KN/GHTS & DENISE BONFANTI SERVE UP ITALO DISCO GEM

In August 2024, music history was made in Mexico City when James Knights (KN/GHTS, Boytronic) and Denise Bonfanti (BABY’S GANG) met for the very first time and set the stage alight with unforgettable live performances. Curated by the legendary King Fashion team in collaboration with Sonido Montesqui, the event was a euphoric celebration of synth-pop and Italo disco.

But the real magic began offstage when the artists explored Mexico City with organizer Santiago Prado and Denise’s husband Alberto, who acted as translator to bridge the gap between the English and Italian speakers. At one point, James blurted out a forgotten phrase from his school day Italian lessons: “Dolce canarino, canta in bagno!” (“Sweet canary, sings in the bathroom.”)

Everyone burst into laughter. The phrase became an instant inside joke and continued into backstage conversation, with Alberto suggesting “We should write a song called that!”. Back home, James couldn’t let the idea go. He laid down a demo, wrote lyrics, and sent it to Denise. To his surprise, she loved it.

The two began working remotely, dividing up vocal parts and building the track from their respective countries. When the final arrangement was ready, James invited none other than Fred Ventura and Paolo Gozzetti of Italoconnection to mix the track, adding their signature finesse and authentic Italo disco flair.

‘Dolce Canarino’ also comes with a trio of stunning remixes, from the legendary Flemming Dalum, Hungary’s electro wizard Electro Potato, and Mexico City’s underground favorite Ant-People. Each version brings its own twist to the track, making this release a truly international celebration of synth and disco culture.

Check out the latest issue of Blitzed too for an exclusive interview with James Knights as he discusses his new album Supernatural Lover.

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‘Dolce Canarino’ is out now via Specchio Uomo / Flashback Records