Biography
Who is Jovanotti?
Early life and beginnings
Lorenzo Cherubini was born on September 27, 1966, in Rome, Italy. Although born in the capital, he spent a portion of his childhood in Cortona, located in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, which was the hometown of his parents, Mario and Viola Cardinali.
After finishing his high school education, he began a career as a disc jockey. He worked at various radio stations and nightclubs around the Rome area. In 1985, he relocated to Milan to further pursue these opportunities. During the summer of 1987, while performing a DJ set in Palinuro, he encountered record producer Claudio Cecchetto. This meeting led to a professional collaboration, and that same year, he released his first single titled Walking. He also started working at Radio DeeJay, a station founded by Cecchetto.
Rise to fame and musical style
His debut studio album, Jovanotti for President, arrived in 1988. Despite facing negative reviews from some critics, the album was a major commercial success in Italy, selling over 400,000 copies and reaching the third position on the national albums chart. The project produced five singles, including the hits Gimme Five and Go Jovanotti Go.
Over the following decades, his sound shifted away from his initial blend of rap and disco. He began incorporating elements of funk, world music, ska, and classical arrangements into his work. His lyrics also matured, moving toward philosophical and political themes common in the Italian singer-songwriter tradition. His 2005 album, Buon Sangue, showed a blend of rock and old-school hip hop, while his 2011 release, Ora, saw him continuing to experiment with his sound. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with various artists, including Claudio Baglioni and Fabrizio Bosso.
Television and other projects
Beyond music, he has appeared in several television and film projects. In the United Kingdom, he hosted a programme called Gimme 5 for the DEF II youth block on BBC Two. Starting in 1990, he also presented Earth to MTV for American cable television. He made a brief acting appearance in the 1998 film I Giardini dell'Eden, directed by Alessandro D'Alatri.
In 2020, he released a sixteen-part documentary titled Non voglio cambiare Pianeta, which documented his bicycle path from Chile to Argentina. Also, he was announced as a special guest for the 2025 Sanremo Music Festival, where he performed during the opening night.
Social commitment and family
Since the 1990s, he has increased his involvement in social and political activism, particularly regarding debt relief for African nations. He has worked with organizations such as Amnesty International and Make Poverty History. His advocacy efforts have led to a friendship with Bono, with whom he shares a focus on these causes. In 2026, President Sergio Mattarella awarded him the title of Commendatore, the third highest civil honour in Italy.
He married Francesca Valiani on September 6, 2008, in Cortona at the Church of Santa Maria Nuova. The couple has a daughter named Teresa, who was born in 1998. He has dedicated songs to his daughter, including the lullaby Per te and the track Libera.
Birthday and age
Jovanotti was born on September 27, 1966, which makes Jovanotti 60 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Jovanotti shares the date with 37 other famous people.
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