Eros Ramazzotti
Encyclopedia
Eros Luciano Walter Ramazzotti (born October 28, 1963), known simply as Eros Ramazzotti, is an Italian
singer and songwriter. Ramazzotti is enormously popular in Italy, and is well known in most non-English
-speaking European countries and in the Spanish
-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in both Italian
and Spanish.
Since 1984, he has released 11 studio albums, one EP
, three compilation albums, three live albums, and 37 singles. Ramazzotti has sold over 50 million records in his 25-year career. His repertory includes duets with artists such as Cher
, Tina Turner
, Andrea Bocelli
, Patsy Kensit
, Anastacia
, Joe Cocker
, Ricardo Arjona
, Luciano Pavarotti
, Laura Pausini
, and Ricky Martin
.
Ramazzotti first gained international success in 1993, with the release of Tutte storie, which amassed six million album sales and occupied the top five in every country where he had previously released albums. This success led to a BMG
International record contract in 1994. His audience appeal comes from several factors, including his unique voice, which can be described as somewhat nasal but nevertheless forceful and resonant, and his energetic delivery of catchy, melodic tunes which are often passionate mid-tempo autobiographical ballads, with instrumentation that is rich in soft-rock influence. Most of albums have been recorded in both Italian and Spanish.
, a suburb of Rome, Italy. He was named after Eros
, the Greek god of love. He took up playing the guitar at age seven. As a teenager, he wrote songs with help from his father, Rodolfo, a construction worker and music lover who played piano. He wanted to attend a musical conservatory but failed the admission examination, and started training in bookkeeping, but dropped out. He occasionally appeared as an extra in films while spending most of his time dreaming of having a career as a pop-star.
In 1981, Ramazzotti took part in a music contest, Voci Nuove di Castrocaro (new voices of Castrocaro Terme) with the song "Rock 80", which he himself wrote, performing in front of various record label representatives. Although the contest was won by Zucchero
and Fiordaliso, Ramazzotti reached the final and received two votes from Roberto Galanti and Baron Lando Lanni, who represented the recently launched Italian Label DDD (Drogueria di Drugolo). DDD gave Eros his first contract. He moved to Milan
with his brother, Marco and his mother, Raffaella, and they initially lived in the same building as the record label company.
. His song, "Terra promessa" (Promised Land) won the Newcomers' category, and was subsequently released widely throughout Europe.
In 1985, Ramazzotti again took part in the Sanremo Festival with his song "Una storia importante" (An Important Story), taken from his debut album Cuori agitati
(Troubled Hearts). While only placing sixth at the festival, "Una storia importante" was released as a single and became a huge hit in many European countries, including France where it sold a million units.
His second album Nuovi eroi
(New Heroes), released in 1986, earned two Platinum-awards in Switzerland with over 100,000 sales, and Gold status in Germany with over 250,000 sales. At his third Sanremo Festival appearance in 1986 his memorable single, "Adesso tu" (Now You) from Nuovi eroi won the overall competition.
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In 1987, Ramazzotti went on a nine-month-long tour after releasing his third album In certi momenti
(Sometimes), performing in front of more than a million people. In certi momenti went Gold in Germany with over 250,000 sales and Platinum in Switzerland with over 50,000 sales, and reached more than 3 million copies worldwide. As his career developed, he performed "La Luce Buona Delle Stelle" (The Good Light of the Stars) with Patsy Kensit
on November 22, 1987, and released a seven-track mini-album Musica è
(Music Is) in May 1988.
His fifth album, In ogni senso
(In Every Sense), released in April 1990, attracted more than two hundred journalists from around the world to the album's press conference launch in Venice.
An American
record producer, Clive Davis
, advised Ramazzotti to hold a concert at the Radio City Music Hall
in New York
City, and he became the first Italian
artist to perform at the renowned concert hall, performing before a sell-out crowd. However, he was later disappointed to learn that most of his audience was of Italian descent, having hoped for a more widespread breakthrough. During that visit to the USA, Ramazzotti also performed on TV shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America
. In ogni senso earned multiple Gold and Platinum album awards around the world, including a Platinum in Germany for over 500,000 sales, a triple Platinum in Switzerland for over 150,000 sales, and Platinum in the Netherlands for sales of over 100,000 units.
His 1991 double-CD release Eros in Concert was followed by another long tour, including a concert in Barcelona, Spain before 20,000 fans on 4 December, the day of his live CD's release.
