Federico Leonardo Lucia (born 15 October 1989), known professionally as Fedez (), is an Italian rapper, singer, songwriter, social media personality and businessman. In 2011, he released the albums ''Penisola che non c'è'' and ''Il mio primo disco da venduto'', released as free digital downloads. His first studio album, ''Sig. Brainwash – L'arte di accontentare'', was released in 2013, and it debuted at number one on the
Italian Albums Chart
The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when major corporate labels left the previously exist ...
. The album, which spawned three singles, including the top 10 hit "Cigno nero" featuring
Francesca Michielin
Francesca Michielin (, ; born 25 February 1995) is an Italian singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the fifth season of the Italian talent show ''X Factor''. Her first single, " Distratto", debuted atop the Italian FIMI Top Digi ...
, was later certified 3× Platinum by the
Federation of the Italian Music Industry
The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when major corporate labels left the previously exist ...
. As of December 2021, Fedez has 5 #1 studio albums, 25 top ten singles (11 of which peaked at #1) and 50 Platinum certifications.
Biography
Federico Leonardo Lucia was born in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
on 15 October 1989. Before moving to
Rozzano
Rozzano ( lmo, Rozzan ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about south of Milan.
Rozzano borders the following municipalities: Milan, Assago, Zibido San Giacomo, Opera, Pieve ...
, he grew up between
Buccinasco and
Corsico
Corsico (Milanese: ) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, bordering Milan on the southwest.
Corsico received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on 22 July 1987. Corsico is ser ...
, in the
province of Milan
The Province of Milan ( it, Provincia di Milano) was a province in the Lombardy region, Italy. Its capital was the city of Milan. The area of the former province is highly urbanized, with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, the third highest populati ...
.
He studied at the artistic
lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the th ...
, but he dropped out in his junior year.
Career
In 2011, Fedez recorded his first self-produced album with a budget of only €500, ''Penisola che non c'è''.
The album, released as a free digital download, was entirely composed of songs about political and social issues.
Later in 2011, Fedez signed with the label Tanta Roba, founded by Guè Pequeno
Cosimo Fini (born 25 December 1980), better known by the stage name Guè () previously as Guè Pequeno, is an Italian rapper and record producer. He was also earlier a member of various formations, notably the hip hop duo Club Dogo with rapper ...
and DJ Harsh. The label produced his second free album, ''Il mio primo disco da venduto'', released as a digital download in November of the same year.
In June 2012, Fedez appeared in a new version of 883
__NOTOC__
Year 883 ( DCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Europe
* Spring – Viking raiders ravage Flanders, and sack the abbey at Saint- ...
's song "Jolly Blue", included on the album ''Hanno ucciso l'Uomo Ragno 2012'', recorded by the band's frontman Max Pezzali
Massimo Pezzali (born 14 November 1967 in Pavia), commonly known as Max Pezzali, is an Italian singer-songwriter.
He was the principal singer and songwriter of the pop rock group 883. In 2004, he released his first solo album ''Il Mondo Insieme ...
to celebrate the twentieth anniversary since the release of their first full-length album, ''Hanno ucciso l'Uomo Ragno''.
In January 2013, Fedez released his first single for a major label, "Si scrive schiavitù si legge libertà ".
The song was later included in the album ''Sig. Brainwash - L'arte di accontentare'', released by Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
on 5 March 2013. The album was also preceded by the top ten single "Cigno nero", performed with Francesca Michielin
Francesca Michielin (, ; born 25 February 1995) is an Italian singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the fifth season of the Italian talent show ''X Factor''. Her first single, " Distratto", debuted atop the Italian FIMI Top Digi ...
, which was also certified platinum by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry
The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when major corporate labels left the previously exist ...
.[ ''Select ''Online'' certifications, Week ''--'', Year ''----'', and Artist ''Fedez'', then press ''Avvia la ricerca''.''] The album debuted at number one on the Italian Albums Chart
The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when major corporate labels left the previously exist ...
, and it was later certified triple platinum denoting sales exceeding 180,000 units.[ ''Select certifications for ''Album e Compilation'', Week ''--'', Year ''----'', Artist ''Fedez'', then press ''Avvia la ricerca''.''] To promote the album, Fedez embarked on a tour starting from 12 April 2013 in Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
.
The album also spawned the single "Alfonso Signorini (eroe nazionale)", whose music video features Italian TV personalities
The Television Personalities are an English post-punk band formed in 1977 by London singer-songwriter Dan Treacy.Earp, Joseph.The Missing Man Of Music: A Search For The Elusive Dan Treacy Of Television Personalities. ''The Brag'', 26 July 2016 ...
Alfonso Signorini
Alfonso Signorini (born 7 April 1964) is an Italian celebrity, television host and journalist.
Biography
Signorini was born in Milan. He was engaged to Paolo Galimberti.
