Music: Rimini singer-songwriter Andrea Amati walks “step by step”

The third album of the Rimini singer-songwriter Andrea Amati has been out for several months, but just a few days ago the writer’s free dates coincided with his own: work and holidays on the one hand, and work commitments on the other, for the birth of his daughter.

Even the title of the latest CD – “Step by Step” – is made up of three words, just like the previous two, “Via di Scampo” (2014) and “Bagaglio a mano” (2018).

“I didn’t realize: it was a coincidence. Three is the perfect number. (ride). For the next album I will try to find a word: I want to record another album. My daughter was born in July and I have not worked as much on “Step by Step” as she deserves. However, in these weeks I will start writing the tracks for the fourth CD. My progress is rather slow. For the 10 years of “Via dicampo”, I also want to record again the songs that created it. We will see”.

How has your sound changed from your first album to your third?

“Without a teaching background, that is, I did not attend a singing school, I tended to learn from the ‘street’, making mistakes over and over again. During these ten years, I have managed to reduce my mistakes and have succeeded in defining a personal style. My vocal feel has improved technically and is much clearer.”

The album Step by Step consists of 10 songs: did you need to cut out some parts?

“These 10 tracks are what I have. Even on the first two albums I didn’t have redundant pieces. The songs start with a spark, a precise phrase, and then they develop, grow. Then, the text that ends up on record almost always changes from the initial text. When I prepare the “track list”, I know what the first and last tracks are. I insert other tracks depending on the sound, alternating more energetic songs with slower ones”.

This latest work is also enriched by important collaborations.

“With Daniele Maggioli I wrote “Santiago” and “Ahi ahi ahi ahi, how melancholy the end of summer is”, and with Massimo Marches “Senza filter” and “Prima che gets giorno”. The three of us met on “Step by step” and “Dentro te”. Federico Mecozzi, Stefano Zambardino, Marco Montebelli and Francesco Preziosi also play on this album. This album was born literally “step by step” shortly after the pilgrimage to Santiago del Compostela: an important experience. Walking teaches you to think.”