Gianna Nannini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gianna Nannini
Nannini performing in 2017
Background information
Born	(1954-06-14) 14 June 1954 (age 71) Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Genres	Rock pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Years active	1976–present

Gianna Nannini (born 14 June 1954) is a famous Italian singer and songwriter. She is known for her powerful rock and pop songs. Some of her most popular hits include "America" (1979), "Fotoromanza" (1984), "I maschi" (1987), "Meravigliosa creatura", "Sei nell' Anima", and "Bello e impossibile" (1986). "Bello e impossibile" became a huge success across Europe, especially in countries like Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.

Early life

Gianna Nannini was born in Siena, Italy, on 14 June 1954. She has a younger brother named Alessandro Nannini, who used to be a Formula One racing driver. In the late 1970s, Gianna studied piano and how to write music in Milan.

Music career

Nannini had her first big hit in Italy in 1979 with the song "America." Her album California also became popular in many European countries. She became famous internationally in 1984 with her sixth album, Puzzle. This album reached the top 10 in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

The first song from Puzzle was "Fotoromanza." Its music video was directed by the famous filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni. The song won many music awards. After the album's success, Nannini went on a long tour across Europe. She even performed as the main act at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

In 1986, her song "Bello e impossibile" became a big hit in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Her album Maschi e altri, released in 1987, sold over a million copies.

Nannini in 1981

In 2004, Nannini released a greatest hits album called Perle. For this album, many of her well-known songs were given a new sound. She worked with talented musicians, including Christian Lohr on piano and a string quartet. She then toured Europe with this orchestra from 2004 to 2005.

Her album Grazie came out in February 2006. It quickly reached number one on the Italian music charts with the popular song "Sei nell'anima." In April 2007, Nannini released Pia come la canto io. This album featured songs that were originally planned for a rock opera. The opera was based on a medieval character from Tuscany named Pia de' Tolomei.

An acoustic version of her song Meravigliosa Creatura was used in a 2008 TV commercial for the Fiat Bravo car. Later, another one of her songs, "Aria," was also used in a Fiat Bravo ad.

Duets and special projects

Gianna Nannini has worked with many other artists. In 1987, she performed in a special show called "Three Penny Opera" in Hamburg. She sang alongside famous musicians like Sting and Jack Bruce.

In 1990, she and Edoardo Bennato sang "Un'estate italiana." This was the official song for the Football World Cup 1990, which was held in Italy. The song was created by Giorgio Moroder.

In September 2006, she recorded the song "Ama Credi E Vai" with the famous tenor Andrea Bocelli. Nannini also sang on a track called "Per Sempre Butterfly" for Alexander Hacke's album Sanctuary. In 2008, she sang with Italian rapper Fabri Fibra on his song "In Italia." She also performed the song "Aria" with the Macedonian singer Toše Proeski.

Personal life

A movie about Gianna Nannini's life, called Beautiful Rebel (Sei nell’anima), was released on Netflix in 2024. It shows her journey as a singer and how she stood up for herself against her family, music companies, and old traditions in Italy.

In 1994, when she was in her late 30s, Nannini earned a degree in philosophy from the University of Siena. In 1995, she joined a protest organized by Greenpeace at the French embassy in Rome. This protest was against the French government's decision to conduct nuclear tests.

In August 2010, at the age of 56, Gianna Nannini announced she was expecting a baby. Her daughter, Penelope Jane Charlotte, was born in Milan on 26 November 2010. In 2017, Nannini moved to London. In her 2017 autobiography, Cazzi miei, she shared that she wanted to ensure her daughter's future was secure, especially regarding legal protections.

Discography

Nannini performing in 2008

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

See also

In Spanish: Gianna Nannini para niños