SIMONE CRISTICCHI

Biography

Simone Cristicchi, singer-songwriter, actor, illustrator, and writer, was born in Rome in 1977.
Since his musical debut in 2005 with Vorrei cantare come Biagio, a refined and ironic j’accuse against the recording industry, his career has seen a steady growth in both public and critical acclaim, earning numerous prestigious awards including the Premio Gaber, Premio Musicultura, the Premio Mogol for the lyrics of L’ultimo valzer, and the Premio De André.
His debut album Fabbricante di canzoni, awarded the Targa Tenco 2006 for Best Debut Album, includes the remarkable track Questo è amore, a duet with Sergio Endrigo.
In 2007, he won the Sanremo Music Festival with Ti regalerò una rosa, a deeply moving and poignant letter portraying the microcosm of mental illness. The song and his powerful interpretation received widespread acclaim, earning both the Premio della Critica Mia Martini and the Premio Sala Stampa Radio-TV. The album went Gold.
Since 2007, he has authored several documentaries and books, including Centro di igiene mentale – Un cantastorie tra i matti, which sold over 80,000 copies and was included in the Oscar Mondadori series, and the more recent HappyNext – Alla ricerca della felicità, which reached the top of bestseller charts through multiple reprints.
Alongside his musical career, Cristicchi has enjoyed repeated sold-out theatre productions. From his debut stage work Li Romani in Russia, praised by President Giorgio Napolitano, to Mio nonno è morto in guerra and Magazzino 18 — a production that sparked debate and reflection, attracting over 140,000 spectators since 2013.
In 2017, he was appointed director of the Teatro Stabile d’Abruzzo.
At the Sanremo Festival 2019, with the song Abbi cura di me, he received a standing ovation from the Teatro Ariston audience and won two critics’ awards: the Premio Sergio Endrigo and the Premio Bigazzi.
From 2019 to the present, his activities include the release of the anthology album Abbi cura di me; the exhibition Happy Sketches / Natura umana at the Reggia di Venaria, showcasing drawings and aphorisms (Cristicchi studied under master illustrator Benito Jacovitti); and eight theatre tours, including Manuale di volo per uomo, Il secondo figlio di Dio, Esodo, Alla ricerca della felicità, and the recent Paradiso – Dalle tenebre alla luce, all met with strong critical praise and sold-out performances.