Iva Zanicchi

Iva Zanicchi, born on January 18, 1940, in Ligonchio, Italy, is a celebrated pop singer and politician, renowned for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and affectionately dubbed the "Eagle of Ligonchio." She emerged on the music scene in 1962 after securing third place at the Castrocaro Music Festival, which marked the beginning of her illustrious career.

Zanicchi gained widespread acclaim for her remarkable performances at the Sanremo Music Festival, where she triumphed three times: first in 1967 with "Non pensare a me," then in 1969 with "Zingara," and again in 1974 with "Ciao cara, come stai?" This achievement makes her the only female artist to have won the prestigious festival on three occasions. In 1969, she represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid, finishing 13th with "Due grosse lacrime bianche."

Her international career included tours across the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, and Japan, and collaborations with notable musicians such as Mikis Theodorakis and Charles Aznavour. Zanicchi has an impressive discography, releasing 14 albums in the 1970s, featuring various genres including Neapolitan and Christmas music.

From 1987 to 2000, she made television history as the only female host of the Italian version of “The Price Is Right,” “OK, il Prezzo è Giusto!” In her political career, she was elected to the European Parliament in 2008, representing Forza Italia, and was re-elected in 2009. In 2009, she also inspired the formation of the band I VazzaNikki, a tribute to her legacy in music.