Television
*''Chiambretti c'è'' (Rai 2, 2002)
*''L'isola dei famosi'' (Rai ...
and Raffaella Fico
Raffaella Fico (born 29 January 1988) is an Italian showgirl, singer and model.
Life and career
Born in Cercola, Fico is the daughter of two shopkeepers of fruit and vegetables. In August 2007, she won an Italian beauty contest, "Miss Grand Pr ...
.
In June 2013, Fedez was also a guest judge during the auditions of the seventh season of the Italian talent show ''X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
''. In May 2013, it was announced that Fedez and Victoria Cabello
Victoria Ellen Cabello (born 12 March 1975, in London) is an Italian television presenter.
She was born in London to an Italian father and an English mother, and grew up in Valsolda, a small town in the province of Como, just a few kilometers ...
would replace Elio
Elio is an Italian male given name.
Origin
A name of dual origin, Elio is primarily a revival of it, Elio, label=none (Helios), the Greek god of the Sun. it, Elio, label=none derives, through the Latin ''Helius'', from the Ancient Greek á¼Î ...
and Simona Ventura
Simona Ventura (born 1 April 1965) is an Italian television presenter.
Television career
Ventura was born in Bentivoglio. She started in TV on "Domani Sposi" with Giancarlo Magalli on Rai Uno.
Her love for sport took her into sports reportin ...
as judges on the eighth season of the Italian version of ''X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' alongside Morgan and Mika
Mika is a given name, a nickname and a surname. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include:
People known just as Mika
* Mika (singer) (born 1983), Lebanese-born British singer-songwriter Michael Penniman, Jr.
* Mika (footbal ...
. His fourth studio album, ''Pop-Hoolista'', was released on 30 September 2014. Predeced by the single "Generazione boh", the record also includes duets with Malika Ayane
Malika Ayane (; born 31 January 1984) is an Italian pop singer.
Early life
Malika Ayane was born in Milan, Italy, on 31 January 1984, to a Moroccan father, Ahmed, and an Italian mother. She grew up in the Zone 2 of Milan, the most multi-ethn ...
, Francesca Michielin
Francesca Michielin (, ; born 25 February 1995) is an Italian singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the fifth season of the Italian talent show ''X Factor''. Her first single, " Distratto", debuted atop the Italian FIMI Top Digi ...
, Noemi, Elisa
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (, ) is a commonly used analytical biochemistry assay, first described by Eva Engvall and Peter Perlmann in 1971. The assay uses a solid-phase type of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect the presence ...
and J-Ax
Alessandro Aleotti (; born 5 August 1972), known as J-Ax (), is an Italian rapper, formerly in the rap group Articolo 31 with his DJ Vito Luca Perrini (DJ Jad). He is the brother of Weedo (also known as Grido from boyband Gemelli DiVersi). On 6 ...
. The album debuted atop the Italian Albums Chart, and it was certified gold one week after its release.[
In 2021, Fedez was one of the acts competing in the ]Sanremo Music Festival
The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...
; dueting with long-time collaborator Francesca Michielin
Francesca Michielin (, ; born 25 February 1995) is an Italian singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the fifth season of the Italian talent show ''X Factor''. Her first single, " Distratto", debuted atop the Italian FIMI Top Digi ...
, the pair performed their song "Chiamami per nome
"Chiamami per nome" ("Call me by my name") is a song by Italian recording artists Francesca Michielin and Fedez, written by Michielin and Fedez with Davide Simonetta, Alessandro Raina, singer-songwriter Mahmood and rapper Dargen D'Amico.
Produced ...
" (Call me by my name) and finished second. In the same year, Fedez also hosted the program ''LOL - Chi ride è fuori
''LOL - Chi ride è fuori'' is an Italian comedy show of 2021 distributed by Amazon Prime Video and hosted by Fedez, Mara Maionchi (Season 1) and Frank Matano (Season 2–3), based on the format of Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto's ''Document ...
'' together with Mara Maionchi
Mara Maionchi (; born 22 April 1941 in Bologna) is an Italian record producer and a TV personality.
Biography
Mara began her career in 1967, as secretary in the '' Ariston Records'' press office, working with Ornella Vanoni and Mino Reitano. ...
. In June, he released the single "Mille
Mille can refer to:
People
* Constantin Mille, Romanian journalist and politician
* Mathieu Mille, French ice hockey player
Places
* Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
* Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota.
* Mille River, a tributary of the Awash River i ...
", a collaboration with Achille Lauro and Orietta Berti
Orietta Berti (born Orietta Galimberti on 1 June 1943) is an Italian pop-folk singer and television personality.
Biography
Born in Cavriago, Berti began her career in 1962 and had her first success in 1965 with the song "Tu sei quello" (You ...
; the song peaked at number 1 in Italy, giving Fedez his tenth number one song.
