Laura Pausini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Pausini OMRI
Pausini performing in 2009
Born	Laura Pausini (1974-05-16) 16 May 1974 (age 51) Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Occupation	Singer songwriter television personality
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Paolo Carta ​ (m. 2023)​
Children	1
Awards	Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album Sanremo Music Festival 1993
Musical career
Genres	Pop latin pop pop rock
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Atlantic Warner
Signature

Laura Pausini is a famous Italian pop singer. She became well-known in 1993. This happened when she won the new artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival. Her song "La solitudine" became a huge hit in Italy and around the world.

Her first album, Laura Pausini, came out in 1993. It sold two million copies globally. Her next album, Laura, was released in 1994. It sold three million copies, showing her continued success.

Laura Pausini has released many albums. She sings mostly in Italian and Spanish. She has also recorded songs in Portuguese, English, and French. In 2014, she was honored for selling over 70 million records. This made her one of the best-selling female Latin music artists. In 2025, Billboard magazine ranked her among the "Best 50 Female Latin Pop Artists of All Time."

Laura has also appeared on TV. She was a coach on The Voice in Mexico and Spain. She was also a judge on La banda and The X Factor. In 2016, she hosted her own TV show called Laura & Paola. She was also one of the presenters for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

She has won many music awards. In 2006, she won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for Escucha. In 2021, her song "Io sì (Seen)" was nominated for an Academy Award. It also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. This was the first Italian-language song to win that award. She has been honored by the Italian President. She is also a World Ambassador for her home region, Emilia Romagna.

Laura Pausini's Life and Career Journey

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Laura Pausini was born in Faenza, Italy. She is the older of two daughters. Her father, Fabrizio Pausini, was a pianist. He encouraged Laura to start singing. Her first performance was with him in a restaurant in Bologna in 1985. After that, she continued to sing with him in local piano bars. She also sang in a church choir.

In 1987, she made her first demo album. It was called I sogni di Laura. It had eight cover songs and five new ones. In 1991, she tried out for the Castrocaro Music Festival. She sang "New York, New York". She didn't reach the final stage. Later that year, she won another singing competition. However, she was not allowed to compete in the Sanremo Music Festival 1992.

1993: Becoming a Star

Laura was noticed by producer Angelo Valsiglio. He introduced her to manager Marco Marati. Valsiglio suggested the song "La solitudine" to her. Laura's singing impressed them. She then got her first recording contract with Warner Music Italy.

Pausini became famous in 1993 after winning the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival. This event is held every year at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, Italy.

"La solitudine" was chosen for the new artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival. Laura performed it on February 23, 1993. She won the competition on February 27, 1993. The song became a big hit in Italy. It is still one of her most famous songs.

After her debut single's success, Laura started working on her first album. It was called Laura Pausini. She recorded it while still in high school. The album was released in May 1993. It sold 400,000 copies in Italy. She also went on a tour in Italy that summer. In September 1993, she won a Telegatto award for Revelation of the Year.

In late 1993, the album was released in Europe. It reached number three in the Netherlands and number one in Belgium. It also did well in South America. The album sold over two million copies worldwide. "La solitudine" was a radio hit in Belgium and the Netherlands. It reached number five in France and number one in the Dutch Top 40. The album also had other singles like "Non c'è" and "Perché non torna più".

1994–1995: Global Success and Spanish Debut

In February 1994, Laura competed again in the Sanremo Music Festival. She sang "Strani amori" in the "Big Artists" section. The song came in third place. It became a hit in Italy and other parts of Europe. This song launched her second album, Laura. It was released in February 1994.

The album sold 150,000 copies in Italy in its first week. It reached number one in the Netherlands. It sold three million copies worldwide. Other singles from the album included "Gente" and "Lettera". In 1994, she won another Telegatto award for Best Female Artist. She also started an Italian tour.

