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Nina Zilli
Nina Zilli at the presentation of her first album Sempre lontano in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Maria Chiara Fraschetta
Born	(1980-02-02) 2 February 1980 (age 44) Piacenza, Italy
Genres	Pop rock R&B soul reggae
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Universal
Website	ninazilli.com

Maria Chiara Fraschetta (born 2 February 1980), better known by her stage name Nina Zilli (pronounced [ˈniːna dˈdzilli]), is an Italian singer-songwriter. After releasing her debut single "50mila", she achieved commercial success with the album Sempre lontano, released after participating in the newcomers' section of the Sanremo Music Festival 2010. During the Sanremo Music Festival 2012, Zilli was chosen to represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she placed 9th with the song "L'amore è femmina (Out of Love)", included in her second studio album. Zilli returned to the Sanremo Music Festival in 2015, and competed with the song "Sola" from her upcoming album, Frasi&Fumo. She was also a judge of Italia's Got Talent from 2015 to 2017.

Biography

Childhood and early beginnings

Nina Zilli was born on 2 February 1980 in Piacenza, Italy, to a father from Emilia-Romagna and a mother from Apulia, and grew up in Gossolengo, 9 km (5.5 mi) southwest of Piacenza,

After moving to Ireland, she started performing live and, at the age of thirteen, she started studying opera singing at the conservatory.

In 1997 she founded her first band, The Jerks. After completing high school at the Liceo Scientifico Respighi in Piacenza, she spent two years in the United States, living in Chicago and New York.

TV career and the band Chiara e gli Scuri

Between 2000 and 2001 she co-presented Red Ronnie's TV show Roxy Bar, broadcast in Italy by TMC2. In 2001 she also debuted as a VJ for MTV Italy. Meanwhile she obtained a recording contract with her new band, Chiara e gli Scuri, founded in 2000. In 2001 the band released the single "Tutti al mare". They also started working on an album, but it was never released, due to some disagreements with the recording label.

During the same years, Zilli started her academic studies, later graduating in Public Relations from the IULM University of Milan.

Debut EP Nina Zilli

In 2009, she chose the stage name Nina Zilli, combining her mother's surname with Nina Simone's first name. Zilli released her debut single, "50mila", on 28 July 2009. The song features vocals by Giuliano Palma, though a Nina only version was later included in the soundtrack of Ferzan Özpetek's film Loose Cannons.

Nina Zilli's self-titled debut extended play, Nina Zilli, was released by Universal Music on 11 September 2011. The EP peaked at number 54 on the Italian Albums Chart, and it also spawned the singles "L'inferno", released in September 2009, and "L'amore verrà", an Italian-language cover of The Supremes "You Can't Hurry Love".

Sanremo Music Festival 2010 and Sempre Lontano

On 12 January 2010, it was announced that Nina Zilli was one of the winners of the contest Sanremo New Generation, allowing her to participate in the newcomers section of the 60th Sanremo Music Festival. Zilli's entry, "L'uomo che amava le donne [it]", was performed for the first time on 18 February 2010, and it was admitted to the final, later won by Tony Maiello's "Il linguaggio della resa". During the competition, Zilli received the Critics' Award "Mia Martini" and the Press, Radio & TV Award. The single was certified gold by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry and it was included in Zilli's debut album, Sempre lontano, released on 19 February 2010. A special edition of the album was released on 30 November 2010, together with the single "Bacio d'a(d)dio". On 18 February 2011, the album was certified platinum in Italy, for domestic sales exceeding 60,000 copies.

In February 2011, she received two nominations at the 2011 TRL Awards in the categories Best Look and Italians Do It Better. Zilli was also the presenter of the night, broadcast by MTV Italy on 20 April 2011. In March 2011, Sempre lontano was also released in Spain.

