Manuel Agnelli and the musical revolution: support for emerging young people and criticism of the record industry

The general public knew him as a judge on X Factor, but Manuel Agnelli is so much more. An experienced musician, author, record producer, historic leader of the group Afterhours, eclectic artist, lover of classical music, archaeology, theatre and host of 'Lions for Agnelli' on Radio24.

With the live show Carne Fresca Suoni dal futuro (Fresh Meat Sounds from the Future), which took place last night at the Teatro Sociale in Trento as part of the festival dedicated to emerging musicians, Manuel Agnelli and the artistic director of the festival and programming at Germi, Giovanni Succi, presented four groups of very young artists with a great desire to play and express themselves through music. These were: Dlemma, Neyja, Per Asperax and The Wishing Heads. Young protagonists of a wonderful initiative, especially at a time when the music scene is dominated by genres attentive above all to views and likes on social networks.

But Agnelli does not want to compete with anyone. 'Every genre and every era has its own meaning. Initially in the new trap and rap generations there was a desire for social redemption, especially from those who had not had the chance to study or have a job of a certain type, plus there was a left wing that arrogantly exercised cultural dominance in Italy and many got tired of being looked down on. In the beginning, therefore, this movement was healthy, but over time there has been a monstrous creative flattening, thanks to the intervention of the record industry that has reduced the creative system to 5 producers who do everything and 5 authors who write for everyone. The songs are all the same, the guys are used as cannon fodder and then end up at the psychiatrist's'.

There is no ethical or moral judgement, but the guys have to play to feel good and, therefore, for a reason that is life force. "We don't want to put ourselves in antithesis to what exists from an artistic musical point of view, we want to do it from a cultural point of view. Art must be open to any kind of content, there must be no limits, whereas the social model that comes from this kind of thing seems destructive to us. Making a record to go to San Siro or to buy the big car or the 70,000 euro gold necklace is social suicide. Success should not be a primary objective, but the consequence of a path'. And both Agnelli and Succi believe strongly in this path.

"If we threw ourselves into this adventure, it is not just because of talent or because we are tired of what is happening but because we saw a huge force, a new energy that is really powerful. Among the youngsters who performed on stage yesterday were 16-year-olds. "At that age they can grow and learn and if they play to feel good, they have a very long path ahead of them that will not only allow them to improve, but more importantly to bring about a permanent, substantial change in the music scene over time. This is not a new scene that will last a year or two and that is what we are counting on. After years of hedonism that characterised the whole music scene, now the guys are going back to playing in bands among the people, for the people'.