Giovanni Caccamo (born 8 December 1990) is an Italian singer and songwriter. After being discovered by singer Franco Battiato and producer Caterina Caselli,[1] he won the newcomers' section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2015, with the song "Ritornerò da te", and released his debut album, Qui per te.
He has also worked as a television presenter, and he dubbed the character Uku in the Italian version of Pixar's short film Lava. As a songwriter, he has penned songs for Italian recording artists Malika Ayane, Francesca Michielin and Emma Marrone.
Early life
Giovanni Caccamo started singing as a child. In 2001, during a Zecchino d'Oro TV special celebrating Mother's Day, he performed as part of the Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano, a children's choir from Bologna.[2]
In the summer of 2012, he met Franco Battiato and opened some of his tours, including special shows with Antony and the Johnsons.
On 15 August 2013, he released his first single, "L'indifferenza" written by himself and produced by Franco Battiato and Pino Pinaxa Pischetola.[5]
From November 2013, he started performing in several private homes throughout Italy and Europe, singing and playing piano, as part of his Live at Home Tour.[6] The initiative was taken in March 2015 in anticipation as part of the official tour of Qui Per Te. During that time, he was part of the radio show Edicola Fiore hosted by Rosario Fiorello.
In October 2014, he signed a recording contract with Sugar Music.[7]
In 2015, he competed in the 65th edition of the Sanremo Festival and won in the newcomers' section with the song "Ritornerò da te". He also received the "Mia Martini Critics" Award, the Emanuele Luzzati prize, and the Sherman Press Award (Press Radio-TV).[8][9] The song anticipated his first studio album Qui per te, which peaked at number 29 on the Italian Albums Chart.[10] During 2015 Caccamo wrote songs for Emma Marrone, Francesca Michielin, Deborah Iurato and Malika Ayane.
In January 2016, Caccamo participated at Sanremo Music Festival. The chosen song "Via da qui", a duet with Deborah Iurato, was included on his second studio album Non siamo soli. The album became his second top 30 on FIMI's chart and has collaborations with Federica Abbate, Malika Ayane and Carmen Consoli.[11]
On 26 July 2016, Caccamo participated with Andrea Bocelli, Carly Paoli, and David Foster in "Music For Mercy", an event that celebrated the Jubilee of Mercy at the Roman Forum.
On 10 November 2016, Caccamo's first epistolary novel, "Dialogue with my mother", was published by Rizzoli.
He has since then appeared in many concerts and music festivals, including as an opening act for famed singer Biagio Antonacci.[13][14] In 2017 he was the lyricist for Elodie's second studio album Tutta colpa mia and for Chiara Galiazzo.
On 14 January 2017, he was appointed Ambassador for UNESCO.
In October 2017, he began his television adventure as a Tutor in the school of "Amici", broadcast on Saturdays on Canale 5 and daily on Real Time.
On 9 February 2018, after his participation in the 68th edition of the Sanremo Festival with the homonymous song "Eterno" and the success of "Puoi fidarti di me", the main theme song of the soundtrack of the movie "Puoi baciare lo sposo" by Alessandro Genovesi, the third album by the Sicilian singer-songwriter is published. The single Eterno has exceeded 8 MLN of views and 4 MLN of streaming, reaping a great success.
On 6 October 2018, he sings for Pope Francis, in the Sala Nervi in Vatican City, on the occasion of the "Synod of Young People".
On 8 February 2019, he is a guest at the Sanremo Festival with Patty Pravo.
On 17 September 2021, he published his fourth studio album, Parola, with many collaborations: Willem Dafoe, Aleida Guevara, Patti Smith, Jesse Paris Smith, Liliana Segre, Michele Placido, Beppe Fiorello.
The theme of this concept album is 'Word' – the word that travels between music, prose, cinema, and literature. Each song is introduced by the text that inspired it, read and accompanied by music. The narrative and melody merge into the beginning of each corresponding song.
Discography
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
