Jack Savoretti's new album celebrates the best of Europe: 'Forget politics, culturally we're aligned'

Jack Savoretti wants his new album to show how united Europe really is (Image: Getty Images)
Jack Savoretti wants his new album to show how united Europe really is (Image: Getty Images)

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Jack Savoretti is about to release a new album; one he hopes will show just how connected Europe is. Europiana is the 37-year-old’s seventh album and, with his mixed European heritage, he believes there’s no-one better to get the message out there.

Speaking on White Wine Question Time, he said that if we forget politics, we can see just how similar we actually all are.

“This is me, trying to shine a light on how beautifully connected Europe is and how beautifully connected it is through culture,” he explained to podcast host Kate Thornton.

He continued: “Forget politics, forget economics, culturally speaking, as an English, Italian, German, Polish who grew up in Switzerland, I can tell you culturally speaking, we are so aligned. We can relate on so many levels that when you leave Europe, you necessarily can't do that.”

WATCH: Why Jack Savoretti and his band dressed up to record their new album Europiana

Of course while the album, out later this month, brings together the culture of Europe, Savoretti says it also celebrates the vast array of music that can be found across the continent.

“I really wanted to celebrate the music of Europe, from Scandinavia, all the way down to the Mediterranean, and how it all kind of unites us,” he explained.

Buy it: Europiana | £10.99 from Amazon

Europiana
Europiana

Savoretti reached out to, perhaps, a slightly surprising source to help him tell the tale of European music - legendary producer and writer, Nile Rodgers, who he believes with the help of his disco tunes, produced some of Europe’s more legendary acts.

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“When it [disco] collided with the European culture of songwriting of melody and melancholy and nostalgia – when these two worlds collided - we got the likes of Giorgio Moroder, we got the likes of ABBA,” he told Thornton.

LISTEN: Jack Savoretti discusses why he felt a bit of a fraud when he headlined at Wembley Arena

“That's kind of where Europiana comes in. It's taking this underground sound, but then giving it the beauty of the Mediterranean, of European aspirations, which is glamour, which is fun, which is romantic, which is sexy!”

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While the pair never met face-to-face, Savoretti revealed Rodgers has become “a bit of a mentor” over the short time they worked together.

There was talk of Savoretti opening up for Rodger’s live shows — and even rumours of a Diana Ross tour — but lockdown put paid to it, yet the iconic musician has influenced the album in so many ways.

“He's been a real mentor,” he admitted.

“There's been many times I've thought, ‘Is this mad now? Is this a crazy concept? Is everybody just going to think that I'm trying to rehash old glories of European music?’ And he was like, ‘Absolutely not, man!’ So just knowing that he's on the pitch with you, makes you play a lot more confidently.”

Jack Savoretti said he approached Nile Rodgers to work on his new album because of his influence on European music
Jack Savoretti said he approached Nile Rodgers to work on his new album because of his influence on European music

Savoretti, who is hoping his new album will follow the success of his number one hit Singing To Strangers, told Thornton it was really important for him that Rodgers understood the whole concept of the album – and why he wanted him to be involved.

“I wanted him to realise that I was asking him because he is a big reason as to why music in Europe… It really changed,” he said.

He continued, laughing: “He might have been overwhelmed, but he just said, ‘Alright, I'll do it’ just so this guy shuts up!”

Hear Jack Savoretti talk about why his gigs produced so many wedding proposals in the latest episode of White Wine Question Time. Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

WATCH: Jack Savoretti on escaping eels, finding love and celebrating his Wembley performance

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