Laura Pausini (born May 16, 1974) is an Italian pop singer who is popular in Italy and other Latin countries, famed for her soulful voice, her romantic ballads and love songs, though she has also dealt with other subjects such as poverty, war, and racism, among other social issues. She has made records in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and recently a duet in French.
Pausini was born in Faenza (province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, in Northern Italy), and was raised in Solarolo (Ravenna). She started to sing in local piano bars with her father when she was 8. In 1993, her career was launched when she won the prestigious Italian San Remo Music Festival with one of her best known songs, "La Solitudine". The song also has an English version with lyrics written by Broadway composer Tim Rice.
In 1994/95, she released her first Spanish album, Laura Pausini, a compilation of Spanish versions of selected tracks from her first two Italian CDs, Laura Pausini and Laura, and it made her a household name in the Hispanic and Latin world.
Pausini has sold over 26 million records and has over 160 Platinum Albums and one Diamond Album. She has also received two World Music Awards in 1994 and 2003, and an I.F.P.I. Platinum Europe Award.
She released her first full album in English, From the Inside with Atlantic Records in 2002, working with producer Patrick Leonard, among others.
Discography
- I Sogni Di Laura (Italian) — 1987
- Laura Pausini (Italian) — 1993
- Laura (Italian) — 1994
- Laura Pausini (Spanish / American / Japanese Version) — 1994/95
- Le Cose Che Vivi (Italian) | Las Cosas Que Vives (Spanish) | Tudo O Que Eu Vivo (Portuguese) — 1996
- La Mia Risposta (Italian) | Mi Respuesta (Spanish) — 1998
- Tra Te E Il Mare (Italian) | Entre Tú Y Mil Mares (Spanish) — 2000
- The Best Of Laura Pausini — E Ritorno Da Te (Italian) | Lo Mejor De Laura Pausini — Volveré Junto A Ti (Spanish) — 2001
- From The Inside (English) — 2002
- Resta In Ascolto (Italian) | Escucha (Spanish) — 2004