L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 4 A delmo Forna- c i a r i m a y b e his birth name, but the world k n o w s h i m s i m p l y a s Z u c c h e r o , o r "Sugar." Over a career span- ning mor e than 40 year s, this Italian singer-songwriter h a s s o l d o v e r 6 0 m i l l i o n records, won multiple World M u s i c A w a r d s , s i x I F P I Europe Platinum Awards, and earned a Grammy nomi- nation. Yet, while growing up in Reggio Emilia, North- ern Italy, he could hardly have imagined this life: early ambitions pointed to veteri- n a r y s c h o o l , n o t s o l d - o u t arenas. It was in Bologna, during h i s u n i v e r s i t y y e a r s , t h a t Zucchero discovered soul music and with it, a voice and style that would later e a r n c o m p a r i s o n s t o J o e Cocker. Learning guitar and initially writing songs for others, he soon realized that p e r f o r m i n g h i m s e l f w a s i n e v i t a b l e . B y t h e e a r l y 1980s, he was appearing at Italy's Sanremo Festival and other competitions, cutting his teeth with bands like I Ducali, Sugar & Candies, and Taxi, and winning the Castrocaro Music Festival in 1981. International recognition c a m e w i t h h i s C a l i f o r n i a recordings alongside pro- ducer Corrado Rustici and a roster of top-tier session musicians, including Randy Jackson. Hits like Donne blended Italian melody w i t h A m e r i c a n s o u l , paving the way for landmark albums such as Rispetto, Blue's, and Oro Incenso e Birra. Collaborations with Eric C l a p t o n , S t i n g , L u c i a n o P a v a r o t t i , a m o n g o t h e r s , along with performances at iconic events – from Wood- stock '94 to Live 8 in Paris and Rome – cemented his global stature. Over his career, he has performed in 69 countries a c r o s s f i v e c o n t i n e n t s , sometimes for audiences as large as 80,000, as it hap- p e n e d i n H a v a n a , C u b a . Now, Zucchero returns to N o r t h A m e r i c a w i t h t h e O v e r d o s e d ' A m o r e World Tour. Kicking off in M o n t e r e y o n O c t o b e r 1 7 , 2025, and hitting San Fran- c i s c o , L o s A n g e l e s , S a n D i e g o , P h o e n i x , a n d L a s Vegas, the tour promises a sweeping journey through his musical universe. Far from being a mere greatest- hits collection, Overdose d'Amore is a fully immersive show that brings together c l a s s i c s o n g s w i t h n e w arrangements, unexpected c o l l a b o r a t i o n s , a n d moments of intimacy that only a seasoned performer like Zucchero can deliver. Recent highlights include a duet with Russell Crowe on Pearl Jam's Just Breathe, a collaboration that reflects f r i e n d s h i p a n d m u t u a l a d m i r a t i o n a s m u c h a s m u s i c a l c h e m i s t r y . T h e Overdose d'Amore shows are a real celebration of Zuc- chero's creativity and talent, c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s h e w i d e l y d e m o n s t r a t e d t o p o s s e s s t h r o u g h o u t d e c a d e s o f music and concerts across continents. In this exclusive interview with L'Italo-Americano, Zucchero shares reflections on creativity, performance, and the moments that con- tinue to shape his art. Overdose d'Amore is such an evocative title, what image or feeling first came to you when y o u c h o s e i t f o r t h e tour? F o r m e , O v e r d o s e d'Amore is an explosion of passion. It's about giving e v e r y t h i n g – h e a r t , s o u l , m u s i c – w i t h o u t h o l d i n g back. It's a celebration of love in all its forms. Y o u r f i r s t b i g U S recordings happened in S a n F r a n c i s c o . W h e n you come back to Cali- fornia now, is there a memory from that early p e r i o d t h a t s t i l l p o p s i n t o y o u r m i n d ? Yes, very much. I remember walking into the studio and feeling both terrified and alive. California gave me a kind of freedom – the idea that music could be bigger than borders. Every time I return, I feel that same spir- it. Rather than a simple "greatest hits" set, how a r e y o u s h a p i n g t h e show to give longtime f a n s s o m e t h i n g u n e x - pected? O f c o u r s e , I p l a y t h e songs people know and love, but I also like to surprise. S o m e t i m e s I t a k e a n o l d s o n g a n d g i v e i t a n e w Zucchero set to ignite North America with Overdose d'Amore World Tour SIVIA NITTOLI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Zucchero on stage (Photo courtesy of Gelb Productions)

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