Musical Chairs: Filippo Cantele

By Georgia McDonald

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Last week I caught up with one of the Whitsundays’ established musicians. This week, the spotlight turns to a newer face who is winning over the local community one gig at a time. In the musical hot seat this week is Filippo Cantele.

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Born and raised in Piedmont, Italy, Filippo never imagined the singing lessons he began as a 13-year-old boy would one day lead to him pursuing music in the Whitsundays. He arrived in Airlie Beach with one goal: complete his 88 days of regional to extend his visa. Here, he found a community that embraced his sound and a place he fell in love with.

Filippo is no stranger to the stage. Before arriving in Airlie Beach, he busked on the Gold Coast and even took part in The Voice Italy in 2019. Yet his musical journey is still evolving, having only taught himself guitar within the past year.  

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Filippo admits that his biggest challenge entering the Whitsundays music scene was a lack of confidence. That changed when local musician Josiah Samuel invited him to join him on stage during a gig at Paradiso.

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“At the beginning, I was a little bit shy,” Filippo recalls.  

“But then Josiah said to me, ‘Jump on stage with me, do half my gig with me and see how it goes.’ He was my biggest reason I got back up onto the stage.”

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Whilst Josiah gave him that first step, Filippo credits his friends and housemates for keeping him going, saying they followed him to every gig and supported him every step of the way.  

For Filippo, those moments on stage have become some of his favourite memories of living in the Whitsundays.

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“I am living the best period of my life right now,” he says. “Every time I drive over the hill into Airlie Beach and I see the ocean, the colour of it when the sun is reflecting on the water. That’s it for me.”

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Filippo also credits the local community for making his experience so special.

“Music is very big in this town, people have heard a lot of musicians. So if someone comes back or gives me a compliment about it, that means a lot.”

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For Filippo, music has always been about more than the performance itself; it is about creating a connection with the audience. When describing his sound, Filippo simply says: “Emotional. Deep.”  

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For him, music is about creating a feeling and giving something back to the people listening.

He recalled a moment from his busking days when a listener became emotional after hearing him perform Tennessee Whiskey.

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“She started crying. She came to me and hugged me and said, ‘Please keep going,’” Filippo remembers.

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The moment reflects exactly what Filippo hopes to achieve through music. He remembers first listening to Chris Stapleton’s Tiny Desk performance of When The Stars Come Out and being moved by the raw emotion behind it. This is an experience he hopes to recreate for his own audience.

“If I can give something to people and let them feel their own way of emotion, that’s my main goal,” Filippo says.  

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“If someone comes to one of my gigs and feels something about themselves, or their lives, I am singing for them. For me, that’s the only reason I sing.”

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You can catch Filippo the next coming week at:

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Mulligans - Sunday 9th August 4PM – 7PM

The Pontoon Platform, Great Barrier Reef – Tuesday 11th August & Wednesday 12th August

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Filippo’s Song Recommendation For The Week:

When The Stars Come Out – Chris Stapleton (Tiny Desk Performance)

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