A surprise collab born over beers, turned into a heartfelt cover full of soul.
In 2024, Zucchero dropped a beautiful, stripped-down version of Just Breathe by Pearl Jam — and he didn’t do it alone. His partner in the track? None other than Russell Crowe. Yep, that Russell Crowe — Oscar-winning actor from Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, The Insider. Turns out, the guy’s been deep into music for years. Their version landed on the deluxe edition of Zucchero’s Discover II album last November, and fans have been loving it ever since.
So how did this unexpected duet come about? The two met in Sydney back in early 2023 thanks to their mutual buddy, Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes. After one of Zucchero’s shows at the Opera House, they hung out, cracked open a few Guinness (Crowe’s favorite), and hit it off. A few months later, when Crowe came to play a gig in La Spezia, Italy, with his band Indoor Garden Party, they reconnected — and that’s when the idea for the cover came to life.
“He travels with his own Guinness stash!” Zucchero joked in an interview. But the vibe between them was real. “I’ve always been a fan of his as an actor… now maybe a little bit as a singer too,” he said, smiling. They recorded their vocals separately — Zucchero in Italy, Crowe in Australia — and blended it all together in the studio.
Their song choice wasn’t random. Just Breathe, off Pearl Jam’s Backspacer (2009), is one of the most emotional songs Eddie Vedder ever wrote. It’s soft, acoustic, almost like a whispered prayer about love, gratitude, and the weight of loss. Vedder once called it “the closest thing to a love song we’ve done.” The track made it to the Billboard Hot 100, hit #6 on the Alternative chart, and found its way into movies and TV — a quiet classic that stuck with people.
For Zucchero, it’s a personal favorite: “It’s one of those Pearl Jam songs that hits you right in the heart,” he said. But for Crowe, it hit even deeper. He told Zucchero, “I wanna sing this with you because it feels like our story — two friends, one disappears, stops calling, ’cause he’s been through the dark stuff.”
And now, on May 15, 2025, they’ve dropped the official music video — directed by Crowe himself. It’s all mellow vibes: sweeping landscapes, intimate shots of both guys in their own corners of the world, and even their dogs hanging around. It’s simple, heartfelt, and fits the mood of the song like a glove.
From Seattle to Reggio Emilia to Sydney — this isn’t just a cover. It’s a story of friendship, healing, and quiet moments that matter. Sometimes, all you really need… is to just breathe.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.