Gabriele "Gabry" Ponte (; born 20 April 1973) is an Italian musician, DJ and producer, best known as a member of Eiffel 65.
With Eiffel 65's rise to fame in the late 1990s, he later went on to produce the Italian hit singles "Geordie", "Time to Rock", "Got to Get", and "La Danza delle Streghe", along with a number of remixes of popular songs. In 2005, Ponte announced he would be separating from Eiffel 65 to pursue solo work. In 2006, he founded and still manages record label Dance and Love. He also produced the 2012 international hit "Tacata'" by dance music trio Tacabro, and released his singles "Beat on My Drum" (featuring Pitbull and Sophia del Carmen) and "Buonanotte Giorno". He represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with his song "Tutta l'Italia", in which he qualified for the Grand Final and placed 26th (last) with 27 points.
He entered the Top 100 DJs list from DJ Mag as of 2014.
Career
1997–2003
In 1997 he formed the group Eiffel 65 with Jeffrey Jey and Maurizio Lobina. The group's debut single, Blue (Da Ba Dee), was released the following year and topped the worldwide charts and sold over 8 million copies; their first album Europop sold another 4 million copies. In the year 2000, they won the European Music Award as the "Best Italian Artist In The World".
He later went on to produce the 2001 Italian hit single "Geordie" (a cover of Fabrizio De André's song by the same name, sung by Italian vocalist Stefania Piovesan), which was rewarded with gold record for selling over 25,000 copies, as well as the 2001 hit "Got to Get", the 2002 hit "Time to Rock", and the 2003 hit "La Danza delle Streghe" (English: "The Dance of the Witches"). Also to his credit are a number of remixes of popular songs such as the 2003 singles for Gianni Togni's "Giulia" and O-Zone's "Dragostea Din Tei", among others.
2005–2009
In 2005, Ponte announced he would be separating from Eiffel 65 to pursue solo work. In 2006, he founded and still manages record label Dance and Love, nowadays one of the most important Italian dance independent labels. He would release a song called "Vivi Nell'Aria" featuring Miani to Zooland Records. The song samples "The Moon" by ItaloBrothers.
thumb|Gabry Ponte in 2011
2012–2014
In 2012, Ponte released his single "Beat on My Drum" featuring Pitbull and Sophia del Carmen, which peaked at 11 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs. In January 2012, he also produced the international hit "Tacata'" by dance music trio Tacabro.
Meanwhile, Ponte started his solo projects, and his first singles and remixes stormed the European charts. In 2014, his single "Buonanotte Giorno" became a summer hit in Italy, reaching the top 10 in the country. In the same year, he entered the Top 100 DJs chart from DJ Mag at No. 61, also as the highest-ranked Italian.
2021–present
thumb|left|Ponte in 2024
His most successful collaborations include the 2021 singles "Thunder" with LUM!X and Prezioso and "Can't Get Over You" with Aloe Blacc. The 2022 singles "Call Me" with Timmy Trumpet and R3HAB, "The Finger" with Georgia Ku, and the summer hit "We Could Be Together" together with LUM!X and Daddy DJ, already GOLD record in Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium and France.
In 2022, he represented Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 as a co-writer and producer of the song "Halo", performed by Lumix and Pia Maria. Among the last club releases were collaborations with artists such a Blasterjaxx, Justus, DJs From Mars, Vini Vici and official remixes for Sigala, Sam Feldt and David Guetta with his global hit "I’m Good".
On 6 December, Ponte released a dedicated song to Spotify Wrapped 2023: "Losing You – Spotify Singles", celebrating the Police track "Every Breath You Take" 40 years since its release. From a live perspective, in 2023, Ponte performed 90 shows in 11 countries, in front of over 700,000 people dancing.
thumb|Ponte performing at the [[Eurovision 2025]]
In 2025, Ponte won the right to represent San Marino in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song "Tutta l'Italia", which had previously been composed as the theme for that year's Sanremo Music Festival. He was driving his daughter to the park when he played the song for her. When the song ended, she said, "Daddy, play it again." On 13 May 2025, Ponte performed in the first semifinal, where he qualified to the grand final, becoming the fourth representative of San Marino to do so. Ponte placed 26th with 27 points.
