STYLING
SAMANTA PARDINI
PHOTOGRAPHY
ALAN GELATI
Italian native and Hip-Hop artist Simone Baldasseroni is better known by his stage name Biondo, Italian for "Blond." When Biondo turned 16, he debuted his first single, 4M, and quickly accumulated a loyal following on YouTube and Instagram. Since then, Simone's career has taken off, and he has two albums, Ego and Dejavu, and two movies under his belt. Vestal sat down with Biondo to discuss his latest single, Non 6ento Nada (loosely translated "I can't hear a thing"), and his latest movie, Crazy for Football.
Simone Baldasseroni-Biondo, wearing: VALENTINO
Interview by VIOLETA NICOLA
Total look DOLCE & GABBANA.
Total look JUST CAVALLI.
Violeta Nicola __ How did you get started in the music industry?
Simone Baldasseroni-Biondo __ I started singing when I was about 12 years old. At the time, I felt that I could express my thoughts through music, and I guess it all started from there. I released my first ever record when I was 16 years old. Fast forward a couple of years later, and I’m still here creating music.
Violeta __ You recently released your single with Paris Boy called Non 6ento Nada. What can you tell us about the song and how it came to be?
Simone __ Non 6ento Nada is a track that talks about the consequences of being a public figure and of all the various aspects that come with fame.
Violeta __ Who are some of your favorite musicians? Who would you like to collaborate with?
Simone __ As a musician, I try to keep my ears open to as much music as I can, so, as a result, I have many favorite artists for each music genre. My favorite ones include Drake, Post Malone, Harry Styles, Chris Brown, and ZAYN.
Violeta __ You currently star in the film Crazy for Football. What can you tell us about your character and the story of the film?
Simone __ Crazy for Football which Volfango De Biasi directs, is the most recent movie I am featured in. I've worked hard for this project, putting a lot of effort into portraying my character in the best way possible. The movie features important topics such as mental health, and I wanted to be as professional as possible to bring homage to who I was portraying on screen. The movie's premise is that a psychiatrist is trying to achieve his dream of organizing the first worldwide football cup for patients who suffer from mental illness.
Violeta __ While some fans may not know, the story behind Crazy for Football. Did you feel extra pressure portraying a character that is based on a real person?
Simone __ Absolutely. I portray a character named Tommaso, and, as you pointed out, the story is based on reality, so I had to keep that in mind throughout filming. The movie is only about 1 hour and 30 minutes long but what people don’t know is the period of intense preparation that was done behind the project. I had difficulty detaching myself from the character and getting back to everyday life after we finished filming because I felt emotionally attached to Tommaso and who he was as a person.
Violeta __ How did you prepare for the role ahead of filming?
Simone __ My preparation for my character Tommaso in Crazy for Football began about three months before filming. I was trying to live my daily life from my character’s point of view to get used to his habits and expressions. I’ve also lost weight to portray my character and practiced football for about 1 hour a day before shooting.
Violeta __ How did you react when you got the role?
Simone __ I was thrilled when I found out I got cast for this movie. Around that time, I didn’t feel happy about my career. I can say that I was almost depressed. When I got the news about being cast as Tommaso, I thought it was the right occasion at the right time for me, and slowly everything turned out well.
Violeta __ What is some of the best advice you have gotten and from whom?
Simone __ The best advice I’ve ever gotten is to never be angry at yourself. It’s from a book I’ve read called Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
Violeta __ Who are some actors you would like to work with in the future, as well as directors?
Simone __ Some of my favorite actors are Leonardo Di Caprio and Marco Giallini. I’ve had the pleasure to work with Marco Giallini on a previous project called Per Il Tuo Bene, which I am incredibly grateful for.
Violeta __ How do you see your music style evolve in the future?
Simone __ My fans will listen to a new type of music on my upcoming album. In the beginning, I was only doing R&B and Hip-Hop, but over the course of the last months, I started experimenting with new genres such as Soul and Jazz. My album features various sounds and topics, such as personal growth, which I hope fans will relate to and enjoy.
Jacket DIESEL, sweater MP MASSIMO PIOMBO X UNDERSTATEMENT MILANO. ( opposite ) Total look SMOKING IN CASHMERE BRUNELLO CUCINELL.
Shirt SANDRO PARIS.
Total look N21 BY ALESSANDRO DELL’ACQUA.
Total look ALEXANDER MCQUEEN.
Total look ALEXANDER MCQUEEN.
Jacket and trousers SANDRO PARIS, shoes N21 BY ALESSANDRO DELL’ACQUA.
Total look JUST CAVALLI.
Total look VALENTINO.
Total look PAUL SMITH. ( opposite ) Turtleneck DOLCE & GABBANA.
Photography Alan Gelati, Styling Samanta Pardini, Interview Violeta Nicola, Makeup Maddalena Brando, Hair Ugo Lepre, Press office Mpunto Comunicazione, Fashion Assistant Ivana Candela, Talent Simone Baldasseroni-Biondo.