Samuele Bersani
{{Short description|Italian singer-songwriter (born 1970)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Samuele Bersani
| image = Bersani monicasilva.jpg
| caption = Bersani in 2009
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|10|1|df=y}}
| birth_place = Rimini, Italy
| instrument =
| genre = Pop
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| years_active = 1991–present
| label = Fuori Classifica
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|samuelebersani.net}}
}}
Samuele Bersani (born 1 October 1970) is an Italian singer-songwriter. He received the "Mia Martini" Critics Award at the Sanremo Music Festival in 2000 and in 2012, with the songs "Replay" and "Un pallone", respectively.{{cite web|url=http://cinquantamila.corriere.it/storyTellerArticolo.php?storyId=4f34ef98926f7|work=Corriere della Sera|language=Italian|accessdate=3 July 2017|title=Il podio di Sanremo|date=26 February 2000}}{{Cite web | url = http://www.corriere.it/spettacoli/speciali/2012/sanremo/notizie/quinta-serata-finalissima-cruccu_23546084-5a57-11e1-bf04-228ddd739b1f.shtml | work = Corriere della Sera | language = Italian | title = Emma trionfa al Festival delle donne. Fischiato Celentano. Share al 50% | author = Matteo Cruccu | date = 19 February 2012 | accessdate =19 February 2012}}
His best known songs also include "Giudizi universali", released in 1997 and certified in 2017 as a platinum-selling single by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry,{{cite certification|region=Italy|type=single|artist=Samuele Bersani|certyear=2017|accessdate=3 July 2017}} and "Spaccacuore," which was later covered by Italian singer Laura Pausini.{{Cite web | url = http://www.musicalnews.com/articolo.php?codice=2391&sz=3 | publisher = Musicalnews.com | accessdate = 14 August 2012 | title = Storie d'autore: Samuele Bersani | author = Antonio Ranalli | date = 24 September 2002 | language = Italian}}{{Cite web | url = http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/spettacolo/articoli/articolo334871.shtml | publisher = Mediaset | language = Italian | accessdate = 15 August 2012 | work = TGCOM | title = Io canto e voglio la normalità | date = 8 November 2006 | author = Andrea Conti}} He wrote the lyrics of Lucio Dalla's song "Canzone."{{cite web|author=Samuele Bersani|url=https://www.capital.it/articoli/samuele-bersani-intervista-tour-2022-date-lucio-dalla-radio-capital/|title=“E’ vero che ho incontrato Lucio Dalla nella mia vita ma sono figlio di Raffaele, un musicista”|language=IT}}
In 2000, Bersani recorded the soundtrack of the film Chiedimi se sono felice, by Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo.{{cite web|url=http://www.rockol.it/news-25117/bersani-singolo-il-film-aldo-giovanni-e-giacomo|publisher=Rockol.it|language=Italian|accessdate=3 July 2017|title=Bersani, un singolo per il film di Aldo, Giovanni e Giacomo|date=9 November 2000}}
In 2007, he won the Amnesty International Italy "Voci per la liberta" Award for "Occhiali rotti", a song included in his album L'aldiqua (2006) and written in memory of journalist Enzo Baldoni.{{cite web|url=https://www.rockit.it/news/samuele-bersani-premio-amnesty-2007|publisher=Rockit.it|language=Italian|accessdate=3 July 2017|title=A Samuele Bersani il Premio Amnesty 2007|date=5 April 2007}} His record Cinema Samuele received the Targa Tenco for Best Album in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.rockol.it/news-723683/targhe-tenco-2021-premi-a-madame-e-samuele-bersani-i-vincitori|publisher=Rockol.it|language=it|title=Targhe Tenco 2021, premi a Madame e Samuele Bersani: i vincitori|date=13 July 2021|access-date=13 July 2021}}
Biography
=1970–1991: childhood and early beginnings=
Samuele Bersani was born on 1 October 1970 in Rimini, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.radioitalia.it/artista/samuele_bersani/1.php|publisher=Radio Italia Solo Musica Italiana|accessdate=21 September 2013|title=Samuele Bersani|archivedate=21 September 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921115512/http://www.radioitalia.it/artista/samuele_bersani/1.php|url-status=dead}} His father was a music teacher, while his mother was an employee, and she also became the vice-mayor of Cattolica, the town in which he grew up.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chronica.it/2009/10/20/samuele-bersani-e-il-suo-manifesto-abusivo-voglio-far-sentire-la-mia-musica-alla-gente/|publisher=Chronica.it|date=20 October 2009|title=Samuele Bersani e il suo Manifesto Abusivo: Voglio far sentire la mia musica alla gente|author=Chiara Geraci|accessdate=21 September 2013|archivedate=21 September 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921121545/http://www.chronica.it/2009/10/20/samuele-bersani-e-il-suo-manifesto-abusivo-voglio-far-sentire-la-mia-musica-alla-gente/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1993/03/09/le-storie-di-samuele.html|work=la Repubblica|language=Italian|date=9 March 1993|title=Le storie di Samuele|author=Laura Putti}} He studied at the classical lyceum, but he left school a few months before his "maturity exam".
