If it wasn’t for his family, Luigi Strangis would never have participated and, consequently, would never have won the twenty-first edition of Friends. “I was hesitant about trying to get in because I didn’t feel ready to face such a big thing. In the end they insisted so much that I tried, and it went as it went: once set, Friends it helped me to find a bit of myself ”, reveals Luigi during a meeting via Zoom a few hours after the victory followed on Canale 5 by more than 4 million spectators. Although Luigi slept little, 20 years, originally from Lamezia Terme, he punctuates the words carefully, masking any sign of fatigue: on the screen that opens on the computer he shows up with disheveled hair, a black tank top and a necklace around his neck, following gestures that highlight not only his nails lacquered in black but also the four metal rings that he wears on his right hand.
Despite Friends was not part of his initial plans, Luigi was born and raised with music: the first to make him sit at the piano was his father, thanks to whom the boy slowly discovered pillars of Italian music such as Pino Daniele and Franco Battiato. “I listened to a bit of all genres: from punk when I was younger to rock up to blues, which is perhaps the genre that shaped me the most”, says Luigi, explaining that he plays the double bass as well as the guitar and the piano. , and, “for fun”, the mandolin and the ukulele. «Before entering ad Friends I faced a path that made me aware of the importance of respecting all those behind. This allowed me to pay attention to many more things and to be a little more confident, even if not too much “, Luigi resumed who, for his future, dreams of a future full of freedom: “I would not want to put stakes: I like to be free to change musical genre because, after all, music is beautiful because it is varied, and it is right that artists space “. Sure, «There is a bit of fear, but it is right that there is. I don’t set goals, but neither limits “Luigi explains, adding that a hypothetical collaboration with Alex, runner-up in the Singing category of Friends and under contract with his own independent record label, 21CO, he is not in the program, but not to be ruled out: «I think now I have to do my own path, trying to reach as many people as possible. Then, slowly, we will see. I don’t leave any doors closed. ‘
One of these is the opportunity that caresses the imagination of almost all the singers who present themselves to Friendsor a hypothetical participation in the Sanremo Festival. When we ask him, reminding him of the path taken by Sangiovanni just a year earlier, his eyes light up: “It would be an honor for me: I’ve always followed him, I really appreciated the work of Amadeus, who also managed to bring back artists like Elisa. To go to Sanremo, however, I would like to be sure of what I am bringing: I must feel that it is really worth it. Again, I do not deny that it would be an honor, but at the right time. I waited to go to Friendslet’s see how it goes with Sanremo “, replies Luigi betraying a smile waiting for the release of his first EP, Strangis, named after his surname. “It’s about me, about who I am, about my slightly crazy personality.” During the chat with the press, however, Luigi also talks about his relationship with Maria De Filippi- “We understood each other a lot” -, of the fear he had at the time of the audition. Friends – “It took a certain strength to face such a path and I wasn’t sure I had it” -, the prize of 150 thousand euros that he will invest in his work and, perhaps, in a holiday to give to his parents “because they deserve it”, and, finally, the possible controversy surrounding the song Round, made together with Enrico Nigiotti. “There are various levels of reading for the songs: Roundfor me, deals with the issue of not letting oneself be attacked, of not keeping insults on and of freeing oneself. Being diabetic, I have sometimes experienced the same things that the song tellsbut the most important lesson I try to convey is always one: don’t get down and try not to give a damn about what others say, because sincerity always pays off ».
Other stories of Vanity Fair that may interest you:
Friends 21: the (not obvious) victory of Luigi and the emotion of Maria De Filippi
Friends 21: who are the finalists
Friends 21: the tears of Stefano De Martino and the intervention of Maria De Filippi
Friends 21: team that wins does not change (but watch out for Celentano)
Friends 21: all crazy for Gabriele Rossi
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Source: Vanity Fair