On 1 November 2021, he announced his sixth album ''Disumano'' (Inhuman), which was released on 26 November, simultaneously with the single "Sapore", in collaboration with Tedua
Mario Molinari (born 21 February 1994), known professionally as Tedua, is an Italian rapper and actor.
Initially also known as Duate, Tedua is known as one of the members of the collective Wild Bandana, along with Izi, Vaz Té, Sangue and Ill R ...
. On 3 June 2022 he published summer hit "La dolce vita", a collaboration with Tananai
Alberto Cotta Ramusino (born 8 May 1995), known professionally as Tananai, is an Italian singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.
Biography
Ramusino was born in Milan. His music career began in 2017, when he obtained a recording contract ...
and Mara Sattei
As of July 2022, Fedez has 63 entries in the Italian Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
chart.
Personal life
Fedez proposed to Chiara Ferragni
Chiara Ferragni () (born May 7, 1987) is an Italian blogger, businesswoman, fashion designer and model who has collaborated with fashion and beauty brands through her blog ''The Blonde Salad''.
Biography
Ferragni was born in Cremona in 1987. ...
, an Italian fashion blogger and entrepreneur, on 6 May 2017 during his concert in Verona
Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Northern Italy, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and the ...
. The concert and proposal were broadcast live on the Italian radio and TV channel RTL 102.5. They have a son, Leone (born 19 March 2018), and a daughter, Vittoria (born 23 March 2021). Fedez and Ferragni married in Noto
Noto ( scn, Notu; la, Netum) is a city and in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. It is southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains. It lends its name to the surrounding area Val di Noto. In 2002 Noto and i ...
, Sicily on 1 September 2018. On 17 March 2022, Fedez publicly shared via Instagram that he was seriously ill with a newly diagnosed disease, though he did not reveal what the disease was at the time. However, on 24 March 2022, he later revealed, again via Instagram, that he had received surgery at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan on 22 March 2022 for removal of a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour. The surgery, which lasted 6 hours and involved a partial pancreatectomy, was reported to have gone well.
Activism
In 2020, Fedez raised €3 million in 24 hours through a fundraiser with Chiara Ferragni
Chiara Ferragni () (born May 7, 1987) is an Italian blogger, businesswoman, fashion designer and model who has collaborated with fashion and beauty brands through her blog ''The Blonde Salad''.
Biography
Ferragni was born in Cremona in 1987. ...
to support the San Raffaele hospital in Milan during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
The COVID-19 pandemic in Italy is part of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ().
The virus was first confirmed to have spread to Italy on 31 January 2020, when t ...
.
Fedez is an avid supporter of LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
rights. In 2021, right after a performance with Francesca Michielin
Francesca Michielin (, ; born 25 February 1995) is an Italian singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the fifth season of the Italian talent show ''X Factor''. Her first single, " Distratto", debuted atop the Italian FIMI Top Digi ...
at the First May Concert, the rapper interrupted the concert by reading a speech in defense of Ddl Zan, a proposed act to protect fragile groups from abuse (such as women, the disabled, and the LGBTQ+ community), reading homophobic quotes said by members of the Lega Nord faction, including Matteo Salvini
Matteo Salvini (; born 9 March 1973) is an Italian politician who has served as Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport since 2022. He has been List of Federal ...
, , Giovanni De Paoli, and Alessandro Rinaldi. Fedez also spoke about freedom of expression, accusing the apex of Rai3, Ilaria Capitani and Franco Di Mare, of having asked him to stop his speech because it was seen as "inappropriate in that context"; Rai3 denied the accusation of attempted censorship and Fedez published a phone call which, he stated, showsed the attempted censorship by the network.
Endorsements
Throughout his career, Fedez has endorsed multiple brands, including Puma, Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
, Bershka
Bershka () is a clothing retailer company created in 1998 in Spain. It is part of the Spanish Inditex group (which also owns brands such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and Zara Home
Zara Home is a company ...
, Intimissimi
Intimissimi is an Italian clothing label founded in 1996, which specializes in bras, briefs, lingerie, vests, and pyjamas for women and men.
Intimissimi clothing was sold through Victoria's Secret's in a third-party partnership arrangement. I ...
, Sisley
Alfred Sisley (; ; 30 October 1839 – 29 January 1899) was an Impressionist landscape painter who was born and spent most of his life in France, but retained British citizenship. He was the most consistent of the Impressionists in his dedicatio ...
, Swarovski
Swarovski (, ) is an Austrian producer of glass based in Wattens, Austria, and has existed as a family-owned business since its founding in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski.
The company is split into three major industry areas: the Swarovski Crystal ...
and Yamamay.
Discography
Studio albums
EPs
Mixtapes
Singles
Other charted songs
Featured in
Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Fedez
at Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
{{Authority control
Italian rappers
1989 births
Living people
Musicians from Milan
Rappers from Milan
LGBT rights activists from Italy