Hoax is an AI artist hailing from Italy.
As recounted by the artist: “In 1967, Italy witnessed the release of a song that would spark considerable controversy: 'Aprimi il Cu*o,' performed by the renowned figure of the Italian underground, Vera Luna. The label she was associated with—Cantoscena, known for pushing the boundaries of obscenity, particularly during that era—sought out Basque singer Luz Vergada, a close friend of Vera Luna, to create a Spanish version of the song. By the mid-1960s, Cantoscena's management aimed to expand beyond national borders, setting their sights on the international market. Spanish was seen as a logical choice due to the linguistic similarities and the potential to connect with the expansive Latin American audience. However, these productions faced challenges akin to those experienced in Italy: censorship, boycotts, and widespread ostracism.
Luz Vergada's version, titled 'Ábreme el Culo,' was recorded and released in 1968 but was quickly suppressed by conservative factions, halting any chance of distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. Following the single's release, Luz Vergada endured severe backlash and personal threats, resulting in her departure from Spain to Italy. Unfortunately, she found little respite there, as the environment was similarly unwelcoming to an emancipated, foreign, and openly provocative woman. In early 1970, worn down by the hostility, Luz left Europe for Argentina, where she reinvented herself as a writer of erotic stories. Initially published under the pseudonym Ramona Melanoy, her works later gained recognition as cult texts within the River Plate counterculture.
From the late 1930s to the late 1980s, an avant-garde music scene thrived in Italy, its existence largely forgotten today. This artistic movement, which remained outside the mainstream and never adopted a formal name, was informally known as Cantoscena. It comprised visionary artists, bold musicians, and particularly courageous performers—predominantly women—who transformed their talents into a defiant voice, challenging societal norms and expressing love in groundbreaking ways. As time progressed, those in power, alarmed by the explicit eroticism of their music, employed various tactics to suppress these artists, silence their lyrics, and obstruct their access to the public. Consequently, the entire repertoire was consigned to obscurity, persisting even decades after the collective's dissolution. The advent of the internet failed to revive the few remaining copies, which were often destroyed after being acquired one by one. Only fragmented echoes of Cantoscena remained, scattered across the internet, treated as remnants of a lost chapter in Italian music history.
In March 2025, an unexpected discovery altered this narrative. Following the sudden death of an enigmatic owner in a Tuscan villa, several trunks were uncovered containing the secret archive and complete discography of Cantoscena: vinyl records, tapes, photographs, videos, personal diaries, official documents, and notes that had been carefully preserved for decades. The significance of this find, combined with the transformed historical and cultural landscape of Italy, a renewed interest in female artists, and the artistic merit of the works, spurred initiatives aimed at reintroducing this cultural treasure to the public. After a meticulous restoration process to salvage recordings damaged by moisture and time, these musical gems are now beginning to emerge once more.
Disclaimer: All characters, names, biographies, and images presented in this project are fictional and a product of artistic creativity. Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.”
