Franco Battiato’s music has seen Italians from the beautiful illusions of the 70s through to  the flamboyant 80s, and has endured as a household favorite ever since. Much has already been written about this staple of Italian music and pop culture, but now, on the second anniversary of his death, it feels fitting to pay homage to this prolific man. And there is no way to pay homage to Battiato without also mentioning his birthplace and home, Sicily.   

Battiato has a definitive style all his own, mashing cultural influences in a way that feels natural for somebody who grew up in Sicily. It is no coincidence that Battiatio’s fascination with non-Western cultures came from an island that has historically been a theater for different civilizations, and remains to this day a beacon of multiculturality in Italy.