Irama

Filippo Maria Fanti, the songwriter whose middle name forms an anagram that doubles as the Malay term for “rhythm,” performs under the moniker Irama and channels his freestyle-rap background into a distinctive brand of Italian pop. Breakthrough arrived in 2018 when he captured first place on the seventeenth season of Amici di Maria De Filippi, an achievement that drove his sophomore album Giovani to double-platinum status. Further Italian-chart presence followed with the 2020 single “Mediterranea” and the 2021 release “La genesi del tuo colore.”

Tuscan by birth and currently residing near Milan, Fanti grew up immersed in the folk and pop songwriters favored by his parents, penning his initial composition at seven. Hip-hop entered his life later, prompting him to join friends in local freestyle contests.

During 2014 he pursued a newcomer slot at the Sanremo Music Festival, reaching the final with “Cosa Resterà.” That track appeared on his self-titled debut album, issued by Warner Music in early 2016; the record logged five weeks on the national chart and reached number 51. June 2017 brought the lead single from his next project, “Mi Drogherò.” Victory on Amici di Maria De Filippi the following year accelerated his profile, sending both the Plume EP and the full-length Giovani to the summit of the Italian pop rankings. In 2020 he unveiled the EP Crepe, which contained the platinum-certified tracks “Arrogante,” “Crepe,” and “Mediterranea,” while 2021 saw the non-album singles “La genesi del tuo colore” and “Melodia proibita” top the charts.