Maneskin

Måneskin — I Wanna Be Your Slave

Måneskin first rose to fame on the Italian X Factor, but after winning Eurovision, they’ve become a global phenomenon. Fresh off the success of their Italian hit “Zitti e Buoni,” the band has gone straight on to hit No. 2 with the English “I Wanna Be Your Slave.”

Now that their cover of “Beggin'” is ranked atop the Spotify Global Charts, it’s only fitting the group would ride the wave with their original material. “I Wanna Be Your Slave” is the perfect single — it’s gritty, sexy, raunchy, and, most of all, it embodies their rock ‘n’ roll attitude. The band’s got bravado and charm and are unapologetically themselves in the uptempo song. They embrace the underdogs and the outsiders for whatever reason — subversive in their identities. You can be the slave, the master, whatever you may want.

Måneskin now impresses with an accompanying video that shows Damiano David, Victoria De Angelis, Thomas Raggi, and Ethan Torchio in a somewhat voyeuristic ambiance. They are seen taking on various forbidden desires, as well as gender-related stigmas and stereotypes. In a way, the song and video are about the fact that human beings are flawed and imperfect “sinners in need of redemption.” Of course, the video wouldn’t be complete without footage of the band performing the song live, with all members dressed in gorgeous glam-rock-inspired outfits that include fishnets and corsets.

It’s exciting to see a bilingual act have such global success with a genre that’s been missing from the charts for a while now. Most importantly, they are authentic in every single aspect of the creative process. Whether it’s Torchio on drums, Raggi on guitar, De Angelis on bass, or David behind the mic, they are enrapturing to watch. Additionally, they’re not afraid of the inherent controversy that comes with the rock genre, albeit in a different form than you may expect. Most recently, they advocated for the right to love whoever you want at a concert in Poland, which has seen a rise in anti-LGBT sentiments. In fact, they’ve been very explicitly outspoken in their support for the LGBTQ+ community in general and have made it a point to include same-sex references in their “I Wanna Be Your Slave” video as well. Moreover, their total disregard for male/female stereotypes is incredibly enticing, and the joy they display on stage is truly addictive to watch.

Immerse yourself in the boundary-free world that Måneskin will gladly introduce you to through their music — you’ll find yourself a fan in no time.