Iva Zanicchi (; born 18 January 1940) is an Italian pop singer and politician. She has a

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

voice and is nick-named by the press as the "Eagle from Ligonchio" ().

Biography

Iva Zanicchi was born in Ligonchio, in the

province of Reggio Emilia The province of Reggio Emilia (; Emilian: ''pruvînsa ed Rèz'') is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The capital city, which is the most densely populated ''comune'' (municipality) in the province, is Reggio Emilia. It has an ...

, to Zefiro Zanicchi (1909–2004) and Elsa Raffaelli (1914–2010). Her career began in 1962 at the Castrocaro Music Festival, where she earned third place. She won the

Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival ( ), officially the Italian Song Festival (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria, organized and broadcast by (RAI). It is the longest-running ...

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

with "Non pensare a me", in 1969 with " Zingara" and again in

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

with "Ciao cara, come stai?". Zanicchi remains the only woman singer to have won that festival's prize three times. In 1969, she represented Italy in the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...

in Madrid with " Due grosse lacrime bianche", finishing 13th. She represented Italy in the V Festival Internacional da Canção in Rio with "Tu non-sei più innamorato di me" in 1970. A concert at the Paris Olympia and a tour (United States, Canada, South America and the Soviet Union) followed. Zanicchi later also toured Australia and Japan. Has worked with

Mikis Theodorakis Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis ( ; 29 July 1925 – 2 September 2021) was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works. He scored for the films '' Zorba the Greek'' (1964), '' Z'' (1969), and '' Serpico'' (1973). He was a three-ti ...

Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( ; ; ; born Shahnur Vaghinak Aznavourian; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a Armenians in France, French singer and songwriter of Armenian descent. Aznavour was known for his distinctive vibrato tenor voice: clear and ringi ...

and Luigi Tenco, and has made numerous recordings. Has performed at Madison Square Gardens, New York (1974) and the Teatro Regio (Parma). In total, Zanicchi released 14 albums during the 1970s, including a Christmas-themed, Neapolitan and Spanish language recordings. From 1987 to 2000 Zanicchi hosted the television game show '' OK, il Prezzo è Giusto!'', the Italian version of ''

The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is an American television game show where contestants compete by guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. A 1972 revival by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman of their The Price Is Right (1956 American game ...

'' as the only female host in the history of the game show worldwide (since then, other countries have had versions of the show hosted by a woman). In 2004 she was one of Forza Italia's candidates at the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

elections, polling nearly 35,000 but not enough to be elected. However, as the highest-polling among the candidates failing to be elected, Zanicchi took up her seat in Strasburg in May 2008, representing Forza Italia, when EuroMP Mario Mantovani left to become a PdL senator. She was confirmed in her post at the European elections of June 2009.

Personal life

Iva Zanicchi has one daughter. She considers herself Roman Catholic.

Curiosity

In 2009, a band called ''I VazzaNikki'' was started, the name being a clear reference and tribute to Iva Zanicchi. The idea of the group came during a conversation between the Italian comedians Valerio Lundini, who is one of the singers and the keyboard player of the band, and Greg, who suggested the name. The objective was to play

rock'n'roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African American music such as jazz, rhythm and ...

and

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...

music, inspired by the American

1950s File:1950s decade montage.png, 370x370px, Top, L-R: U.S. Marines engaged in street fighting during the Korean War, late September 1950; The first polio vaccine is developed by Jonas Salk.Centre, L-R: US tests its first thermonuclear bomb with co ...

. The band characterizes for

ironic Irony, in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what, on the surface, appears to be the case with what is actually or expected to be the case. Originally a rhetorical device and literary technique, in modernity, modern times irony has a ...

and

nonsense Nonsense is a form of communication, via speech, writing, or any other formal logic system, that lacks any coherent meaning. In ordinary usage, nonsense is sometimes synonymous with absurdity or the ridiculous. Many poets, novelists and songwri ...

songs, and even performed in the TV broadcast , hosted by Lundini on

Rai Uno Rai 1 () is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's flagship television channel and is known for broadcasting mainstream and general ...

Discography

Albums

*1965: ''Iva Zanicchi'' *1967: ''Fra noi'' *1968: ''Unchained Melody'' *1970: ''Iva senza tempo'' *1970: '' Caro Theodorakis... Iva'' *1971: ''Caro Aznavour... Iva'' *1971: ''Caro Tenco... Iva'' *1971: ''Shalom'' *1972: ''Fantasia'' *1972: ''Dall'amore in poi'' *1973: ''Le giornate dell'amore'' *1974: ''Io ti propongo'' *1974; ''¿Chao Iva cómo estás? (Spanish)'' *1975: ''Io sarò la tua idea'' *1976: ''Confessioni'' *1976: ''The Golden Orpheus '76 (live in Bulgaria)'' *1976: ''Cara Napoli'' *1978: ''Con la voglia di te'' *1978: ''Playboy'' *1980: ''D'Iva'' *1980: ''D'Iva'' (Spanish Version'') *1981: ''Iva Zanicchi'' *1981: ''Nostalgias (Spanish)'' *1982: ''Yo, por amarte (Spanish)'' *1984: ''Quando arriverà'' *1984: ''Iva 85'' *1987: ''Care colleghe'' *1988: ''Nefertari'' *1991: ''Come mi vorrei'' *2003: ''Fossi un tango'' *2009: ''Colori d'amore'' *2013: ''In cerca di te'' *2022: ''Gargana''

Singles (Italy)