In the same year, Laura released her first Spanish album. It was called Laura Pausini. It had ten Spanish versions of her earlier hits. This album became the best-selling album of 1994 in Spain. It sold over one million copies. Laura was the first non-Spanish artist to achieve this. She received an award for helping spread Italian culture in Spain.

The album was also successful in Latin America. The first four singles, "La soledad", "Se fue", "Amores extraños", and "Gente", were popular. Billboard magazine named her the second female revelation of 1994. In 1995, she won the World Music Award for Best Selling Italian Recording Artist. She also won the Lo Nuestro Award for Best New Artist of the Year.

Laura's first album for the British market was a self-titled collection in 1995. It included Italian hits and an English version of "La solitudine". This English version was called "La solitudine (Loneliness)". However, this album and single did not do well in the United Kingdom.

1996–1997: Le cose che vivi and First World Tour

After her successful Spanish debut, Laura's third album came out in 1996. It was released in both Italian, Le cose che vivi, and Spanish, Las cosas que vives. Since then, she has often recorded her songs in both languages. This has helped her success. A special edition of the album was also released in Brazil. It had three extra songs in Portuguese.

The album's first single was "Incancellabile". Its Spanish version was "Inolvidable". Other singles included "Le cose che vivi". The Spanish version of this song topped the Billboard Latin Pop Songs chart. The album sold 3.5 million copies worldwide. It was certified Platinum in Europe.

In December 1996, Laura sang for Pope John Paul II. This was at a Christmas concert in the Vatican. In February 1997, she was a guest at a festival in Chile. On March 1, 1997, she started her World Wide Tour. She performed in Italy, Europe, the United States, Canada, and many South American countries. This was her first international tour. She performed in large indoor arenas for the first time. In August 1997, she received an International Award for her success abroad.

1998–1999: La mia risposta and New Sounds

In 1998, Laura released her fourth album, La mia risposta. Its Spanish version was Mi respuesta. This album included a song written by Phil Collins. Critics saw it as a more mature work. It had influences from soul music. The album reached number one in Italy. It sold two million copies worldwide. The main single was "Un'emergenza d'amore". Other singles were "In assenza di te" and "La mia risposta".

To promote the album, Laura started the La Mia Risposta World Tour '99. She performed in theaters across Europe. On June 1, 1999, she sang with Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti. This was at his "Pavarotti and Friends" concert. They sang "Tu che m'hai preso il cuor". This performance was included in the album Pavarotti & Friends for the Children of Guatemala and Kosovo. In 1999, she also sang "One More Time" for the movie Message in a Bottle.

2000–2001: Tra te e il mare and First Greatest Hits

In 2000, she recorded "The Extra Mile" for the movie Pokémon 2000: The Power of One. This song was on her album Tra te e il mare. The album was released on September 11, 2000. The main single was "Tra te e il mare", written by Biagio Antonacci. Other singles included "Il mio sbaglio più grande". Its Spanish version, "Quiero decirte que te amo", was also popular.

The album also had "Viaggio con te", written by her father. It won an Italian Lunezia Award. "Per vivere" was written about a homeless child she met in Rio de Janeiro. It was dedicated to two Brazilian children she sponsored.

Tra te e il mare was nominated for Album of the Year. Laura was nominated for Best Female Artist. A Spanish version, Entre tú y mil mares, was also released. It received two nominations at the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards.

Laura's first international greatest hits album came out in 2001. It was called The Best of Laura Pausini: E ritorno da te in Italian. The Spanish version was Lo mejor de Laura Pausini: Volveré junto a ti. The first single was "E ritorno da te". The album also included "Una storia che vale". It featured guest singers like Gilberto Gil and Nek.

This greatest hits album was very successful. It sold 700,000 copies in Italy and 800,000 in France. She supported it with the 2001/2002 World Tour. During a concert in Milan in 2001, she recorded her first live video album. It was called Live 2001-2002 World Tour.

