Leo Gassmann presented his new path that will lead him directly to Sanremo 2026 with the song Natural. After participating in the Festival, he will release his third studio album entitled True Life Paradise on April 10th.
The new album is inspired by the music of Bob Dylan up to contemporary singer-songwriters like Mumford & Sons, Noah Kahan And Medium Build. The themes it addresses are love stories and existential stories. The album is all played by musicians (from drums and guitar to banjo and mandolin, there is also room for bagpipes and strings).
He spoke to our microphones about this new project, his third participation in the event of the year, the differences with the past and also the cover he will do with Aiello.
INTERVIEW WITH LEO GASSMANN
What differences are there compared to the two past participations?
“More attention to the little things. The first time at the Festival is a quite misleading experience, now I arrive more mature and with a new project called Vita Vera Paradiso. I bring a song that allows me to have fun and makes me emotional, I also want to arrive in an excellent condition”
Between Third Heart And Natural which one do you prefer to sing?
“Terzo Cuore was a song with a single weak point, the fact that the imprint of its author Riccardo Zanotti from Pinguini was very evident. It's something that strikes me too and distracts me when I hear other people's songs, even if it's a beautiful song, and makes me less emotional.
Natural is more focused, I bring it into my world and it's a transition song to tell everything that comes next.”
On a human level, what mistakes will you not make again?
“Sanremo is a place where anything that goes beyond what you expected can take you one way or the other, make you collapse or exalt you to the core. With Third Heart I got sick, I was on cortisone and emotionally by the middle of the festival I had collapsed, while this time I come back more prepared.
There have been many things in between and I arrive with greater experience, as well as a great desire for revenge because when we return it is an important decision and I know that I have to give even more.”
Speaking of the album, how long did it take you to make it?
“In terms of writing, it started two years ago but, in the meantime, I have published songs with Marco Rissa and it is very distant from what I have done to date.
There's no forcing, there's no cheating on this record. They are sincere songs, born during travels and in moments when I was calm and there are 11 songs with also an acoustic version of the Sanremo piece. I recount various situations that I have faced and experienced”
Will there also be the cover that you and Aiello will do in Sanremo?
“We are considering the idea of putting it on the album, also because we arranged it with a nod to what is already present on the album.
On stage we will be simple and direct, Aiello and I are dear friends so we live and feel this song very much inside us, each for their own reasons, and I will cry while I sing it.”
To find out everything he told us Leo Gassmannwatch our video interview below.
