Extreme, who is the producer who made a record only with Italian artists

BigMama, Caro Wow, Ele A, Epoque, Eva Bloo, Fluente, Francesca Michielin, Gaia, Mew, Nahaze, Rizzo, Sally Cruz. These are the artists involved by Estremo to be accompanied on his debut album, Era.

His name probably won't resonate with you, but you will have certainly already heard his hand in the production of big names in pop and urban music such as Marco Mengoni, Izi, Tedua and Madame, with whom he collaborated for the Sanremo song Voice in 2021. He returned to Ariston Estremo again this year, signing the production of Anger is not enough for you by BigMama.

Having thus gained a certain respect among artists and professionals, Estremo has thus managed to gather some of the hottest names among Italian artists such as Gaia, or more historically established artists such as Francesca Michielin. In between many young talents such as the better known BigMama and Ele A or the more emerging ones such as Caro Wow and Fluente.

So we asked the DJ and producer from Brescia to tell us some anecdotes about these collaborations.

I've known Gaia since the day we started working on what it would become Slow. An understanding was created immediately that went beyond music, turning into a solid friendship. We shared many experiences, from the summer tour we took together, to common passions, up to more everyday moments: we often go skiing, we go out to eat or we meet for dinner at my house. His refined Portuguese singing adds the touch of class to the song. It's like when we have dinner at my place: I cook Italian, while she always brings something typical Brazilian, it's a mix of flavors that perfectly reflects our musical collaboration.

I met Ele A during a writing camp organized by Sony. From the first moment, I was transparent with her: I'm a huge fan of hers, and her songs are the soundtrack to my running sessions. There's something about his music that fits perfectly with the energy of sport, and his projects have always inspired me greatly. We stopped to chat that day and discovered we had very similar musical tastes. It was the beginning of a creative relationship that went beyond that first occasion.
We continued to talk and see each other in the studio, both to work on this project and on some of his pieces. Every time we get together, we end up exchanging opinions, listening to new music together, and sharing feedback on each other's work. One thing we have in common is a passion for French rap, of which we are both big fans.

A memory that binds me to BigMama dates back to our first writing session together for Anger is not enough for you. During a break, we found ourselves talking about pugs: I told her about mine, which I grew up with and which unfortunately no longer exists. She told me she was thinking about getting one, and that excited me because I love that breed. We talked about pugs for a long time, and finally he got one. Now that dog also came to visit me in the studio.
Some time later, we were working on I want more together with Nahaze, a song born naturally and spontaneously in the studio thanks also to the claim found by Nathalie, the spark that made the piece immediate and engaging. That's where I thought of BigMama for the middle verse. When we met to record it, it was our second time in the studio together: it arrived with the verse ready and in a very short time we recorded it. As always, a killer.

I had never worked with Francesca and we didn't know each other, so the first time we met I invited her a little before the start of the session and to break the ice I thought I'd prepare her a plate of pasta. I don't know why, but that small gesture immediately put us at ease and created the right climate for working together.
Francesca has already made a great contribution to Italian music, yet I wasn't sure what to expect before meeting her. I didn't have any precise idea, and maybe it was for the best. When we worked together for Red FlagI discovered a person incredibly open to experimentation. This allowed the song to really reflect both our tastes and visions. It's rare to find someone who, despite having already worked on so many projects, still has that freshness and desire to innovate, to create something that sounds truly new and current.

With each artist I always try to create a connection before starting to work together. It was the same with Sally: we drank a coffee, chatted about the latest listens and compared our musical tastes. I was immediately struck by his uncommon vocal energy and emotional charge, perfect for the album's intro. Sally's voice in Darkwhich represents the first step for those who enter my sound world, manages to be overwhelming and heartbreaking at the same time, a mix of intimacy and power. The first session was a bit complicated. Sally was going through a difficult time and had told me at the time that she was stuck with her writing. We tried different avenues until it melted and we were able to find that special connection.
From then on, we saw each other a few more times and I discovered a wonderful person, with whom there will certainly be other collaborations in the future. Among other things, during the listening party at Dazi in Milan I noticed a side of Sally that particularly struck me: her meticulousness. She is very precise and wants every detail to be perfect, leaving no room for error. I too am extremely meticulous in my work; to prepare for that evening we met several times to make sure everything was right set in the best way, and the result was impeccable.