Laura Pausini

Laura Pausini (born 16 May 1974) is an Italian singer. She rose to fame in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with her debut single "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an international hit. Her self-titled debut album was released in Italy on 23 April 1993 and later became an international success, selling two million copies worldwide.

Its follow-up, Laura, was released in 1994 and confirmed her international success, selling three million copies worldwide. Pausini has released fifteen studio albums, two international greatest hits albums and one compilation album for the Anglophone market only. She speaks four languages: English, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

She mostly performs in Italian and Spanish, but has also recorded and sung songs in Portuguese, English, French, German, Latin, Chinese, Catalan, Neapolitan, Romagnol and Sicilian. Pausini appeared as a coach on both the Mexican and Spanish versions of international reality television singing competition franchise The Voice, was a judge on the first and second series of La banda, and is likewise a judge on the Spanish version of international franchise The X Factor. In 2016, she debuted as a variety show presenter, hosting the television show Laura & Paola, with actress Paola Cortellesi.