In 1993
, he released Tutte storie
(All Stories), and he toured in Europe and 15 Latin America
n countries, where he has released his Spanish language albums. That November, Ramazzotti performed "Cose della vita" (Things of Life) at the MTV Europe Music Awards
in Berlin
. Tutte storie entered the Top-5 album list in many countries in Europe including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. The album earned Ramazzotti four Platinums in Switzerland for sales of over 200,000 units, a Platinum in Germany for sales of over 500,000 units, and Platinum status in many other counties including the Netherlands, Sweden, Argentina and Austria. Tutte storie eventually sold six million copies worldwide which played a significant role in helping Ramazzotti get his contract with BMG International.
, Elton John
and Joe Cocker
. His seven-million-seller album, Dove c'è musica
(Where There Is Music) was released on May 13, 1996, his first completely self-produced album. On December 5 of the same year, his then wife Michelle Hunziker
(Swiss model and television host) gave birth to their daughter, Aurora Sophie.
In October 1997, he released Eros
– Greatest Hits, which contained two new songs, "Quanto amore sei" (How Much Love Are You) and "Ancora un minuto di sole" (Just One More Minute of Sunshine), as well as reworked versions of previous hits including "Musica è" (duet with Andrea Bocelli
) and "Cose della vita - Can't Stop Thinking of You" in a duet with Tina Turner
. This collection entered the Top-5 in France, Belgium, Sweden and Finland, and reached No. 1 in several countries including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Norway, selling 1.2 million units in its first week of release according to BMG International.
The album was certified five times Platinum by IFPI (Europe) for selling well over five million units in Europe alone. The album also attained two Latin-type Platinum certifications by RIAA for sales of over 400,000 units in USA. That year, Ramazzotti was awarded "Best International Male Artist of the Year" at Germany's Echo Music Awards.
In 1998, he released the live CD Eros Live, which included two duets recorded during the world tour, "Cose della vita-Can’t Stop Thinking of You" featuring Tina Turner, and "That's All I Need to Know-Difenderò" with Joe Cocker
, performed in Munich
. In 1999, Ramazzotti again collaborated with Italian superstar Andrea Bocelli
, singing "Nel Cuore Lei" (In Your Heart) for Bocelli's album, Sogno
(Dream). The album sold over 10 million albums worldwide, gaining more recognition for Ramazzotti. In 1999, he was again awarded as "Best International Male Artist of the Year" at Germany's Echo Music Awards. Throughout his career, Ramazzotti has done duets with some very well known artists such as Cher
, Andrea Bocelli
, Joe Cocker
, Carlos Santana
, Tina Turner
, Anastacia
, Luciano Pavarotti
, and Laura Pausini
.
Ramazzotti gained a reputation as a seasoned producer with the album Come fa bene l’amore (Feels good to love) by Gianni Morandi
in the beginning of 2000. That October, he delivered his eighth studio album Stilelibero
(Freestyle), which contained a duet with the American
diva
, Cher
, in the song "Più che puoi
" (As Much As You Can). The album, the result of a collaboration of several producers including Celso Valli, Claudio Guidetti, Trevor Horn
and Rick Nowels
, reached the Top-5 album charts throughout Europe and was certified two times Platinum by IFPI (Europe) for sales of over two million units in Europe alone. In the course of the international tour for Stilelibero, Ramazzotti also appeared in eastern Europe
an countries including Moscow
, Russia where he gave a three-day sold out concerts at Kremlin Palace.
. The first single, "Un'emozione per sempre" (An Emotion Forever) was released on 9 May, and was number one in Italy
's official single chart for 14 consecutive weeks.
The album, produced along with Claudio Guidetti and Eros’s longtime musical friend Celso Valli, stayed at the No. 1 position for nine weeks in Italy
's official album chart. 9 went on selling 3.5 million copies, 1.1 million of which were sold in Italy
alone. He began his world tour in Ancona
, Italy
which was set to have 100 dates in front of audiences of up to one million people (56 dates of which were done in Europe in front of 550,000 people).
On October 28, 2005, Ramazzotti's 10th album Calma apparente (Apparent Calm) was released on the day of his birthday, which he produced together with Claudio Guidetti. The album Calma apparente, which was certified Platinum within a period of just one month after its release for selling over one million copies in Europe, contains the duet hit single "I Belong to You" with American singer Anastacia
, the single went No. 1 in several countries including Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Throughout the years, Eros has gained popularity especially in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela, and most Spanish-speaking
countries.