2002–2003: From the Inside

In 2001, Laura started working on her first English album. It was called From the Inside. It was released in Canada, Mexico, and the United States in 2002. The album's singles "Surrender" and "If That's Love" reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Songs Chart. However, Laura was disappointed that the album was mostly seen as a dance album. She wanted it to be a pop album. She stopped promoting it in the U.S. The album later sold 800,000 copies worldwide.

In 2003, Luciano Pavarotti invited her again to his "Pavarotti and Friends" concert. They sang "Tu che m'hai preso il cuor" together.

2004–2005: Resta in ascolto and Grammy Wins

Pausini during the presentation of her album Resta in ascolto / Escucha in 2004

In October 2004, Laura released her eighth album, Resta in ascolto. Its Spanish version was Escucha. The album was about a difficult time in her life. It included the song "Mi abbandono a te", co-written by Laura and Madonna. It also featured "Vivimi", which won a Billboard Latin Music Award in 2006. Another song was "Benedetta passione", written by Vasco Rossi. The album also had a song about the Iraq War. It was about a boy named Ali Ismail Abbas who was injured.

The album debuted at number one in Italy. It sold 350,000 copies there. Its Spanish version won Best Female Pop Vocal Album at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2005. It also won Best Latin Pop Album at the 48th Grammy Awards. This made Laura the first Italian female artist to win a Grammy Award. In January 2005, she started a new tour to promote the album. Her concerts in Paris were filmed. They were released as a live album, Live in Paris 05, in November 2005.

Laura also sang a duet with Michael Bublé on his 2005 live album Caught in the Act. They sang "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine". At the 2006 Lo Nuestro Award, Laura won Best Female Pop Artist.

2006–2007: Io canto and Stadium Concert

In November 2006, Laura released Io canto / Yo canto. This album had covers of Italian pop rock songs. Laura wrote that these were songs she listened to when she was sad or when a moment felt special. They were songs she sang when she first started performing. The album included duets with Tiziano Ferro, Juanes, and Johnny Hallyday. It was the best-selling album of 2006 in Italy. It sold 500,000 copies in less than two months. In November 2007, the album won Best Female Pop Vocal Album at the Latin Grammy Awards. Laura dedicated the award to Luciano Pavarotti. She also sang "Vivere (Dare to Live)" with Andrea Bocelli.

In summer 2006, Laura toured with Marc Anthony and Marco Antonio Solís. This was called the Juntos en concierto tour. They performed 20 concerts across the United States.

On June 2, 2007, Laura was the first female artist to perform at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. She sang in front of 70,000 people. This concert was released on CD and DVD in November 2007. It was titled San Siro 2007.

2008–2010: Primavera in anticipo and Charity Work

Concert of Amiche per l'Abruzzo

Laura spent early 2008 recording her tenth album. It was called Primavera in anticipo / Primavera anticipada. The Spanish version came out in November 2008. The Italian version followed a few days later. The first single was ""Invece no" / "En cambio no". It was released in October 2008. The album also featured a duet with British singer James Blunt. It was called "Primavera in anticipo (It Is My Song)". In late 2008, Laura recorded "Paris au mois d'août" with French singer Charles Aznavour. In November 2009, Primavera in anticipo won Best Female Pop Vocal Album at the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2010, Laura also won the Lo Nuestro Award for Female Artist of the Year.

Pausini performing during the World Tour 2009

On June 21, 2009, Laura organized a big concert at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. It was called Amiche per l'Abruzzo. The concert raised money for victims of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. 43 Italian female singers took part. A DVD of the concert sold 250,000 copies in Italy.

Laura started her World Tour 2009 in March 2009. She toured Europe, South America, and the United States. A CD and DVD of the tour were released in November 2009. It was called Laura Live World Tour 09. The album included three new songs.

2011–2012: Inedito and World Tour

Pausini performing in Bercy in April 2012 during the Inedito World Tour.

