Mia Martini

Mia Martini (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmiːa marˈtiːni]; born Domenica Bertè [doˈmeːnika berˈtɛ]; 20 September 1947 – 12 May 1995) was an Italian singer and a songwriter.[1][2]

Not to be confused with Mia Martina.

Mia Martini
Mia Martini in Venice in 1973, holding the Gondola d'Oro prize won with her song "Donna Sola"
Born
Domenica Bertè

(1947-09-20)20 September 1947
Bagnara Calabra, Reggio Calabria, Italy
Died12 May 1995(1995-05-12) (aged 47)
Cardano al Campo, Varese, Italy
Other namesMimì Bertè
OccupationSinger
RelativesLoredana Bertè (sister)

She is considered, by many experts, one of the most beautiful and expressive female voices of Italian music ever,[3][4] characterised by her interpretative intensity and her soulful performance.

Early life
Mia Martini (left) with sister Loredana Bertè

She was born Domenica Bertè in 1947 in Bagnara Calabra (Reggio Calabria), southern Italy, the second among four daughters. The youngest of them, Loredana Bertè, was born exactly three years after Martini, and also became famous as a singer.[5] Her father, Giuseppe Radames Bertè (died 2017), was a teacher of Latin and Greek, while her mother, Maria Salvina Dato (died 2003), was an elementary school teacher. "Mimì", as Domenica was known, spent her childhood in Porto Recanati (Macerata). In 1962, she convinced her mother to take her to Milan for an audition.

Career
Mia Martini in 1973
Mia Martini in 1973
Mia Martini in 1975

She recorded her first records as Mimì Bertè, but soon decided to change her name to Mia Martini. She represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest twice: in 1977 with "Libera" (13th out of 18), and in 1992 with "Rapsodia" (4th out of 23). That same year she recorded "Per amarti", written by Bruno Lauzi and Maurizio Fabrizio. She won the World Popular Song Festival Yamaha in Tokyo with "Ritratto di donna" who comes to the first positions in the Japanese charts. In 1982 she participated at the Sanremo Festival. In late 1983, she decided to retire.

In 1989 she returned to the Sanremo Festival with "Almeno tu nell'universo", which won her the Critics Award and new success. The song remains an Italian classic (with many cover versions).

In 1992, she was back in the race at the Sanremo Festival with "Gli uomini non cambiano", by Giancarlo Bigazzi and Beppe Dati.[2] She won second place, allowing her to represent Italy at Eurovision again, which that year was held in Sweden, where she closed with in fourth place with "Rapsodia".

Death

She suffered from painful fibroids, for which she took prescription medication. On 14 May 1995, her body was found in the apartment in Via Liguria 38 in Cardano al Campo. According to the coroner's report, her death was by cardiac arrest (in her body traces of cocaine were found). Her body was cremated.[6]

Legacy

In 2019, a biopic of Martini titled Io sono Mia was released.[7] The film was directed by Riccardo Donna and stars Serena Rossi as Martini. The title is, in Italian, a double entendre, translating to both I am Mia and I am Mine.

Discography

Singles
  • "I miei baci non puoi scordare" / "Lontani dal resto del mondo" (1963)
  • "Insieme" / "Let me tell you" (1963)
  • "Il magone" / "Se mi gira l'elica" (1964)[2]
  • "Ed ora che abbiamo litigato" / "Non pentrti dopo" (1964)
  • "Non sarà tardi" / "Quattro settimane" (1966)
  • "Coriandoli spenti" / "L'argomento dell'amore" (1969; Withdrawn single, released in 2000 as part of compilation "Mia...Mimì")

