Emma Marrone
Emmanuela "Emma" Marrone (pronounced [ˈɛmma marˈroːne]; born 25 May 1984), often known as simply Emma, is an Italian pop singer, songwriter, and actress.
Emma Marrone
Emmanuela Marrone
Emma
25 May 1984
Firenze, Italy
- Singer
- songwriter
- actress
2003–present
Universal Music
(2003–2006)
Dracma Records
(2007–2009)
Universal Music
(2010–present)
After working with several bands, she won the Italian talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi in March 2010, and signed a contract with record label Universal Music. Since 2010, she has released 7 solo studio albums, 1 extended play and 39 singles, topping the Italian Singles Chart and the Italian Albums Chart four times and selling more than 2 million records in Italy. On 18 February 2012, she won the Sanremo Music Festival 2012 with her song "Non è l'inferno" and she represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 with the song "La mia città", finishing 21st.
She has collaborated with international artists like Thirty Seconds to Mars and Álvaro Soler, and Italian artists and songwriters such as Elisa, Alessandra Amoroso, Modà, Fabrizio Moro, Vasco Rossi, Giuliano Sangiorgi and Roberto Casalino. Marrone figured also as a songwriter and producer for other artists such as Elodie and Antonino.
In 2013, 2015, and 2016 Marrone was selected as the artistic director of one of the teams in Amici di Maria De Filippi, which gave her two Italian Television Direction Awards, and acted in several Italian TV series and films, including Gabriele Muccino's film The Best Years in 2020.
She received several Italian and international awards and nominations including three MTV Italian Music Awards, one TRL Awards and was nominated at the MTV Europe Music Award and the World Music Awards.
Biography[edit]
1984–2002: Early life and musical beginnings[edit]
Born in Florence, she spent her early childhood in Sesto Fiorentino. At the age of four, she moved with her parents Rosario and Maria Marrone to Aradeo in the province of Lecce, from where her parents originally came.[9] She acquired her passion for music from her father Rosario, who was a guitarist in a band from Aradeo called "Karadreon", which was formed when Marrone was about 10 years old, and which performed in festivals and clubs. She was in a band called H2O (always the Father).[10][11] She graduated from classical high school, writing a thesis on music.[12] She worked in a warehouse and was a saleswoman for three years.[13][14]
2003–2009: TV experience on Superstar Tour and performing with Lucky Star, Mjur and Anonimo Soul[edit]
Marrone started her professional musical career in 2003, when she took part in the second Italian edition of Popstars (later renamed Superstar Tour); she won the talent show, and along with Laura Pisu and Colomba Pane formed Lucky Star. The group released a successful single in 2003 called "Stile", on the Universal label. In 2006 the group recorded the soundtrack of the cartoon W.I.T.C.H. and released a dance-pop album, called LS3.[15][16] The band then broke up.
In 2007, she formed another alternative rock group, M.J.U.R. (which stands for "Mad Jesters Until Rave").[17][18] The group won a contract with Dracma Records, recorded an album between August and September 2007, and released the album Mjur in January 2008, with ten tracks written and composed by its members.
Between 2007 and 2009, she was in the band Anonimo Soul with her uncle Emidio Marrone, performing soul and funk.[19][20] Until 2009 she also played with H2O, a band in which her father Rosario Marrone was a member.
2009–2010: Amici, first solo record Oltre and rise to success[edit]
In 2009, she took part in another talent show for Canale 5, Amici di Maria De Filippi, and won this competition.
In March 2010, through Universal Music she released her first EP, Oltre, which was very successful in Italy, peaking at number one for two weeks on the Italian Albums Chart.[21] In the same month, her first single was released, "Calore", which peaked at number one for two weeks and was certified platinum.[22]
The EP was certified triple platinum for its sales in Italy and was the second best-selling album of 2010 in Italy.[23][24] In Switzerland it peaked at number 85.[25]
On 28 May 2010, she took part in the Wind Music Awards, and was awarded the prize for the multiplatinum CD EP Oltre by her idol Gianna Nannini.[26]
In June 2010, she began her first summer-long tour: the Ahi ce sta passu tour. She toured throughout Italy with her band. In the same month, she also took part in the Amici Tour 2010 with all the contestants of the talent show. In July 2010, the second single from Oltre was released: "Un sogno a costo zero". After the tour, she released the video for the third single "Sembra strano".
In the summer of 2010, Marrone received the award for Best Female Vocalist of the Year 2010 at the Venice Music Awards.[27]
2010–2011: A me piace così, and second place in the Sanremo Music Festival 2011[edit]
On 24 September 2010, a new single called "Con le nuvole" was released. On 19 October her second solo record was released, also through Universal, A me piace così, which debuted at number 2 on the Italian singles chart,[28] while in Switzerland peaked at number 50.[29] On 19 November 2010, the second single from the album, "Cullami", was released.