Sanremo Music Festival 2012, L'amore è Femmina and Eurovision Song Contest

In January 2012, Zilli was chosen as one of the participants in the Big Artists section of the 62nd Sanremo Music Festival, performing the song "Per sempre". During the competition, Zilli also performed a cover of Mina's "Grande grande grande", in a duet with British singer Skye Edwards. On the final of the show, she was chosen by a specific jury as the Italian entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

Zilli's second studio album, L'amore è femmina, was released on 15 February 2012. In March of the same year, she co-presented the show Panariello non esiste, created by Italian comedian Giorgio Panariello and broadcast by Canale 5.

Zilli represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 with the song "L'amore è femmina (Out of Love)". As Italy is one of the "Big Five" who provide the most financial funding into the contest she was automatically allocated in the final. After scoring 101 points, she placed in 9th place.

Italia's Got Talent and Frasi & fumo

Zilli was a judge on Italia's Got Talent from 2015 to 2017, which aired on Sky Uno. Zilli was also a contestant on the Sanremo Music Festival 2015. She competed with the song "Sola", which was being included in her third studio album, Frasi & fumo.

Discography

• Sempre lontano (2010)
• L'amore è femmina (2012)
• Frasi & fumo (2015)
• Modern Art (2017)

Awards

Notes

1. "Sanremo 2012, gli Artisti " Nina-Zilli". TV Sorrisi e Canzoni (in Italian). 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
2. "Sanremo 2012 – Artisti in gara – Nina Zilli". La Stampa (in Italian). 2 February 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
3. Nina Zilli in concerto al Teatro Politeama Greco di Lecce
4. NINA ZILLI/ Chi è la cantante ospite all'Arena di Verona 2015 (oggi, 3 giugno)
5. "Nina Zilli – Recanati (MC) – 3 luglio 2010". LaPrimaWeb.it (in Italian). 6 April 2010. Archived from the original on 1 May 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
6. "Sanremo 2012: Nina Zilli canta la Tigre di Cremona" (in Italian). Excite.it. 2 February 2012.
7. Pierluigi Pisa, Alessandra Vitali (19 February 2010). "Nina fra l'Ariston e Etta James. E pensare che mi volevano suora". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 19 February 2012.
8. Beppe de' Mayer (30 April 2010). "Nina Zilli conquista il Disco d'Oro per le vendite dell'album Sempre Lontano" (in Italian). Musicalnews.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
9. "Sanremo 2012: la scheda di Nina Zilli con il brano "Per sempre"" (in Italian). NewNotizie.it. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
10. "Red Ronnie intervistato su Rai 2" (in Italian). Roxybar.it. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
11. ^ Matteo Cruccu (22 January 2010). "Nina Zilli: "Amo reggae, soul e Amy Winehouse"". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 19 February 2012.
12. "Chiara e gli Scuri" (in Italian). Roxybar.it. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
13. Marinella Venegoni (19 March 2010). "Nina Zilli che conosce i congiuntivi e canta nel segno di Otis Redding". La Stampa (in Italian). Retrieved 2 March 2012.
14. "Da Nina Simone alla Zilli". L'isola che non-c'era (in Italian). Retrieved 19 February 2012.
15. "50mila (feat. Giuliano Palma) – Single di Nina Zilli" (in Italian). iTunes.
16. "Nina Zilli – Biografia". Rockol.it. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
17. ^ "Nina Zilli, L'Inferno, nuovo singolo" (in Italian). Universal Music Group. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
18. "Artisti – Classifica settimanale dal 14/09/2009 al 20/09/2009". Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
19. "Nina Zilli – L'amore verrà" (in Italian). Radio Kiss Kiss. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
20. "Sanremo 2010: ecco i giovani" (in Italian). TGCOM. 12 January 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
21. "Sanremo: Luca Marino e Nina Zilli sono i due giovani che passano il turno" (in Italian). Adnkronos. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
22. Valentina Greggio (20 February 2010). "Sanremo 2010 – Quarta serata" (in Italian). Nonsolocinema.com. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
23. "Sanremo Giovani, vince Tony Maiello". TGCOM (in Italian). 20 February 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
24. Mario Guglielmi (20 February 2010). "Festival Sanremo 2010, Nina Zilli vince anche il Premio Sala Stampa Radio Tv" (in Italian). Riviera24.it. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
