SAN REMO. Mr. Rain achieved it all by himself. Mattia Balardi, this is his real name, 31 years old, from Brescia, is a self made rapper. One of those with millions of clicks, but always a bit snubbed. Sensitive, delicate, introspective, one that overflows with emotion. He has always said that he loves writing in the rain, because when there is a storm he feels more inspired. And from here comes the choice of his stage name.
Super heroes, the piece competing in the 73rd edition of the Festival, was written after a period of depression. It is dedicated to all the people who have found the courage to ask for help: «Getting help when you are living in dark moments is often seen as a gesture of weakness: from personal experience – explains Mr. Rain – I can say that getting help is instead a gesture that requires a lot of strength and courage. Asking for help instead is something that only we can decide to do and this is precisely what makes us all Superheroes ».
Crowd for Mr. Rain, the children of Sanremo sing Superheroes in the street
The rapper has repeatedly stressed that his superhero is his mother, and on TikTok there are many mothers who have come together to vote for him. The mother of a child with a disability in his arm launched an appeal: “Let’s make him win because she talks about all of us, about what we do every day, about the challenges we face”. Another mother commented: «This song seems to have been written for my kids, who despite the difficulties associated with their intellectual disability face each day with a smile and each new challenge with courage, always together».
Who is Matthias
Starting as an absolute outsider, the rapper jumped to the top of the rankings thanks to televoting. Many at home were excited by his performance. In fact, Mr. Rain brought a children’s choir on stage to sing the chorus. All very small and very sweet, they immediately hit the public.
His journey began at sixteen listening to Eminem. Then the first pieces, the mixtape Time 2 Eat, the refusal to X Factor, and in 2015 the debut album Memories, entirely self-produced. A musical journey that began as an independent and – with the entry into the Warner Music team – then became something bigger.
Mr. Rain: “Finally in Sanremo after many no. The cover? I retouched Lunapop, but with respect”
In 2017, he gained attention with the single Grown-ups don’t cry never, then came Ipernova, another cult track. In 2020 i Chernobyl flowers and Meterorites have consecrated its success. The numbers speak for themselves: over 700 million streams, 13 platinum and 5 gold discs.
Mr. Rain discovers from the TV that he is third, the reaction on the sofa
The Sanremo song, written with Federica Abbate and Lorenzo Vizzini, is currently climbing the charts: Super heroes it is among the most shazzamati songs. It is second in Spotify’s Top 50 Italy, second also on Apple Music, fourth on Amazon Music. It’s #2 trending on YouTube with over 2.2 million views. And on TikTok it’s the one with the most creations. So, whatever happens, it’s already a success for Mr. Rain.
