After a rapid rise to fame that included chart-topping albums and sold-out stadium tours, Blanco took a step back. This period of reflection followed a turbulent year, which included a controversial performance at Sanremo where he destroyed floral arrangements on stage. Now, he reveals this time was necessary for addressing deeper personal issues.
"I remember one winter afternoon at home. I was sitting on the couch for a long time. No phone, just staring into space," Blanco recounted. "At a certain point I get up, grab the Christmas tree and throw it down the stairs. Then I go into a corner and cry my eyes out."
He explained that his anger was often self-directed. "With time and analysis, I have learned to respect my anger," he said. "My anger is genuine because it is never vented towards others... I only do harm to myself. And sometimes I have hurt myself very, very badly."
The Decision to Seek Help
The catalyst for seeking professional help came from a moment of shared vulnerability with a friend. "One night, I was on the beach with a friend of mine. He's the classic type that inspires fear: tall, big, tattooed," Blanco shared. "At a certain point, out of nowhere, he bursts into tears. I'm speechless. Then we start talking and he tells me he's in analysis, that he's changing. That it's strong and painful."
This experience prompted him to take the same step. He described his first therapy session with striking honesty: "I remember the image well: me trembling like a child after just three minutes. I couldn't talk about certain things without my body being unable to stay still. It didn't take me long to understand that there was a lot of work to do."
A New Album Reflecting on the Past
This period of introspection has heavily influenced his upcoming album, "Ma'". The title itself is a nod to his mother, and the cover art is a 15-year-old photograph of the two of them, taken by his father.
"It gives me a sense of innocence," he said of the image. "I'm not trying to become innocent again. I'm trying to be accepted for who I am. In the album, I write: growing up doesn't mean being freer. I used to be more of a dreamer. Today I'm more interested in possibilities than dreams. Because, in the end, growing up is a bit scary."
Blanco also touched upon the political disillusionment felt by many in his generation, attributing it not to apathy but to a fundamental "lack of trust" in political leaders. "It's not about what politicians say, but what they don't show us. The whole problem lies in that distrust."