More than ten years after Ramazzotti's first compilation album Eros, which has sold total of 7.5 million copies worldwide and has reached No. 1 in many countries including Germany, Ramazzotti released a new double-CD compilation-album e²
on October 26, 2007; the first CD contained four new tracks and 14 original songs in a remastered format, and the second CD had 17 redone tracks, and feature artists such as Carlos Santana
, Wyclef Jean
, Steve Vai
, Jon Spencer. The four unreleased pieces on the e² album include a new international duet "Non siamo soli" (We're Not Alone) which Eros sings along with Latin pop star Ricky Martin
. This became the first single taken off the album, and was available for sale on October 5, 2007, reaching the top spot in Italy and entering the top-5 in Switzerland and Spain. In Spain, the Spanish-language version "No estamos solos" was certified four times Platinum for having been downloaded over 80,000 times in Digital format, whereas it was certified six times Platinum for having been downloaded 120,000 in Original Tone format (equivalent to US Master Ringtone). The single, available both in Italian
and Spanish
, was written by Ramazzotti and his longtime songwriting partner Claudio Guidetti.
Ramazzotti's 11-track album, Ali e radici
(Wings and Roots), was released on May 22, 2009, produced by Eros himself as well as his long time musical partner Claudio Guidetti; in addition, six tracks on the album are co-produced by Michele Canova who has previously worked with artists such as Laura Pausini
, Tiziano Ferro
and Jovanotti
. The first single "Parla con me
" ("Talk to Me"), released on 17 May 2009, off his 11th studio album, is a catchy pop song which has peaked at No. 1 in Italy and No. 8 in Switzerland. The album was available both in a standard-edition as well as in a deluxe-edition, which includes 64-page booklet of photographs, and it entered the Top-5 in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, and was number-one in Italy and Switzerland.
During his 25 year career he has sold over 40 million records worldwide.
Ramazzotti recalls being extremely shy in the early 1980s before achieving fame:
Ramazzotti was married from 1998 to 2002 to Swiss model and actress Michelle Hunziker
. They have a daughter together, Aurora, who was born on December 5, 1996. His 320-page autobiography, co-written by Luca Bianchini, was published April 13, 2006.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
singer and songwriter. Ramazzotti is enormously popular in Italy, and is well known in most non-English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking European countries and in the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in both Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Spanish.
Since 1984, he has released 11 studio albums, one EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, three compilation albums, three live albums, and 37 singles. Ramazzotti has sold over 50 million records in his 25-year career. His repertory includes duets with artists such as Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
, Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
, Anastacia
Anastacia
Anastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
, Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, Ricardo Arjona
Ricardo Arjona
Edgar Ricardo Arjona Morales, , known as Ricardo Arjona , is a Guatemalan singer...
, Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
, Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini, is a Grammy Award-winning Italian soul singer-songwriter. She debuted in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an international hit, reaching the top spot on the Italian...
, and Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
.
Ramazzotti first gained international success in 1993, with the release of Tutte storie, which amassed six million album sales and occupied the top five in every country where he had previously released albums. This success led to a BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
International record contract in 1994. His audience appeal comes from several factors, including his unique voice, which can be described as somewhat nasal but nevertheless forceful and resonant, and his energetic delivery of catchy, melodic tunes which are often passionate mid-tempo autobiographical ballads, with instrumentation that is rich in soft-rock influence. Most of albums have been recorded in both Italian and Spanish.
Childhood and early beginnings (1963–1981)
Eros Ramazzotti was born on October 28, 1963 in CinecittàCinecittà
Cinecittà is a large film studio in Rome that is considered the hub of Italian cinema.-History:The studios were founded in 1937 by Benito Mussolini and his head of cinema Luigi Freddi for propaganda purposes, under the slogan "Il cinema è l'arma più forte"...
, a suburb of Rome, Italy. He was named after Eros
Eros
Eros , in Greek mythology, was the Greek god of love. His Roman counterpart was Cupid . Some myths make him a primordial god, while in other myths, he is the son of Aphrodite....
, the Greek god of love. He took up playing the guitar at age seven. As a teenager, he wrote songs with help from his father, Rodolfo, a construction worker and music lover who played piano. He wanted to attend a musical conservatory but failed the admission examination, and started training in bookkeeping, but dropped out. He occasionally appeared as an extra in films while spending most of his time dreaming of having a career as a pop-star.
