Biography
Who is Mina?
Early years in Italy
Born in Busto Arsizio, Lombardy, Italy, her birth name is Anna Maria Mazzini. During her childhood, the family moved to Cremona, Lombardy. She spent her youth listening to American jazz and rock and roll records. She was a frequent visitor at Milanese clubs like the Santa Tecla and the Taverna Messicana, which were known for promoting rock and roll music. After finishing high school in 1958, she attended college to major in accounting.
Her professional career began in August 1958 while on holiday in Versilia. She performed the song Un'anima tra le mani at the La Bussola night club to entertain her family. This led to a solo career with the backing band known as the Happy Boys. Her first concert in September 1958 at the Theatre of Rivarolo del Re was well-received by local critics. She signed with the record label Italdisc and released her first single, which included the tracks Non partir and Malatia.
Rise to fame and musical style
Mina quickly became a major figure in Italian music. In 1959, she performed at the Milan Ice Palace and on television shows such as Lascia o raddoppia?. Her first number one hit in Italy was Tintarella di luna, released in September 1959. This song appeared in her first film, the musical comedy titled Juke box, Urli d'amore. She was known for her three-octave vocal range and her agile soprano voice.
By 1960, she began performing slower, emotional love songs. Her performance of Il cielo in una stanza reached the top of Italian sales charts and even appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. She also performed at the Sanremo Music Festival with songs like Io amo, tu ami and Le mille bolle blu. Her international success included chart-topping songs in West Germany and Japan. Later in her career, she saw hits such as Grande grande grande and Parole parole become successful internationally.
Television bans and artistic shift
In 1963, the Italian public broadcasting service RAI banned her from television and radio appearances. This occurred because she was pregnant while in a relationship with the actor Corrado Pani, which conflicted with the dominant societal morals of that time. Despite the ban, her record sales remained strong due to high public demand. RAI eventually ended the ban, and she returned to television on January 10, 1964, on the program La fiera dei sogni.
She later adopted a bad girl image that included public smoking, dyed blonde hair, and shaved eyebrows. She combined classic Italian pop with soul, blues, and R&B. She worked with songwriters like Bruno Canfora on the track Brava and Ennio Morricone on Se telefonando. She stopped making public appearances in 1978 but has continued to release albums and music projects annually to the present day.
Personal life and family
Her full name is Anna Maria Mazzini. She has two children named Massimiliano Pani and Benedetta Mazzini. Throughout her life, she has been married to Virgilio Crocco and Eugenio Quaini. She has also had relationships with Corrado Pani, Augusto Martelli, and Alfredo Cerruti. Her brother is Alfredo Mazzini. She was born on March 25, 1940, in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
Birthday and age
Mina was born on March 25, 1940, which makes Mina 86 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Mina shares the date with 29 other famous people.
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