San Marino: Giving us a performance with a unique Achille Lauro flair

Achille brings with him the song Stripper, which is a song about turning gender norms, as well as societal norms, firmly on their head. To Achille, the message runs even deeper than that, however.

Stripper talks about freedom. It is a push for us to be as free as we can. To be able to choose and to be free to choose. I always wanted to bring on stage the concept of freedom. Not only the freedom of gender, but also the freedom of being who you want to be in your life. The only advice that I could give to my people in this regard is to accept yourself.

📺 Watch: Achille Lauro – Stripper (Stripped Back Version – Eurovision House Party)

Incorporating a message into his performance isn’t something that is ever accidental for Achille. The artist prides himself on overseeing all elements of every performance he gives, always striving to go above and beyond merely the core duties required of a singer booked to play a stage. As a result, the artist has reached a stage in his career where his performances consistently have that ‘Achille Lauro’ flair.

My work is not only being a singer and performer, but also a 360-degree artist who covers the whole artistic field. I’ve been doing these types of performances for years in Italy and I always try to be unique. In Italy, everybody knows where I started. And in general terms, everybody knows the kind of work I am going to be bringing in my performances.

It takes a certain level of confidence and self-assurance to be able to convincingly pull off the kinds of performances that the name Achille Lauro has become synonymous with. This confidence is something that, for Achille, has been built up over time. It’s that old adage that has served the entertainment industry well over the years – practice makes perfect!

I started very long ago and very far from here. I started in a commune of artists, and up until 2018 we had already done more than 150 concerts. Doing so many concerts like this ensured our careers developed in this way. And that’s where I get my confidence on stage. When you have performed to so many people, you are used to it.

Televised performance on a grand scale – such as here at the Eurovision Song Contest – is also something that Achille has had plenty of practice in. The artist has previously competed in three editions of the prestigious Festival di Sanremo in his native Italy; in 2019, 2020 and 2022. But while the stages of the two competitions may be similar in size, he’s aware that the Eurovision experience is going to be new ground for him to tread.

These are two different kinds of events. In Sanremo, there are no public rehearsals, so the first time you go on stage is the first time people see your performance – there is a surprise element there. And I think that in Sanremo, we are able to bring some controversial performances, we are able to bring a new wave of performance. I will try as much as possible, even though the rehearsals are public in Eurovision, to bring something different and to bring something that is unique from me. It’s very important to be different. Being unique and doing something that no one else has done before is so important as an artist.

📺 Watch: Achille Lauro – Stripper (Exclusive Rehearsal Clip)

One thing he does see as the two contests having in common, however, is his own approach to them.

I don’t really see these events as competition, but I live them as a way to be on stage. I live it as an opportunity to present what I do, as a performer.

To see precisely what Achille Lauro has in mind for bringing to his performance of Stripper, there is only one way to know for sure… Tune in the the Second Semi Final of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest on 12 May 2022!

📺 Watch: All 40 Songs Official Recap

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