is damiano david straight?

While the band may not have pinned their hopes on a specific accolade, Måneskin’s shared teenage experiences primed them for their rapid accession as one of Europe’s hottest rock exports. Forming at high school as a unified three-piece, Ethan Torchio joined the gang after responding to an online open call out for a drummer. This fateful pairing, alongside the band’s long-standing friendship has become the crux of Måneskin’s outlook. “We all have a very clear vision — we are very bitchy,” Victoria says confidently, smiling. “We have very specific ideas. Being only four [of us] and not having overproduction, we think that our individual sound really makes the difference”. Ethan, who’s taken to perching on the couch armrest, echoes his bandmate: “We’re perfectionists.”

As Måneskin’s latest album, RUSH!, dawns, the artists have been busy splitting their legacy between Italy and the rest of the world – from showcasing support for Ukraine at Coachella in California to bringing their rock and roll swagger to The Green Fashion Awards alongside style icons Karolina Kurkova and Elisa Sednaoui. “These two ways of expression (rock and roll) are ways in which we have always liked to measure ourselves,” youngest member Thomas Raggi says in accented English. “We like to alternate them because they represent the different musical souls of which the band is composed.”

Måneskin’s rock and roll philosophy is more than a reliable shoehorned statement. Much like their striking clothing, it fits like a well-worn mantra. (“In a younger age, it really helped us define our personality and stand out in some way,” Victoria says.) Growing up in a “very conservative country”, the artists found the music scene as an opportunity to experiment with their image as teenagers. Labelled as “weird” or receiving “a lot of judgements” wasn’t going to hold Måneskin back. Instead, the alternative act learned to lean on each other for support, she says, and strengthened their bond. “It really helped to have a purpose and have this project together. It made us feel reassured that we’re doing something cool and we were allowed to be ourselves.”

As the band found themselves migrating from headline to headline, they became accustomed to facing off gossip together. Ask them about the cocaine-meets- Eurovision moment and they all laugh, sharing familiar smiles with each other. “We were already so successful in Italy so we got kind of used to hearing speculation about us,” Ethan shrugs. “The huge Eurovision blowout was a good moment of our lives because we were all at a point of growing and personality building.”

But the speculation didn’t just stop there. The questions of drugs subsided and talk about sexuality quickly rose to the fore. At the time, a quick internet search of Måneskin’s name would lead to autofills poking questions at everything to boyfriends, girlfriends, and identity labels. “We’re not very touched by these kinds of comments. We all are very sure of what we are and how we want to show it,” Ethan responds. Although the band were quickly dismissive of the online talk, a bigger lesson loomed, frontman Damiano David reveals. “In Italy, we did not discover that there’s more than one sexuality until we got to use social media. Just like everybody else, I was [use terms] ‘straight’ or ‘gay’,” he candidly shares. Since then, the vocalist admits he’s taking on “more knowledge” to better himself as an ally — “I’m fully straight but this doesn’t stop me from being an ally. I’m on the side that has to learn new things.”

The band’s public discussion of identity has been one they’ve decidedly kept close to their chest, until now. “We understand people can get very affected by [speculation] because they’re making themselves sure of what they are and how to express [themselves] to their parents or to their friends,” Ethan empathises. As a member who has faced the brunt of opinion, the drummer pauses, choosing his words carefully: “[Trying] to guess people’s sexualities is one of the worst things to do — it’s very bad.”

A time that was particularly testing for the band was when Måneskin’s provocative Want To Be Your Slave music video hit the internet. A visual centred on sexual liberation and self-expression, the band quickly faced questions on their aesthetic and affiliation to queerness. “People are curious about it because it’s been quite a taboo topic for many years, it’s something now that other people are so interested in, not only with celebrities, but just generally with everyone,” Victoria says. She recalls times in high school where similar-aged teenagers would guess whether an effeminate boy is gay or not. “Like, who the fuck cares?!” she huffs. “People are really interested in the private lives of the artists. They look it up because it makes them feel like they know you better or it’s just to gossip or break a scandal.”

In light of their newly released album RUSH!, the band spoke to The Guardian about their rise to fame, how Italy embraced them as a group and breaking rock and roll's stereotypical norms.

In some cases, band members Damiano David and Thomas Raggi (who are straight, while members Victoria De Angelis and Ethan Torchio are part of the LGBTQ+ community) have faced queerbaiting accusations over their use of makeup and choice of clothing.

"There are some cases where it happens, but sometimes [the accusations are] so extreme," De Angelis told the outlet. "It's stupid for queer people, who should fight these stereotypes, to label it as this and create more hate. The fact [that Raggi and David] are straight doesn't mean they can't wear makeup. Or heels."

David, 24, added: "Everything me and Thomas do is always filtered by two people who are [queer]. Of course we don't experience the same stuff, but we live every day very closely with people from the community."

Similarly, the band faced backlash in their home country of Italy after winning Eurovision.

"We've always been very dividing," said David. "There are a bunch of people that love us and are very proud of what we're doing, and then there's a whole other part made of conservatives and traditional rock'n'roll fans and fascists that hate us with everything they've got."