In 1981, Ramazzotti took part in a music contest, Voci Nuove di Castrocaro (new voices of Castrocaro Terme) with the song "Rock 80", which he himself wrote, performing in front of various record label representatives. Although the contest was won by Zucchero
Zucchero
Adelmo Fornaciari, Commander , more commonly known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero /ˈtsukkero/, is an Italian rock singer. His music is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces.Zucchero is the...
and Fiordaliso, Ramazzotti reached the final and received two votes from Roberto Galanti and Baron Lando Lanni, who represented the recently launched Italian Label DDD (Drogueria di Drugolo). DDD gave Eros his first contract. He moved to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
with his brother, Marco and his mother, Raffaella, and they initially lived in the same building as the record label company.
Career breakthrough (1982–1986)
Ramazzotti's first single, "Ad un amico" (To a Friend), was released in 1982, and was not particularly well received. Soon after, Eros met Renato Brioschi, who mentored the young artist toward his first success in 1984 at the highly regarded Sanremo FestivalFestival della canzone italiana
The Festival della canzone italiana di Sanremo is a popular Italian song contest, held annually in the city of Sanremo, in Italy, and consisting of a competition amongst previously unreleased songs...
. His song, "Terra promessa" (Promised Land) won the Newcomers' category, and was subsequently released widely throughout Europe.
In 1985, Ramazzotti again took part in the Sanremo Festival with his song "Una storia importante" (An Important Story), taken from his debut album Cuori agitati
Cuori agitati
Cuori agitati is the debut album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1985 on on the BMG label....
(Troubled Hearts). While only placing sixth at the festival, "Una storia importante" was released as a single and became a huge hit in many European countries, including France where it sold a million units.
His second album Nuovi eroi
Nuovi eroi
Nuovi eroi is the second album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1986 on the BMG label....
(New Heroes), released in 1986, earned two Platinum-awards in Switzerland with over 100,000 sales, and Gold status in Germany with over 250,000 sales. At his third Sanremo Festival appearance in 1986 his memorable single, "Adesso tu" (Now You) from Nuovi eroi won the overall competition.
Popularity established (1987–1994)
In certi momenti
In certi momenti is the third album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1987 on the BMG label....
(Sometimes), performing in front of more than a million people. In certi momenti went Gold in Germany with over 250,000 sales and Platinum in Switzerland with over 50,000 sales, and reached more than 3 million copies worldwide. As his career developed, he performed "La Luce Buona Delle Stelle" (The Good Light of the Stars) with Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
on November 22, 1987, and released a seven-track mini-album Musica è
Musica è
Musica è is a mini album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1988 on the BMG label...
(Music Is) in May 1988.
His fifth album, In ogni senso
In ogni senso
In ogni senso is the fifth album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1990 on the BMG label...
(In Every Sense), released in April 1990, attracted more than two hundred journalists from around the world to the album's press conference launch in Venice.
An American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
record producer, Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
, advised Ramazzotti to hold a concert at the Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
City, and he became the first Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
artist to perform at the renowned concert hall, performing before a sell-out crowd. However, he was later disappointed to learn that most of his audience was of Italian descent, having hoped for a more widespread breakthrough. During that visit to the USA, Ramazzotti also performed on TV shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
. In ogni senso earned multiple Gold and Platinum album awards around the world, including a Platinum in Germany for over 500,000 sales, a triple Platinum in Switzerland for over 150,000 sales, and Platinum in the Netherlands for sales of over 100,000 units.
His 1991 double-CD release Eros in Concert was followed by another long tour, including a concert in Barcelona, Spain before 20,000 fans on 4 December, the day of his live CD's release.
In 1993
1993 in music
This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
, he released Tutte storie
Tutte Storie
Tutte storie is an album by Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti. It was released by Sony BMG in 1993. Tutte storie, which has sold over 6 million copies worldwide, helped Ramazzotti get his contract with BMG International.- Track listing :...
(All Stories), and he toured in Europe and 15 Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries, where he has released his Spanish language albums. That November, Ramazzotti performed "Cose della vita" (Things of Life) at the MTV Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Tutte storie entered the Top-5 album list in many countries in Europe including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. The album earned Ramazzotti four Platinums in Switzerland for sales of over 200,000 units, a Platinum in Germany for sales of over 500,000 units, and Platinum status in many other counties including the Netherlands, Sweden, Argentina and Austria. Tutte storie eventually sold six million copies worldwide which played a significant role in helping Ramazzotti get his contract with BMG International.
