Damiano David facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Damiano David
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David in 2022
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| Background information | |
| Born | 8 January 1999 Rome, Italy |
| Genres | |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2016–present |
Damiano David (Italian pronunciation: [daˈmjaːno ˈdaːvid]; born 8 January 1999) is an Italian singer and songwriter. He is the frontman of the rock band Måneskin, which won the Sanremo Music Festival 2021 and subsequently the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 representing Italy with the song "Zitti e buoni". In 2024, David started his solo musical career with the singles "Silverlines" and "Born with a Broken Heart".
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Early life
David was born in Rome to Daniele David and Rossella Scognamiglio, both flight attendants. Due to the nature of his parents' work, he and his older brother Jacopo travelled worldwide from an early age, introducing them to various cultures. Until he was 17, he showed some talent playing basketball as a point guard at the local club Eurobasket Roma. He recalls that the basketball experience gave him fundamental discipline to succeed in his life.
Career
David started singing when he was six years old. He met Victoria De Angelis and Thomas Raggi, whom he would eventually go on to form Måneskin with, during his high school days. He studied at the liceo linguistico Eugenio Montale in Rome, but he did not complete high school and instead devoted himself to his music career, for which he had the support of his parents. When introduced for the position of a vocalist for their local band, he was initially rejected because his style was considered "too pop", but his insistence to be in the band eventually got him accepted. David soon changed his demeanor and style, especially his stage persona, because he learned how to freely express himself. The band was formed in 2016 and initially played as buskers in the streets of the city of Rome, but in 2017 they soon rose to prominence when they finished second in the eleventh season of the Italian talent show X Factor. The band had a breakthrough debut with the studio album Il ballo della vita and tour in 2018 and 2019. In 2021, their second studio album Teatro d'ira: Vol. I was released.
David sang a cover version of the song "I Wanna Be Your Dog", by the Stooges, as well as voicing the character of Jeffrey, assistant of the main antagonist, for the Italian dub of the 2021 film Cruella.
David appeared in the music video for the song "Mil Veces" by singer Anitta in 2023. In 2024, he started his solo musical career with the Labrinth-produced single "Silverlines", released on 27 September. In the following month, his second single "Born with a Broken Heart" was released. In 2025, he was announced as a special guest of Sanremo Music Festival.
Artistry
In 2017 X-factor judge Fedez commented that David is a real frontman. In 2021 Manuel Agnelli praised him in similar words to have a "natural charisma of the great frontmen". His vocal style in 2017 was described as having a "reggae vocal timbre that allows him to masterfully deal with the rock repertoire, given that the band's musical influences range from indie rock to glam rock to pop rock". His characteristic androgynous look and fashion style on stage is seen as a mixture of hippie, vintage, and glam rock from the 1970s, because of which, he has been labeled an Italian fashion icon.
Personal life
David was in a relationship with Italian model and influencer Giorgia Soleri for nearly six years. The pair split up in June 2023. In November 2023 he was reported in a relationship with American actress and singer Dove Cameron, who he made his first public appearance with in February 2024.
In addition to Italian, David is fluent in English and can speak some Spanish and French. He is an advocate for racial and LGBT+ rights. He is also a fan of association football club AS Roma.
David is fond of the symbolism of the Greek mythological character Icarus, having a tattoo of wings and a quote referring to Icarus on his hip, as well as formerly using "Ykaaar" as his username on the social media platform Instagram.
Discography
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITA |
BEL (FL) |
FRA |
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| "Silverlines" | 2024 | 85 | — | — | rowspan="2" TBA |
| "Born with a Broken Heart" | 24 | 11 | 72 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cruella | Jeffrey (voice) | Voiced the Italian-dubbed version of the film |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | "Mil Veces" | Anitta |
Commercials
| Year | Campaign(s) / Product(s) | Brand(s) | Role | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | "It turns you on" campaign | Maserati | Himself |
