Mao is the stage name of Italian singer/songwriter, radio and television host, author, and actor Mauro Gurlino, whose eclectic career has spanned over three decades. He found fame in the 1990s, leading the alternative rock group Mao e la Rivoluzione and co-hosting multiple MTV programs. He released his debut solo album, Black Mokette, in 2001 and continued to appear on television and in films, including Giovanni Robbiano's 500, for which he also provided the soundtrack. His sophomore solo effort, Piume Pazze, arrived in 2010, with the stand-alone singles "Nudi alla meta" and "Le cose" appearing in 2019 and 2020, respectively.