Måneskin: an amazing year for the Italian group that won Eurovision 2021
The Italian band Måneskin became world famous within an incredibly short time span. They had started out as street musicians and are now the hottest musicians fashion icons of global pop culture.
They won the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest with style. Måneskin not only had a catchy song with rock, soul and a beat, but the band also impressed with their clothes and behavior. See how the Italian song contest winners evolved into fashion icons.
The first thing that catches the attention of this Italian band is the young age of its members. Damiano David, the leader and soul of the band, was born in January 1999… and is the oldest of the group!
Victoria de Angelis, the bass player, was born in April 2000; drummer Ethan Torchio is from October 2000; and Thomas Raggi, the guitarist, was born in January 2001.
The origin of the group lies in Rome, where the four members come from. They started playing in 2015, when they were only 14 / 15 years old.
It was Victoria de Angelis and Thomas Raggi (the guitarists, on the left and right of this photo) who decided to start a band in the first place. Damiano David would join the duo a little later, and the last to do so would be Ethan Torchio.
How did they find each other? Well, in the way that bands apparently found their members in 2015: with an ad on Facebook.
Måneskin's beginnings, like those of many other bands, involved gigs in small venues, knocking on many doors, and even playing on the street. Little by little, the band gained fame on social media and in real life.
And the name 'Måneskin'? Well, this must be attributed to Victoria De Angelis, who used Danish, her mother tongue, to give the band its name. 'Måneskin' means 'Moonlight'.
In 2017 came a big move towards success. The country got to know Måneskin through the Italian version of the talent show 'X Factor'.
After they came in second in the 'X Factor' final, Måneskin got a contract with Sony Music. In 2018, they released' Il Ballo della Vita,' their first album. It was a hit in terms of both critical reception and sales.
The best known singles of that successful first album were 'Moriró da re' and 'Torna a casa'. In the meantime, Måneskin made a name for itself as spectacular live performers.
In March 2021, Måneskin won the 71st edition of the San Remo Festival. It gave them a ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest. The band represented Italy with the song 'Zitti e buoni'.
'Zitti e buoni' means: 'Keep quiet and be good'. It points a finger at the ruling classes (in school, the press and in politics) that refuse to take criticism from young people.
On May 22, 2021, Måneskin gave Italy the third Eurovision victory in its history. It had been three decades since Italy had won the coveted award.
Måneskin's success is based on the selection of a strong, danceable track and the styling of the four young rockers in strikingly sensual seventies' outfits. Glam rock, decibels, and rebellion - with hints of sexual promiscuity - made it an effective entry for the song contest.
Importantly, band leader Damiano David embodies all of those characteristics. He enchanted millions of Eurofans.
Obviously, David's appearance and charisma are only a small part of his strengths. He has talent and an amazing stage presence. Not only the Eurovision audience but also that of Coachella 2022 lay at his feet.
That's right, Coachella! The band had an amazing year since they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021. They won the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Rock and are also in the running for two Billboard Music Awards.
Their hit 'Beggin',' a cover of the song by Frankie Valli (also covered by Madcon), became a global anthem for 2021. The band got an American Music Award nomination for this catchy tune.
Recently, the Italian rock stars released their single 'Supermodel'. They will probably play it at the 2022 Eurovision gala.
There's also an album coming out, produced by Max Martin who's also worked with Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and other big stars.
So it's safe to say that Måneskin is at the top of the world!