"Hi Roberto, if you agree, my mother has decided to try to make her own version of your piece." These few words, contained in an email written in 2021 by the producer Massimiliano Pani, made Roberto Casu, a singer-songwriter from Carbonia, come to a rock-solid certainty: the dreams he cultivated as a boy can come true even at 54. Yes, because the mother in question was Mina, aka the tiger of Cremona, aka the sacred monster of Italian music who with a yes and with her voice can change the life of an artist.

The song

"Even today I'm a bit incredulous and I wonder if this little miracle really happened", says Roberto Casu who with his song "Per dirti t'Amo" is part of Mina's 107th LP entitled "Gassa d'amante" which since yesterday has been available to the singer's millions of fans. "At 84 years old, she remains the artistic goal of anyone who writes songs", adds Roberto who has just returned from the Milan Music Week where he was invited to an emotional blind listening session opened by Mina's voice. "When I learned that my song was the third on the album and that the video was for the single "Per dirti t'Amo", I barely remained standing and hugged my partner - he says - it was a lifelong dream come true". He had sent that song to Massimiliano Pani in 2014: «Since 2013, after the vicissitudes of life had distanced me from music for 15 years, leading me to do a completely different job – he says – I had decided to start dedicating myself to music full time again. So, after a period spent in France, in Strasbourg, I had managed to complete an album and sent it to various producers including Massimiliano Pani». Who, the first phase of the miracle, replied to him after a very short time with an email: «I liked the album – he wrote – do you want to try writing a song for my mother?». Roberto remembers that he was already at work that same evening: «The words came out as if by magic – he says – I put my all into it, I wanted what I felt to come across. It was a delicate and strong job at the same time, I really wanted to reach Mina's heart. She is the one who chooses the songs from the thousands that arrive and I wanted to be her choice».

The wait

After an initial positive response from his son, the longest moment arrived, the wait for the final choice. «Elisa, an illustrious signature on Mina's album, said that she waited 20 years, so I was prepared for a long wait - he continues - so I continued with my life trying not to think about it too much, out of superstition». Then, in 2017, another email from Pani: «“We offer you a contract”, it said. When it arrived I signed before even reading it. It could have written anything, it was a contract to work for Mina, for me it was enough. Then time flew by until the 2021 email and then to the Milan Music Week where the dream came true».

At home

Roberto doesn't let it go to his head even though he knows that this little miracle could open the door to new collaborations. For now he continues to work on other projects like those that had already given him great satisfaction: «My first video was made by a dear friend, Carlo Pirchio, it was called "Paura" and was dedicated to Alfredino Rampi - he recalls - it had received a lot of praise. As well as the music made with very good musician friends like Fabio Bellia, Andrea Tuveri, Gianluca Pitzalis, Francesco Peddoni, Carla Cocco and many others. Among my goals, if I manage to make a living from music, there is that of creating a center dedicated to the youth of Carbonia since I have experienced first-hand how complicated it can be to access public facilities like the Teatro Centrale. I have experienced a little odyssey, I would instead like that one day there was a clear path for those who want to try to make a living from music».

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