gyeah, the ukulele. Like Marilyn in Some like it hot… «I had no idea of this connection, I discovered it after I started playing». Didn’t she know? “No (spread your arms). And I will say more: for me Monroe was a simple icon, a kind of Betty Boop». Serena Jonta marvels at the amazement of us boomers, to which the Hawaiian instrument immediately evokes “Sugar” performing in Runnin’ Wild in the train car, accompanied by Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis en travesti.
“Serepocaiontas”
Serena Ionta with her ukulele (photo Fabrizio Cestari).
«And that wasn’t the only surprise» he continues, in the bright Milanese house in the Navigli area, “Serepocaiontas” (“The high school classmates gave it to me, I kept it as my stage name»). Launched in the cinema by Leonardo Pieraccioni with The sex of angels in 2022 and on TV by Fiorello with Long live Rai2!, the singer is now performing six covers on the soundtrack of Everyone at home is finethe second season of Gabriele Muccino’s series (on Sky and Now from 5 May).
What else was there that he didn’t know about the ukulele?
It arises from the adaptation of the cavaquinho Portuguese. The most famous musician was Hawaiian Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. In 2013 Violetta Zironi had introduced it to X Factor and the first to bring it to the Sanremo stage was Rino Gaetano in 1978 with Gianna. He used the soprano ukulele, I prefer the tenor (there are six categories: sopranino, soprano, concert, tenor, baritone, bass, ed). Bottom line, I had very little knowledge…
Ukulele, joy at an affordable price
So where does this rather original choice come from?
From a stroke of lightning. I saw it in a shop window six or seven years ago, just when I was looking for a “joyful” instrument to keep me company: I had moved from Latina to study at Bocconi and was suffering a bit from loneliness. It was accessible for the price (60-70 euros is enough for a good one), super portable (you put it in your backpack), quite immediate: in just one week I had learned two or three reasons.
But he had studied music before.
Yes. I started playing the classical guitar when I was seven, at 14 my parents asked me to choose between a moped and a piano, and… no doubt: the piano. At 15, I dedicated myself to singing, first pop (Elisa and Giorgia my favorites), then jazz. In the summer, I attended seminars with my boyfriend at the time, a saxophonist. I’ve always wanted to be a singer.
Always always?
At the age of 8-9 I wrote with a schoolmate (she’s still my best friend) reasons we hoped to propose to the Zecchino d’oro!
“The mantra: todo bien!”
Serena Iontaplays the ukulele in “The Sex of Angels”.
Remember the first one?
Certain! That little tree over there, dedicated to a solitary plant in the elementary school garden. A very sad thing, it was understood that my figure would be melancholy (laughs)! I was very fond of Dido and tried to imitate her in English. But how many afternoons spent singing Tiziano Ferro, who is from Latina like me. Not even disappointment stopped me.
What disappointment?
A kind of audition – I must have been seven years old – for the church choir. In line, we had to perform a few verses of I thank you my Lord. My turn came, the teacher – very bad! – She concluded: “No, voice too standard!”. Standard?!? Who knows, maybe it was the desire for redemption that pushed me to persevere. And in any case I don’t let myself get discouraged, my mantra is: “todo bien”, everything is fine. I repeat it to myself even when things go wrong, when performance anxiety attacks me.
If you had a clear goal, why Bocconi?
Heh, good question! I probably felt within me that I had to add something to the passion… A guy from Latina had recommended the course in Economics and management for art, culture and communication, explaining to me that there were interesting courses such as music business, seminars with artists. I enrolled (at the same time I also enrolled in jazz singing at the Conservatory): I attended both the three-year and the two-year courses. I even composed a song about the university, The economist. The refrain was: “Because I’m not like you, that you relax with to fall asleep The Economist”.
Serena Ionta and boyfriend
It was definitely not his way.
There on the table, however, there is a Economistbut it belongs to my boyfriend whom I met in class nine years ago (smiles) and that I followed in London – where he had moved – when it came to choosing the internship. And in England I stayed to deal with digital marketing. It wasn’t time wasted.
Why not?
I was managing a small business’ Instagram and learned how to sponsor content on Facebook. Meanwhile I had my ukulele and – crazy coincidence – my roommate played it too! I founded a duo with a childhood friend guitarist, Gennaro Ricciardone: we called ourselves “Le Salopettes”, in the videos for social media we wore overalls. And thanks to those videos, which I promoted using the skills acquired on the job, I was noticed by a producer, Daniele Silvestri (namesake of the songwriter).
The big leap?
Well, this was the only positive aspect of a tragedy such as the pandemic: having so many hours available, I created a lot of content and was able to evaluate which ones worked. I was able – as is used in “markettaro” jargon – to “abitestarli”, do the abitest.
An example?
I was wondering: does it work better if I look straight into the camera or if I’m in profile? I posted them and judged based on the reactions.
AND? What works best?
The frontal video, the ukulele that can be seen entirely, perhaps adding the chords to the side so whoever wants to play has them available… And the various important calls arrived.
The first?
Pieraccioni contacted me via Instagram: “I’d like to have your voice in my film, there’s also a short scene to shoot on the lake of Lugano, you’ll be a street musician”. And Walter Veltroni tracked me down on Instagram, offering me a version of Sky blue for the end credits of the documentary It was all good.
Youth idol
Serena Ionta (photo Fabrizio Cestari).
However, the boomers are at it with social media!
(smiles) In the meantime Fiorello had seen me on Pieraccioni’s social networks (exactly), he had become my follower: I couldn’t believe it, a youth idol was following me! His show I pay tonight for me it means family evenings, the most pleasant appointment of the week.
And Muccino?
Same story: He reached out to me on Instagram. In her series she entrusted me with six covers (But love is not, What a Wonderful World, Creeps, Tonight You Belong to Me, Amazing Grace, Can’t Help Falling in Love, ed): the events told are harsh, he was looking for a “delicate” music that would work as a contrast.
The performance anxiety will have passed by now.
Nope! Anxieties are created, not destroyed, at most they are transformed… (giggle)
iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED