La musica d'italia

Ok, let me start by saying that I've been meaning to do this for a while, but I was nervous because its usually not me at all to share (stuff that I think only matters to me). I know these songs are in another language, but if you're a fan of music just hear me out.

I teach Italian. I like music. Transitive property: I like Italian music. And I don't mean Andrea Bocelli. It FREAKING BREAKS MY HEART when I bring up Italian music and the first thing people tell me is how much they love Andrea Bocelli. No you don't. Tell me you HONESTLY go home and put on an opera playlist and I will eat a pen.

So, when teaching and talking to high schoolers, I need to let them know that Italian music includes all the kinds of music that we listen to here...only the words are in another language. Fabri Fibra is an amazing hip hop artist with a great DJ team. And Finley is a pretty good alternative to Fall Out Boy or Good Charlotte. I even recently found a hardcore-ish group for a kid in my class that likes scream-o.

The cake-topper, most famous, and also classiest/most amazing Italian artist is a guy named Jovanotti. I've been listening to him for year and I'll tell you why. One album is never like the last, but he maintains a level of charm on each album that keeps me coming back. In the 90's, I first started listening to his music and haven't stopped.

To boot, he is BY FAR the sharpest dresser of any musician I've ever seen, and he has the record for most wins of Music VIdeo of the Year. If John Vaught was a musician and not an artist, I swear he'd be Jovanotti. His latest album, ORA (means NOW) is a quasi-pop album where almost every song is about how its important to love life when you can and affect the outside world with your attitude. Check out his latest video for "La notte di desideri" (Nights of Wishes). The lyrics are saying how he makes a wish at night and when he wakes up he makes it come true. So in the video, he's making his day more magical.

If this is boring to you, start watching at 2:20. He is POSSIBLY my favorite musician and check out that sequined jacket.

Yours in all things italiano,
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