Eros Ramazzotti is an Italian pop and rock singer, songwriter and record producer, born in 1963 in Cinecittà Est, a suburb of Rome. He is popular in Italy, most of Europe and across the Spanish-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in both Italian and Spanish. Since 1984 he has released numerous studio albums and singles and has sold over 70 million records during his career. He has recorded with many international and Italian artists.
Early life and debut
Ramazzotti began playing guitar at seven and wrote songs as a teenager with help from his father, who played piano. After failing the admission examination for a musical conservatory, he drifted through bookkeeping studies and occasional film work. In 1981 he took part in the Voci Nuove di Castrocaro contest, where two representatives of the label DDD saw potential in him and gave him his first contract. He then moved to Milan with his family, and his first single, released in 1982, was not well received.
Breakthrough and success
His breakthrough came in 1984 when his song Terra promessa won the newcomers' category at the Sanremo Festival. In 1986 his single Adesso tu won the overall Sanremo competition. Through the late 1980s and early 1990s his albums sold strongly across Europe, and his 1990 album In ogni senso led to a concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Later works, including Tutte storie, helped him secure a contract with BMG International.