As a rule, I never write a story about the same person two weeks in a row but, I have to make an exception this week. Ignazio do you ever sleep?

In my story last week, I mentioned that there are times that so much is going on with Ignazio that I need to continue to write about him week after week. Last week we took a look at where Nico is in his career and this week Ignazio introduced us to a singer named Giada Luppi! I’m sure the first thing you’re going to say is I know that name. That is correct because she just won the World Figure Skating Championships in Asuncion, Paraguay.

So, what does she have to do with Ignazio? Ignazio just signed her to Floki! Yes, she is not only a Championship skater, but also a singer!

So, let’s start by meeting the skater!

The eighteen-year-old, Giada Luppi is from Crespellano-Valsamoggia, in the province of Bologna. She has been skating since she was five years old. She has won two European Championships and five Italian championships and now she has won the World Figure Skating Championships. This translates to two European golds, in 2019 and last month at home, in Riccione, two world championship silvers and five titles at the Italian championships. Her win on October 3^rd, was in the junior world champion in the free single program at the World Figure Skating Championship. An amazing career for the young Emilian skater. Her artistic skills, strength and gracefulness is a perfect mix that has allowed her in recent years to establish herself nationally and internationally. Always to the rhythm of music, which never fails in her workouts, Giada prefers to work out to a lot of soul music, including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, but also Giorgia, Mia Martini, Mina, Alex Britti.

Needless to say, she is a phenomenal skater.

Among her role models is Paola Fraschini, the skater who at Sanremo 2021 sang “Musica Leggerissima,” by Colapesce and Dimartino. “Seeing a sports icon like her on the stage of the Ariston was a source of great pride for all of us,” admits Giada, “Paola came out of the world of skating, full of world titles, to devote herself to a career as a performer in Cirque du Soleil, so here in Italy we lost sight of her because she was always around the world. Finding her again at the Festival, was a surprise.”

Giada has a very clear idea about her future. “I will compete a few more years because I think I have already dedicated so much of my life to skating and then I would like to devote myself completely to music.” Certainly, Giada is not ready to hang up her skates. In the video of her first single, La Rotta (The Route), Giada proves skating and singing are not incompatible activities. She would like to carry on these two passions, on the model of the R&B star Usher.

Giada says, “Skating is part of my life, while singing started as an outlet and then became a necessity, something I can’t do without.”

Enter Ignazio!

While we slept, Ignazio has signed Giada Luppi to a contract with Floki! And then there were two! Ignazio, your family is growing!

It seems our, sexy, Italian tenor/producer knows how to move and shake in the music industry! First there was Nico and now the fantastic, Giada Luppi!

If there’s one thing I can say about Ignazio, he is a dreamer and he always has his eyes open for young talent. Ignazio’s dream is to help other young people have the opportunity he had along with Piero and Gianluca.

From when he was on the competition circuit, Ignazio always wanted healthy competition and fair opportunities for everyone. His failure to see this in the competitions led him to almost give up his dreams. He never wants to see that happen to another young person. What better way to help these young people than to give them the opportunity to record with a small label run by a very famous person who is the epitome of music!  

I predict that someday that small label will become a leader in the music industry!

While Giada was competing in Paraguary, back home in Italy, her first single, La Rotta (The Route), was released. The song was a collaboration with Ignazio. Giada says, “This is an unpublished work written by me born from the collaboration with Ignazio Boschetto of “Il Volo.”  

Yes, they wrote the song together! “This song is a cheerful invitation to regain possession of one’s life after a difficult period,” explains Giada, “it can help relieve the stress of the times.” Giada says she has written over 60 songs! When does she have the time? She must be taking lessons from Ignazio!

And who might her manger be? Yes, it is, Michele Torpedine. The song was produced by Ignazio and Michele together with Bruno Farinelli, Ignazio’s drummer for Il Volo.

Giada said, “In the future I would like to continue to walk the road of music, but without hanging up my skates.”

With her debut single, Giada enters what she hopes will become her career in the entertainment world. Giada explains, “I dream of singing and skating together, why not? I will compete for a few more years, then my life will be music”

In an article by Andrea Spinelli, Giada said, “My future is in music.”

Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Andrea: Why did you choose to debut with La Rotta?

Giada: It’s a very cheerful piece that can help relieve the stress of the times.”

Andrea: Who would you like to share a song with?

Giada: My idol is Mina and, the biggest dream would be to do it with her, but also with two male artists that I respect very much like Mengoni and Ramazzotti”.

Andrea: Do you know Paola Fraschini, the skater who choreographed in Sanremo with her evolutions “Musica leggerissima” by Colapesce and Dimartino?

Giada: Seeing a sports icon like her on the Ariston stage was a source of great pride for all of us. Paola left the world of skating, full of world titles, to devote herself to a career as a performer in Cirque du Soleil, so here in Italy we lost a bit of sight of her because she was always around the world. Finding her again at the Festival was a surprise.”

Andrea: Isn’t it a bit of a force to perform with the skater in Sanremo?

Giada: If Achille Lauro on that stage was not a force, why should a skater be?”

Andrea: Are skating and song distinct activities?

Giada: Well, in my video I sing and skate. Even an R&B star like Usher sometimes sings on skates with a lot of choreography. I’d like to do it too. There are people like Elodie dancing and singing, I would love to sing and skate.

Andrea: In 2019 you participated in Sanremo Young.

Giada: I auditioned and arrived in front of the commission and Antonella Clerici, but I didn’t go through the last phase.

Andrea: How do you see the future?

Giada: I will compete a few more years because I think I have already dedicated so much of my life to skating and I would like to devote myself completely to music.”

With her debut single, in collaboration with Ignazio and manager Michele Torpedine, she entered what she hoped would become her career in the entertainment world. But in the meantime, the 18-year-old is crowned world champion on roller skates. “I dream of singing and skating together, why not? I will compete for a few more years, then my life will be music.”

So, Ignazio you did it again!  And we get the honor of watching The Route of Giada.  We were fortunate to have the opportunity of watching Floki take off with the signing of Nico! We will continue to watch Floki grow with each new entertainer. We are enjoying the journey!

Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!

If you would like to share a story with me, please email:  susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com

To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com

 

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.