THEn some way, they managed to reunite Italy. At least from a geographical point of view. Why Theø, Plant and Fiks – alias Matteo Botticini, Francesco Emanuele Clemente and Enrico Fonte – better known as i The Sadcome from the three corners of the Bel Paese: Lombardy, Puglia and Veneto. United by a passion, that for music.
And now they will also move into Liguriawhere they are expected by Amadeus to go on stage atAriston with their song, Self-destructive, written together with Riccardo Zanotti, singer of Nuclear Tactical Penguins. And “self-destructive” is also the definition given by the group to love, Why “breaks your heart in half».
The song tells the life of «a boy, who since he was born he is unable to be accepted by his family, from his friends, from society. So he encounters a suffering of non-acceptance of his being of him.” On the duet evening, however, they will perform with Donatella Rectorin his famous song Razor blades.
La Sad: Codacons has requested disqualification
The process for their participation in the Festival was not simple: Codacons had in fact requested that the group be disqualified due to the lyrics of the songs, withheld too offensive towards women.
Amadeus, however, intervened promptly, explaining that he had gone «to look at the meaning of the word prejudice in the dictionary, a preconceived opinion capable of causing people to adopt unjust attitudes. That’s why I I don’t like people who have a prejudicetowards someone or something”, the host pointed out.
Thus effectively opening the way for these young artists, who greatly appreciated the presenter’s defense: «We would like to say to Amadeus that it is a puppythank you for choosing us, you are very brave».
La Sad and Amadeus at Sanremo Giovani 2023 at the Sanremo Casino. (Getty Images)
Who are La Sad: the story of Theø
They take the stage as a group, but they deserve to be known individually. Let’s start from Theøfrom Brescia, former singer of the metalcore group Upon This Dawningwith which he published two of their three albums. In 2016 she formed the Danien & Theøan Italian trap duo, who debuted in 2017 with theEP Hollywood Seasonfollowed by Sweet life.
«I was a very closed and shy little boy», he said. I didn’t like going to school, in fact I don’t have a diploma. I dreamed of being a skater.” One day a friend, aged 17-18, suggested he go and listen to his band.
From there «I stopped skating and joined my friend’s group, dedicating all my time to music. After a while we signed with an American labelfor four years we were around the world playing and when we broke up I returned to Italy. That’s where a very powerful depression started.”
I La Sad at the Ariston Theater at the 74th Italian Song Festival. (Ipa)
Plant, musician thanks to his grandmother
Plantthe Apulian of the trio, released the Mixtape in 2015 Malthought and it has a curious story behind it. In fact, it was «mine that made him understand that he wanted to make a living from music Grandmother. She’s the one who bought me a classical guitar in fourth grade and he always pushed me in this direction», he said. Below her, with her grandmother, from her Instagram profile.
«I had no idea that it could become a job, but I was already very interested. I’m in high school got obsessed with rap, I started freestyling with some friends and took part in some contests traveling around Italy a bit. From that moment the first pieces were born, as I met other musicians.”
At 16 he got some exposure, after making a few songs that started to circulate in the trap scene. Finally finishing high school «I found the strength to leave, I moved to Milan, in a rough place full of bad people. A small label contacted me and gave me a budget, but my pieces here in Milan were not good […] There was only the desire to demonstrate to everyone, from my family to those in the village, that I could do something in music». Then, once he was evicted from the house, he met Theø And Fiks.
I La Sad in front of the Ariston Theatre. (IPA)
Fiks, the “crazy horse” from Veneto
Fiks, Veneto, comes from the world emo/trap And punk and is a singer-songwriter, producer and videomaker. «Like all those born in the nineties I grew up listening Green DayBlink 182, Sum 41», Fiks said, «As a boy I was a crazy Horse but I had found myself a respectable job, I was manager of a shop. But it wasn’t for me, I felt cramped in that robe. So I ran away to Milan for try to break into music. All or nothing”.
And although he loved “his” Veneto, where «I have my family and my friends, I would say to a boy who loves music and wants to seriously try escape. Here as long as I played I was seen as an idiot, in Milan I had a chance.”
Milan is therefore the “deus ex machina” of the group, which however could now change its “base”: “This city now it’s tight», explained Fiks. At the start “everything was more wow, perhaps due to the attitude with which we approached it. Lately I feel like I’m back in the province».
I La Sad in Barcelona. (IPA)
The formation of the group
Milan, however, remains the common thread that links the three artists. «We frequented the same clubs, we became friends and we started to play and experiment together». Then came the Covid and the three found themselves sharing a house throughout the lockdown, «the castle of La Sad we called him”, explained Enrico/Fiks.
They start making music together, then they realize that something is moving for them “both for the reaction of the public and professionals” after the release of the single in 2020 Summersad.
And even more so after the video, which the three illegally recorded in a warehouse «bringing people in, because it still couldn’t be done with Covid. That’s where the attention of a lot of people, even of Fedez. That was the right path.” Their first and only album will be released in 2022, I’m in Sad11 songs that talk about disappointments in love, friendship, sadness, youthful discomfort and nostalgia.
A duet with Cristina D’Avena
The band’s secret dream? As well as some collaborations with artists of very different genres, including «Cristina D’Avena and Gigi D’Alessio», as Fiks explained, «we would like to make a TV series. Or even a cartoon.” The Sanremo Festival, so, it’s just al second place.
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