The Genesis of Italian Disco (No, Not Italo Disco)

American influences, early synths, and Italy's own tradition created a unique sound

Within a mirror-clad, black-box-like set complete with neons, strobes, and flashlights, the spandex-clad American-born dancer-turned-soubrette Heather Parisi breezily performed a meta-poetic song about disco music, delivering some sort of manifesto.

“Disco disco dove io sono veramente io… Disco disco manda via, tutta la malinconia…,” [disco disco where I…