You may know him as the frontrunner of Italian rock band Måneskin, but there’s so much more to learn about Damiano David.
The 25-year-old’s musical journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Starting out on the streets of Rome to international stardom, Damiano has established himself as a powerhouse in the global music scene — and the first to help break an Italian group worldwide — thanks to his charismatic stage presence and powerful vocals. `
Last year, Damiano decided to embark on a solo project due to the intrinsic need to express a more personal and vulnerable part of himself. The Roman rocker showed the world his true colors for the first time with the release of his song “Silverlines,” last month, which features stunningly wrought and theatrical composition from producer and collaborator Labrinth.
On Friday (October 25), Damiano continued his story with the release of his sophomore single “Born With A Broken Heart.” The latest track is an uplifting, effervescent gem fizzing with energy, deliciously juxtaposed with the poignant and emotionally resonant lyrics. Despite coming from a difficult, personal and often dark period of his life, the song boasts an anthemic quality with synth led melodies and a hook laden chorus that truly announces Damiano as a solo artist for the global stage.
“When I wrote this song I was getting out of a very dark place, I was feeling emotionless and I was afraid that I had lost my ability to feel things, either good or bad. This was happening while I was starting the most meaningful relationship of my life and the fear of not being capable or ready was big,” Damiano shared in a statement upon release. “I think the song was a way to make myself make sense of what I was feeling and look at it from a less scary prospective. I’m happy to say that today I don’t feel like this but I think a lot of people can relate with the feeling of not being good enough.”
Keeping the momentum going, David made his way to the Big Apple to make his late night solo debut with an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he performed “Born With A Broken Heart,” along with an intimate showcase in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan on Monday (October 28).
Held at the vibe-y multi-use venue (Le) Poisson Rouge, lucky fans, friends, family and industry VIPs were treated to the first taste of the “OFF MY FACE” crooner’s new chapter when he performed his two singles along with three never-before-heard tracks.
Backed by a full band, An Evening with Damiano kicked off with “Silverlines,” followed by “Born With A Broken Heart.” Sharing small anecdotes before performing the three unreleased songs, the 25-year-old rocker revealed that everything on this new project comes from personal experiences.
“Everything is a personal experience. I had this f**king weird relationship that started in the [beginning of the] summer and ended at the end of the summer,” he shared of his song “Next Summer,” which he later performed. “It felt like I was 14-years-old and I was in summer camp…. but this time, I was 25, and it was way f**king worse.”
Damiano then introduced the audience to another new song titled “Voices,” a vulnerable one in which he says “came from a dark place of living with anxiety and not enjoying what’s around you.”
Before saying goodbye to everyone who came out to the show, David introduced his last song “The Bruise,” which is all about meeting his current girlfriend Dove Cameron during his time of healing. The singer/songwriter shouted out to his lover before belting out the lyrics to the moody pop/rock song, who was seen in the audience vibing to the new music.
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Set to release his full-length project sometime in 2025, Damiano mentioned to Celeb Secrets that it was a year-long process to gather his thoughts and say what he wanted to on his first-ever solo record. Serving a the perfect blend of vulnerable lyrics set to a sound that leans more on the pop/rock side, the new material — from what we’ve heard so far — solidifying the 25-year-old an identity outside of Måneskin.
Damiano is meant to be a star, and the release “Born With A Broken Heart” is just the beginning.
