Milan is filled with artistic landmarks. There’s the Pinacoteca di Brera, with its breathtaking halls and paintings that narrate the city’s and Italy’s history. The monumental and beautiful Castello Sforzesco, symbol of Milan and its traditions. For contemporary spirits, the Fondazione Prada, with its bold colors and provocative exhibits. But to set the scene for our conversation with Levante, we needed something vibrant and handcrafted, a workspace that echoes classical beauty and craftsmanship—something you can touch and feel underfoot, almost as if it’s alive. Just like Levante’s art, which extends beyond music, reaching into painting and poetry in her latest endeavor, Opera Quotidiana, a book of poetry and images coming to bookstores on November 19.
“Opera Quotidiana,” she tells us, on a cube between towering reproductions of ancient statues, “is a daily, handcrafted effort where I took the news of the world, cut out headlines, and pieced them back together into poems and thoughts of ‘elsewhere.’” The project stemmed from a personal need: “I wanted to escape from a reality that was frightening me—and still does. I wanted to channel creativity in a way I’d never done before, away from any digital tools. So, even if the whole world had a power outage, I’d still be at work, undisturbed.”
“There’s no difference between writing a song and writing a poem,” she continues, when asked how this work differed from her usual songwriting. “What changed was the method. With Opera Quotidiana and this mountain of words (which I clipped out over two years), I broke away from creative rules I’d grown used to and made new ones. It felt like an opportunity, like I could suddenly see word pairings I’d never imagined. It was a gift to myself—a new way of creating creativity.” For Levante, there’s no contradiction; all forms of creativity spring from the same source: herself. “There’s no real difference between music, poetry, and painting, aside from their tools, their materials, their forms. The essence is always me, my life force. All these forms of creativity are connected.”
“There’s no difference between writing a song and writing a poem,” she continues, when asked how this work differed from her usual songwriting. “What changed was the method. With Opera Quotidiana and this mountain of words (which I clipped out over two years), I broke away from creative rules I’d grown used to and made new ones. It felt like an opportunity, like I could suddenly see word pairings I’d never imagined. It was a gift to myself—a new way of creating creativity.” For Levante, there’s no contradiction; all forms of creativity spring from the same source: herself. “There’s no real difference between music, poetry, and painting, aside from their tools, their materials, their forms. The essence is always me, my life force. All these forms of creativity are connected.”
Full look VALENTINO.
Full look FERRAGAMO.
Full look DSQUARED2.
“Opera Quotidiana,” she tells us, on a cube between towering reproductions of ancient statues, “is a daily, handcrafted effort where I took the news of the world, cut out headlines, and pieced them back together into poems and thoughts of ‘elsewhere.’” The project stemmed from a personal need: “I wanted to escape from a reality that was frightening me—and still does. I wanted to channel creativity in a way I’d never done before, away from any digital tools. So, even if the whole world had a power outage, I’d still be at work, undisturbed.”
“There’s no difference between writing a song and writing a poem,” she continues, when asked how this work differed from her usual songwriting. “What changed was the method. With Opera Quotidiana and this mountain of words (which I clipped out over two years), I broke away from creative rules I’d grown used to and made new ones. It felt like an opportunity, like I could suddenly see word pairings I’d never imagined. It was a gift to myself—a new way of creating creativity.” For Levante, there’s no contradiction; all forms of creativity spring from the same source: herself. “There’s no real difference between music, poetry, and painting, aside from their tools, their materials, their forms. The essence is always me, my life force. All these forms of creativity are connected.”
“There’s no difference between writing a song and writing a poem,” she continues, when asked how this work differed from her usual songwriting. “What changed was the method. With Opera Quotidiana and this mountain of words (which I clipped out over two years), I broke away from creative rules I’d grown used to and made new ones. It felt like an opportunity, like I could suddenly see word pairings I’d never imagined. It was a gift to myself—a new way of creating creativity.” For Levante, there’s no contradiction; all forms of creativity spring from the same source: herself. “There’s no real difference between music, poetry, and painting, aside from their tools, their materials, their forms. The essence is always me, my life force. All these forms of creativity are connected.”
“There’s no real difference between music, poetry, painting. The essence is always me, my life force. All these forms of creativity are connected.”
