Calabrisella Mia

A fun way to learn a new language is by listening to music and there are some great Italian female singers, here are some you should check out:

1. Laura Pausini

Laura Pausini was born in the town of Solarolo, Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region. She began singing at a very young age with her father who was also a musician and singer. She signed with Warner Music Italy shortly after her song “La Solitudine” won at the Sanremo Music Festival in 1993. Her first professional release, “Laura Pausini”, became a huge success in Italy and abroad. Since then she has gone on to record in various languages including Spanish, English, and French.

In 2008, she released her most recent album “Primavera in Anticipo” in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Canada, and many other territories across the globe. She has spent the better part of 2009 on a world tour with dates across Europe, North and South America, and Australia. She is one of the few Italian artists who have been able to capture the attention of the World on such a large scale. Her beautiful vocals, lyrics, and stage presence have made her a household name and she still has a long musical career ahead of her.

2. Anna Tatangelo

Anna Tatangelo captured my attention in early 2008 when she competed at the Sanremo Music Festival with her song “Il Mio Amico”. The song, dedicated to her best friend, broke away from the traditional songs one would hear at Sanremo as it focused on discrimination against homosexuals. However, Anna Tatangelo, who was born in Sora, Frosinone, has been on the Sanremo Music stage before. She was actually the youngest person to win the Sanremo Music Festival’s Youth Award in 2002 when she was just 15 years old. Following her victory, she recorded and released a duet with singer-songwriter Gigi D’Alessio, whom she is currently married to. She has continued to work with Gigi D’Alessio and the results have been promising as her popularity continues to build. Only 22 years old, her music is developing and maturing as she continues to grow as an artist.

3. Elisa

Elisa was born in Trieste and started writing music when she was just 11 years old. She appeared on a televised karaoke program, Karaoke, when she was 15. A couple years later, she was signed to a record label, Sugar. At 18, she moved to California and started working on her debut album. It wasn’t until September 2000 that Elisa recorded her first Italian song, “Luce (tramonti a nord est)“, which was originally written in English. It went on to win her the top prize at the 2001 Sanremo Music Festival. Elisa is a natural-born talent, only 31 years old and already has numerous albums already under her belt including a greatest hits compilation.

4. Giorgia

Giorgia was born in Rome and spent many years singing jazz and soul in local bars/pubs. Her incredible soulful voice and wide range of vocal abilities has made her one of the most respected and famous Italian singers. She made her official debut at the 1994 Sanremo Musical Festival. Although she didn’t win, her stage presence and natural vocal talent captured the interest of many and she quickly became an icon in the Italian music scene. She has sung duets with the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Ray Charles and Elton John. She continues to release albums with great success. Her most recent release, in 2008, is a 3 CD anthology of greatest hits spanning her career thus far (1992-2008). It will include her hits, cover songs, and newer version of some of her classics.

5. Roberta Bonanno

Roberta Bonanno lived a regular life. Born in Milano, the 22 year old had jobs in retail stores and offices. She spent a lot of time learning English and French. It wasn’t until she entered the popular televised Italian Talent Competition, “Amici”, that her career as a vocalist took flight. In 2007, she competed and won second place and a recording contract. There is no telling where her career will lead, but for now, her single is doing well and has captured the attention of music listeners across Italy.

Also, don’t miss out my other posts from the “My Top 5” series:
My Top 5:  Italian Male Singers
My Top 5: Italian Television Programs
My Top 5: Italian Soccer Players
My Top 5: Italian Movies
My Top 5: Italian Females Actresses
My Top 5: Italian Male Actors