If you’ve been anywhere near the rock scene in the past few years, you definitely know who Damiano David is. He’s the charismatic lead singer of Måneskin, the Italian rock band that quickly became famous worldwide after winning Eurovision 2021 with their hit “Zitti e Buoni.” With his powerful voice, magnetic stage presence, and androgynous style, Damiano became the face of a new wave of rock revival.
Måneskin’s success was huge. After Eurovision, they dominated charts all over the world with songs like “I Wanna Be Your Slave” and their cover of “Beggin”. The band toured the world, played huge festivals, and proved that rock still had a place in mainstream music. However, last year the band entered on a break and Damiano as well as other members are now focusing on their solo careers.
Damiano’s solo career debut:
In 2024, the Italian rockstar took a bold step into new territory and officially launched his solo career. His debut single, “Silverlines”, dropped in September 2024 and surprised fans with a very different vibe from Måneskin’s sound. Produced by Labrinth, the song blended melodic tones with emotional ballad energy, leaving the rock that we are used to hearing in Damiano’s voice behind.
After that, he released “Born with a Broken Heart” in October, a theatrical track that dug deeper into themes of heartbreak and vulnerability. While the sound was poppier than his band’s music, the passion and intensity were pure Damiano.
In May 2025, he released his first solo album, Funny Little Fears, through Sony Music Italy. The 14-track record is a mix of emotional storytelling, polished pop, and amazing featuring collaborators like Suki Waterhouse and d4vd.
A new sound a new era:
From the first notes of “The First Time” (first track of the album), it’s clear that this isn’t the Damiano fans met through Eurovision or wild festival stages. The track is built around smooth melodies, melancholic lyrics, and lush production.
According to Damiano, this production is deeply personal. He called it a project “for me”, born out of breakups, anxiety, and self-reflection. It’s raw, honest, and full of feeling. In this album he is showing the world another side of himself, more vulnerable, more theatrical, and just as captivating.
Damiano’s solo work is smoother, more polished, and deeply rooted in pop influences (something that hasn’t sat well with fans who expected him to stay within the gritty, glam-rock aesthetic that made him famous).
Funny Little Fears is far more than a solo debut, it’s Damiano’s emotional diary, a bold mix of confession, cinematic pop, and a creative touch. In this new era he’s stepping out not just as a frontman, but as a fully realized solo artist.
Fans Are Divided
The reactions from fans have been mixed in relation to the genre migration that Damiano carried out. Some are fully on board, loving all the new things that the singer is bringing in this phase of his career and see it as an exciting evolution of his artistry.
Other fans feel like he’s abandoned the band’s edgy roots for something too mainstream and safe. A few comments on social media have labeled the new image and sound as “repackaged for the U.S. pop market” or “teen-friendly” compared to the band’s bolder and authentic vibe. The problem for them is seeing their idol become something that he used to criticize.
“The First Time” has been highly commented on the internet lately. The song talks about the early feelings of love, capturing the sweetness and vulnerability of experiencing deep connection for the first time.
The music was written for his current girlfriend Dove Cameron and believe it or not Damiano is getting hate comments for the line “Before you, I was nothing, was nothing, had nothing”. Some people on the internet are criticizing him for not being sensible with his ex-girlfriend Giorgia Soleri.
Damiano hasn’t stayed silent. In interviews, he’s addressed the hate directly, saying that many people are “reacting out of discomfort” with seeing him grow and change. “Some fans feel like they lost control over what I represent to them,” he said in a recent conversation with El País.“But I can’t be the same character forever. That’s not honest.”
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The article above was edited by Sarah Pizarro.
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