On 30 November 2010, a special edition of the album was released which included both the albums Oltre and A me piace così, with two new songs: "L'Amore Che Ho" (written by Neffa) and "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (duet with Craig David). In February 2011, she was nominated for the TRL Awards 2011 in the category Best Talent Show Artist.
Marrone participated in the Sanremo Music Festival 2011 with the group Modà with the song "Arriverà", finishing in second place, behind Roberto Vecchioni.[30] The track "Arriverà" debuted at the top of the Italian singles chart. In conjunction with her participation, the Sanremo Edition of the album was released. It featured a new cover, "Arriverà" and two new songs, "Io son per te l'amore" and "Per sempre".[31] On 15 March 2011, Marrone opened the only Italian date of Taylor Swift's tour.[32] On 15 April 2011, the song "Io son per te l'amore" was released as a single. On 29 May 2011, she opened the final of the Italian Cup 2010–2011 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, singing the Italian national anthem.[33]
In summer 2011, Emma embarked on her second tour, A me piace cosi Tour 2011.[34] In the same period she opened two concerts for Vasco Rossi and three concerts for Gianna Nannini. Also in the summer of 2011, she was awarded the Wind Music Awards 2011 for sales of A me piace cosi and sales of the digital single in collaboration with Modà, "Arriverà". In July 2011 Marrone participated in a festival dedicated to Italian singer Giorgio Gaber, singing two songs, "Io non-mi sento italiano" and "La libertà".
In September 2011, the album A me piace cosi was certified double platinum,[35] while "Arriverà" went multiplatinum.[36]
Vocal and interpretative skills[edit]
Marrone is a pop and rock musician, with a powerful voice,[137] which is hoarse and raspy.[138][139] Immersed in music as a child, she identifies Gianna Nannini as her artistic reference point;[140][141] among her other artistic reference points are Mina and Loredana Bertè.[142] Her timbre biting was noted by critic Mario Luzzatto Fegiz.[143]
The pianist Nazzareno Carusi called out her particular style and wild beauty and her instinctive singing, but suggested she study singing technique so as not to strain her voice.[144]
The singer Roberto Vecchioni worked with Marrone on her interpretive skills, calling her one of the best singers of the moment.[145]
Philanthropy[edit]
From the beginning of her career Marrone has taken part in several initiatives of solidarity, social commitment and charity. In February 2011 she participated in the exhibition Se non-ora quando,[146] a movement of protest in support of the rights of women;[147] she participated in the same movement in 2012.[148] In several interviews the singer has said she has always participated, since she was very young, in various social events and worked for social services.[149]
In a March 2011 interview with Gioia,[150] Marrone revealed that in 2009 on the eve of a promotional mini-tour with Mjur, she discovered she had uterine cancer. After a seven-hour emergency surgery in Rome, the tumor was removed and her womb was saved. She then launched a campaign to raise awareness of cancer prevention among young people.[151] From May 2011 Emma offered a testimonial to AIRC (Italian Association for Cancer Research) to help cancer research.[152] Also in 2011 she loaned her image to a campaign dedicated to the prevention of cancer, ANT (National Association of Cancer), ONLUS, which operates free-home health care for those suffering from cancer.[153]
In September 2011, she participated in the inauguration of the Tutti a scuola, broadcast on RAI 1, which was attended, among others, by the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano and Francesco Profumo of the Ministry of Education, University and Research.[154] Subsequently, she participated in the concert O'Scià – IX edition, an event born to create awareness of the problem of illegal immigration that for years afflicted the island of Sicily. In the A me piace così Tour, the singer, on the occasion of the referendums of 2011, declared her opposition to nuclear power in Italy, creating a shirt with personally written "Stop Nuclear".[155][156]
In 2012 Marrone joined the fashion footwear brand Ishikawa. 300 pieces were created, on which the singer personally worked. The proceeds were donated in full to the Association Onus Peter Pan, to help sick children.[157] On 27 May 2012, she participated in the Dream on show, a show organized by the Department for Drug Policy, Minister for International Cooperation and Integration Office of the Prime Minister, to deliver a message against all drugs.[158] On 11 July 2012, she participated in the concert SLAncio di vita, against the SLA, aimed at funding research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.[159] In the summer of 2012 she worked with the Civil Protection of Misericordia, donating the entire proceeds of her concert to Lastra a Signa of 21 July, for the purchase of a multi-purpose machine.[160]
Personal life[edit]
Marrone was born in Florence, graduated in Aradeo, and now lives in Frascati (near Rome).[161]
At the end of 2009 she began a relationship with Amici di Maria De Filippi dancer Stefano De Martino. Following a brief separation caused by his affair with Giulia Pauselli, another talent show dancer,[162] De Martino announced in March 2011 that he and Marrone were back together. In April 2012, they broke definitively after De Martino had a second affair had with showgirl Belén Rodríguez.[162]
Testimonial
2010
2011
2012
Commercials
2010
2012
Designer
2011
2012