"A lot of people are really proud," De Angelis, 22, added. "But Italy is a very conservative country and they're intimidated by the fact that someone can wear makeup or high heels or appear half-naked or not be straight. But f— them."

During the band's MTV Video Music Awards performance in August, De Angelis' top fell off her shoulder and exposed her breast. However, MTV quickly censored the performance for viewers at home. The bassist spoke to this instance and called it a double standard.

"We're too hot for US television," said De Angelis. "It's so stupid because they want to appear so open-minded and then they get scared about a pair of nipples. There is this difference between men's and women's bodies and how you're perceived and sexualized all the time. Everyone has nipples."

"It's very clear the different standards people have because I was literally butt-naked," David added.

In all the media, when talking about the subject, much is said about the style of the frontman of the group, Damiano David.

However, today we will pay special attention to the two members of Måneskin who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community and who have never hidden this relationship.

In case you didn't already know, they are Victoria de Angelis (bassist) and Ethan Torchio (drummer).

In this regard, Ethan defines himself as 'sexually free':

And Victoria is openly 'bisexual', said openly for the first time to NEG MAG and reiterated for Vanity Fair - Pride Edition:

Some time ago, some tweets called our attention for referring to Måneskin as "the band with three straight guys". And it is important to highlight that Ethan is very private with his personal life and does not share many details, therefore, he did not go into much depth in the speech of the interview quoted above, but that does not invalidate his statement.

If you're a fan of the band, you've already come across scenes of the two in music videos relating to people of the same gender.

In three of them, Victoria kisses the actresses in the clips:

The first is one of the band's first official music videos, the music video for Chosen!

This is the music video for 'Le Parole Lontane', which portrays the loss of an inspiring muse: Marlena, who plays the kiss.

This one is recent! In the music video for MAMMAMIA, Måneskin's penultimate single, Victoria kisses a girl she met at the party.

In the IWBYS music video, Ethan and Damiano star in the kiss:

In the music video for 'I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE', the band decided to show different types of fetishes. And it couldn't miss a kiss with gum, could it?

On other occasions and far away from the discography screen, the other two members of the band (Thomas and Damiano) also showed their support for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially at a concert by the band in Poland, a country with severe restrictions on homosexuals and denies basic rights to the LGBT population in the country.

Watch the moment:

At this festival, being televised in Poland, Damiano leads the speech after 'I Wanna Be Your Slave': "We think that everyone should be allowed to do this without any fear. We think that everyone should be completely free to be whoever the f#ck you want. Thank you Polland, love is never wrong".

As part of the band, Ethan and Victoria are among the few LGBTQIA+ artists who won Eurovision, despite many artists that have participated in the competition throughout the contest's history.

Protests also took place on the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest, as a way of celebrating the band's victory. The event is televised and broadcast to around 200 million people:

In addition, the phrase "Love is never wrong" and similar thoughts are very present in the band's interviews, and public placements - as we saw today. The band also makes a point of raising the flag at shows, delivered by fans, since the first tours: 'Måneskin Live' (2017) and 'Il Ballo Della Vita' (2018-2019).

Thanks for reading this far,

Portal Måneskin Brasil

Although two members of the Italian rock band – bassist Victoria de Angelis and drummer Ethan Torchio – belong to the LGBTQ+ community, frontman Damiano David and guitarist Thomas Raggi have faced criticism for adopting a more gender-fluid style, often with makeup and high heels, despite being straight.

Speaking to The Guardian, de Angelis said: “There are some cases where it happens, but sometimes [the accusations are] so extreme. It’s stupid for queer people, who should fight these stereotypes, to label it as this and create more hate. The fact [Raggi and David] are straight doesn’t mean they can’t wear makeup. Or heels.”

David was in agreement, adding: “Everything me and Thomas do is always filtered by two people who are [queer]. Of course we don’t experience the same stuff, but we live every day very closely with people from the community.”

The band also discussed the opposition they have faced from conservatives “and traditional rock ‘n’ roll fans and fascists that hate us with everything they’ve got”. David even said a conspiracy theory had gone around in their native Italy – “It says that we’re getting famous because we’re being paid. That we’re working with the Italian government to share this gender-fluid culture!”

De Angelis added: “A lot of people are really proud. But Italy is a very conservative country and they’re intimidated by the fact that someone can wear makeup or high heels or appear half-naked or not be straight. But fuck them.”

Ethan Torchio, Thomas Raggi, Damiano David and Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin attend the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles CREDIT: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Elsewhere in the interview, the band doubled down on their rejection of the stereotypical rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, despite public misconception. “I think the view people have of us, and of me, it’s very off-target,” said David. “People think we behave like the Sex Pistols, or Mötley Crüe, but we’re nothing like that. We’ve got more educated on the risks of drugs and how they affect your body. I don’t even drink alcohol any more.”

“We don’t think real rock music is about these stereotypes of the sex and drugs and rock’n’roll lifestyle,” de Angelis added later. “It’s about expression and creative freedom.”