ANNALISA Fights Double Standards with New Single, Maschio

Italian singer-songwriter Annalisa just released her latest single, ‘Maschio‘, and beyond being a catchy dance track, it is a statement on the way society defines masculinity and tends to judge women for the same behaviors men get away with.

Dropped on May 8, 2025, “Maschio” (which translates into ‘male’ in Italian) was co-written by the Annalisa, Davide Simonetta and Paolo Antonacci and the track pairs an electronic-pop-retro sound with ironic and biting lyrics.

At first listen, “Maschio” seems like the kind of song in which a woman shares the way she’s giving everything in a relationship while feeling invisible. But there’s more to it, for Annalisa eventually flips the narrative, imagining herself as a man and asking, “How different would my actions be judged if I were him?”

If the theme sounds familiar, that’s because the 39-year-old isn’t the first one to fight double standards in her songs. Amongst the most iconic songs about the topic, one cannot ommit to mention Taylor Swift’s 2019 “The Man”, where Swift ponders how differently she’d be treated if she were a man. Just like her, Annalisa uses the song to highlight how actions that are considered as “power moves” for men are seen as “attention-seeking” or “desperate” for women. But while Swift’s take is mostly satirical, Annalisa adds a darker, more introspective mood, exploring not only power but also emotional isolation and self-worth opening the doors to male vulnerability.

It’s a continuous switch of perspectives, reflected by the change in vocal tones throughout the song: starting with a deep, resonant voice in the first verse, and progressively evolving into powerful, clear vocals, a signature characteristic of the singer.

This switch is also expressed through the look: Annalisa swaps between a masculine outfit in the videoclip wearing tailored suits, slicked-back short hair, smoking a cigarette — a vibe that reminds of Lady Gaga’s alter-ego Jo Calderone — and her usual feminine look with long red hair, heals and leather dresses.

This track is a full-on throwback to ’70s and ’80s electronic and disco music. Simonetta’s production is focused on power bass-lines, pop synths, and beats that make you want to dance, inspired by Annalisa’s biggest musical icons: Lady Gaga and Raffaella Carrà.

“Maschio” is more than just a catchy pop song. It’s a smart, sharp critique of how society defines gender roles and how it traps everyone in boxes.

Annalisa isn’t just singing about heartbreak; she’s “flipping Adam and Eve” in the script, asking, “What if I were the one with all the power?”.