchero Fornaciari CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Zucchero "Sugar" Fornaciari tours the world to celebrate more than 40 years in the music industry (Photo: Fabio Diena/Dreamstime)

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