Based in Rome, the group -- consisting of Damiano David (vocals), Victoria De Angelis (bass), Thomas Raggi (guitar), and Ethan Torchio (drums) -- met at high school, where they formed Måneskin in 2016. They started out as buskers, but they quickly became much more after an appearance on the Italian X Factor in 2017, where they finished in second place by performing a cover of the Killers' "Somebody Told Me." Hot on the heels of their newfound recognition, they set to work on their debut album, Il ballo della vita, which saw release in 2018. It hit number one on the Italian albums chart and spawned several more hits, including "Morirò da re," "Torna a casa," and "L'altra dimensione."
The band had a massive breakthrough in 2021, as just after they had released their second album, Teatro d'Ira, Vol. 1, they entered the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, winning with the track "Zitti e buoni." The song was included on Teatro d'Ira, Vol. 1, helping the album hit the top of the charts in Italy, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden. It also helped break the group internationally, cracking the Top 50 in the U.K. and reaching number seven on Billboard's World Albums chart.
In 2021, Måneskin delivered the song "Mammamia" as the first single released off their third album. Another single, "Supermodel," appeared in 2022. Released in January 2023, Rush! featured production by the group's longtime collaborator Fabrizio Ferraguzzo, as well Captain Cuts, Max Martin, and others. That year, they earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. ~ Matt Collar & Liam Martin, Rovi