Laura Valente, stage name of Laura Bortolotti (born 3 September 1963 in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

), is an Italian singer and musician.

Early solo career

After winning a songwriting contest with a song about a young victim of drug addiction as a teenager, Valente collaborated with

Gianni Bella Giovanni Bella, best known as Gianni Bella (born 14 March 1946), is an Italian composer and singer-songwriter. Background Born in Catania, Bella started his career as composer for his sister, singer Marcella Bella authoring several hits with lyr ...

on his album ''G.B. 2'' (1984), which led to her getting her first recording contract soon thereafter. In 1985 she met singer

Mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...

, starting a partnership in both music and life: he not only had Valente provide vocals for his albums ''

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

'' (1985), ''

Odissea ''Odissea'' is the fifth studio album released by Mango, in 1986. The album contains some of his most known songs - "Lei verrà" and "Oro" - and two songs in English language - "Love is just a melody" and "Modern love" co-written with Simon Marsh ...

'' (1986), '' Inseguendo l'aquila'' (1988) and ''

Sirtaki Sirtaki or syrtaki ( el, συρτάκι) is a dance of Greek origin, choreographed for the 1964 film ''Zorba the Greek''. It is a recent Greek folkdance, and a mixture of "syrtos" and the slow and fast rhythms of the hasapiko dance. The dance ...

'' (1990), but also produced her first studio album ''Tempo di Blues'' (1986), which despite not selling well, was met with good reviews by the critics.

With Matia Bazar

In 1990 she replaced

Antonella Ruggiero Antonella Ruggiero (born 15 November 1952) is an Italian singer. Biography Antonella Ruggiero was born in Genoa, Liguria and made her first recording, ''Io Matia'' ("I Matia" in English), in 1974. Matia is the stage name under which Antonella Rug ...

as the lead singer of the famed group

Matia Bazar Matia Bazar () is an Italian pop band formed in Genoa in 1975. The original members of the group were Piero Cassano (keyboards), Aldo Stellita (bass), Carlo Marrale (guitar, vocals), Giancarlo Golzi (drums) and Antonella Ruggiero (vocals). T ...

; her first album with the band is ''Anime Pigre'' (1991), marking a switch to a more modern, rocking style. Matia Bazar's participations in the

Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

(with ''Piccoli Giganti'', ranked #6) and

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...

(with ''Dedicato a te'', ranked #4) were also a critical and commercial success, as well as their next albums ''Dove le canzoni si avverano'' (1993), ''Radiomatia'' (1995) and ''Benvenuti a Sausalito'' (1997). After the death of Matia Bazar's bassist and main songwriter

Aldo Stellita Aldo Salvatore Stellita (August 2, 1947 – July 9, 1998), was an Italian bassist and songwriter, a founding member of the Genoan band Matia Bazar. Early career and Jet A native of Sicily, Stellita moved to Bolzano at an early age. In 1971, sho ...

in 1998, however, Valente decided to leave the group to focus on her family.

Later solo career

During the 2000s, Laura mainly collaborated with her by-then husband Mango, notably duetting with him on his song ''Chissà se nevica'' during the third night of

Sanremo Music Festival 2007 The Sanremo Music Festival 2007 was the 57th Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo. The show was held during the five nights between 27 February 2007 and 3 March 2007. The contest, broadcast by Rai 1, was presented by Pippo ...

on 1 March. She has also been active in several theatrical productions.

Personal life

Valente was the partner of singer-songwriter

since 1985. They were married from 2004 to his death in 2014; their children Filippo (b. 1995) and Angelina (b. 1999) are also in the music business and have collaborated with their parents on several occasions.

Discography

Solo

* ''Tempo di Blues'' (1986)

With Matia Bazar

* ''Anime pigre'' (1991) * ''Dove le canzoni si avverano'' (1993) * ''Radiomatia'' (1995) * ''Benvenuti a Sausalito'' (1997)

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Valente, Laura 1963 births Musicians from Milan Italian women singer-songwriters 20th-century Italian women singers 21st-century Italian women singers Living people