Written by Michela Grasso
If you are walking through the busy streets of Bologna on any normal afternoon, you might suddenly hear a loud singing voice popping from behind a corner, followed by a colorful cyclist holding a microphone. That cyclist is Sound Michela, a barista in the morning and singer in the afternoon, dedicated to bringing joy and music to one of the most vibrant Italian cities.
“It can be quite hard to balance all these things, you know?” Sound Michela talks to the Urban Cycling Institute on the phone, right after finishing a song in Piazza dei Martiri, “mine is just a normal bike to which I have attached speakers, a microphone, and even a system to keep it all dry when it rains, because, of course, I sing all the time, no matter the weather”.
The first time I stumbled upon the work of Sound Michela it was on a social media app, where a video of her singing “Sere Nere” by Tiziano Ferro while biking had gone viral. What surprised me the most was seeing the crowd of young university students joining in and singing at the top of their lungs, welcoming her as a familiar and beloved presence in their city. Bologna is well known for the eccentricity of its inhabitants, coming from all corners of the country, and with its history of acceptance and freedom, it is easy to feel welcome within its (former) city walls.
Sound Michela is one of the many people who make Bologna a city worth visiting, and she has gained a lot of attention in recent months. Even Biagio Antonacci, a famous Italian singer, joined her during a performance “I was so surprised, I could not believe my eyes and I had to lift his hat to realize it was really him. That time I did not utter a single sound from the strong emotions I was feeling”, she recalls.
“I just love to sing,” Michela says, “I used to do it while standing on the streets, then one day I packed my speaker on the bike and as I was biking to my designated performance place, I realized I wanted to sing on the bike, and then I never stopped. It is great, every day I see new faces; some people already know me, but many others are surprised when they spot me singing while pedaling. Children and elderly people are always the most curious, they look at me very intensely and I just love surprising them. I have been to many cities, I put my bike on the train and there I go, I would love to sing in cities all around the country”.
While Sound Michela is a beloved presence in the city, many people have attacked her on social media and made remarks on the street, “One time a mailman angrily screamed at me to do something better and find a job, which is quite ironic since I have a job. Some people have negative reactions towards me because music brings out emotion, it can be difficult to see someone pursue their dream in this way; people often feel stuck on a predetermined path, and being confronted with the possibility of a happy life outside of what is considered “normal”, for example by simply singing on my bike without asking for anything in return, can trigger them. But I ignore this negativity, most of the time people are enthusiastic about what I do. Especially young girls, they stop me and often have song requests, then we sing together.”
And what are Sound Michela’s dreams? “In 2025 I will open a foundation to help homeless people. I know many of them in Bologna and I cannot stand the idea of a society that leaves people behind. I will try to raise funds to create a shelter, I have a very detailed plan in mind and hopefully, I will be able to make a positive impact with my musical bike”. Everything that the street artist is doing is about making a positive impact, from making people smile to achieving her dreams; it is moving to see her determination in simply doing what she desires while bringing joy to those around her.
The chat with Sound Michela is interrupted by a call from her 17-year-old daughter, “You know, she is very proud of me” admits Michela, “At the beginning, she was worried about what people might have thought, especially with the bike, but she has always fully supported her singing mom. Some might think I am crazy, but that is okay for me, I believe that everyone is a little bit crazy, there is no shame in that”.
Sound Michela has been singing in Bologna, Ferrara, Firenze and many other cities in the North of Italy. Bologna has recently approved a 30 km/h speed limit, and is known for being a bicycle-friendly place, “In Bologna the main difficulty is simply to balance on the bike, since I also have to hold the microphone, it can be tricky and I go very slow”, shares Sound Michela, “But in other cities there is more car traffic, and not that many cycle lanes, this can be challenging and creates very dangerous situation”. Luckily, the singer has not had any accident or unpleasant situation with car drivers, but this is a reminder of the long way that Italy still has to go through before being a cyclist-friendly country.
With her dreams, her microphone, and her bicycle, Sound Michela redefines the image of the artist and the cyclist. Her performances show that cycling is not just about getting from A to B, nor about efficiency, but rather about having fun and seeing the world from a different perspective. Sound Michela’s pedaling presence in the streets of Bologna brings smiles and creates opportunities for conversation and interaction between the spectators. By choosing the bike as her stage, Sound Michela has embraced the life of an almost nomadic street artist, her performances are never the same: the landscape is constantly changing, just like the songs, the weather, the time of the day, and the people crossing these urban spaces. Without the bike, this would not be possible, and the singer is well aware of that, “To me, this bicycle represents the achievement of my dreams, I could never go back to not using it.”