Singles
  • "Padre davvero..." / "Amore...amore...un corno!" (1971)
  • "Gesù è mio fratello" / "Lacrime di marzo" (1971)
  • "Credo" / "Ossessioni" (1972)
  • "Piccolo uomo" / "Madre" (1972)
  • "Donna sola" / "Questo amore vero" (1972)
  • "Minuetto" / "Tu sei così" (1973)
  • "Il guerriero" / "Bolero" (1973, release cancelled)
  • "Inno" / "...e stelle stan piovendo" (1974)
  • "Al mondo" / "Principessa di turno" (1975)
  • "Donna con te" / "Tutti uguali" (1975)
  • "L'amore è il mio orizzonte" / "Sabato" (1976)
  • "Che vuoi che sia...se t'ho aspettato tanto" / "Io donna, io persona" (1976)
  • "Libera" / "Sognare è vita" (1977)
  • "Per amarti" / "Se finisse qui" (1977)
  • "Vola" / "Dimmi" (1978)
  • "Danza" / "Canto alla luna" (1979)
  • "Ti regalo un sorriso" / "Ancora grande" (1981)
  • "E ancora canto" / "Stai con me" (1981)
  • "E non finisce mica il cielo" / "Voglio te" (1982)
  • "Quante volte" / "Solo noi" (1982, two editions)
  • "Bambolina" / "Guarirò guarirò" (1982)
  • "Spaccami il cuore" / "Lucy" (1985)
  • "Almeno tu nell'universo" / "Spegni la testa" (1989)
  • "La nevicata del '56" / "Danza pagana" (1990)
  • "Chica chica bum (remix)" / "Chica chica bum (instrumental)" (1990, release cancelled)
  • "Stiamo come stiamo" (with Loredana Bertè) / "Dormitorio pubblico" (L.Bertè) (1993)

Albums
  • Oltre la collina (1971)
  • Nel mondo, una cosa (1972)
  • Il giorno dopo (1973)
  • È proprio come vivere (1974)
  • Sensi e controsensi (1975)
  • Un altro giorno con me (1975)
  • Che vuoi che sia... se t'ho aspettato tanto (1976)
  • Per amarti (1977)
  • Danza (1978)
  • Mimì (1981)
  • Quante volte... ho contato le stelle (1982)
  • Miei compagni di viaggio (1983)
  • Martini Mia (1989)
  • La mia razza (1990)
  • Mi basta solo che sia un amore (1991)
  • Mia Martini in concerto (da un'idea di Maurizio Giammarco) (1991)
  • Lacrime (1992)
  • Rapsodia Il meglio di Mia Martini (1992)
  • La musica che mi gira intorno (1994)

Compilations
  • Mia (1976)
  • Il meglio di Mia Martini (1984)
  • Ti regalo un sorriso (1985)
  • Mia Martini 1996 (1996)
  • Mia Martini – Le origini (1996)
  • Mimì Bertè (1996, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • Indimenticabile Mia (1996, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • Mi canto español (1997, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • Gli anni '70 (1998)
  • Semplicemente Mimì (1998, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • Sorelle (1999, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • I Miti Musica – Mia Martini (1999)
  • Mia... Mimì (2000, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • Mimì Sarà (2000, including previously unreleased tracks)
  • Dolce amare (2000)
  • Canzoni segrete (2003, including previously unreleased tracks and alternate versions)
  • Per sempre (2003)
  • E parlo ancora di te (2004, including previously unreleased tracks and alternate versions)
  • La neve, il cielo, l'immenso (3-CD box set, 2005; including previously unreleased tracks, alternative versions and songs previously unavailable on CD)
  • Liberamente Mia (2007)

DVD
  • In Concerto (in concert 1982, recorded for Italian language Swiss television; also released on VHS)
  • E ancora canto
  • Per aspera ad astra (also released on VHS)

References
  1. James Christopher Monger. Mia Martini. allmusic.com
  2. Mia Martini. raiuno.rai.it. April 2000
  3. Dizionario delle canzoni italiane
    — pag. 31
    .
  4. Dizionario delle canzoni italiane
    — pag. 226
    .
  5. Evan C. Gutierrez. Loredana Bertè. allmusic.com
  6. Zero: Mia Martini non si è suicidata. Corriere.it. 2 April 1998
  7. "Io sono Mia, ecco il trailer del biopic su Mia Martini". rollingstone.it. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
Preceded by
Al Bano & Romina Power
with We'll Live It All Again		 Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
1977		 Succeeded by
Ricchi e Poveri
with Questo amore
Preceded by
Peppino di Capri
with Comme è ddoce 'o mare		 Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
1992		 Succeeded by
Enrico Ruggeri
with Sole d'Europa
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