Måneskin advocates for peace, inclusion, freedom… with plenty of rocker energy

By Gabriela Acosta, MWN

Måneskin is an Italian glam rock band formed in 2016 that has since achieved global fame. The band won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 with the song ‘Zitti e Buoni’ and their new single, ‘Supermodel’ was streamed globally 100 million times. 

And while Måneskin certainly honors the “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” spirit, the four members have transformed that energy into a healthier, more positive motto with a message of freedom.

Damiano David (vocalist), Victoria De Angelis (bassist), Thomas Raggi (guitarist) and Ethan Torchio (drummer) recently spoke with Metro from New York, where they are performing several concerts as part of the Loud Kids Tour, which also includes a two-night stint at The Fillmore Philadelphia in November. 

You have created chaos and musical madness with your style. How do you enjoy the fame?

De Angelis: Well, we are happy, we don’t feel it is chaos, but energy, good energy; so every time we play we like to feel free and we bring out all the energy we have. We like our audience to perceive the same, it is like a little celebration.

You enjoy your freedom. What is the biggest challenge in an industry full of chiaroscuro?

David: I think the hardest part is not being taken so seriously. We know that what we do is big and it’s becoming more and more visible, but we also want to keep it genuine. I think that’s the artistic part because you always have the expectations of others. For example, you can do a song that did great, but you have to do it again because otherwise, you’ll let some people down. We try to do this without caring so much, just enjoying what we do.

You were nominated for MTV awards for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Video. What do these accolades mean?

David: I think everyone loves winning awards, it’s a very important recognition for us as Italian artists. Being nominated makes us feel very proud, and that we are part of the U.S. market, of course. We still have a lot of work to do.

Is Måneskin writing a new history of music?

David: We don’t really feel like we’re writing a new page in history, we’re really doing what we always wanted to do, and it’s paying well. That’s really nice for us, but we don’t feel like we’ve made history or anything, we’ve just followed our musical dream.

What would be the band’s weakness?

De Angelis: Wow, we love what we do, but unfortunately it has taken a little bit of time away from us in the studio to work on the music, to write songs. Because we don’t have that much time in general anymore; now everything is more concrete and without that much time to relax, or think about things too much.

You advocate for peace, inclusion and freedom. What worries you about the world?

David: We have had a hard time announcing dates in Europe, while the horrible war in Ukraine continues and innocent people are suffering. We are devastated for the Ukrainian people and stand in solidarity with them, that’s why we decided not to go ahead with our Russian dates. We must all unite for peace, now and always.

Q: You have also set a trend in fashion. Do you enjoy it?

De Angelis: I think it’s part of us, the way we dress. It’s always been an important part of our lives and how we express ourselves because we feel really good to be able to dress like that, wear makeup and so on. But for a lot of people, it’s not like that. We experienced it when we were younger: insecurities, people laughing and not being taken seriously. So we think it’s important – and even more so with our visibility – to tell young people that they don’t have to look the same all the time.