Marco Masini is an Italian singer-songwriter, born September 18, 1964 in Florence. He was classically trained on the piano as a child but developed a passion for popular music. He was discovered playing in a piano-bar in Florence.

In 1986, he met the successful producer-songwriter Giancarlo Bigazzi and played piano and arranged for Umberto Tozzi and Raf . In 1990 his solo career was launched when he won the new talent section of the San Remo Music Festival with "Disperato", written with Bigazzi and Beppe Dati, his usual collaborators.

He had great success through the 1990s in Italy as well in Spain, Germany and France with his albums Marco Masini, Malinconoia, T'innamorerai and Il cielo della Vergine. Masini was sometimes criticised for the bleak and depressing subject matter of his songs; for instance, "Perché lo fai" (third place at San Remo Music Festival in 1991) was about drug addiction, and "Principessa" about child abuse. Songs like "Bella stronza", and "Vaffanculo" were also controversial, causing trouble with the censors because of explicit language. However it was this same raw, honest, no-frills style that made his songs great hits with his fans.

Masini returned to San Remo Music Festival in 2004, winning with "L'uomo volante".

External link

• Official website