On December 30, 2010, Laura announced her new album, Inedito / Inédito. It was released in Italian and Spanish in November 2011. The first single was "Benvenuto" / "Bienvenido". To promote the album, Laura started the Inedito World Tour. She performed in Italy, Latin America, and Europe. The tour ended at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The album also had singles like "Non ho mai smesso" and "Bastava". The album sold one million copies worldwide. In June 2012, Laura took part in a concert to raise money for people affected by the 2012 Northern Italy earthquakes. She sang a duet with Cesare Cremonini.

In November 2012, a special edition of Inedito was released. It included a live DVD from the 2012 Inedito World Tour. The CD also had a live medley and a duet with Carlos Baute. In 2012, Laura also recorded a duet with Josh Groban, "E ti prometterò".

2013–2014: 20 – The Greatest Hits and Anniversaries

On February 26, 2013, Laura released a medley to celebrate 20 years of her career. It included "La solitudine" in Italian, Spanish, and English. In June 2013, Laura performed at the Chime for Change concert in London. This concert supported a campaign for girls' and women's empowerment. She sang "Io canto" and "It's Not Goodbye". She also sang on Gloria Estefan's album The Standards.

In November 2013, Laura released a greatest hits album. It was called 20 – The Greatest Hits in Italian and 20 – Grandes éxitos in Spanish. The album featured new songs and revamped versions of old hits. It included duets with Kylie Minogue, Alejandro Sanz, and Marc Anthony.

Laura promoted her greatest hits album with The Greatest Hits World Tour. She performed in Italy, Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Canada. The tour included performances at festivals in Chile and Peru. A concert in Taormina was broadcast on Italian TV. A new version of the album was released in November 2014. It included duets with Thalía and Melendi. She also recorded her first Catalan song, "Jo sempre hi seré".

In November 2014, Laura was the first artist to be honored in the new Paseo de las Estrellas in Tijuana, Mexico. In autumn 2014, Laura was a coach on La Voz. She also coached on the Spanish version of La Voz. She continued her tour in Australia and Russia.

2015–2016: Simili, TV Work, and Christmas Album

Pausini during a show of the Latin American leg of the Simili World Tour, September 2016.

At the 27th Lo Nuestro Awards, Laura received a special award for her music career. She said that even though she is Italian, "half of my heart beats Latino."

In August 2015, Laura co-wrote "Como yo sabría". In September, she was a judge on the Univision show La banda.

Laura's eleventh album, Simili, was released in November 2015. The first single was "Lato destro del cuore". The album's title track was chosen as the opening song for an Italian TV series. The Spanish version of the album, Similares, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album.

In April 2016, Laura hosted the TV show Laura e Paola in Italy. She won an award for TV Personality Revelation of the Year. In June 2016, Laura became the first Italian female artist to tour Italian stadiums. Her Pausini Stadi Tour 2016 included concerts in Milan, Rome, and Bari. She also toured Latin America and Europe. In late 2016, she was a judge on the second series of La banda.

In November 2016, Laura released her first Christmas album, Laura Xmas. It was called Laura Navidad in Spanish. The album was launched with a performance at Disneyland Paris.

2017–2018: Fatti sentire and World Tour

In autumn 2017, Laura returned as a coach on La Voz... México. Her new album, Fatti sentire, was released in March 2018. Its Spanish version was Hazte sentir. The first single was "Non è detto" / "Nadie ha dicho". She performed "Nadie ha dicho" at the Lo Nuestro Awards gala in February 2018. She also co-hosted the event.

In spring 2018, Laura was a judge on the Spanish show Factor X. She then started a worldwide tour to promote Fatti sentire. She performed in Rome, the United States, Latin America, Italy, and Europe.

2019–2021: Collaborations, Awards, and Nominations

In summer 2019, Laura performed 11 concerts in Italy with Biagio Antonacci. This was part of their LB Stadi Tour. After the tour, she announced a two-year break from recording music.

In 2020, she returned as a coach on the Spanish edition of La Voz. In February 2020, she announced a concert to help women suffering from domestic violence. It was called Una. Nessuna. Centomila. The event was postponed to June 11, 2022, due to the pandemic.

