Franco Battiato

Franco Battiato
Background information
Birth nameFrancesco Battiato
Also known asSüphan Barzani
Born(1945-03-23)23 March 1945
Ionia, Sicily, Italy
Died18 May 2021(2021-05-18) (aged 76)
Milo, Sicily, Italy
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • composer
  • filmmaker
  • painter
Instruments
Years active1965–2019
Labels
WebsiteOfficial website

Francesco "Franco" Battiato (Italian: [ˈfraŋko batˈtjaːto, battiˈaːto]; 23 March 1945 – 18 May 2021)[2][3] was an Italian musician, singer, composer, filmmaker and, under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani, also a painter.[4] Battiato's songs contain esoteric, philosophical and religious themes, and have spanned genres such as experimental pop, electronic music, progressive rock, opera, symphonic music, movie soundtrack, oratorio and new wave.

He was for decades one of the most popular singer-songwriters in Italy. His unique sound, song-crafting and especially his lyrics, often containing philosophical, religious, and culturally exotic references, as well as tackling or painting universal themes about the human condition earned him a unique spot on Italy's music scene, and the nickname of "Il Maestro"[5] His work includes songwriting and joint production efforts with several Italian and international musicians and pop singers, including the long-lasting professional relationship with Italian singers Alice and Giuni Russo. Together with Alice, Battiato represented Italy at the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "I treni di Tozeur".[6]

  1. ^ Ned Raggett. Franco Battiato at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Franco Battiato dies aged 76, Mattarella leads tributes". ANSA. Rome. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. ^ Battiato, Franco; Pulcini, Franco (1992). Tecnica mista su tappeto (in Italian). EDT.
  4. ^ "Battiato: Dipingo come uno stonato". La Stampa. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  5. ^ 'Franco Battiato has died,'ANSA 18 May 2021
  6. ^ "- YouTube". Archived from the original on 12 September 2011 – via YouTube.