While he was a teenager, Bersani played in several local bands and took part in local singing competitions. In 1991, he met Italian singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla before a concert Dalla was going to give in San Benedetto del Tronto, in Central Italy. Bersani asked Dalla to listen to a recording of his original song "Il mostro", and a few minutes later Dalla's producer, Renzo Cremonini, told him to open the concert performing the song. Bersani was then chosen as the opening act for the remaining concerts of Dalla's Cambio tour.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ondarock.it/italia/samuelebersani.htm|publisher=Ondarock.it|language=Italian|accessdate=21 September 2013|title=Samuele Bersani, il pescatore di asterischi|author=Francesco Giordani|archivedate=21 September 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921190117/http://www.ondarock.it/italia/samuelebersani.htm|url-status=dead}}
=1992–1996: ''C'hanno preso tutto'' and ''Freak''=
Bersani's debut album, C'hanno preso tutto, was released in November 1992. The album included the song "Il mostro", as well as the single "Chiccho e Spillo", which allowed Bersani to receive media attention, becoming a radio hit and supporting sales of the album, which sold more than 20,000 copies in Italy.
In 1995, Bersani released his second album, Freak. The album's lead single, "Freak", was released in February of the same year, but some Italian radio stations decided not to air it as a consequence of a line referring both to the Italian conservative coalition and to the Italian Communist Party, which was considered a violation of the "par condicio law", which introduced fees for those stations giving airplay to songs including political messages during the electoral campaign preceding the Italian regional elections.{{Cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/03/28/Spettacolo/PAR-CONDICIO-MANI-LEGATE-AI-DISCHI-RADIO-NEL-CAOS_154300.php|publisher=Adnkronos|language=Italian|accessdate=21 September 2013|date=28 March 1995|title=Par condicio: Mani legate ai dischi, radio nel caos|archivedate=21 September 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921193349/http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/03/28/Spettacolo/PAR-CONDICIO-MANI-LEGATE-AI-DISCHI-RADIO-NEL-CAOS_154300.php|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/02/21/Spettacolo/MUSICA-ELIO-E-LE-STORIE-TESE-INVIATI-A-SANREMO_162700.php|publisher=Adnkronos|date=21 February 1995|title=Musica: Elio e le Storie tese inviati a Sanremo|accessdate=21 September 2013|archivedate=21 September 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921193434/http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/02/21/Spettacolo/MUSICA-ELIO-E-LE-STORIE-TESE-INVIATI-A-SANREMO_162700.php|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1995/03/28/par-condicio-anche-in-radio-la-prima.html|work=la Repubblica|language=Italian|accessdate=21 September 2013|date=28 March 1995|title=Par condicio anche in radio. La prima vittima è Bersani|author=Flavio Brighenti}} As a consequence, Bersani's label decided to anticipate the release of the second single from the album, "Spaccacuore".{{Cite web | url = http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/03/27/Politica/PAR-CONDICIO-ARRIVA-ANCHE-QUELLA-MUSICALE-STOP-A-BERSANI_192500.php | publisher = Adnkronos | date = 27 March 1995 | title = Par condicio: Arriva anche quella musicale, stop a Bersani | accessdate = 14 August 2012 | language = Italian}} Both "Freak" and "Spaccacuore" were later performed by Bersani during the itinerant television show Festivalbar, during the summer of 1995.{{Cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/06/19/Spettacolo/ITALIA-1-FESTIVALBAR-95_105200.php|publisher=Adnkronos|language=Italian|date=19 June 1995|title=Italia 1: Festivalbar 1995|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921195330/http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/06/19/Spettacolo/ITALIA-1-FESTIVALBAR-95_105200.php|archivedate=21 September 2013|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web | url = http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1995/07/24/Spettacolo/ITALIA-1-FESTIVALBAR-95_104300.php | publisher = Adnkronos | language = Italian | date = 14 July 1995 | title = Italia 1: Festivalbar 95}}
The album was a commercial success, and it was certified platinum, selling more than 130,000 copies in Italy.{{cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1996/01/12/Spettacolo/MUSICA-SAMUELE-BERSANI-PER-UN-VIDEO-SU-TORRE-GARISENDA_154000.php|publisher=Adnkronos|language=Italian|date=12 January 1996|title=Musica: Samuele Bersani, per un video su torre Garisenda|accessdate=21 September 2013|archivedate=21 September 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130921211506/http://www.adnkronos.com/Archivio/AdnAgenzia/1996/01/12/Spettacolo/MUSICA-SAMUELE-BERSANI-PER-UN-VIDEO-SU-TORRE-GARISENDA_154000.php|url-status=dead}}
Discography
- C'hanno preso tutto (1992)
- Freak (1995)
- Samuele Bersani (1997)
- L'oroscopo speciale (2000)
- Che vita! Il meglio di Samuele Bersani (2002)
- Caramella smog (2003)
- L'aldiqua (2006)
- Manifesto abusivo (2009)
- Nuvola numero nove (2013)
- La fortuna che abbiamo – Live (2016)
- Cinema Samuele (2020)
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.samuelebersani.it Official website] (in Italian)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020623/http://www.visit-rimini.com/samuele_bersani.htm Famous Riminese – Samuele Bersani] (in English)
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bersani, Samuele}}
Category:Italian male singer-songwriters