On Saturday, September 7, the Beverly Canon Gardens turned into an authentic Italian piazza featuring typical food, wine, coffee, and live music.
On the occasion of “Sotto le Stelle” (Under the Stars), a special preview of the “Hit Week” festival 2013, the Italian band Oblivion and singer Erica Mou tried to overcome language barriers and win over a large Italian American public.
The opening remarks by Consul General of Italy Giuseppe Perrone and John Mirisch, Mayor of the City of Beverly Hills, were followed by two original performances that captivated the audience thanks to Erica’s clear voice and acoustic guitar, and Oblivion’s energetic humor.
Erica (Musci) Mou, 23 year-old singer and songwriter from Apulia, took also part in the “Hit Week” 2011 edition, performing with established artists like Subsonica and Caparezza in New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
Driven by a strong determination, Erica has been studying singing and guitar since when she was a child, playing in clubs all around Italy until she signed a contract with Sugar Music.
But what does it take – besides talent – to succeed in this field? According to her, it depends on what she has to say and how she says it: “I weigh every single word of my lyrics, as I really want to communicate with the people who listen to my music.” Of course, she admits, fortune is also crucial: “I have been very lucky to meet and collaborate with extraordinary artists throughout my career, but perhaps this is also because I am open to and trust (the right) people.”
Even if her intimate and old-fashioned sound is mainly inspired by Italian as well as international folk singers and songwriters, such as Lucio Battisti or Nick Drake, Erica is also open to different genres, from modern rock to electronic music: “the more I play, the more I want to know and to experiment”, she says.
Her new album “Contro le onde” (Against the Waves) came out in May, and she looks forward to presenting it in the upcoming Italian tour.
A live tour starting in October will also take the Oblivion’s new show “Othello, la H è muta” (Othello, the H is silent) on stage throughout Italy, right after this first (and unexpected) US appearance.
The Oblivion (Graziana Borciani, Davide Calabrese, Francesca Folloni, Lorenzo Scuda e Fabio Vagnarelli) are five singers, actors and comedians trained at the Academy of Musical in Bologna, who have recently become very successful in Italy by posting videos of their performances on YouTube.
Inspired, among others, by the Monty Python, their varied show combines musical and satire: it is a sort of music “puzzle” for the audience to solve and play with, explains Davide Calabrese.
Nevertheless, this point of strength may turn into a weakness when addressing a foreign public due to all the Italian songs and cultural references, from Dante’s Inferno to Collodi’s novel Pinocchio. Yet the Oblivion’s freshness and smart humor are irresistible, and Davide says that they will start working on a more “international” script soon.
The event “Sotto le stelle” was produced within the framework of 2013 – Year of the Italian Culture in the United States by Studiomusica USA, under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles, and in collaboration with Hit Week, Puglia Sound, FIMI, the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) and the City of Beverly Hills.
The contribution by prestigious sponsors such as Ferrarelle, ENI, FIAT, Ferrarini, Berlucchi, Bank of the West, Euro Caffè. Danesi and Intesa San Paolo benefited the IAMLA Foundation, committed to promote the Italian heritage in Southern California.
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