Rovazzi e la canzone sui social network

Abstract

The first gold record in Italy obtained exclusively through streaming playings is Andiamo a comandare by Fabio Rovazzi, a young youtuber extremely popular among teenagers. The fact that a youtuber and not a singer received such an award is a signal of the new ways in which Italian teenagers perceive and consume music today: video streaming affects music consumption as much as audio streaming. This essay aims to analyze the three songs Rovazzi has released so far, considering the three elements that contribute to his success: music, lyrics, and video. While the songs themselves rely heavily on Electronic Dance Music (EDM), rap, references to the internet, social networks and slang used by youngsters, the videos seem to create a subtler connection with the viewers who know social networks well and enjoy an active ‘second’ life with their help. Moreover, the videos complete the songs’ meaning, almost as if the songs had been written to fit the videos and not vice versa.