Italy’s Eurovision 2022 entrants Mahmood and Blanco get naked on Vanity Fair cover
The two solo artists will represent Italy with their track 'Brividi' in Turin this May.
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude; Image: Vanity Fair Italy
Italy’s 2022 Eurovision Song Contest entrants Mahmood and Blanco have posed naked for the cover of Vanity Fair Italy.
The musicians, who will attempt to defend Italy’s Eurovision title with their track ‘Brividi’ in Turin this May, are making sure all eyes are on them ahead of this year’s contest as they appear naked on the cover of the fashion and lifestyle publication’s new March edition.
Mahmood (left) and Blanco appear naked on the cover of Vanity Fair Italy’s March edition (Image: Vanity Fair)
Mahmood and Blanco, who both perform as solo artists, have joined forces on ‘Brividi’ as they attempt to replicate the success of last year’s Eurovision winners Måneskin at the 2022 competition.
The pair were selected as Italy’s Eurovision entry earlier this month after winning the nation’s prestigious selection competition, the Sanremo Music Festival.
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Mahmood, 29, previously represented Italy at Eurovision in 2019 with his track ‘Soldi’; narrowling missing out on the crown after finishing in second place behind The Netherlands’ Duncan Lawrence, who triumphed with his rousing track ‘Arcade’.
Singer-songwriter Mahmood, who is of Egyptian and Sardinian heritage, has previously spoken of his reluctance to label his sexuality, telling the Vanity Fair Italy in 2019: “Gay, straight… I think there should no longer be such distinctions.”
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When told by the interviewer that labelling one’s sexuality can “still be useful”, he replied: “But if we continue with these distinctions, homosexuality will never be perceived as normal, as it is.”
Mahmood rose to fame on the Italian edition of The X Factor in 2012 and topped the Italian charts with his 2019 debut album, Gioventù bruciata.
Singer and rapper Blanco, 19, released his debut album Blu celeste in September last year and already boasts four Number One singles in Italy.
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The latest of those chart-toppers is ‘Brividi’ itself, which also broke Italy’s record for the most streams in one day on Spotify during the Sanremo Music Festival.
Watch the video for Mahmood and Blaco’s ‘Brividi’ – Italy’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 – below: