Virginio (singer) explained

Virginio
Birth Name:Virginio Simonelli
Birth Date:31 January 1985
Birth Place:Fondi (LT), Lazio, Italy
Genre:Pop
Occupation:Singer
Years Active:2005–present
Label:Universal Music
(2005-2006, 2011-2014, 2022-present)
iMean Music
(2015-2019)
MP Film
(2020-present)
Website:virginiosimonelli.it

Virginio Simonelli (pronounced as /it/; born January 31, 1985), simply known as Virginio, is an Italian pop singer.

He made his debut in 2006 in the Sanremo Festival's New Proposals category with the song Davvero.[1] In 2011 he won the tenth edition of the Italian singing competition Amici di Maria De Filippi in the singers-songwriters category and published his record Finalmente. Between 2012 and 2023 he has released fourteen singles. He has sold more than 30,000 copies of his albums and won a Gold Wind Music Award.[2]

Biography

As a child, Virginio showed a natural predisposition to music. As a teenager, he learned to play the piano, sing, and compose his first songs, also experimenting with dancing and acting. After graduating from the Gobetti High School in his hometown, Fondi, he moved to Milan. There, he enrolled in the Nuova Accademia Delle Belle Arti (New Academy of Fine Arts), where he graduated in Graphic Design And Art Direction, getting in touch with producers Paolo Agosta (his professor) and Ivo Grasso, with whom he began collaborating.

First steps in music: Sanremo Nuove Proposte and the first album Virginio

In 2006 he took part in the 56th Sanremo Music Festival in the category New Proposals with a song written by him, Davvero that anticipated his first album Virginio, produced by Ivo Grasso and Fabrizio Grenghi. The album contains ten tracks and the lyrics were written by the singer along with Paolo Agosta,[3] who also composed the music. The second single Instabile was released in May and the third one Novembre in October.

In 2010 he made his first experience as an author, writing with Paola & Chiara the tracks Milleluci and Adesso Stop!, of which he also composed the music, contained in their album Milleluci.

Winner of "Amici di Maria De Filippi" and the EP "Finalmente"

In September 2010 Virginio passed the selections of the tenth edition of Amici di Maria De Filippi.[4] During the contest Virginio presented Ad Occhi Chiusi, Non Ha Importanza and Dolcenotte and won the competition in March 2011.[5]

On March 8, 2011, he published his second studio album Finalmente promoted by the singles Ad occhi chiusi and Sale.The album sold over 30,000 copies and it was certified gold and therefore awarded at the Wind Music Awards.[2]

"Ovunque" and second experience in Amici

On March 26, 2012, Virginio published his third album "Ovunque",[6] featuring the singles Alice and La Dipendenza and a song, Catch Me, that Gary Barlow, leader of Take That, gave to Virginio, who translated it into Italian with the title Tu Mi Senti.

From March 31, 2012 Virginio attended the eleventh edition of Amici in a special contest, called Big, where former contestants of previous editions of the show challenged each other, but Virginio was eliminated during the 3rd episode.

In 2013 he composed and wrote for and with Laura Pausini the songs Limpido, in duet with Kylie Minogue, and Dove resto solo io.

2015-2019

In 2015 he was the opening act for one of the shows of Malika Ayane's Naïf tour and released the single Hercules, produced in San Francisco by Corrado Rustici and written with Andy Marvel, Dimitri Ehrlich and Jesse Harris. In the same year he was one of the authors of the lyrics to Raf's Rimani tu. In 2016, together with Andrea Ferrara, he wrote and composed the m music for Weird by Lorenzo Fragola.[7]

In 2016, Virginio participated with a cover of Royals by Lorde to the compilation A.M.I. - Rarities of Artists for Amatrice was released.[8] In 2017 he co-authored lyrics and music for Chiara Galiazzo's song Chiaroscuro.

