Our yearly love for Italy is as predictable as Sweden’s wind machines and Belarus’ 12 points to Russia. But Mahmood gives us no reason for changing the game:
We have been in shock a couple of times when Italy didn’t end up with the big trophy. Why didn’t Marco Mengoni, the greatest Italian loverboy since Luigi Tenco who regularly sells out football stadions in Italy and gets suits special made from Ferragamo, charm the heck out of Europe’s juries like he charms us every time he posts something new on Instagram? What exactly did not appeal to the jury with the two fantastic Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro singing a duet about the horrors of war and terrorism? Why, oh why, didn’t Francesco Gabbani and his fabulous ape get all the SMS votes available in Europe outside Belarus?
So many theories have been made. Of no use to anyone. We prefer to look ahead and still believe in a victory.
Mahmood was declared the winner of San Remo in a dramatic final where 6 entries actually got more public votes than him. But, true to Italian tradition, the people’s opinion didn’t count for much in the end and the high gentlemen of the jury gave the 26-year-old the ticket to Tel Aviv while runner-up Ultimo was left sobbing in a dark corner of the Internet together with Italy’s interior minister Matteo Salvini. May they rest there in peace.
We think Mahmood is the best that could come out of Italy at present stage, and the rest of Europe seems to agree, as he is currently number four on the odds and climbing. Also, he is immensely popular in Italy outside of Palazzo del Viminale, as he is a great singer and rapper with a fantastic presence on stage even though he is coyishly shy and underwhelmingly dressed. He has a song that is a perfect combination of Italian pop, hip-hop and trap, which we believe will haunt Radio Kiss Kiss and the beaches of Tuscany for years to come.
Mahmood’s popularity should also be seen in relation to Italy’s most selling artist at the moment, Ghali, who, according to The Atlantic, is drawing even far-right voters to his concerts, where he displays his Tunisian background and tells tales about the extensive refugee situation in Italy while filled with love. Mahmood tells us about his Egyptian father, and even throw a few lines in Arabic in there, which, in addition to sounding great, should score him a few extra points with the immigrants of Europe while Israel should forever hold their silence.
Yup, we love Mahmood and THIS should be able to secure the trophy. After all, if everyone but Matteo Salvini loves you, it should be a sign of great quality. And juries tend to disagree with that guy anyway.
Prima gli Italiani! Forza Mahmood!
Hi, the image in the cover album is very iconic!
Mahmood loves symbols and metaphors (if you watch the video of soldi you notice that) and explained the meaning of this image.
His shirt and bottle of milk have a meaning ! You have to look for the film “Rebel without a cause” to understand the white t shirt and red shirt (Mahmood loves this film and the melancholy of james dean, he’s a melanchonic person too; in the film James Dean wears these clothes) ;about the bottle of milk, in the film, james dean put the cold bottle on his cheek after receiving a punch, mahmood pouring the milk represents a generation that doesn’ t want to fight but prefer to let it go); rayquaza because he was a huge fan of pokemon, and the red circle as a connection to asia (he loves japanese world and you have to listen to the amazing song Asia Occidenteto feel other connections).
I think this album cover is amazing !
Bye
Interesting, thank you. We actually love the picture, but like to make a little fun sometimes!
Ps the title of the film “Rebel without a cause” in Italian is “Gioventù bruciata” (“wasted youth”) and Gioventù bruciata is the title of Mahmood’album (and it is also the title of a song of Mahmood that can be considered the first part of Soldi because he tells about the relation with his father…)
Nice! We love that song as well. Mahmood FTW!