The extraordinary journey of millions of Italians who crossed the Atlantic in search of a better future is the inspiration behind a new musical project celebrating the roots of Italian American identity.
We Carried Italy With Us – Songs of Italian Emigration to America, a new album by Ennio Marchetti Project, features 10 original English-language songs exploring the experiences, sacrifices and hopes of Italian immigrants in the United States.
The album revisits a defining chapter in transatlantic history. Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, approximately 4 million Italians arrived in America, bringing traditions, family values, regional cultures and musical heritage that would become integral parts of American society.
Each song approaches this experience through a different emotional perspective – leaving home, crossing the ocean, confronting unfamiliar surroundings, building new lives and maintaining connections with Italy.
Choosing English allows the project to reach younger generations of Italian Americans, including those who no longer speak their ancestors' language but remain interested in their family history.
The album's artwork reinforces its message through familiar symbols of immigration: an old suitcase marked “Italia,” the Italian flag, an ocean liner, the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
More than a musical tribute, the project presents immigration as a continuing story of resilience, belonging and cultural exchange.
Through 10 songs, Ennio Marchetti Project invites listeners to rediscover how generations of Italian immigrants helped shape America while preserving the memories and traditions of the homeland they carried with them.