In July 2017 he participated to the festival Symphonic Night Vol 2 Napoli Fantasy at Shibuya O-EAST in Tokyo,[9] as the guest vocalist of Corrado Rustici's prog-rock band Cervello, an event from which a live CD and DVD entitled Live in Tokyo 2017 was released.[10] In September 2018 she is part of the cast, at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, of the musical event Buon compleanno Mimì, organized by the cultural association Minuetto in memory of Mia Martini, paying tribute to the artist with a cover of Il fiume dei profumi, a song written for her by Biagio Antonacci.[11] In 2017 he released the single Semplifica, produced by Gianluigi Fazio and written in collaboration with Fazio himself and Edwyn Roberts, which was promoted live by Virginio during the 2018's edition of the Italian event Festival Show.[12]

In 2018 he collaborated again with Laura Pausini with whom he co-authored the lyrics of Fantastico (Fai quello che sei), E.sta.a.te and Il caso è chiuso,[13] he was then an opening act of five of Pausini's Fatti sentire World Wide Tour 2018 shows.[14] In November 2018, he performed in Osaka at the "Italia, amore mio!" festival, an event organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce that promotes made in Italy music, art, food and wine in Japan.[15] In the same year, he released the single Rischiamo tutto[16] and in 2019 Cubalibre, whose video inspired by Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, directed by Alessandro Congiu, was awarded as Video revelation of the year at the Premio Roma Videoclip 2019.[17]

With a conference at the Chamber of Deputies[18] in June 2016, it was announced that Virginio would collaborate on Parole liberate: beyond the prison wall, a poetry contest, conceived by Duccio Parodi and Michele De Lucia, reserved for people in prison. The winning poem, P.S. post scriptum, by then inmate Giuseppe Catalano, in fact, was set to music by Virginio and recorded and published in 2019. P.S. post scriptum was awarded Best Lyrics at the International Short Film Festival Tulipani di Seta Nera.[19]

Between 2018 and 2019 he collaborated with Officine Buone, a non-profit organization that brings live music to hospitals, also participating in the MTV series Involontaria inspired by the project.[20] On September 2, 2019 Virginio announced, during the 76th edition of the Venice International Film Festival, that he is the artist who won the SIAE's Per chi crea contest for the national and international promotion of Italian music, winning the production of a tour in the United States, planned for spring 2020 but currently postponed due to the 2019-2021 COVID-19 pandemic.[21]

2020-today

In 2020, he participated in Tale e quale show (the Italian version of Sing Your Face Off) and took on the role of music artistic director of MP FILM, a film-music production company.[22] In the same year he also signed the sound direction of Donne - Storie che ispirano, a docu-series about women with breast cancer by Italian TV channel LA7d,[23] [24] and of Manteniamoci Informate, an ovarian cancer awareness campaign.[25] He also supported his hometown, Fondi, which became a "red zone" during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy with a charitable concert, Artisti ProFondi, streamed on April 2, 2020, featuring Marco Masini, Arisa, Noemi and other colleagues[26] [27] [28]

In 2021 he released the singles Rimani[29] (also presented in Latin America in its Spanish-language version Mañana in 2022[30] [31]) and Brava gente.[32] Also in 2021 he co-wrote Ti vedo da fuori by Alessandra Amoroso, featured on the album Tutto accade.[33]

Between February and April 2022 he co-wrote the song Quello che abbiamo perso by Giusy Ferreri, featured on the album Cortometraggi[34] and he sang in duet with Bianca Atzei on Collisioni. In the summer he released the single M'incanta for Universal Music Italy[<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spettacolomusicasport.com/2022/06/24/il-24-giugno-esce-mincanta-il-nuovo-singolo-di-virginio/ | title=Il 24 giugno esce "M'incanta", il nuovo singolo di Virginio | date=June 24, 2022 }}</ref> and wrote with Daniele Coro ''Il panda con le ali'', a song that participated in the 65th edition of the [[Zecchino d'Oro]] and was the winner of the event.[35] [36]

In September 2022, he announced, during the 79th edition of the Venice International Film Festival, his new single Non dirlo a nessuno, and its Spanish version No le digas a nadie, the main song of the soundtrack of Alessio Russo's film of the same name, in which Virginio also takes part with a cameo.[59][60][61] On December 11, 2022, he participated in and won the second edition of the Christmas version of the Italian TV program Tale e quale show with his performance as George Michael, singing Last Christmas.[37]

In winter 2023 he collaborated in the creation of the song Un milione di piccole tempeste performed by Gianni Morandi. On May 25, 2023, he released his new single Il giorno con la notte in Italian and El día con la noche in Spanish, featuring Teo Bok and with the production of Julio Reyes Copello.[38] In June 2023 he worked again with Laura Pausini, writing for her Il primo passo sulla Luna and Vale la pena for her new album Anime Parallele.

