Tiziano Ferro (see also: Pinkie's post on him) has had some controversy over the years: demeaning statements about Mexican women, for one (he subsequently went on a sort of apology tour that included, among other things, getting his legs waxed on Mexican TV), and accusations of plagiarism for another. One of the songs on his 2001 album was said to sound like an R. Kelly song and when his 2006 single "Stop! Dimentica," came out, everyone said it ripped off Kelly Osbourne's "One Word." But, to be fair, didn't everyone say that ripped off something else, too (Visage's "Fade To Grey")? As long as we keep getting good songs, I guess I'm happy. Anyhow, those accusations certainly didn't seem to harm its success, considering how big a hit it was in Italy. I've read some people say that it was his popularity that opened the doors for people like Paolo Meneguzzi and Luca Dirisio, some of the few Italian popstars I like (I'm sure there must be more good Italian pop out there, but, considering it's a language I love listening to in music, I've found/know surprisingly little, though more than what I've just listed--pretty much all of it through Pinkie's posts), so if nothing else, we should be grateful to him for that.Stop! Dimentica--the beat for this is dark electronic, half-dance stuff (as you'd guess, given the accusations), but the vocal melody over the top is more solid pop stuff, albeit dramatic processed pop. "Dramatic" is actually a really good word for this song, but it's dramatic in a very catchy way. As you might expect from a song with "stop" in the title, a good deal of its sung melody relies on pauses in the music and words that seem short, tossed out and quickly cut off. Ripoff or not, this really must have been one of 2006's best singles.
To buy Tiziano Ferro's third album, Nessuno è solo, go here (physical) or here (digital).
Next up: maybe that Portuguese group.
8 comments:
i like the subtle imagery of him climbing out of the hole he has dug himself into with his comments :P Plus he looks good in a suit.
Kelly Osborne's One word was itself a "cover" of Visage's Fade to grey...
Paul, I didn't even think of that! I imagine the photo was taken before all that, but nice coincidence spotting!
Anonymous, yeah, I mentioned that up in the preface to the song--I've heard that, but never actually heard more from "Fade To Grey" than a 30 second preview on iTunes. I think Tiziano (from what I understand) ended up saying "Stop! Dimentica" was an "homage" to "Fade To Grey" and that that was a song he really liked.
I've also found Italian pop a bit remote, since many of the male singers place their sound so far forward into their heads that it's almost strident to my American ears. Some of the Italian singers I do like are from other countries, like French NYCO and German PopIdol finalist Nevio. You might like Michele Imberti, who I discovered through my friends network on myspace (http://www.myspace.com/micheleimberti ). He's an aspiring Italian pop singer who is based in Stockholm.
Tiziano Ferro is one of my very favourite popstars. Just verging on the right side of cheesy, with some amazing tunes. I would go as far as to say that his second album 111 is one of my favourite albums ever.
And yes, Paul, he looks great in a suit!
Thanks for the recommendation! I'll go check him out! (And you knew dropping the Stockholm connection would hook me in, didn't you?)
I haven't heard 111 (except maybe...I think it's called "Perdono"? If it was from that album)--I'll definitely have to buy it, though, if it's that great! He's linked to so many singers I do like that I'm not sure why I've never investigated him further beforehand.
Hi
Perdono was on the first album - Rosso Relativo. 111 contains amongst other great tracks 2 amazing singles: Sere Nere and Non Me Lo So Spiegare. They are both on Youtube if you want to check them out.
Oh--oops! Thanks for the correction :) So that would be a "no" on me having heard any songs from that album yet ;) I'll go look those ones up on YouTube!
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