Between two shows, Alessandro Ristori takes the Spear’s Midas interview through a career built on performing in some of the world’s most exclusive venues
How much is an ounce of gold?
I hope less than my favourite cigar!
How did you earn your first pay cheque?
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I was just a child when I started rock ’n’ roll. I was maybe 15 years old when I played my first paid concert, in a venue by the sea near Pesaro. I was ready to sing for free, but the organiser of the party came to me with cash, and I thought, ‘OK, from now on it’s not just a game any more.’
Do you remember what you did with the money?
I went for a good dinner in a nice restaurant. Back in 1996, 100,000 Italian lire (around £45 at the time) would be enough for that. Now, that money wouldn’t buy me anything.
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Are you a saver or a spender?
I spend everything every day. I am not stupid with my money, but I love to enjoy life. I used to be crazy, have a cheque in my hand one day and nothing the next, but now I have children so I have to be a bit more mindful. I think if you don’t spend anything you start going crazy, and I only have one life, so I enjoy it.
How did you get into singing for the rich and famous?
I started performing in Monte Carlo around 2015. I remember playing for the first time at Le Bar Américain in the Hôtel de Paris for four hours non-stop every day for 42 days, without a single day off – I was basically like the Beatles in Hamburg. But that is where I started making connections with people from that world.
What is your favourite venue to perform at?
It has to be Annabel’s in London. English people basically invented pop and rock music, so it’s a huge honour for me to sing for them. There was this one time where Rod Stewart sat down at a table while I was on stage, so I jumped on his table, he looked at me and said, ‘Oh, you are too sexy for me,’ and I gave him a hug. Whatever happens, playing at Annabel’s is always a huge privilege.
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People call you the Italian Elvis. Do you relate to that nickname?
My music and presence on stage reminds people of the golden era of Las Vegas. The real Italian Elvis was singer Adriano Celentano, and I am doing the same thing he did but 40 years later, so I understand that people call me that. I make the audience feel like they are in a 20th-century movie – that is what I create every night on stage. After the last song, the crowd could almost see the old school ‘The End’ [title card] screen on stage.
What role does fashion play in your music – and your life?
I am what you see. I did not plan my project or my character; fashion just arrived in my life naturally when music did. It is part of what makes people believe in Alessandro. And considering my career, it’s natural that brands like Armani, Gucci and Brunello Cucinelli want to work with us.
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What’s it like to perform for such affluent, influential crowds?
Performing for wealthy people means singing in really magical places, often with a strong history, which always warms my heart. I did not grow up rich, I am a normal guy from the Italian countryside, so having played for people like Prince Albert [of Monaco] several times, including at his birthday party, I have seen the way in which wealthy people have time to understand and appreciate art. They could be doing anything but they are here watching me, wanting to listen to me – and that is a great characteristic for any audience.
What is your most prized possession?
My soul, which is with me every night on stage. Or my Porsche, which I recently bought after dreaming about it since I was a child.
This article first appeared in Spear’s Magazine Issue 98. Click here to subscribe
