On April 5, 2022 the song “er barone decadente”, the first work, as a soloist, of the Roman singer-songwriter Massi Farina, was published on all major WEB music platforms. A pop song sung in Roman dialect, with cheerful rhythms and ironic lyrics, which offers multiple keys to interpretation. First of six releases that include video and cover art, this one is by maestro Paco Rianna; the arrangement is by Francesco Finori, the drums by Kicco Careddu and the percussion by Paulo La Rosa, while the Mix and Mastering were taken care of by Simone Coen. Massi is fresh from the success, together with the band AnimeNote, with the song “Che è rimasto de loro”, a charity song dedicated to the judges Falcone and Borsellino, mixed by Fabrizio Simoncioni, sound engineer and musician (currently keyboardist of Litfiba). The video clip of the song, directed by Damiano Impicciché, in June 2021 won the Rome Videoclip for Social Award.
Massi, we had the chance to listen to your song, very ironic and topical, tell us a bit about yourself
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, I’m over forty, but musically I feel 25. I like to fly with my imagination, but I also write about life experiences. From the beginning, short stories, then song lyrics and finally poems. I write in my own way, in Italian and in Romanesco, an immediate “language” that I have engraved under my skin. The passion for writing and singing were born almost simultaneously. In 2005-2015 I was the singer of the duo DigitalSoundParadise (DSP), since 2016 singer of “Le AnimeNote”, and in 2018-2020 I was one of the singers of the Band “La Cricca dell’orma”. At the end of 2020 my solo project begins to take shape. Er barone decadente is the first fruit of this work of mine. A project born together with the photojournalist Paco Rianna who is taking care of the cover art for my songs.
What did you dream of becoming as a child?
As a child I wanted to become an astronaut, then things took a decidedly different turn. 🙂 Luckily I still have dreams related to Music and writing. Writing and composing makes me feel good and when I do it I feel like a better person.
Are you satisfied with what you have become?
I can say yes, I wouldn’t change anything about me, today I am the result of certain choices (right or wrong) made in the past. What wouldn’t I change? The stubbornness that helps me move forward and hopefully takes me far.
What do you expect from what you are doing ?
I expect that the work I’m doing, helped by many professionals, will be liked and will reach as many people as possible. If you do something artistic and you don’t share it with the world, it remains an incomplete work.
Why did you choose to sing in Roman dialect?
Actually, my dialect is something that I have under my skin. It’s an immediate language, without filters. My solo project will also include songs in Italian.
What is your artistic relationship with your city?
I’ll answer with a small piece of lyrics taken from a song written for D.S.P. a few years ago (Roma mia):
“…to you who are silent and never speak, with all these saints and monuments that you have. Between that marble and that stone there beats ‘n heart, that if I read you backwards I read love, to you who have seen so many things by now, to you who have fought even with the gods…”
Do you have any authors of reference?
Speaking of Italian music, I grew up listening to Antonello Venditti, Vasco Rossi, Franco Califano, Lucio Dalla, Franco Battiato and for a certain period I followed Luciano Ligabue a lot. As for foreign music, I listen to practically everything: rock, pop and rap from yesterday and today.
What is your relationship with social networks and the web, do you think they are necessary to enhance your work?
I have a very good relationship with social networks. I have a lot of fun on Facebook, with a large community of friends. Some of them I’ve never met, but I feel like I’ve known them all my life. Social networks are fundamental to enhance any artistic work. In particular today, they are indispensable for publicizing a musical project.
Do you have a web page or on social networks where you can be followed?
Yes, on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, there are pages dedicated to my musical project. Simply search for “Massi Farina”. I am also working on my personal website, which will be ready soon.
From what you have told us, photography and videos have a fundamental role in your artistic life.
Yes, I am convinced that an artistic cover captures the attention, makes you curious. And above all, if you are not a famous artist, it is a fundamental thing. If it is done in a certain way and the ideas are good, it can add a lot to a musical project. In the same way, a video can do a lot to spread the message you want to convey. I repeat, photos and videos are fundamental, and it is precisely for this reason that it is necessary to turn to professionals of proven ability who know how to visually convey the messages of the songs.
Would you like to give an advice to those who want to undertake this artistic path?
I believe that it is important not to give up and have a hard head.
What’s cooking in the pot?
The road is long. I already have other songs ready, we have several cover art and videos to make. Let’s see what happens… 🙂
I have listened carefully to the words of the piece and I must confess that I seemed to recognize in the figure of “your” Baron associations to the social and political situation that we are going through, this impression is given by my suggestion or have you really been inspired by the events of this particular historical period?
As they say in Rome “m’hai fatto tana”!!! Anyway I like to leave to the listener the freedom to interpret my songs, even if some phrases should not leave any doubt, such as: se je manca la corente lui te dice che nun serve.
Massi, congratulations and … I wish you many notes to give to the wind
Stefania Beninato di Siracusa, vive a Roma. Coreografa, insegna danza e portamento ha la concessione per il Lazio di un importante concorso nazionale. Organizza eventi di Moda e Spettacolo. Reporter Fashion & Lifestyle