Laura Pausini and the covers (and the other records of the week)
From the introspective indie-pop of Joji to the return of Laura Pausini to the covers with the second volume of “Io canto”, twenty years after the first, passing through the cinematic writing of Tiromancino: what is about to begin will be a week of record releases that cross very different genres, languages and sensibilities. There is also space for the new soul-r&b nuances of Ella Mai and the conscious and uncompromising rap of Danno, the historic voice of Italian hip hop. Five records that tell as many sound worlds.
Laura Pausini – “Io canto 2”
Laura Pausini returns on February 6th with “Io Canto 2”, a new covers album published twenty years after the original project. The album is a tribute to songwriters, performers and composers in the history of Italian music, with a sound horizon that also includes songs in foreign languages linked to Italy, such as Portuguese, French and German adaptations of national classics. Among the anticipatory covers there is the single “Ritorno ad amore”, a reinterpretation by Biagio Antonacci, and an Italian-French duet with Julien Lieb on “Due vite” by Marco Mengoni. The project includes versions of pieces ranging from the 1960s to 2023 and is accompanied by the news of the artist’s eleventh world tour, which will visit Europe, Latin America and the United States in 2026/2027.
Tiromancino – “When I least expect it”
Tiromancino releases the new album ” Quando meno me lo expect “, the fourteenth studio album by the band led by Federico Zampaglione. The recording project is preceded by the single “January 2016”, an intense ballad that is part of the group’s songwriting tradition and which continues the stylistic path of refined fusion between pop, light electronics and reflective lyrics. A return that chooses intimacy and emotion as its main language, accompanying the listener in a new chapter of Zampaglione’s artistic journey.
Danno – “Aka Danno”
February 6th marks a historic milestone for Danno, a veteran rapper on the Italian scene, with the release of his first official solo album, “Aka Danno”. After a decades-long career with Colle Der Fomento and other projects such as Artificial Kid, Danno finally brings his voice to a record under his own name, consisting of ten tracks produced by DJ Craim and with collaborations from Ice One and Motta. The work, anticipated by the singles “Vamos a la playa” and “Tom Waits”, explores identities, internal and external visions while maintaining a strong link with classic Italian hip hop and a critical look at the present.
Joji – “Piss in the wind”
Four years after that “Glimpse of us” which transformed him from a troll into a true pop star, making him collect billions of streams on Spotify worldwide, George Kusunoki Miller – half Australian origins (from his father’s side) and half Japanese (from his mother’s father) – releases his new album, “Piss in the wind”. Literally: “Pissing in the wind”. The album promises to balance melancholy writing and emotional introspection with rockier production. According to the first official descriptions, the project blends intimate and nostalgic elements from Joji’s past with a more evolved approach. Among the songs that will be included on the album are the singles “Pixelated kisses”, “If it only gets better”, “Past won’t leave my bed” and “Love you less”: four very different pieces that promise to represent the many facets of “Piss in the wind”.
Ella Mai – “Do you still love me?”
The British singer who was rejected from It’s called “Do you still love me?” and arrives four years after the previous “Heart on my sleeve”. The project is entirely executive-produced by Mustard, already alongside – among others – Tyga and Rihanna. According to the previews, the album tells love stories with an intimate and narrative tone, with songs about bonds, vulnerability and personal growth, all with a modern but deeply personal R&B sound.
