For Pasqualino Beltempo, music has never been just a career—it’s been a calling. A longtime musical theater performer, Beltempo spent years bringing other people’s stories to life on stage. But when the pandemic silenced Broadway and its lights went dark, he turned inward. What emerged was Mediocre Excellence, his debut album—a vibrant mix of jazz, swing, and theatrical storytelling. “I craved telling my own stories,” he shares. The result? A record that plays less like an album and more like a one-man musical with a full horn section.
Beltempo’s sound is a love letter to the golden age of big-band music, but with a modern, self-aware twist. Think Gershwin meets The Lion King, delivered with a wink and a raised eyebrow. His tracks carry the lush orchestration of jazz standards but pulse with the immediacy of contemporary narratives. “I can’t help but write catchy tunes,” he laughs—and he’s right. Whether unpacking personal stories or satirizing society, his music lands with theatrical precision and plenty of heart.
Still, breaking through as an independent artist is never easy. “Getting heard is the hardest part,” Beltempo admits. Yet that hasn’t stopped him from dreaming big—literally. After a standout performance at Una Voce Per San Marino (the national competition tied to Eurovision), he returned with renewed fire. His upcoming bilingual LP, If Life Were a Musical, fuses humor, vulnerability, and a touch of operatic flair. With help from Italian arranger Gabriele Mastropasqua and vocalists like Haley Jones, Simona Rodano, and Cristina Siciliano, Beltempo expands his sonic universe without losing his theatrical soul. The album’s lead single, Childless Millennials, even features his nephew—proof that his music is just as communal as it is personal.
Beyond the studio, Beltempo thrives on connection. He openly shares his creative process online—from vocal warm-ups to orchestration experiments—and values the kind of live feedback only a stage can give. “Music reminds us we’re not alone,” he says, echoing the same emotional core that fuels his songs. With plans to take his big-band musical experience on the road, he’s aiming not just for venues but for spectacle. “I love a challenge,” he grins. “That’s why I’m in New York.”
Gratitude runs through everything he does—from the family that raised him on Disney and swing to the friends who’ve supported his “crazy projects” from day one. As If Life Were a Musical approaches release, Beltempo remains true to the message that got him here: life’s too short not to swing.