*1963: ''Zero in amore / Come un tramonto'' *1963: ''Tu dirai/Sei ore'' *1964: ''Come ti vorrei/La nostra spiaggia'' *1964: ''Credi/Resta sola come sei'' *1964: ''Come ti vorrei / Chi potrà amarti'' *1965: ''I tuoi anni più belli / Un altro giorno verrà '' *1965: ''Accarezzami amore / Mi cercherai'' *1965: ''Caro mio / Non tornar mai'' *1966: ''La notte dell'addio / Caldo è l'amore'' *1966: ''Fra noi / Goldsnake'' *1966: ''Ma pecché / Tu saje a verità'' *1966: ''Monete d’oro / Ci amiamo troppo'' *1967: ''Non pensare a me / Vita'' *1967: ''Quel momento / Dove è lui'' *1967: ''Le montagne (ci amiamo troppo) / Vivere non-vivere'' *1967: ''Dolcemente / Come stai bene e tu?'' *1968: ''Per vivere / Non accetterò'' *1968: ''Amore amor / Sleeping'' *1968: ''La felicità / Anche così'' *1968: ''La felicità / Ci vuole così poco'' *1968: ''Senza catene / Diverso dagli altri'' *1969: ''Zingara / Io sogno'' *1969: ''Due grosse lacrime bianche / Tienimi con te'' *1969: ''Un bacio sulla fronte / Accanto a te'' *1969: ''Che vuoi che sia / Perché mai'' *1969: ''Vivrò / Estasi d'amore'' *1970: '' L'arca di Noé / Aria di settembre'' *1970: ''Un uomo senza tempo / Un attimo'' *1970: ''Un fiume amaro / Il sogno é fumo'' *1970: ''Un fiume amaro / Tienimi con te'' *1970: ''Una storia di mezzanotte / Il bimbo e la gazzella'' *1971: ''La riva bianca e la riva nera / Tu non-sei più innamorato di me'' *1971: ''Coraggio e paura / Sciogli i cavalli al vento'' *1972: ''Ma che amore / Il mio bambino'' *1972: ''Nonostante lei / Non scordarti di me'' *1972: ''Alla mia gente / Dall'amore in poi'' *1972: ''La mia sera / Il sole splende ancora'' *1972: ''Mi ha stregato il viso tuo / A te'' *1973: ''I mulini della mente / Basterà'' *1973: ''Le giornate dell'amore / Chi mi manca é lui'' *1973: '' Fred Bongusto:White Christmas/ Natale dura un giorno'' *1974: ''L'indifferenza / Sarà domani'' *1974: ''Ciao cara come stai? / Vendetta'' *1974: ''Testarda io / Sei tornato a casa tua'' *1975: ''Testarda io / E la notte é qui'' *1975: ''Io sarò la tua idea / Jesus'' *1976: ''Mamma tutto / Dormi,amore dormi'' *1976: ''I discorsi tuoi / Confessioni'' *1977: ''Arrivederci padre / Che uomo sei'' *1977: ''Munasterio 'e Santa Chiara / 'O destino'' *1977: ''Mal d'amore / Selvaggio'' *1978: ''Con la voglia di te / Sei contento'' *1979: ''Per te / Pronto 113'' *1979: ''La valigia / Ditemi'' *1979: ''A parte il fatto / Capirai'' *1981: ''Ardente / E tu mai'' *1983: ''Aria di luna / Amico'' *1984: ''Chi (mi darà) / Comandante'' *1984: ''Quando arriverà / Sera di vento'' *1985: ''Da domani senza te / Aria di luna'' *1987: ''Volo / Uomini e no'' *2001: ''Ho bisogno di te '' *2009: ''Ti voglio senza amore'' *2020: ''Sangue Nero'' *2021: ''Amore mio malgrado'' *2021: ''Lacrime e buio'' *2022: ''Voglio amarti''

Sanremo Music Festival

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...

: "I tuoi anni più belli" (Mogol-Gaspari-Polito), coupled with

Gene Pitney Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 h ...

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

: "La notte dell'addio" (Diverio-Testa), coupled with Vic Dana *

: "Non pensare a me" (Testa-Sciorilli), coupled with Claudio Villawinning song *

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

: "Per vivere" (Nisa-Bindi), coupled with

Udo Jürgens Jürgen Udo Bockelmann (30 September 1934 – 21 December 2014), generally known as Udo Jürgens, was an Austrian composer and singer of popular music whose career spanned over 50 years. He won the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 for Austria, ...

* 1969: " Zingara" (Albertelli-Riccardi), coupled with Bobby Solowinning song *

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...

: " L'arca di Noè" (Endrigo), coupled with Sergio Endrigo *

: "Ciao cara come stai?" (Dinaro-Daiano-Janne-Malgioglio)winning song *

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

: "Chi (mi darà)" (Balsamo-Malgioglio-Balsamo) *

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

: "Fossi un tango" (Lana-Donati) *

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

: "Ti voglio senza amore" *

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

: "Voglio amarti" Zanicchi was handed a lifetime achievement award at the Sanremo Music Festival 2025.

Bibliography

*2001: ''Polenta di castagne'' *2005: ''I prati di Sara''

Filmography

Game show host

She hosted the Italian version of ''

'', called "''OK, il prezzo è giusto''". She took over for Gigi Sabani in the 1986–87 season and was succeeded by Maria Teresa Ruta in 2000. When she took a brief absence from the show in 1999, Emanuela Folliero hosted in her place.

References

External links

Official site
*
Fan siteEuropean Parliament biography of Iva Zanicchi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zanicchi, Iva 1940 births Living people Italian women singers Sanremo Music Festival winners People from the Province of Reggio Emilia The People of Freedom MEPs Forza Italia MEPs MEPs for Italy 2004–2009 MEPs for Italy 2009–2014 21st-century women MEPs for Italy Scepter Records artists Spanish-language singers of Italy Italian Roman Catholics Eurovision Song Contest entrants