Interview / Noemi: "Sanremo, The Voice and a new record. After London, I'm ready to get back into the game"

Made in London, which will be released on February 20th, is Noemi's new album. It undoubtedly smells of England (the title is very clear), but it also contains the two songs that will compete in what is the greatest national-popular festival of Italian music, the Sanremo Festival. One thing does not exclude the other, just as Sanremo does not exclude the commitment as a coach at The Voice.

Ready for all these commitments?
Ready to climb this K2!

You arrive in Sanremo with two songs, Bathed in the sun And A man is a tree. What do you tell us about these songs?
Bathed in the sun it is not really a Sanremo song. It is the first song I submitted for the Festival selection, and it was immediately taken. A man is a tree it is the resurgence of the orchestra's brass and trumpets, I think the musicians will have fun playing it. That said, I don't have children and stepchildren, I believe in both songs even though they are very different from each other. I am because I wanted them to best represent my work.

Work in which we find a Naomi a little different from the usual ...
I wanted to take responsibility for every choice made for this record, without downloading the crucial decisions onto other people. I wrote a lot of lyrics and music, made the arrangements, and had the chance to collaborate with great artists who gave birth to this varied album, which is inspired by many different genres that I love.

And it's a record born in London. How did you find yourself living there?
Well, because in this city there is the music that I like and that I listen to. And I'll go back to London, I've only opened a small window that I want to widen. I will continue to live there because I want to give more and more sense to my path, I feel the need to move forward.

Where do you live exactly?
In West London, by the river. I lived London intensely, but it is difficult to win over real Londoners. My voice was also liked there - which surprised me, it was not at all obvious. It was a nice recognition.

Passenger, written by Jamie Hartman (who also collaborated with James Blunt), you sing it in English ...
I am fond of Italian, it is difficult to sing in a language other than yours and to be able to return the same emotionality. However, it would be nice if I could sing a little more in English. Passenger, I tried to translate the text, but it lost its bite in Italian. It's about how we are all in charge of our lives, but for once it would be nice to just be passengers.

Can you tell us a particular anecdote about the birth of this album?
This I have to tell you. I wrote the text for What to live for, and I did it on the same sofa where the fantastic Amy Winehouse wrote her lyrics, beautiful and also very courageous. It was a great thrill.

The record, Sanremo, and also "The Voice" where you come back as a coach: what is the motivation that made you accept for the second edition of the talent?
I believe that many guys who play in cellars can give pop a boost of novelty. We must listen without preconceptions, and I also say this to myself. I chose to redo The Voice to give these guys a chance.

Of the first edition (last year), however, no name was imposed.
Veronica De Simone is competing among the young people at the Festival… one in a thousand makes it, this is a great truth. The Voice it can be the step of a path.

Don't you think there was too much do-gooding in the last edition?
It's hard to sing in front of chairs that don't turn around, and I didn't want to burden the situation. I have chosen not to rage on someone's shortcomings: this for me is not doing good but education.