Francesca Michielin: “I wanted to withdraw. Saved by my myths”
«I feel intact. I’m having fun, I’m exploring. I found the joy of being in the environment of discography, which is not always simple, “says Francesca Michielin on the other side of the phone, during a break of the tests. The last few months have been among the most difficult of the career of the singer -songwriter of Bassano del Grappa, who at 30 years old seems to have already completed the whole cycle of ascent (he was 16 years old when in 2011 he won X Factor and found himself signing a contract with Sony), fall and redemption that the pop stars make in a whole career: participation in the last Sanremo Festival with “Mud in Paradise” and opened a expectations and Crisis that has led, among other things, also to a change of management. «But this is not correct to say this: there is no new manager. Simply, I’m self -managed, “she says, that after ten years she separated from the (now ex) manager Marta Donà. On Saturday 4 October he will perform for the first time in his career at the Arena in Verona (for the occasion he invited about twenty colleagues from Carmen Consoli to Fedez, from Emma to Vasco Brondi, from Levante to Max Gazzé, passing through Bruno Bello and Carl Brave). The day before, Friday 3, he will publish a new EP, “souls”: «Before I was anxious. Today they are no longer. I make music because I want to leave something », he explains.
Anxious about what?
«The world of discography asks you to be hyper performing. And from 2022 onwards I certified less, if not zero. I went to the studio I don’t say unwillingly, but I felt a soldier: “I do the session, I go home, I hope the records are happy”. He had become a little bit of cumbersome. “
Ever thought of giving up?
“Everyday. I am a perfectionist. And then I am hypecritic towards myself. In recent years the results have not arrived. I said to myself: “I have to change jobs” ».
What made you change your mind?
«I remembered that all the artists who inspired me, from Carmen Consoli to Dan Black, with whom I collaborated for the single” is natural “together with the Planet Funk, net of the numbers have left a mark. And I understood that careers are paths: it is not a question of collecting successes or flop ».
How does participation in the last Sanremo, twenty -first on twenty -nine participants, pushed you to question you?
«He played a role in the chaos that I already had in my head. I am happy to have arrived twenty -first, because if I had arrived, I know, among the top ten, I would probably have continued to live music with that soldier approach. Instead the blow was a way to encourage me ».
Interrupt the collaboration with Marta Donà was an unpopular move. How did the decision mature?
«I met Marta that I was 16 years old: it was my A&R in Sony. He is a person I respect a lot and from whom I learned a lot: he is the best. At 30 I think I have acquired tools to manage me. Today they are managers of myself. After the Arena of Verona I will evaluate whether to continue like this or rely on someone ».
Would you like to put into practice those teachings by doing for young talents what you did for you?
«At this moment no: I have a lot of work to do on myself. But something I would like to do is create a space in my bassano, a cultural center, where young guys can breathe some of this world of music in a healthier way. There, in the province in which I grew up, there is nothing more than local to go to make aperitif ».
What story will you tell the stage of the Verona Arena?
“The concert was born from the idea of celebrating my thirty years, but in fact it will be a musical diary. I will also tell the particular songs and mash ups that have inspired me and made the person who are today ».
Any anticipation?
«It will be a four -act concert with many different moments. We rearranged all the songs of my repertoire ».
Is it true that for the concert at the Acena of Verona did you choose to have an all -female band?
“Yes. They are all great talented multi -instrumentalists. I want to mention them one by one: Viviana Colombo (aka VV, singer -songwriter already at the service of Marco Mengoni, Gaia, Baby K, ed), Giorgia Canton, Sofia Volpiana and Maura De Santis. I wish this was my fixed band, forever. They are people with whom I am fine and I am finding the joy of being in the studio ».
Is it a way to do something concrete for the cause, instead of filling your mouth of good intentions and slogans?
«Absolutely yes. It is not true that there are no musicians: there are all right. The problem is that these girls are never given space. It is as if to have Men Musicians gave an extra authoritativeness in the band. I have had very good guitarists over the years, but the sound that VV has never found in anyone: it has a grunge attitude in playing the guitar I like. The power of representation is fundamental. If one day I will go on tour with these girls and in the room there will be girls to see us, it would be nice to be inspired ».
Did you go to the goals for the Arena after the Arena or do you sail on sight?
«Now I only think of the arena. I want to do it at the best of my possibilities. I worked on it for months ».
What will include the EP that will be released on the eve of the concert?
“In addition to the singles” is natural “and” Francesca “there will also be” mud in paradise “in two versions: the one already published and an unprecedented version of the demo, with an interpretation that I was no longer able to replicate in the subsequent take. It has a magic that I like. I don’t feel like making a record this year. I have great respect for that format and I don’t want to throw music away ».
