Damiano David, life after Måneskin: "It's important to surround yourself with people who know how to say 'no' when everyone else agrees with you."

Damiano David (Rome, 1999) enters the room as if the stage followed him everywhere. There are no spotlights, no electric guitars, no fans shouting his name. But his presence—magnetic, intense, almost theatrical—fills the space. At 26, the musician who picked up the Eurovision crystal microphone half-naked with the band Måneskin has embarked on a solo journey, eschewing artifice and, for the first time in his career, revealing himself without the brazenness that he made his religion .

The result? His debut album, Funny Little Fears , which will be released on May 16th. With it, Damiano doesn't seek to please (or at least, not only): he seeks to say something . He wants to talk about the scars of freedom, about what happens when the noise fades and you're left with yourself. And that, in the age of the algorithm, is a revolution.

You've just sold out international tours and festivals with Måneskin. How does Damiano David transform himself solo?

For me, it's not a transformation; it's actually about being authentic with how I feel at these moments in my life. I feel different from the moments I shared with the band when I was younger. I decided I had to do a solo project to share this more personal, more vulnerable, more human side. But it's come about very naturally.

Do you feel more freedom or more vertigo when making creative decisions alone?

I've always had absolute freedom, I can't complain. It was different with the band, and now I have more control over myself. But I've always felt very free.

What unexpected influences have crept into your music?

There are a lot of songs I never imagined would be mine [laughs]. I think I've been very influenced by Keane, and it was quite surprising because I've never been a huge fan, but when I was writing the album, I felt a lot of connection and that their sound is very similar to what I want to do now. Especially their song " Everybody's Changing ."

"There are songs on this album that I could never have imagined would be mine."

Are you one of those who needs music on repeat to start the day, or do you prefer silence?

I don't really listen to much music at home, except while I'm cooking. When I'm preparing, I prefer to listen to podcasts. My favorite right now is The Basement Yard , a group of very funny American guys who talk about life.

Is singing about love at a time when relationships are so volatile something more transgressive and rock than ever, or enormously cheesy?

Good question! [Laughs] I don't know. I think for me, if I talk about love in a song, it has to be about a happy moment in my life. I don't care if it's cheesy. If not, it's very difficult and very dark. I prefer to sing about love rather than heartbreak, because when I perform, I transport myself to the place I was when I wrote the song, and I try to make all those memories happy, without any pretense. I don't always achieve that, of course.

There's a hint of nostalgic synth pop in your single "Born with a Broken Heart ." It's a trend many artists have embraced. Does the future lie in looking back, in that nostalgia for what was?

Yes, I think music in general is circular: everything that's new now will be vintage in the future. We're going to constantly have old-school elements in our music, and I think that's fantastic.

"I listen to a lot of Spanish music. My favorite artist is Guitarricadelafuente, and I love flamenco and bachata."

And when it comes to contemporary music, do you get along well with urban rhythms, Spanish music...?

Yes, yes, I love it. My favorite artist is Guitarricadelafuente, also C. Tangana. I listen to a lot of Spanish music. I love flamenco, although I won't name any specific names so as not to confuse things [laughs]. I also really like bachata, it's something I'd never know how to do.

It's not easy to succeed after Eurovision, even if you're the winner. What advice would you give to artists following your path?

The most important thing is not to change your focus. If you're going to Eurovision, you don't have to adapt; you have to be authentic, no matter the outcome. The public detects what's natural. If you do something just to win a contest, you'll win, but your career will end there, because people won't be able to recognize you in your music.

Have you thought about returning to Italian ballads, or is singing in English a must?

No no.

...to succeed in the international market?

Well, yes, it's true. Internationally, Italian isn't the best thing in the long run, as romantic as that sounds. Most of the world speaks English or Spanish, that's just the way it is. But I think there will be some Italian-language project in my future... I don't know how or when, but it's something I want. It's part of my essence, my culture, my music. It would be unfair to give it up.

"There are people around me who are happy with my decision to leave Måneskin, but others hate me. The band is the band..."

Speaking of abandoning the essence, you've radically changed that 100% "metal" look. Does the industry require a more provocative than authentic image to be successful, as a marketing strategy?

What's necessary is to have a strong image, and it can be strong in a million different ways. The important thing is that you're comfortable with how you present yourself and what you do so that it lasts for many years. I don't think appearing particularly transgressive is a marketing gimmick. It's part of personal branding, nothing more.

Starting so young and achieving such meteoric success, how do you manage your mental health? Is it easy to lose your mind?

It's very important that the people who work with you are good people. That they have the ability to say no when everyone else is saying yes, yes, yes, because that's taking the easy way out; you're the talent , and everyone wants to please you. That's not good for the brain or the heart, because it ends up unbalancing you. I've also tried to maintain my lifelong friendships and maintain my environment. There are days and days, but I think it's a great help in keeping my feet on the ground.

And those people around you, including your most die-hard fans... How did they react when you decided to make this transition and take a break from Måneskin?

Some are very happy and think this is a good step, they understand that it's important to me, and others hate me because the band... well, it's the band. [Laughs] But I always stay with the support, which is huge.

What would success be without haters ...

Criticism doesn't bother me as long as it's about my work and not my personal life. Let them say whatever they want, I'm fine with that.