Måneskin’s New Album and Breaking Barriers

In a time where rock music is severely underrated, Italian band Måneskin has made it their mission to make music that is true to them, even if that means going against current trends. The band’s third album “RUSH!” was released on January 20th, 2023 and has been highly anticipated since its announcement in October 2022. With 17 generally upbeat tracks, the album showcases the band’s talent in experimenting with new rock sounds that are paired with conflicting lyrics. 

The album is mainly written in English, with only 3 of the 17 songs sung in the band’s native language, Italian. The tracks “MARK CHAPMAN,””LA FINE” and “IL DONO DELLA VITA” were all written and sung in Italian, and each of these tracks introduces a new theme to the album. “MARK CHAPMAN ” represents the terrifying situation of a stalker and a star and the effects that parasocial relationships can have on both the fan and the celebrity. The thirteenth track “LA FINE,” expresses the band’s concerns for the current political climate of the Italian government, and “IL DONO DELLA VITA,” which roughly translates to “the gift of life,” is meant to evoke a feeling of appreciation for the good things that living can bring. The diversity of all 3 of these songs shows that when writing in the language they are most familiar with, Måneskin is able to produce complex songs that vary in subject.  While still being different from anything else on the album, these tracks don’t stray too far from the most popular themes of the record. 

In songs such as “DON’T WANNA SLEEP” the music seems upbeat and similar to most of the other tracks on the record. It differs, however, in the lyrics. This track describes what it’s like to be lonely only when not surrounded by other people. The lyrics “I know it’s bad, don’t get me wrong/There’s something in these strangers/Momentary flavors/I don’t wanna sleep at all” display the matter of the song the best. Many of the tracks briefly mention dealing with poor mental health, but none in the way “DON’T WANNA SLEEP” does. The bitter lyrics are disguised by fast guitar riffs and catchy beats, it takes time to look past the musicality of it and clearly see the lyrics for what they are. This can be similar to how it takes time to get to know a person before they open up and show the problems that they deal with every day. This track is just another example of how Måneskin was able to make songs that cover a variety of topics and still produce a cohesive album. From neverending partying to anguish and despair, “RUSH!” is so varied, there may just be something for every type of person. 

The record also features heartbreaking love songs like “IF NOT FOR YOU” and the third released single from the album “THE LONLIEST.” Both of these songs are thought to depict the real-life relationship of the band’s lead singer Damiano David. The tenth track on the album,  “IF NOT FOR YOU,” is filled with pure love with lyrics like “There’ll be no summer/There’ll be no spring/If not for this love of mine.” “THE LONLIEST,” however, is the complete opposite from the previously mentioned track. The song feels like a solemn love letter about missing and having so much love for someone that you will never see again. It acts as the last thing the narrator will every say to the love of his life. “THE LONLIEST” is a representation of loving someone so much that it becomes self destructive. 

“RUSH!” by Måneskin is full of heartbreak, angst and disheartening themes. Even though the album was released very recently, the album has become widely loved on social media. This love can be partly accredited to the promotion of the record by Måneskin themselves. Just a few hours before it was released, the band held a wedding and got “married” in celebration of the release of their third album. 

Måneskin has embraced fame and popularity with open arms, all while criticizing the mentality of most popular musicians hindering their creativity to make only songs that will be popular on social media. They are considered to be true rockstars and frequently hold concerts to showcase their music. It’s safe to say that Måneskin will be around for a very long time.