He was the DJ for the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Discography
thumb|upright|Ponte in 2025
Albums
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:4em;"| Year
! scope="col"| Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| ITA<br />
|-
! scope="row"| Gabry Ponte
| 2002
| 16
|-
! scope="row"| Dr. Jekyll and Mr. DJ
| 2004
| 17
|-
! scope="row"| Gabry2o
| 2008
| 34
|}
Other albums
- Modern Tech Noises According to Gabry Ponte (2007)
- Love Songs in the Digital Age According to Gabry Ponte (2007)
- Tunes from Planet Earth According to Gabry Ponte (2007)
- Gabry Ponte – Gabry2o Vol. 2 (2009)
- Dance & Love albums series:
- Gabry Ponte pres. Dance & Love Selection Vol. 1 (2010)
- Gabry Ponte pres. Dance & Love Selection Vol. 2 (2010)
- Gabry Ponte pres. Dance & Love Selection Vol. 3 (2010)
- Gabry Ponte pres. Dance & Love Selection Vol. 4 (2011)
Extended plays
- 2006: Modern Tech Noises According to Gabry Ponte
- 2007: Love Songs in the Digital Age according to Gabry Ponte <small> Containing: "Now & Forever" / "The Point of No Return" / "The Point of No Return (Bufalo & D-Deck Remix)" / "La Libertà" (Hard Love Remix) / "Geordie" (Eurotrance Remix)</small>
- 2007: Tunes from Planet Earth According to Gabry Ponte
- 2018: Dance Lab
Singles
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:2em;"| Year
! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Certifications
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| ITA<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| AUT<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| BEL<br />(Wa)<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| FRA<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| GER<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| LTU<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NLD<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NOR<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SWE<br />
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SWI<br />
|-
! scope="row"| "Time to Rock"
| rowspan=2|2002
| 33
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
| rowspan=5|Gabry Ponte
|-
! scope="row"| "Geordie"
| 9
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "De musica tonante"
| rowspan=5|2003
| 13
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Music" <br/><small>(with Fargetta)</small>
| 75
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "The Man in the Moon"
| 30
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Giulia" <small>(with DJ Lhasa)</small>
| 16
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|
|-
! scope="row"| "La danza delle streghe"
| 7
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
- FIMI: Gold
| rowspan=2|Dr. Jekyll & Mister DJ
|-
! scope="row"| "Figli di Pitagora"<br/><small>(featuring Little Tony)</small>
| rowspan=2|2004
| 13
| —
| —
| 66
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Sin pararse" <br/><small>(with Ye Man)</small>
| 20
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Depends on You"
| 2005
| 13
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
| Dr. Jekyll & Mister DJ
|-
! scope="row"| "Sono già solo (Remix)"
| 2010
| 51
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
| Dance and Love – The Selection Vol. 3
|-
! scope="row"| "Beat on My Drum"<br/><small>(featuring Pitbull and Sophia Del Carmen)</small>
| 2012
| 85
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
| rowspan="19"
|-
! scope="row"| "La fine del mondo"<br/><small>(featuring Two Fingerz)</small>
| rowspan=2|2014
| 7
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Buonanotte giorno"
| 7
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Che ne sanno i 2000"<br/><small>(featuring Danti)</small>
| 2016
| 22
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
- FIMI: 2× Platinum
| 55
|
- FIMI: Gold
- IFPI AUT: 3× Platinum
- SNEP: Diamond
|-
! scope="row"| "The Passenger (LaLaLa)"<br/><small>(with Lum!x and Mokaby and D.T.E)</small>
| rowspan=2| 2020
| —
| 47
| —
| 128
| 58
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
- BVMI: Gold <br/><small>(with Blasterjaxx featuring Riell)</small>
| rowspan="8"| 2021
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Oh La La" <br/><small>(with Moti featuring Mougleta)</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Going Down" <br/><small>(with Lucky Luke and Kevin Palms)</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Thunder"<br/><small>(with Lum!x and Prezioso)</small>
| 42
| 36
| 5
| 18
| 79
| —
| 14
| 5
| 7
| 20
|
- FIMI: 2× Platinum
- SNEP: Diamond <br/>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Superman" <br/>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "The Feeling" <br/>
| —
| —
| 40
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Can't Get Over You" <br/>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Call Me"<br />
| rowspan="4"| 2022
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 80
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Hasta La Vista" <br/>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "We Could Be Together"<br/>
| 93
| —
| —
| 96
| —
| —
| 34
| —
| —
| —
|
- FIMI: Gold<br>
| rowspan="2"| 2024
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Born to Love Ya"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Sean Paul and Natti Natasha)</span>
| — || — || — || — || — || — || 76 || — || — || —
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Tutta l'Italia"
| rowspan="6" | 2025
| 14 || — || — || — || — || 32 || — || — || 91 || —
|
- FIMI: Platinum
| — || — || — || 94<br /> || — || — || — || — || — || —
|
- SNEP: Gold
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|
|-
| colspan="14" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.
|}
Other releases
- 2009: "U.N.D.E.R.G.R.O.U.N.D."
- 2009: "Electro Muzik is Back"
- 2010: "Sexy DJ (In da Club)" <small>(featuring Maya Days)</small>
- 2020: "Opera" <small>(with La Diva)</small>
- 2020: "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Gabry Ponte edit) (by Harris & Ford)
In 2022, Ponte released "Friendships (Lost My Love) Leony", a remix of "Friendships (Lost My Love) Leony" from Pascal Letoublon, itself a remix of Letoublon's 2017 instrumental release "Friendships".
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Nominee(s)
! scope="col" | Result
! scope="col" |
|-
| 2025
| Eurovision Awards
| Certified Banger
| Himself
|
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}
