Born in Desenzano del Garda, Brescia, Italy in 1991, rapper/producer Mr. Rain (born Mattia Balardi) developed a love of hip-hop as a teenager, inspired in particular by the hits of Eminem as well as regional Italian rappers. By age 18 he began making his own tracks, releasing his first mixtape, Time 2 Eat, in 2011. He stayed busy making new beats, producing more tracks, and touring major Italian cities, eventually working toward his debut album, Memories, in 2015. The album's first single, "Carillon," became a viral smash hit, earning him a wider fan base and helping him sell out concerts and eventually sign a deal with Warner Music. In 2017, while working toward a new album for Warner, he released two singles, "I Grandi Non Piangono Mai" and "Rainbow Soda," tiding fans over until the release of the full album. ~ Fred Thomas