Worldwide commercial success (1995–2002)
In the summer of 1995, Ramazzotti participated in the European summer festival along with Rod StewartRod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
. His seven-million-seller album, Dove c'è musica
Dove c'è musica
Dove c'è musica is the seventh studio album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 1996 on the BMG label. It is Ramazzotti's first self-produced album and the first without any involvement from long-time collaborator Piero Cassano...
(Where There Is Music) was released on May 13, 1996, his first completely self-produced album. On December 5 of the same year, his then wife Michelle Hunziker
Michelle Hunziker
Michelle Yvonne Hunziker is a Swiss television hostess, actress, model and singer.-Early life:Hunziker was born in Sorengo , in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Her mother Ineke is Dutch; her father Rudolf, who died of a heart attack in the fall of 2001, was a German-speaking Swiss...
(Swiss model and television host) gave birth to their daughter, Aurora Sophie.
In October 1997, he released Eros
Eros (Eros Ramazzotti album)
Eros is the first greatest hits album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 1997 on the BMG label. Of the album's 16 tracks, five are original recordings, nine re-recordings and two new tracks. Two of the re-recorded tracks are duets; "Musica è" featuring Andrea Bocelli and...
– Greatest Hits, which contained two new songs, "Quanto amore sei" (How Much Love Are You) and "Ancora un minuto di sole" (Just One More Minute of Sunshine), as well as reworked versions of previous hits including "Musica è" (duet with Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
) and "Cose della vita - Can't Stop Thinking of You" in a duet with Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
. This collection entered the Top-5 in France, Belgium, Sweden and Finland, and reached No. 1 in several countries including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Norway, selling 1.2 million units in its first week of release according to BMG International.
The album was certified five times Platinum by IFPI (Europe) for selling well over five million units in Europe alone. The album also attained two Latin-type Platinum certifications by RIAA for sales of over 400,000 units in USA. That year, Ramazzotti was awarded "Best International Male Artist of the Year" at Germany's Echo Music Awards.
In 1998, he released the live CD Eros Live, which included two duets recorded during the world tour, "Cose della vita-Can’t Stop Thinking of You" featuring Tina Turner, and "That's All I Need to Know-Difenderò" with Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, performed in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. In 1999, Ramazzotti again collaborated with Italian superstar Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
, singing "Nel Cuore Lei" (In Your Heart) for Bocelli's album, Sogno
Sogno
Sogno is the fifth studio album by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, released on April 6, 1999. In 1999, Bocelli was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, which marked the first time a classical artist had been nominated in the category in 38 years...
(Dream). The album sold over 10 million albums worldwide, gaining more recognition for Ramazzotti. In 1999, he was again awarded as "Best International Male Artist of the Year" at Germany's Echo Music Awards. Throughout his career, Ramazzotti has done duets with some very well known artists such as Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
, Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Anastacia
Anastacia
Anastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
, Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
, and Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini, is a Grammy Award-winning Italian soul singer-songwriter. She debuted in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an international hit, reaching the top spot on the Italian...
.
Ramazzotti gained a reputation as a seasoned producer with the album Come fa bene l’amore (Feels good to love) by Gianni Morandi
Gianni Morandi
Gianni Morandi is an Italian pop singer and entertainer.He made his debut in 1962 and quickly placed high at or won a number of Italian popular song festivals, including the Canzonissima festival in 1969. In 1970, he represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Occhi di ragazza"...
in the beginning of 2000. That October, he delivered his eighth studio album Stilelibero
Stilelibero
Stilelibero is the eighth studio album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 2000 on the BMG label. The album, featuring three tracks produced by Trevor Horn and two by Rick Nowels, was recorded in a variety of locations in London, California and Italy. Stilelibero topped the...
(Freestyle), which contained a duet with the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, in the song "Più che puoi
Più Che Puoi
"Più che puoi" is a duet by Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti and American singer-actress Cher, released on July 3, 2001 by BMG International It was also the third single from Ramazzotti's eighth studio album, Stilelibero.-Song information:...
