Sugar and depression: “After the divorce, I felt canceled and cried”

During his career, Zucchero sold 60 million records, played almost everywhere (Cuba, Oman, USA, Mauritius, Tahiti, Armenia, France, UK…), collaborated with some of the greatest Italian and international musicians, Luciano. Pavarotti, Sting (they are great friends and often meet in Tuscany, where Sting has an estate with olive groves and vineyards). Ed), Brian May, Bono Vox and was the only Italian to take part in the Woodstock festival in 1994.

At the end of October, on the 23rd, 24th and 25th, the documentary film “Zucchero – Sugar Fornaciari” by Velntina Zanella and Giangiacomo De Stefano will be released in cinemas. The documentary will cover Zucchero’s career extensively, but what can’t be missed is the six years during which he battled depression.

Disappointments in Sanremo, success and depression

The training was long, and if for many the Sanremo stage was an ideal launching pad, then for him it was not, at least the first two times he got there, first in 1082 and then in 1983. Nobody “believed in music.” that I played the blues.” In 1985, with the release of his second album, a turning point came: he returned to Sanremo. His Women The jury didn’t like it and it came in second to last place, but it became a real hit on the radio and the rest is history.

At just four years old, when he had finally achieved the success he had desired for years, he divorced his first wife and the mother of his daughters Irene and Alice, Angela Figley. This caused him great suffering, which, combined with work pressure and touring, led to depression. “I felt rejected. I read Bukowski because he had it worse than me. They made me watch my videos and I cried, I didn’t understand where I could find this energy, I wasn’t interested in anything else.” The depression lasted almost six years, with ups and downs, and he was saved, as he admits, by nature, which returned to the village, to its roots (he grew up on a farm in Emilia-Romagna). He bought a ranch in Lunisiana, which he called the soul of Lunisiana: “I slowly began to rebuild myself. I cut the grass, planted trees, went looking for furniture from resellers. I was getting better and better.”