Please introduce yourself, what you do, why you do it, and what you want people to know about you.
Hi! My name is Piero and I am an Italian singer and songwriter. Well, before being a musician I’m also an husband and a father to 3 wonderful kids, who are my life and inspiration.
Music has become for me not only a passion, but a way to express myself, to leave a mark, however small, of my view of life, my feelings and my desires. This is why I sing, and this is why I write music. Then, when someone listens to some of my songs, and they tell me they like it, well, in that moment I feel that there’s nothing else I could dream of.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
I love to say that my songs, that always created entirely by me, both lyrics and in music, are born with “feet on the ground and head in the clouds “: meaning that, when I am writing a song, I start from real experiences, simple moments or words said by someone that I find inspiring. The magic is that inspiration can come from everywhere, even from the simplest of things. Then I add words, notes, music, soul and a pinch of irony… and “voilà” the song is done 🙂 The message I want to give is always positive, joyful, and full of confidence in the future.
I am also the creative director of my music videoclips, I personally work on all the creative concepts before going to production. You can watch my videoclips here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtN-z3r-P7RBL7CBFfhgI2lG4ei3-9dhX
Describe THAT moment when you realized you wanted to do what you do now. Who did you tell first? What has it been like since that moment?
Remember what happened to Peter Parker when a spider bit him? The next day he was not just only Peter anymore… he had also become Spiderman. Well, more or less the same thing happened to me, but my “spider” was a holiday at a summer resort here in Italy. One day of 6 years ago, after taking part in a karaoke challenge at the resort bar, the head of entertainment team of the resort asked me if, a couple of nights later I would be available to sing in the resort theater, which hosted over 1200 guests.
I remember very well that night, I had always loved to sing, but I used to do it by myself, or with friends, I would have never dreamed to be on the stage, in front of such a huge audience.
But, nevertheless, I went up there. I remember the lights, the heat (I was totally soaked… not sure because it was mid-August or because of the tension), I could not see the public with the lights in my face, but I could hear them, they were there in front of me.
My hand holding the microphone was trembling, but I decided to ignore it and I started to sing a beautiful song by a famous Italian singer, Marco Mengoni, called “L’Esseziale” (you can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unRjK82bDLw)
Then, in the end, I heard the applause from the public. It was overwhelming emotion, for one moment I was on the top of that little world. One old man, (he was guest of the resort, too) also came to me a little later after my performance, and he thanked me because he was born in the same city of Marco Mengoni and I had “kept high the honor of his city”.
That night, after the performance, I could not sleep. I was so happy, full of adrenaline, turning in my bed just like Peter Parker after being bitten by the spider.
And then I decided that I had to follow this new way. I was still Piero, but I had become something more too, just like Peter Parker (by the way, Peter is the English for Piero… strange coincidence!) had also become Spiderman.
When I came back to Milan, my home town, after that holiday, the first thing I did was starting to study singing with a vocal coach very seriously. I have also studied music theory and harmony, stage presence, diction… I wanted to feel ready to present myself in front of the public in the best way possible.
Then, after a couple of years, I released my first song “Tutta la Mia Vita” (All My Life) dedicated to my wife.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to face and how did you overcome it?
Strange to say, the biggest challenge was (and is…) my family. They say that I’m too old (well.. I’m 48 now) to start doing music, that I that i would never succeed in a music industry full of much younger artists. Well, at the beginning it answered them that it depends on how you measure success.. for me success was able to write a song, to sing it on a stage, to publish it on Spotify and get a few people listening to it. To leave my small mark, as I said before. Now, after a few years, I am working with an independent music label that sees value in my work and supports me in my new production. Well, it’s not a huge label… but to me this is already a great victory.
If you had to pick the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could take your career (or business) to the next level…who would those 3 people be?
I can talk about Italian celebrities/talent scouts that could definitely give a boost to my career
– Amadeus (https://www.instagram.com/giovanna_e_amadeus/) he is the host of the Sanremo Festival, the biggest music festival in Italy that takes place every February at the Ariston theater in the city of Sanremo in Northern Italy. My dream would be to perform of the stage of the Ariston!
– Mara Maionchi (https://www.instagram.com/realmaramaionchi/): she is the most famous talent scout in Italy. It would be great to have her support!
– It would also be great to get in touch with some big music label who could be interested in supporting my project…
List the direct links/URL to your social media profiles so people can follow you:
https://www.instagram.com/pierostradamusic
https://www.facebook.com/pierostradamusic