" (As Much As You Can). The album, the result of a collaboration of several producers including Celso Valli, Claudio Guidetti, Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
and Rick Nowels
Rick Nowels
Richard Wright Nowels Jr. is a Grammy / Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter/producer who has worked with many of the most vibrant artists in contemporary music...
, reached the Top-5 album charts throughout Europe and was certified two times Platinum by IFPI (Europe) for sales of over two million units in Europe alone. In the course of the international tour for Stilelibero, Ramazzotti also appeared in eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an countries including Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia where he gave a three-day sold out concerts at Kremlin Palace.
Continued success (2003–present)
On May 30, 2003, Ramazzotti released his ninth studio album, entitled 99 (Eros Ramazzotti album)
- Personnel :*Antonio Baglio – mastering*Luca Bignardi – mixing, recording*Marco Borsatti – assistant*Michele Canova – arranger, keyboards, programming, loops, drum programming, mixing*Vinnie Colaiuta – percussion, drums...
. The first single, "Un'emozione per sempre" (An Emotion Forever) was released on 9 May, and was number one in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's official single chart for 14 consecutive weeks.
The album, produced along with Claudio Guidetti and Eros’s longtime musical friend Celso Valli, stayed at the No. 1 position for nine weeks in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's official album chart. 9 went on selling 3.5 million copies, 1.1 million of which were sold in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
alone. He began his world tour in Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which was set to have 100 dates in front of audiences of up to one million people (56 dates of which were done in Europe in front of 550,000 people).
On October 28, 2005, Ramazzotti's 10th album Calma apparente (Apparent Calm) was released on the day of his birthday, which he produced together with Claudio Guidetti. The album Calma apparente, which was certified Platinum within a period of just one month after its release for selling over one million copies in Europe, contains the duet hit single "I Belong to You" with American singer Anastacia
Anastacia
Anastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
, the single went No. 1 in several countries including Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Throughout the years, Eros has gained popularity especially in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela, and most Spanish-speaking
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
countries.
More than ten years after Ramazzotti's first compilation album Eros, which has sold total of 7.5 million copies worldwide and has reached No. 1 in many countries including Germany, Ramazzotti released a new double-CD compilation-album e²
E² (album)
e² is a greatest hits album by Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in Europe and Latin America on October 26, 2007. This is his fourteenth album , and his second Greatest Hits Album after Eros in 1997....
on October 26, 2007; the first CD contained four new tracks and 14 original songs in a remastered format, and the second CD had 17 redone tracks, and feature artists such as Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
, Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, Jon Spencer. The four unreleased pieces on the e² album include a new international duet "Non siamo soli" (We're Not Alone) which Eros sings along with Latin pop star Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
. This became the first single taken off the album, and was available for sale on October 5, 2007, reaching the top spot in Italy and entering the top-5 in Switzerland and Spain. In Spain, the Spanish-language version "No estamos solos" was certified four times Platinum for having been downloaded over 80,000 times in Digital format, whereas it was certified six times Platinum for having been downloaded 120,000 in Original Tone format (equivalent to US Master Ringtone). The single, available both in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, was written by Ramazzotti and his longtime songwriting partner Claudio Guidetti.
Ramazzotti's 11-track album, Ali e radici
Ali e radici
Ali e radici , also known by its Spanish name Alas y raíces, is a 2009 studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Eros Ramazzotti....
(Wings and Roots), was released on May 22, 2009, produced by Eros himself as well as his long time musical partner Claudio Guidetti; in addition, six tracks on the album are co-produced by Michele Canova who has previously worked with artists such as Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini, is a Grammy Award-winning Italian soul singer-songwriter. She debuted in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an international hit, reaching the top spot on the Italian...
, Tiziano Ferro
Tiziano Ferro
Tiziano Ferro is an Italian pop singer. He reached notoriety in 2001 and during his career he has also sung in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.-Childhood and early beginnings:...
and Jovanotti
Jovanotti
Lorenzo Cherubini, better known as Jovanotti, is an Italian singer-songwriter and rapper.The name Jovanotti derives from the plural form of the Italian word giovanotto , i.e. giovanotti. Lorenzo Cherubini originally auditioned a band with the name "I Giovanotti", but the record producer only was...
. The first single "Parla con me
Parla Con Me
"Parla con me" is a 2009 song by Italian singer-songwriter Eros Ramazzotti and the first single released from his eleventh studio album Ali e radici...
