True blue Italian

By SHEELA CHANDRAN

Italian singer Patrizio Buanne has carved a name as the ambassador for romantic Italian songs. He speaks about his latest album Forever Begins Tonight.

ITALIAN crooner Patrizio Buanne looked exhausted before this interview began. He had touched down in Kuala Lumpur the night before and the very next morning, had undergone a series of press conferences and interviews with journalists with various print media and TV stations.

Despite his fatigue, Buanne stood up and greeted this writer with a kiss on her hand when she walked into the room. He held her hand and led her to her seat before proceeding with the interview. Talk about a romantic soul.

Sporting a navy blue Hugo Boss velvet coat, black Gucci shirt, black jeans and two pepperoni-shaped pendants around his neck (a protector from evil according to the Italians), Buanne looked like a million bucks. With his deep voice and dark green coloured eyes, it’s no surprise why he has fans (young and old) swooning around him all the time.

“I don’t mind if my fans are young or old women, although I like the younger ones better (laughs). People love my music because I sing romantic Italian songs, which is different in the entertainment industry. What’s really important is they appreciate my music,” said the 29-year-old during an interview in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Buanne’s repertoire ranges from the golden vocal days of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Top-notch singers including Paul Anka, Tom Jones, Dean Martin and Engelbert Humperdinck are his primary inspirations.

While his peers would prefer to focus on catering to current listeners’ needs (pop, rock or R&B), Buanne prefers to focus on his repertoire. “I am doing what I like best. It’s good there’s not much competition as I’m one of the few Italian singers that sing romantic songs,” he added.

With this mind frame, it’s no wonder why this charmer has carved a name as the ambassador for Italian romantic songs.

His debut album, The Italian (2005), gained a large following with sales surpassing the one million mark. Some of his famous hits from the album include Il Mondo, A Man Without Love, Come Prima, My Love Forgive Me and Parla Piu Piano. The album secured number 10 on the pop charts in Britain and also received double platinum status in Australia.

Recently, he has launched his second album, Forever Begins Tonight, which has 12 tracks in English and Italian. “My Malaysian fans are very enthusiastic and want to know more about the latest album.

“This is my third trip and it feels great being here. Malaysia has been a good territory as I have the support from listeners,” said the crooner whose mother had accompanied him on the trip.

For Buanne, his second album is an extension, or rather continuation, of his first. “The Italian reaped over one million sales worldwide. It would be stupid to change my concept,” said Buanne, who has had an audience of famous leaders like the late Pope John Paul II and President George Bush.

Forever Begins Tonight comprises his remake version of Un Angels or Angels (Robbie Williams) and Solo Tu or Only You (The Platters). Original tracks include Forever Begins Tonight, Sorridi and Bella Bella Signorina.

“Angels and Only You are some of my favourite songs. I decided to record these songs in Italian so that listeners would know how beautiful Italian really is. Only You was the first English song I sung, when I was 12-years-old.”

In the studio, Buanne worked with Christian Seitz in producing both his albums.

Barely three years in the industry and Buanne has already created waves, especially in Europe and Australia. When it comes to success, this humble singer admitted not knowing the recipe of success. “All you need to do is be honest with people. In Italian, there is a saying that lies have short legs and won’t get you far. I hold this motto close to my heart.

“No one discovered me, neither am I from a talent show. It has always been my dream to record an album of songs that I grew up listening to. It is important to be sincere and focussed in one’s career,” elaborated Buanne, who speaks fluent Italian, German, French, English, French and Polish.

As for expanding his music fan base, he plans to reach out to listeners in the United States. “I performed at a public broadcasting programme in the US recently. Thankfully, the audience liked my music … I believe good applause is the bread (and butter) of an artiste.”

The American dream beckons as Buanne hopes to work with producer David Foster for his future albums.

In Buanne’s third album, fans can expect more romantic numbers and songs from different languages. Don’t be surprised if he decides to attempt a couple of songs in Mandarin.

taken from thestar.com.my

Chrisette Michele

January 02, 2007,
Singer Gets Religious With Hip-Hop
Ayala Ben-Yehuda, L.A.
It was after church on a Sunday, and Chrisette Michele had God and hip-hop on her mind. The 23-year-old Long Islander was on her way to a studio to write and record the hook for “Lost One,” the first single off of Jay-Z’s album “Kingdom Come.” She hadn’t heard the rest of the song yet, but the deacon’s daughter wondered if it might be too explicit for her strong moral code.

“I was preparing in my head how I would say, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t do this,’” says the singer-songwriter of her meeting with the hip-hop mogul.

But after Jay-Z played the track, which deals with commitment, friendship and death, “I looked at him and said, ‘Yo, this song is spiritual.’ This song is about self-respect.” Chrisette pauses for a moment. “He’s a preacher.”

That’s quite a statement for someone with a family full of clergy, who led the gospel choir in high school and college but never got a CD until she was 17.

Still, Chrisette Michele describes herself as “a kid of the hip-hop culture” who didn’t have MTV, but sang and freestyled in impromptu rap circles at school.

She also has a neverending stream of songs in her head that she attributes at least in part to attention-deficit disorder, a condition that she calls “a gift.”

But it wasn’t until the day a high school track coach stopped her in the hallway — Chrisette had been jogging down the corridor singing — that her artistic fate was sealed. The coach gave her a CD of Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz’ “The Girl from Ipanema,” a song that would establish her love for mixing jazz melodies with what she grew up with: gospel vocals and hip-hop beats.

“I went up to my jazz teacher in school, and said, ‘I need you to give me some more of that,’” she says, recalling the discovery of a cabinet full of classic jazz music. “Every day after that, at lunch period, I would go into the piano room and practice those songs.”

With Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday as newfound heroes, Chrisette went on to major in music at 5 Towns College. A show at New York City’s Village Underground led to opening gigs for India.Arie, and eventually a contract with Island Def Jam. “Lost One,” her collaboration with Jay-Z, has been climbing Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop songs and Hot 100 charts, where it now stands at No. 21 and No. 73, respectively.

Chrisette, who is finishing up her own album on IDJ, was featured on the Heineken Red Star Soul tour this fall and performed onstage with Jay-Z at his Radio City concert.

She also wrote and sang hooks on Nas’ album “Hip-Hop Is Dead,” including on single “Can’t Forget About You,” a nostalgic reminiscence that’s bubbling under the R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart.

Being on Nas’ album had particular significance for Chrisette, whose mother was raised in the same Queensbridge housing project as the rapper.

Childhood memories of her own, particularly of the homeless women and girls her family took into their home, inspired her own album. Themes include self-esteem, commitment, and abstinence.

“I don’t want to come off preachy, but I’m not afraid to be a Christian in this industry and to really believe what I believe in,” says Chrisette a stance made easier to take with respectful and respected artists like Nas and Jay-Z behind her.

“He curses,” she says of the latter, smiling audibly. “He didn’t say the curses when I was in the room, but he curses. But that’s okay.”

Article taken from BillBoard.Com

Concerts galore

These are a few of the artiste that are coming down in the month of January and February:


For more ticket info please go to axcess.com.my