Her fans have embraced the news of the book with joy and support. Not that she had any doubts: “I hope that the audience that’s known me for over ten years can follow me into this little bit of craziness. Not that I was thinking of my audience when I started,” she admits. “When I began cutting and creating these thoughts and poems, I never imagined it would become a book. Opera Quotidiana started as a personal escape. But what I hope will resonate is that there’s always a creative path to help you overcome what hurts you, what wounds you.” Which is exactly what art has done for her. “I use art to untangle knots, to understand myself, and to escape. That’s true for my painting as well. Painting has been pure meditation. You walk into the studio, start painting, and have no idea when you’ll stop. Time flies.”
While Opera Quotidiana contrasts with current events by transforming them, Levante doesn’t always escape and reinvent—in fact, she actively speaks out on social media, through her music, and in her words on topics that matter most to her. “The first time I spoke out on current events was November 15, 2015, right after the Bataclan attack. I remember going on Facebook to protest the way people were reacting, which I felt was superficial, to something so deeply painful that deserved more than superficial gestures of solidarity. I even wrote a song about it, Non me ne frega niente. I faced political backlash, even extreme reactions, but I wasn’t deterred. As I grew, it became inevitable to pay more attention to the world around me. We’re political beings, and it’s important to keep using our voices. Often, the cost is isolation; some environments prefer to stay politically detached. But everything we do is political—even silence. So I prefer to dissent, to verbalize.”
While Opera Quotidiana contrasts with current events by transforming them, Levante doesn’t always escape and reinvent—in fact, she actively speaks out on social media, through her music, and in her words on topics that matter most to her. “The first time I spoke out on current events was November 15, 2015, right after the Bataclan attack. I remember going on Facebook to protest the way people were reacting, which I felt was superficial, to something so deeply painful that deserved more than superficial gestures of solidarity. I even wrote a song about it, Non me ne frega niente. I faced political backlash, even extreme reactions, but I wasn’t deterred. As I grew, it became inevitable to pay more attention to the world around me. We’re political beings, and it’s important to keep using our voices. Often, the cost is isolation; some environments prefer to stay politically detached. But everything we do is political—even silence. So I prefer to dissent, to verbalize.”
As our conversation unfolds, it’s clear that Levante’s main priority is expression. Expressing herself authentically and deeply, sharing her view of the world, offering points for reflection. And she does this through her clothing as well as her poetry, music, paintings, records, books, and social media: “The surface is as important as depth,” she begins. “Clothes are an important part of my life. I was raised in a family of seamstresses, women who sewed for a living and out of passion. For me, the clothes we wear are like a monk’s habit—they tell our story. We’re sending messages even when we think we’re not trying to stand out. That, too, is a message.” And once again, we’re back to politics. “I like fashion that expresses thought, fashion with a political message. I don’t care for trends and try to avoid them. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t. But I try to listen to myself more than to the background noise. For example, I can’t go without socks, even with high heels. It’s my way of staying connected to the boyish side of myself.”
Full look PRADA.
Full look VALENTINO.
Full look GUCCI.
As usual, our final question is about advice. What would she sincerely offer to someone who wants to start a creative path? “You have to be creative,” she replies. But behind this seemingly obvious answer lies real depth. “Creative in the truest sense of the word. You have to make and create while trying to be as original as possible. Everything’s been done before, but I believe listening to yourself rather than the background noise can be a good way to pave your own road. Today, I’d say that in a world so hyper-connected, we’re trending toward sameness. So, let’s try to look less alike and protect our individuality.”
Full look DSQUARED2.
Full look N21.
Full look LOUIS VUITTON.
“The surface is as important as depth. Clothes are an important part of my life. I was raised in a family of seamstresses, who sewed out of both profession and passion. For me, the clothes we wear are like a monk’s habit—they tell our story.”
1st Look:
Full look PRADA.
2nd Look:
Full look VALENTINO.
3rd Look:
Full look FERRAGAMO.
4th Look:
Full look DSQUARED2.
5th Look:
Full look GUCCI.
6th Look:
Full look N21.
7th Look:
Full look LOUIS VUITTON.
Credits:
Photographer Davide Frandi
Stylist Martina Ghia
Make Up Emanuele Fraboschi
Hair Gabriele Marozzi
Ph. Assistant Antea Ferrari
Interview Priscilla Lucifora