Mao

Mauro Gurlino, an Italian singer/songwriter, radio and television host, author, and actor, has performed under the stage name Mao throughout a wide-ranging career that now exceeds three decades. In the 1990s he rose to prominence as frontman of the alternative rock outfit Mao e la Rivoluzione, which delivered two critically noted major-label albums titled Sale and Casa, while simultaneously co-hosting several MTV shows with Andrea Pezzi. His first solo record, Black Mokette, appeared in 2001; during the same period he continued acting in films and on television, among them Giovanni Robbiano’s 500, for which he also composed the score. The follow-up solo album Piume Pazze reached listeners in 2010, followed by the independent singles “Nudi alla meta” in 2019 and “Le cose” in 2020. In 2022 Gurlino issued a music video for “Stringimi #25,” a reimagined track originally found on Mao e la Rivoluzione’s Casa and now featuring Bianco as guest vocalist. A lifelong resident of Turin, he has long championed the city’s club culture by launching song and soundtrack competitions that have introduced thousands of artists, and by hosting the talk show Il Salotto di Mao. Gurlino has also published two novels, Meglio tardi che Mao through Express Edizioni and Olràit! Mao sogna Celentano e gliele canta through Arcana Edizioni, and he owns and operates the independent production and recording facility CortoCorto.