Rising Pop Singer Filomena Croce Releases “Renaissance” Single
Italian pop singer Filomena Croce’s new single “Renaissance” is out now on all streaming platforms.
Recorded in Toronto, Ontario with producer Roy Hamilton III (Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, NSYNC, Joe), “Renaissance” fittingly marks a new beginning for the singer/songwriter, who moved to Mexico in 2022 and is on the way to setting down in Turkey this month.
“I had just come out of a difficult period and felt the need to express my will to give life another chance,” says Croce. “l felt positive, empowered, energetic, and both the lyrics and the rhythm of the song reflected this renewed mood.”
On “Renaissance,” Croce celebrates a renewed focus, another opportunity to take life by the horns and live it to the fullest.
“I want to live, I want to give this life another chance,” she sings. “I want to feel free like the wind.”
Croce draws on both her jazz and pop voice training on “Renaissance,” having earned a master’s degree in music from ArtEZ University of the Arts Conservatorium in Zwolle, The Netherlands. The song begins and ends with Croce scat-singing over acoustic guitar, bass, and drums. Croce’s acrobatic vocal performance sets the pace and pushes the song into a powerful rhythm, expertly captured by Hamilton III.
Croce had started to write “Renaissance” in 2018 but put it aside when she felt unsure about its ending. Then, one day she felt inspired and decided the right moment had arrived to complete the song. She finished it in one day.
Filomena showed the song to Hamilton III, and he was so enthusiastic that he invited her to Toronto to record it for his label, The Singer’s Company.
“Recording with Roy has been such a great experience,” she says. l usually feel a lot of pressure in the studio because l am a perfectionist. But I immediately felt comfortable there with him and l didn’t worry about it anymore. It was one of the best days ever!”
On the track, Filomena sings about feeling her power and will coming back to her, and she delivers the accompanying energy required to go along with that statement.
“The world is in my hands,” Croce sings. “I’m ash and fire, like a phoenix about to rise; sun and desire, a spirit that never dies.”
Interestingly, while in Toronto to record with Hamilton III, Croce discovered that Beyoncè had just released her latest album, also entitled “Renaissance.” She talked to the producer about whether or not to change the song’s title, and she decided to keep it.
“There was no other way to express the true essence and meaning of my message.”
The world traveler has performed in Italy, Brazil, London, Paris, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, and Amsterdam, where she supported DJs Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, and Tiesto as part of the ADE Festival (Amsterdam Dance Event) for an audience of 17,000 people. The skilled singer is equally comfortable accompanied by orchestras, jazz combos, and pop groups.
For the “Renaissance” video, Croce turned to a popular spot in Puerto Vallarta not far from her new Mexican home.
“I was looking for inspiration,” Croce says, “when I casually turned my head for a second and saw la calle de las sombrillas (the street of the umbrellas). I decided with no hesitation that we had to shoot it there”.
The bright pastels of the umbrellas hanging between the colorfully painted buildings drive home the positive, inspirational message of “Renaissance.”
A fitting backdrop for Croce’s song of renewal.
Watch the video for “Renaissance” below and learn more about Filomena Croce via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself?
Hello! My name is Filomena Croce and l am an Italian singer-songwriter, a very versatile artist with a repertoire that spans from Pop and original music to Jazz, Brazilian Bossa Nova and Samba, and other world music. I am a Master of Music graduate in Jazz & Pop Voice at ArtEZ Conservatorium Zwolle, The Netherlands, and l have spent the past ten years traveling around the world and moving to new places to work on my music. I have so far moved to the UK, The Netherlands, Mexico and l am about to start a new chapter of my life in Antalya, Turkey. l have also performed in Brazil, Germany, Denmark, France, Ireland, Slovenia, and Portugal.
Many things have changed since l started singing in a choir of my hometown, a city in the south of Italy when l was 10 years old. Among the most important things, l had the honor to be part of the Orphy Robinson’s Virtual Jazz Club Band for the London Jazz Festival 2020, winner of the Innovation Award for the prestigious JazzFM Awards. In 2019 l sang at one of the biggest EDM Festivals in the world, Tomorrowland Belgium which counts a total of 400,000 attendees every year. Our orchestral performance of the Symphony of Unity has been watched by millions of people online and live. In the same year, l sang with multiple Grammy Award-winning orchestra, the Metropole Orkest, as part of the ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) for the show “Tomorrowland our story – 15 years of Tomorrowland” which took place at the Ziggo Dome Arena in Amsterdam in front of an audience of 17,000 people each evening, supporting EDM legends Tiesto, Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren. ln 2017 ArtEZ Conservatorium chose me to represent it at the InJazz Festival in Rotterdam. Academically, l have been a Conservatorium teacher in Bruges, Belgium, in 2019; l have opened my own music school, FC Music School, while l was living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and l have given various online workshops, including the one for the students of the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2021.
In 2022 l released my first EP, Love Will Come Back, anticipated by the song “Goodbye My Love,” which was included in Додому V, a compilation to raise funds for Ukraine, and followed by the singles Love Will Come Back and I’ve Been Waiting For You, and in 2023 l released the songs Shiva, in collaboration with Australian DJ and musician Steven North; and Renaissance, produced by Award-winning producer Roy Hamilton lll, who has previously worked with Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, NSYNC, and is the grandson of Georgia Music Hall of Fame legend singer Roy Hamilton.
Tell us about the process of writing “Renaissance.”
I started writing Renaissance in 2018. I just came out of a difficult period and felt the need to express my will to give life another chance. l felt positive, empowered, and energetic, and both the lyrics and the rhythm of the song reflected this renewed mood. l immediately understood this was a special song, even before it was finished. l wasn’t convinced about the ending and didn’t want to hurry and make it less special just to get it over with, so l put it on the side for some time and forgot about it while doing other things. One day l just felt inspired and decided the right moment had arrived to complete the song. lt was done on the same day.
How did you connect with super-producer Roy Hamilton III and what does he bring to the table for an artist like you?
l connected with Roy through social media. l found him, sent him a message, and showed him Renaissance. He was so enthusiastic about it that he invited me to Toronto to record it together. The opportunity arose when l moved to Mexico in 2022. Working with Roy has been such a great experience and an honor. l usually feel a lot of pressure in the studio because l am a perfectionist and l know that everything that’s being recorded is gonna exist forever, but l immediately felt comfortable there with him, and l didn’t worry about it anymore. l knew l was working with the best in the industry and felt that also my skills, talent, and experience in the field was being acknowledged by working with a top producer like him. l am also sure it will bring me a lot of new opportunities for my career.
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
There are so many amazing singers from Canada, but as a child, the first one l remember surely is Celine Dion with her song “My Heart Will Go On,” which was also one of the very first songs l have ever sung in public as a soloist. As a teenager, l also discovered Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, and Alanis Morrisette.
You’ve been making music for a while now. What’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
A very important piece of advice, besides, of course, to never stop studying, is to never stop believing in yourself. The music industry is not easy, you constantly need to put yourself out there, and some people will try to bring you down. If you’re good at what you do and keep following your dreams without listening to whatever other people have to say, knowing that you are enough, you will surely go far!