We interviewed Finley

There was a time when new bands were launched into the mainstream by MTV and TRL. A time when nothing felt more rebellious than a studded wristband, long bangs covering your eyes, and a bit of black eyeliner on the inner and lower lash lines. Back then, I was 14, and my best friend and desk mate, Roberta, had a crush on Pedro from Finley. We had a chat with them, mixing nostalgia with the future. Because the band is back in a big way, and they’re not just here for a trip down memory lane. Quite the opposite. Here’s what Pedro (Marco Pedretti) and Dani (Danilo Calvio) told us on the eve of their tour.

Finley Today: Interview with Pedro and Dani

Let’s start with the present. We asked them about their new single, Bomber, which marks their return. "It’s a manifesto of the provinces, representing our teenage years and still reflecting our lives today. We built this metaphor to tell our story, which is also the story of thousands of kids who grew up far from the central hubs of music and work, always feeling an insurmountable distance." But that distance wasn’t truly insurmountable. Bomber actually celebrates the province as a motivating force rather than demonizing it: "We never saw the province as a limitation, but as something that fueled our desire. The further we were from our dream, the stronger our urge to chase it. Maybe that was the spark that set everything in motion."

It’s impossible not to go back almost 20 years, to 2006, when Finley exploded onto the scene, becoming one of the most popular and followed bands. We asked them what it was like: "We didn’t realize it instantly," Pedro and Dani admit. "It was a continuous flow of things happening. There were no social media, we were on tour, then guest appearances on MTV, Festivalbar, Top of the Pops. We saw the crowds grow under the stage, people stopped us on the streets. We only truly noticed it when walking around Milan’s Duomo together became impossible because we were stopped every five minutes. The feedback wasn’t immediate, but over time, we saw it—we saw our popularity growing."

That’s why some memories fade, but not all: "Those were intense years, lived at full speed. We were 20 years old, with all the enthusiasm in the world to enjoy them to the fullest." Some things, in particular, stand out: "It was the summer of 2006, the summer of Diventerai una star, our collaboration with Mondo Marcio, and Italy winning the World Cup. There was something mystical in the air—an exaltation, a euphoria that we might never experience again in our lives. What was amazing was how raw and unfiltered everything felt. We were just living in the moment." But that wasn’t always a good thing: "Maybe that same approach is what made us unprepared in certain situations. We did unimaginable things, played before the Depeche Mode, shared a festival lineup with the Metallica. Now, we’re more prepared—even to stop and truly appreciate the incredible things we’ve done."

Among those crazy experiences was also a Sanremo Festival in 2008. But it was a different time: "Back then, seeing twenty-year-olds at Sanremo was unheard of. Now, the festival is filled with young artists, but before, it wasn’t like that—we were outsiders. Anyone who says they don’t want to go to Sanremo today is probably lying. Everyone would want to be there." So, would Finley return to Sanremo? Absolutely. But before thinking about the Ariston stage, there’s the tour, kicking off on June 29 in Bra, stopping in Rome, Bologna, Este, Zafferana Etnea, and Brescia, before concluding on September 13 in Milan at Carroponte.

"We can’t wait to hit the road again," they confess. "2024 has been an incredible year for us, with the release of Pogo Mixtape Volume One. We did some shows over the summer, almost like a warm-up for the Forum di Assago, which we sold out last October, and we still have so much energy to burn. We’re used to playing 15, 20, even 30 dates a year. One night isn’t enough—it’s never enough." And they drop an exciting teaser: "We’re still writing new music, but after a while, being in the studio feels claustrophobic. You just want to get out and play. We’re buzzing with energy, just hoping June comes fast enough."

This isn’t just about nostalgia, as one might assume—it’s about looking toward the future while recognizing that, for some, Finley will always symbolize their teenage years: "We’ve seen renewed interest in us from people who grew up with our music but lost track of us, from those who rediscovered us because our songs marked an important moment in their lives, and from those who find comfort in our music, like an old bomber jacket—it’s reassuring." "In this era where early 2000s nostalgia is huge, we wanted to be not just ready for it," they admit, "but also to bring new music to the table. Our project is contemporary, even if its roots are in that old-school, played-live style of music."

If we’ve talked about the past so far, the final question is—of course—about the future. "There’s a lot of new music in our future. We’re not just sticking to old records—we’re releasing fresh material, and we’d love to continue the Mixtape experience, blending our music with other artists and genres. After twenty years, experimenting through collaborations is really exciting. And who knows? Sometimes you take a path, and the future takes its own turn. But one thing’s for sure—there will be plenty of shows. The stage is where we belong, where we feel the best."