Måneskin take on sex, cocaine, and the American Dream on their new album, Rush!
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An internet search for "who wore assless chaps at the VMAs?" will bring up the correct answer: Måneskin vocalist Damiano David. However, it was blonde bassist Victoria De Angelis who was censored on the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards telecast for her nip-slip "wardrobe malfunction" during the lineup's performance of their hit "Supermodel."
But the Italian rockers' superlative charisma is not limited to their head-turning visuals. Sonically, the early twentysomethings are equally as bold, and fans have taken notice. Having released two albums and 13 singles since 2017, the group has notched more than 6.5 billion streams, with their version of the Four Seasons' gem "Beggin'" becoming the No. 2 TikTok song of 2021. They also recently scored a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
The plaudits never seem to stop. Nor does the band. Since winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 with their tune "Zitti e Buoni," Måneskin have either been on the road, in the air, or entertaining throngs of converts, conquering America in a recent set on Saturday Night Live, snagging an opening slot for the Rolling Stones in Vegas, and diving into crowds during their own manic, usually-sold-out headlining shows.
With their propulsive, heavy, and dynamic stylings, Måneskin — who got their start busking as teens on the streets of Rome in 2016 — have earned champions and collaborators including Iggy Pop, Moulin Rouge and Elvis director Baz Luhrmann, and Mick Jagger. Moved by the band's "revolutionary and joyful impetus of eros," Gucci dressed the quartet for the 2022 American Music Awards in garter-belt-inspired dress pants. (They looked at once tacky and totally dope.)
Måneskin explore many of these eye-opening, exhausting experiences of the past year in the 17 songs populating Rush!, their upcoming third album, out in January. Pointed tracks like "Bla Bla Bla," "Kool Kids," "Timezone," and "Il Dono Della Vita" are by turns smart, sneering, and sad; the taut production is spot-on.
On a rare day off near the end of their U.S. tour, David, De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi, and drummer Ethan Torchio caught up with EW via Zoom. On stage, their sexy, unabashed decadence has a contagious energy; off stage, they exude a down-to-earth sincerity and camaraderie that's palpable in their accented English.
Tommaso Ottomano Måneskin
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Måneskin embrace many styles of music. Did you feel pressure with Rush! to fit into a particular genre?
DAMIANO DAVID: No, I think we did the complete opposite. This record, it's actually impossible to be labeled. It's impossible to make it fit in a box or say it's rock, pop, whatever. We went in the opposite direction because we feel like we're living in a time where music genres are going to be deleted, and we're just going to talk about good music and bad music.
Tell me about your new song "Gossip," which features Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. Lyrics include: "This place is just a circus / You see just the surface of the American Dream." Is there an "Italian Dream"?
DAVID: I think the American Dream has spread all over the world. In Italy, there's the American Dream: getting the big house and nice stuff. In general [the song is] a critique of all the issues our society is facing. We're living in a society that always wants you to perform at 100 percent — to be the most good-looking, to be the healthiest, to have a nice body, to have nice clothes, to have the coolest interactions. The song makes fun of this kind of mindset, which is very toxic, you know? We think society is made by humans with their flaws and their insecurities and their struggles, and we should respect that.
How did Morello end up on Rush!?
VICTORIA DE ANGELIS: We met him while we were in L.A. He came to our studio three times. It was crazy because we got a chance to jam with him and were really amazed by how humble and nice he was. We're jamming as [if] we were all in a big band — he had no ego. And we chose this song ["Gossip"], which was the one we all loved the most.
Thomas, was that intimidating to you as the guitarist?
THOMAS RAGGI: It was a really great experience. I'm always happy when I have the possibility to study with a huge and incredible master of the guitar. It was like a training for me. It was amazing.
On Rush! the first 11 songs are English, then you sing several in Italian. Why divide it that way?
DAVID: Because we feel like the Italian music part is such a strong part of us and our culture and our background. We didn't want the Italian music to be here and there every once in a while in the tracklist. We wanted to create a block that represents the foundation everything is built around.
Tommaso Ottomano Måneskin
I used Google translate for the lyrics to "La Fine" ["The End"], and there's a part where you sing that "having the world in your hands" isn't how you imagined. Is that accurate, and also the message of some of the album?
DAVID: I think the album describes all the different emotions we had the last two years. So of course we have super-positive feelings and enthusiasm and happiness. On the other hand, we had some bad moments where we felt disappointed. I think that song describes very strongly that part of the journey, but it's not the whole journey. I think this album is like a person to understand; you have to go further than the first impression. You have to understand that there are a lot of different layers in its personality, as with a human being.
A good portion of your audience is young, and your new songs tackle masturbation, cocaine, and sex. Did you think about making things tamer for younger fans?
MÅNESKIN: Nooooo!
DE ANGELIS: My cousin, she's 7 years old. She went to her class and played our music videos. She played our "I Wanna Be Your Slave" video and called me on FaceTime once with a girl from her class and was like, "Why do you spit in each other's mouths and do all these ugly things?"
You exude a lot of body positivity. Did you always have that, Victoria?
DE ANGELIS: No. I think it's a process everyone has to work with, and still, we all sometimes feel a bit insecure or shy. But for me, it helps just to say, "Okay, even if I feel uncomfortable, I'll just get over it and do it anyway." And then you feel better. At least that's what we do.
Rush! is out Jan. 20.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
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