In January 2024 he wrote for and with Alberto Urso Mille domande. In February he participated in Tale e quale Sanremo. On March 16 and on March 30, he was the opening act for the tour dates in Mexico City and Miami of Laura Pausini's World Tour 2023-2024.[39] During an interview on Telemundo's talk show Conectados con Daisy he announced his new single Noche Negra which was released on June 4.[40] On November 7, 8, and 9, he was the opening act for the dates in Houston, Miami, and Orlando of Carlos Baute's De mi puño y letra tour.[41]

Private life

On May 24, 2023, he came out as gay in an interview with Vanity Fair Italy.[42]

Discography

Albums

Compilation

Singles

Videos

Tours

Other tours

Author and composer for other singers

YearTitleArtistAlbum
2010Milleluci
(Lyrics: Chiara Iezzi, Paola Iezzi, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Virginio Simonelli)
Paola & ChiaraMilleluci
Adesso stop!
(Lyrics: Chiara Iezzi, Paola Iezzi - Music: Virginio Simonelli)
2012Riflessi di me
(Lyrics: Francesca Michielin, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Elisa Toffoli)
Francesca MichielinRiflessi di me
2013Limpido
(Lyrics: Laura Pausini, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Virginio Simonelli)
Laura Pausini feat. Kylie Minogue20 – The Greatest Hits
Dove resto solo io
(Lyrics: Laura Pausini, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Virginio Simonelli)
Laura Pausini
2014Qualcosa resta sempre
(Lyrics: Virginio Simonelli - Music: Chris Loco, Natalia Hajjara e Philippe Marc Anquetil)
ChiaraUn giorno di sole
2015Rimani tu
(Lyrics and music: Chiara Civello, Alessandra Flora, Raffaele Riefoli, Virginio Simonelli and Luca Vicini[44])
RafSono io
Como yo sabría
(Lyrics and music: Laura Pausini and Virginio Simonelli[45])
Maverick López Sánchez18+1
2016Weird
(Lyrics and music: Andrea Ferrara, Virginio Simonelli)
Lorenzo FragolaZero Gravity
2017Chiaroscuro
(Lyrics: Chiara Galiazzo, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Gianluigi Fazio, Virginio Simonelli)
ChiaraNessun posto è casa mia
2018Fantastico (fai quello che sei)
(Lyrics: Laura Pausini, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Laura Pausini, Paolo Carta)
Laura Pausini Fatti sentire
Il caso è chiuso
(Lyrics: Laura Pausini, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Daniel Vuletic)
E.sta.a.te
(Lyrics: Laura Pausini, Virginio Simonelli - Music: Paolo Carta)
Tra le mani
(Lyrics and music: Andrea Bonomo and Virginio Simonelli[46])
Carmen FerreriLa complicità
2019Punto a capo
(Lyrics and music: Virginio Simonelli[47])
Più forti del ricordo
Magnifico donare
(Lyrics and music: Virginio Simonelli[48]) Promotional song for AVIS, Italian charitable organisation for blood donation[49]
Chiara
2020Ognuno per sé
(Lyrics and music: Virginio Simonelli[50])
Francesco BertoliCarpe Diem
2021Ti vedo da fuori
(Lyrics and music: Federica Camba, Daniele Coro, Virginio Simonelli[51])
Alessandra AmorosoTutto accade
2022Quello che abbiamo perso
(Lyrics and music: Diego Mancino, Daniele Coro, Virginio Simonelli[52])
Giusy FerreriCortometraggi
2023Un milione di piccole tempeste
(Lyrics and music: Diego Mancino, Daniele Coro, Federica Camba, Virginio Simonelli[53])
Gianni MorandiEvviva!
Il primo passo sulla Luna
(Lyrics: Virginio Simonelli, Cheope, Laura Pausini - Music: Virginio Simonelli, Jason Rooney[54])
Laura Pausini Anime Parallele
Vale la pena
(Lyrics and music: Virginio Simonelli, Daniele Coro, Denise Faro, Diego Mancino, Laura Pausini)
2024Mille domande
(Lyrics and music: Virginio Simonelli, Alberto Urso, Daniele Coro, Fabio Arduini[55])
Alberto Urso