" ("Talk to Me"), released on 17 May 2009, off his 11th studio album, is a catchy pop song which has peaked at No. 1 in Italy and No. 8 in Switzerland. The album was available both in a standard-edition as well as in a deluxe-edition, which includes 64-page booklet of photographs, and it entered the Top-5 in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, and was number-one in Italy and Switzerland.
During his 25 year career he has sold over 40 million records worldwide.
Personal life
In his personal life, Ramazzotti remains with only few good friends, mostly due to his suspicious personality. Ramazzotti had a poor childhood, and recalls having had limited access to books and general guidance as he grew up:Ramazzotti recalls being extremely shy in the early 1980s before achieving fame:
Ramazzotti was married from 1998 to 2002 to Swiss model and actress Michelle Hunziker
Michelle Hunziker
Michelle Yvonne Hunziker is a Swiss television hostess, actress, model and singer.-Early life:Hunziker was born in Sorengo , in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Her mother Ineke is Dutch; her father Rudolf, who died of a heart attack in the fall of 2001, was a German-speaking Swiss...
. They have a daughter together, Aurora, who was born on December 5, 1996. His 320-page autobiography, co-written by Luca Bianchini, was published April 13, 2006.
Studio albums
- Cuori agitatiCuori agitatiCuori agitati is the debut album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1985 on on the BMG label....
(Troubled Hearts) (1985) - Nuovi eroiNuovi eroiNuovi eroi is the second album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1986 on the BMG label....
(New Heroes) (1986) - In certi momentiIn certi momentiIn certi momenti is the third album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1987 on the BMG label....
(At Certain Times) (1987) - Musica èMusica èMusica è is a mini album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1988 on the BMG label...
(Music Is) (1988) - In ogni sensoIn ogni sensoIn ogni senso is the fifth album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, produced by Piero Cassano and released in 1990 on the BMG label...
(In Every Sense) (1990) - Tutte storieTutte StorieTutte storie is an album by Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti. It was released by Sony BMG in 1993. Tutte storie, which has sold over 6 million copies worldwide, helped Ramazzotti get his contract with BMG International.- Track listing :...
(All Stories), (1993) - Dove c'è musicaDove c'è musicaDove c'è musica is the seventh studio album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 1996 on the BMG label. It is Ramazzotti's first self-produced album and the first without any involvement from long-time collaborator Piero Cassano...
(Where Music is) (1996) - StileliberoStileliberoStilelibero is the eighth studio album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 2000 on the BMG label. The album, featuring three tracks produced by Trevor Horn and two by Rick Nowels, was recorded in a variety of locations in London, California and Italy. Stilelibero topped the...
(Freestyle) (2000) - 99 (Eros Ramazzotti album)- Personnel :*Antonio Baglio – mastering*Luca Bignardi – mixing, recording*Marco Borsatti – assistant*Michele Canova – arranger, keyboards, programming, loops, drum programming, mixing*Vinnie Colaiuta – percussion, drums...
(2003) - Calma apparenteCalma apparenteCalma apparente, also known by its Spanish name Calma aparente, is a 2005 studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Eros Ramazzotti.-Calma apparente:- Calma aparente :...
(Apparent Calm) (2005) - Ali e radiciAli e radiciAli e radici , also known by its Spanish name Alas y raíces, is a 2009 studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Eros Ramazzotti....
(Wings and Roots) (2009)
Live albums
- Eros in Concert (1991)
- Eros Live (1998)
- 21.00: Eros Live World Tour 2009/2010 (2010)
Compilation albums
- ErosEros (Eros Ramazzotti album)Eros is the first greatest hits album by Italian pop/rock singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in 1997 on the BMG label. Of the album's 16 tracks, five are original recordings, nine re-recordings and two new tracks. Two of the re-recorded tracks are duets; "Musica è" featuring Andrea Bocelli and...
(1997) - e²E² (album)e² is a greatest hits album by Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in Europe and Latin America on October 26, 2007. This is his fourteenth album , and his second Greatest Hits Album after Eros in 1997....
(2007)
External links
- Ali e Radici.com
- erosramazzotti.TV international website
- German Official Website
- Eros Ramazzotti Fan Page (USA~Unofficial)
- Biography of Eros Ramazzotti, from RAI International
- Eros Ramazzotti Polish/English Site
- Eros Ramazzotti Russian Site
- Eros Ramazzotti photos and videos
- CZ & SK fanclub
- Label Website