Short Description
Speak its name. We are terrified to say it: cancer.
“Gelo” captures not only this cold, paralyzing shock of the unexpected, the frozen feeling when life as you know it suddenly cracks; but it’s also about the thaw that follows, the realization and the adrenaline that kicks in when you’re staring down the unknown. It’s a song about strength, vulnerability, and the moment when fear begins to move.
Artist Reflections
When my mom told me about what happened at the gynecologist, I remember having this very vivid image of her standing in the middle of the examination room, vulnerable in that uncomfortable chair, staring at the huge screen in front of her, trying to make sense of what she saw. I couldn’t be there with her, but we share the same doctor, so I know the space, the lights, the sounds of the machine. She remembered having this strong feeling as though time had frozen, suspended. I tried to live that moment. Gelo was the first song I wrote, with words flowing rapidly, for the first time in my native language. In the song, I stay true to my mom’s story and feelings. Writing “Gelo” helped me process that moment with her, even though I wasn’t physically there.
Credits
Composer: Francesca Pichierri
Lyricist: Francesca Pichierri
Arrangement: Francesca Pichierri and Stefano Iuso
Produced and recorded by: Francesca Pichierri and Stefano Iuso
Vocals: Francesca Pichierri
Keyboards: Francesca Pichierri
Piano: Stefano Iuso
Bass: Francesca Pichierri and Stefano Iuso
Drums: Francesca Pichierri and Stefano Iuso
Saxophone (original track): Luca Giangrasso
VST Saxophone: Francesca Pichierri
Sax Sampling & Production: Francesca Pichierri and Stefano Iuso
Synths & Virtual Instruments: Francesca Pichierri and Stefano Iuso
Sound fingerprints & Foley recordings: Francesca Pichierri
Mixed by: Simone Ferrero
Mastered by: Giovanni Versari
Artwork: Dominic Thiel and Francesca Pichierri
Photography: Dominic Thiel
Graphic Design: Dominic Thiel
Video credits: Dominic Thiel
Lyrics
(English translation below)
GELO
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
E arriva il gelo…
La pelle d’oca sulle gambe tese che
Che tremano nude
Distanti ti aprono una vista dentro me
Che poi ci delude
È cupo il tuo sguardo
Le mani frenetiche
Di colpo è il silenzio
E pieghe sulla fronte
Le gambe tese
Non è per il freddo che
Che tremano nude
Non è un’eclissi quello
Che vedo
Il velo del mistero
Squarcia
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Confermano
I tuoi occhi
Gelo
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Tu negalo
Negli occhi il
Gelo
La pelle d’oca sulle braccia tese che
Che tremano nude
Si incontrano sul ventre e giungono in preghiera
Per farsi forza contro la paura
Cosa mi aspetta ora?
Fisso uno schermo
Voglio che parli
Ho perso il senso del tempo
Ogni secondo dura una vita
Le braccia tese
Non è per il freddo che
Che tremano nude
Non è un’eclissi quello
Che vedo
Il velo del mistero
Squarcia
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Confermano
I tuoi occhi
Gelo
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Tu negalo
Negli occhi il
Gelo
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Confermano
I tuoi occhi
Gelo
Oh l’intuito fa il suo nome
Tu negalo
Negli occhi il
Gelo
Nome (Gelo Gelo)
Fa il tuo nome (Gelo Gelo)
Fa il tuo nome (Gelo Gelo)
Fa il tuo nome (Gelo Gelo)
Quanto grave
È il male che il mio ventre accoglie?
Parli e
Suona la realtà
Che questo gelo scioglie
__________
Lyrics (English translation)
THE CHILL
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
And the chill arrives…
Goosebumps on my tense legs that
That tremble, bare
Distant, they open up a view inside me
That then disappoints us
Your gaze is dark
Your hands frantic
Suddenly, silence
And wrinkles on your forehead
Legs are tense
But it’s not because of the cold that
They are trembling, bare
It’s not an eclipse
What I see
The veil of mystery
Tears apart
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Confirmed
By your eyes
The chill
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Please deny it
In your eyes
The chill
Goosebumps on my tense arms that
That tremble, bare
They meet on my womb and come together in prayer
To gather strength against the fear
What awaits me now?
I stare at a screen
I want you to speak
I’ve lost my sense of time
Every second lasts a lifetime
Arms are tense
But it’s not because of the cold that
They are trembling, bare
It’s not an eclipse
What I see
The veil of mystery
Tears apart
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Confirmed
By your eyes
The chill
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Please deny it
In your eyes
The chill
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Confirmed
By your eyes
The chill
Oh, the intuition speaks its name
Please deny it
In your eyes
The chill
Name (The chill, the chill)
Speaks your name (The chill, the chill)
Speaks your name (The chill, the chill)
Speaks your name (The chill, the chill)
How serious
Is the trouble that my womb holds?
You speak
And reality reveals itself
Melting this frost away
More about the song
Interview with Plastic Magazine:
https://plasticmag.co.uk/2024/09/interview-francesca-pichierri-releases-debut-single-gelo/
Interview with Cage Riot:
https://www.cageriot.com/post/francesca-pichierri-s-gelo-delivers-a-powerful-emotional-journey