25. "Italian single certifications" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
26. Andrea Conti (11 February 2010). "Nina Zilli, una diva a Sanremo". TGCOM (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
27. "Nina Zilli: Sempre Lontano – Special Edition" (in Italian). Italianissima.net. 7 December 2010.
28. "Nina Zilli" (in Italian). RAI. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
29. "Trl Awards 2011, tutte le nomination" (in Italian). Excite.it. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
30. "Lo show degli Mtv Awards in Santa Croce. Leonardo vs Michelangelo a Casa Buonarroti". la Repubblica (in Italian). 20 February 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
31. "Nina Zilli alla conquista della Spagna" (in Italian). Universal Music Group. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
32. "Sanremo, ecco i nomi dei Big. Il Festival al tempo della crisi". la Repubblica (in Italian). 15 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
33. "Sanremo 2012: i nomi e le canzoni dei Big in gara e dei duetti del giovedì". Rockol.it. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
34. Matteo Cruccu (16 February 2012). "Le star straniere rilanciano il Festival. Loredana canta Mia. E passa con D'Alessio". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 17 February 2012.
35. "Sanremo 2012, varie ed eventuali". Rockol.it. 19 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
36. "Sanremo 2012: videointervista a Nina Zilli" (in Italian). Rockol.it. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
37. Alessandra Clementi (20 March 2012). "Panariello, basta macchiette. Torno in tv con uno show maturo". la Repubblica (in Italian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
38. "Pastora Soler, décima en Eurovisión" (in Spanish). Telecinco. 27 May 2012. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
39. Alessandro Buttitta (8 August 2014). "Italia's Got Talent, Sky sceglie Vanessa Incontrada, Claudio Bisio, Luciana Littizzetto, Nina Zilli e Frank Matano. Casting aperti fino a settembre". The Huffington Post (in Italian). Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
40. Alessandro Alicandri. "Sanremo 2015, i nomi dei 20 cantanti in gara". TV Sorrisi e Canzoni (in Italian). Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
41. "Nina Zilli: il nuovo album si chiama Frasi&Fumo, ecco la copertina!" (in Italian). MTV News. 16 January 2015.
42. Pierluigi Pisa, Alessandra Vitali (19 February 2010). "Nina fra l'Ariston e Etta James. E pensare che mi volevano suora". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 12 May 2012.
43. "Sanremo 2010: Assomusica premia Nina Zilli" (in Italian). Rockol.it. 19 February 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
44. "Nina Zilli da Sanremo a Napoli: canta L'amore è femmina". Corriere del Mezzogiorno (in Italian). 27 February 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
45. "Wind Music Awards 2010: Grandi stelle della musica all'Arena di Verona. Il 28 e 29 maggio all'Arena di Verona". NonSoloCinema.com. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
46. "TRL Awards nominations" (in Italian). Newsic.it. 6 April 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
47. "Premio Videoclip Italiano 2010: continuano le votazioni" (in Italian). Rockol.it. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
48. "Marco Mengoni vince nella categoria Best Italian Act!" (in Italian). MTV Europe Music Awards. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
49. "PVI 2011: ecco i nomi dei 20 finalisti, scelti da voi" (in Italian). Rockol.it. 20 September 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
50. Alessia Malorgio (22 June 2011). "Ecco tutti i vincitori dei Wind Music Awards: da Marco Carta a Emma Marrone" (in Italian). FunWeek.it. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
51. ^ "Ecco tutte le nomination dei TRL Awards 2011" (in Italian). Melodicamente.com. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
52. "I Premi Lunezia da Fedez a Francesca Michielin" (in Italian). Radio Italia Solo Musica Italiana. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.

External links

• Official website
• Nina Zilli at Allmusic

• 1980 births
• Living people
• Musicians from Piacenza
• Italian women singer-songwriters
• Italian singer-songwriters
• Italian pop singers
• Eurovision Song Contest entrants for Italy
• Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2012
• 21st-century Italian singers
• 21st-century Italian women singers
• IULM University of Milan alumni