In October 2020, Laura released "Io sì (Seen)". She wrote it with Diane Warren. It was for the Netflix film The Life Ahead. Laura recorded the song in five languages. The music video featured Sophia Loren. The song won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

2022: Film Debut and Eurovision Host

In July 2021, Laura announced she had been working on a film since February 2020. The film, Laura Pausini – Piacere di conoscerti, was released on Amazon Prime Video in 2022. Laura starred in the film, making her acting debut. The song "Scatola" / "Caja" was released from the film's soundtrack. After performing "Scatola" at the Sanremo Music Festival 2022, Laura was announced as one of the presenters for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. It was held in Turin in May. In October 2022, Laura was one of the four presenters for the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas. She was the first Italian artist to host the Latin Grammy Awards.

30 Years in Music and Recent Achievements

In early 2023, Warner Music honored Laura. She was recognized as the most listened-to and awarded Italian singer worldwide. She has performed almost a thousand concerts.

On January 25, 2023, Laura announced two new concerts. These were to celebrate her 30-year career. She performed in Piazza San Marco in Venice in June and July. She also performed in Seville, Spain, in July. On January 28, 2023, she gave a charity concert in Rome. The money raised went to support a children's hospital.

Laura was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year in November 2023. This happened before the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Seville, Spain. She was the first Italian to receive this honor.

She celebrated her 30-year career with concerts in Venice and Seville. She performed her most famous songs.

2023: Anime Parallele Album

Anime Parallele (Parallel Souls) is Laura Pausini's fifteenth album. It was released worldwide on October 27, 2023. The album includes the song Davanti a te. Laura sang this song with Paolo Carta on their wedding day. It was their first wedding vow sung as a song.

Laura Pausini's Artistic Style

Pausini performing in 2009.

Laura Pausini is known for her strong and classic voice. She is a mezzo-soprano. Early in her career, she was seen as a teen idol. She sang about young love and problems. Some critics thought her songs were too sad or simple.

After her 1998 album La mia risposta, critics saw her as a more mature singer. They praised her simple style and powerful voice. They described her as someone who truly represents her generation.

Laura is mainly a melodic pop singer. However, her music style has changed over time. It now includes influences from Latin music, soul music, and rock music. In 2001, David Cazares described her music as "glossy and sentimental pop ballads." Achy Obejas wrote in 2006 that Laura stands out from other Latin pop singers. This is because of her refined style and European feelings. According to Antonio Orlando, Laura's style includes romanticism, optimism, and beautiful melodies.

Since her 1996 album Le cose che vivi, Laura has co-written most of her songs. Since her 1998 album La mia risposta, she has also been involved in producing her albums.

Personal Life

Laura Pausini moved to Milan in 1995. She was with her manager and partner, Alfredo Cerruti Jr. Their relationship ended in 2002. From 2002 to 2005, Laura was with her new manager, Gabriele Parisi.

In 2005, Laura started a relationship with Italian guitarist Paolo Carta. They have a daughter, born on February 8, 2013. After 18 years together, Laura and Paolo got married on March 22, 2023.

Honors and Awards

– Commander Order of Merit of the Italian Republic: This is a high civil honor in Italy. President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi gave it to her on February 6, 2006.

Discography

Studio albums

• Laura Pausini (1993)
• Laura (1994)
• Laura Pausini (1994)
• Le cose che vivi / Las cosas que vives (1996)
• La mia risposta / Mi respuesta (1998)
• Tra te e il mare / Entre tú y mil mares (2000)
• From the Inside (2002)
• Resta in ascolto / Escucha (2004)
• Io canto / Yo canto (2006)
• Primavera in anticipo / Primavera anticipada (2008)
• Inedito / Inédito (2011)
• Simili / Similares (2015)
• Laura Xmas / Laura Navidad (2016)
• Fatti sentire / Hazte sentir (2018)
• Anime Parallele / Almas Paralelas (2023)

Tours

Filmography

Television

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Laura Pausini para niños

• List of estimated best-selling Italian music artists
• List of best-selling Latin music artists