«Sor not woman, fat, rapper and queer: I have them all.” She’s not afraid to call things by their name BigMama23 years old, one of the artists who will perform for the first time this year on the stage ofAriston.
The rapper from Avellino Marianna Mammone – this is her real name – she is “very excited” in view of her debut in Sanremo, and she doesn’t care about the controversies that involve her: «When Amadeus announced me as a competitor, the rush to discredit me on social media immediately started“, he said. But «as soon as I went on stage at the Ariston, for the rehearsals, I understood that that was my place, that I deserved to be up there».
On the other hand, his own nickname “BigMama” is the demonstration of the determination of this young artist. «My surname is Mammone and therefore Big Mama is the worst translation I could do», she said jokingly. «I was amused by the fact that Big Why was added I’ve always been greatnot only physically but also many other things. Mama, on the other hand, recalls both my name, Marianna, and my surname, Mammone. No research but just real life.”
Anger is not enough for youthe song by BigMama
Anger is not enough for you it is the song with which he will debut at the Ariston, but already in 2023 Elodie he had wanted her with him on the Festival stage on the evening of duets with American Woman by Lenny Kravitz.
Elodie and BigMama at the 73rd Sanremo Festival, in 2023, in the evening dedicated to covers. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli//Getty Images)
A few months later he performed in front of 300 thousand in Piazza San Giovanni in Rome for the May Day concert. «I’m here to talk to you about a fantastic person who I respect very much: BigMama, me. As a child, I wasn’t treated very well by people. “Fat girl, you suck, go hide,” they told me. And I was convinced I deserved it, I thought I didn’t deserve the center of attention of my own life […] Now look how f*** I am!”, he shouted from the stage to his audience.
Returning to his Sanremo song, written by the artist together with Maria Lodovica Lazzerini, «I needed to vent. A song that I dedicated it to Marianna as a childteenager: I felt the need to say something to the me of the past who needed so much Love And attention».
Today, he wants to tell that little girl to «believe it even if others say you can’t do it because she is fat, because she is a woman, because she comes from a small background and from a not wealthy family. Because she is queer.”
Big Mama and Amadeus at Sanremo Giovani 2023. (Photo by Stefania D’Alessandro/Getty Images)
A song that talks about redemption
For her, «it is one sort of circle that closes. They are excuses I make to myself”. It is a aggressive song which is about redemption and transformation, It’s a song that closes a circle for me». The meaning is that of «Don’t be afraid to believe in yourselfnot to be influenced by what others think.”
On the cover evening, however, she will be accompanied by La Nina, Gaia and Sissi for an original version of the famous song Lady Marmaladefamous piece by Christina Aguilera, Mya, P!nk and Lil’ Kim.
Rehearsal day at the Ariston for BigMama. (IPA)
BigMama’s Sanremo Festival
“For me Sanremo it’s a huge load of emotions, it is a dream I’ve had for a while‘. A beautiful stage that always brought my family together, a moment of family gathering. I have a lot of expectations, it’s a return».
Despite this great pressure, «I will try to enjoy all the emotions. Let’s hope not too much anxiety!», he said. Even if she admits that she likes her «be looked at. And I won’t let stress ruin it all for me (laughs)”.
But its presence at the Ariston does not stop at these objectives: BigMama also brings with it another mission. «I care about it normalize the place of fat people on TV. When I was little, they were always the clowns of the situation. I myself believed it, I had developed atoxic self-deprecation, I belittled myself. Now when a child tells me that when he grows up he wants to be like me, I get excited. Because I’ve never had a reference like that. But you have to believe in your dreams».
Your prediction on the possible victory? «I hope for a podium composed only of women: we deserve it!
BigMama’s career
BigMama began writing her first songs at a very young age, at just 13 years old «after that some kids threw stones at me for my physical appearance.” He has started alone«through karaoke, singing competitions, my town choir, the theater choir, the school choir. I’ve made progressstep by step,” he said.
He graduated from the Scientific High School in Avellino, but then decided to move to Milan to study Urban planning at the Polytechnic. Since 2018 begins to publish his first freestylesand in 2019 he joined Massimo Pericolo’s label.
After a few singles released in 2021, such as XXL format And TooMuch, in 2022 he releases his first album, Next Big Thing. In the lyrics of his songs, some recurring themes, such as bodyshaming, discriminations, bullying, homophobia And self-harm.
BigMama and bullying
«I suffered a violent bullyingeven from a physical point of view, too sexual violence. Nothing is really missing from the appeal”, she said. «And so that we don’t miss anything, at twenty I discovered that I had the cancer». For a long time, he said. «I responded to hate with hate, my primary vector was anger. Then I understood that it is necessary to transform negative energies into positive ones. Now I have changed.”
According to BigMama, to really change things «we need real examples. As Lizzoshe is great, it is also thanks to artists like her that today I no longer have shame and I dress as I like. As a child I only wore loose, knee-length t-shirts. Even though I have fat everywhere, now I go out in a tank top.”
Today he finally has forgave herself and has reconciled with her painful and violent past. She can finally look forward. And to celebrate this significant victory, you would need another equally intense one. May this be the right time for her to triumph at Sanremo Festival?
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