JULY 28

Biography

Franco126, born Federico Bertollini, is a Roman songwriter. 

One hundred and twenty-six like the steps of the Viale Glorioso staircase in Trastevere, already dear to Sergio Leone and meeting place of Franco's historic crew. His rap writing borders on songwriting with a lucid ability to focus on reality and emotions. The vaguely retro style is matched by a rough and truthful timbre, a perfect bitter-sweet contrast capable of enveloping the heart. "Polaroid", published in 2017, was his debut album paired with Carl Brave. A real record case that emerged strongly from the tam tam of the web and entered permanently not only in the sales charts, currently certified Double Platinum, but also and above all in the contemporary collective imagination. A new sound, fresh and engaging, that has conquered the whole peninsula thanks to the dozens of sold-out concerts between May 2017 and September 2018.

In October 2018 Franco126 debuts with his first solo single "Frigobar", with a timeless sound and melancholic atmospheres. The artistic understanding with producer Stefano Ceri is the right viaticum to the working of Franco126's first solo album, which will be released on the 25th of January 2019 and will be titled Stanza Singola. The ten tracks that make up the album are the result of Franco's stylistic evolution, both in the writing of the lyrics and in the sonic conception of the tracks. The result is a contemporary singer-songwriter's album, which reflects with personality on the roots of the Italian song of the seventies and eighties. Franco's rap background and his unmistakable vocal timbre give further uniqueness to the tracks. The title track 'Stanza Singola', the only featuring on the album, is an artistic encounter with Tommaso Paradiso. In some tracks Giorgio Poi's guitars resonate impeccably. The album, certified Platinum by Fimi, was a success and immediately became a cult record for both public and critics, bringing together old fans and new admirers. The tracks "Frigobar", "Ieri l'altro", "Stanza Singola" and "Brioschi" reached the Fimi-certified gold record, collecting millions of views on streaming platforms. The live dimension confirms the solidity and consistency of the chosen path: accompanied by a five-piece band on a stage that reproduces the features of a hotel room, Franco126 entertains and excites a growing audience of fans who flock to a succession of sold-out concerts in the major Italian super clubs. Summer 2019 saw him play over 50 dates at major festivals. His writing is also put at the service of some hit songs such as "Stupida Allegria" by Emma, "Vento sulla Luna" by Annalisa and "Margarita" by Elodie and Marracash. The link with the rap scene is confirmed by numerous collaborations including those with Fabri Fibra (Come Mai), Noyz Narcos (Borotalco), Gemitaiz and Venerus (Senza di me), Gianni Bismark (Università, Mi sento vivo) and producer Night Skinny (Stay Away). In 2019 he is also part of the Heart Blood Feeling project involving the whole 126 crew. On December the 13th 2020 marks his return to the scenes with Blue Jeans, which boasts the collaboration of Calcutta, game-changer of Italian songwriting, followed by another track, Nessun Perché.