Sugarfree

In their formative period, Sugarfree operated strictly as a cover ensemble devoted to vintage rock, R&B, and funk until vocalist Matteo Amantia’s arrival in 2003 inspired the group to compose its own, decidedly more pop-inflected material. Already enjoying regional recognition throughout their native Sicily, the lineup—completed by keyboardist Luca Galeano, bassist Carmelo Siracusa, keyboardist Vincenzo Pistone, and drummer Giuseppe Lo Iacono—gained studio access and partnered with other emerging songwriters for the 2004 debut single “Cleptomania,” which swiftly ascended to the summit of the Italian charts. The following year brought the album Clepto-Manie, reissued in 2006 with an accompanying DVD and the track “Solo Lei Mi Dà,” the same song the band had presented at the San Remo Festival one year earlier.