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Virginio – Sanremo 2006 – 56º Festival di Sanremo . March 9, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110227062006/http://www.linksanremo.it/2006/Virginio/Virginio.htm . February 27, 2011 . dead .
  2. Web site: Virginio: "Finalmente" è disco d'oro - Festival . festival.blogosfere.it . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110501013419/http://festival.blogosfere.it/2011/04/virginio-finalmente-e-disco-doro.html . 2011-05-01.
  3. Web site: italiancharts.com - Virginio - Davvero. italiancharts.com. March 31, 2023.
  4. Web site: Virginio Simonelli – singer . March 9, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110301052244/http://www.mariadefilippi.mediaset.it/amici/2010-2011/virginio-simonelli.shtml . March 1, 2011 . dead .
  5. Web site: Amici, vincono Denny e Virginio. Premio di 100mila euro per ciascuno - televisione -Tgcom - pagina 1 . www.tgcom.mediaset.it . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110307220323/http://www.tgcom.mediaset.it/televisione/articoli/articolo504920.shtml . 2011-03-07.
  6. Web site: Virginio, Ovunque tracklist e cover. March 2, 2012.
  7. Web site: LORENZO FRAGOLA: Ecco la tracklist di "Zero Gravity", tra gli autori anche VIRGINIO . February 19, 2016 .
  8. Web site: √ Esce la benefit compilation A.M.I. Rarità di Artisti per Amatrice con Syria, Gerardina Trovato e altri .
  9. Web site: MARQUEE presents SYMPHONIC NIGHT VOL.2 - MARQUEE LIVE . https://web.archive.org/web/20170629124744/http://www.marquee.co.jp/live/napolifantasy.html . June 29, 2017 .
  10. Web site: Cervello - Live in Tokyo 2017 .
  11. Web site: Buon compleanno Mimì 2018 a Milano con Bernabei, Tatangelo, Virginio e molti altri . September 11, 2018 .
  12. Web site: Virginio annuncia "Semplifica", il nuovo singolo: "la leggerezza è il contrario della superficialità come diceva Italo Calvino" . June 17, 2018 .
  13. Web site: Laura Pausini, Fatti sentire: Presentazione album, tracklist e significato delle canzoni . March 15, 2018 .
  14. Web site: Laura Pausini: Ecco tutti gli opening act del suo tour da Thomas a Michele Bravi . September 13, 2018 .
  15. Web site: Virginio a Osaka in Giappone ospite del festival "Italia, Amore mio!" per tre live . November 2, 2018 .
  16. Web site: Virginio lancia il singolo Rischiamo tutto. Un incoraggiamento gentile su un tappeto elettronico . October 25, 2018 .
  17. Web site: Roma Videoclip — Il Cinema incontra la musica: premiati Tommaso Paradiso e Noemi. Simone. Bartoli. December 9, 2019. March 31, 2023.
  18. Web site: Premio Parole liberate: Lunedì 13 giugno conferenza stampa alla Camera dei Deputati per presentare Virginio, l'artista che musicherà la lirica vincitrice della Seconda edizione, e per presentare il Bando della Terza edizione, dedicata alla memoria di Marco Pannella – PAROLE LIBERATE . June 7, 2016 .
  19. Web site: Virginio: "PS Post Scriptum" vincitore il XIII Festival Internazionale Film Corto . July 2020 .
  20. Web site: Involontaria, una serie tv racconta la musica che entra in ospedale grazie ai volontari. Gli ospiti? Da Levante a Lodo Guenzi a Maccarini . December 6, 2019 .
  21. Web site: Virginio electroacoustic Tour America sarà presentato alla Biennale di Venezia . August 28, 2019 .
  22. Web site: Il Team .
  23. Web site: Tumori: Storie di donne che ispirano, la docu-serie su la 7d . December 12, 2020 .
  24. Web site: Virginio - Direzione Musicale della Docu - Serie "Donne - Storie Che Ispirano" . November 23, 2020 .
  25. Web site: Manteniamoci Informate: La campagna di sensibilizzazione con Claudia Gerini . July 10, 2020 .
  26. News: Arisa, Masini, Noemi e tanti big insieme in streaming per Fondi . April 2020 .
  27. Web site: #iosuonodacasa: I concerti in live streaming del 2 aprile . April 2, 2020 .
  28. News: Virginio and Friends: Il live streaming per aiutare la sua Fondi . March 30, 2020 .
  29. Web site: Dopo "Tale & Quale Show" Virginio torna con una ballata spaccacuore, "Rimani" . March 24, 2021 .
  30. Web site: Univision Reaches More Hispanic Viewers Than Any Other Network in the USA - Señal News .
  31. PrimerImpacto. 1517245151659311104. Hoy te mostramos quién es @VirginioNero, el talentoso cantante italiano que le ha compuesto a Laura Pausini y que ha tomado clases de español para conquistar a los hispanos con su voz y su música. .
  32. Web site: Virginio racconta un'Italia pronta a cambiare nel nuovo singolo 'Brava gente' .
  33. Web site: Alessandra Amoroso: La tracklist del nuovo disco "Tutto accade" . October 18, 2021 .
  34. Web site: Giusy Ferreri svela anche la tracklsit dell'album "Cortometraggi" .
  35. Web site: Zecchino d'Oro 2022: 14 interpreti per 17 canzoni scritte da tanti autori. Da Ruggeri a Virginio, da Checco Zalone a Deborah Iurato . June 30, 2022 .
  36. Web site: "Il panda con le ali" vince il 65° Zecchino d'Oro . December 24, 2022 .
  37. Web site: Virginio vince "Natale e Quale show" con "Last Christmas" degli Wham (VIDEO) . December 12, 2022 .
  38. Web site: Italia e America latina ancora più vicine... Teo Bok e Virginio lanciano "Il giorno con la notte" e "El dia con la noche" . May 19, 2023 .
  39. https://www.allmusicitalia.it/tour/laura-pausini-tour-sold-out.html
  40. https://earone.com/post/15ee7d1f9b28
  41. https://www.instagram.com/p/C6_s9O6N8VB/
  42. Web site: Virginio: "Sono gay ma non chiamatelo coming out" . May 24, 2023 .
  43. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4OixjFOvhL/
  44. Web site: "Rimani tu" anticipa il nuovo album di RAF in uscita il 30 giugno (TESTO e LYRIC VIDEO) . April 23, 2015 .
  45. Web site: Laura Pausini e Virginio Simonelli scrivono per Maverick Lopez di the Voice . August 7, 2015 .
  46. Web site: Carmen lancia in radio venerdì "Tra le mani" firmata da Andrea Bonomo e Virginio . May 30, 2018 .
  47. Web site: Carmen Ferreri nel nuovo album brani di Giordana, Virginio e Caccamo . February 14, 2019 .
  48. Web site: Magnifico donare...una nuova campagna sulle note di Chiara Galiazzo . October 29, 2019 .
  49. https://www.giornaledipuglia.com/2019/10/avis-virginio-scrive-il-brano-magnifico.html Avis, Virginio scrive il brano 'Magnifico donare' con la partecipazione di Chiara Galiazzo
  50. Web site: Francesco Bertoli: Da Virginio a Giordana Angi tutti gli autori di "Carpe diem" . March 27, 2020 .
  51. Web site: Alessandra Amoroso... "Tutto accade": 14 canzoni, 20 autori e tre produttori per il nuovo album . October 18, 2021 .
  52. Web site: Giusy Ferreri: Tutti gli autori del nuovo album, "Cortometraggi". Da Marco Masini a Virginio, da Saverio Grandi a Giulia Anania . February 17, 2022 .
  53. https://www.allmusicitalia.it/news/guida-allascolto-brano-per-brano-del-nuovo-disco-di-gianni-morandi-evviva-un-disco-branderizzato-da-jovanotti.html
  54. https://www.allmusicitalia.it/news/laura-pausini-anime-parallele-testi-autore-tracklist.html/2
  55. https://www.imusicfun.it/top-news/alberto-urso-il-ritorno-con-il-singolo-mille-domande/
  56. Web site: Amici di Maria de Filippi: Sfide di canto e ballo, video, news e anticipazioni .
  57. Web site: Wind Music Awards 7,14,21 giugno Italia1 .
  58. Web site: Arte e spettacolo, nel Cilento torna il Premio internazionale Palinuro . September 21, 2018 .
  59. Web site: Riconoscimento Giovanni Paolo II 2019: Tutti i nomi dei premiati . May 13, 2019 .
  60. Web site: Virginio vince il premio rivelazione per il video di "Cubalibre" al Roma Video Clip . December 5, 2019 .
  61. Web site: 11 May 2021. Antonino Muscaglione. 1 July 2020. Virginio: "PS Post Scriptum" vincitore il XIII Festival Internazionale Film Corto. faremusic.it.
  62. Web site: Fara Film Festival 2022, tutti i vincitori . July 26, 2022 .
  63. Web site: Ricky Tognazzi: "Ugo padre distratto ma scialuppa di salvataggio" . July 22, 2022 .
  64. Web site: Fara Film Festival: Vince Il grande Melies . July 27, 2022 .
  65. Web site: E' il cantautore Virginio la "Persona dell'Anno 2022": Cerimonia al Castello Caetani di Fondi .
  66. https://www.allmusicitalia.it/news/teo-bok-e-virginio-premio-roma-videoclip.html