by Anthony Parente

Italian Signorina Giada Valenti Buy This CD

Giada, thank you for taking the time to be interviewed for the Web site Italiansrus.com. Giada is a newcomer to the United States and she recently released her CD "Italian Signorina." Her career was jump started when she won the "San Remo New Talents in the World" contest. Giada will also be making her Broadway debut in the upcoming musical based on the life of Mario Lanza.

The readers of Italiansrus.com would love to learn a little bit about your life growing up in Italy and about your latest CD "Italian Signorina".

Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in a beautiful town outside Venice, called Portogruaro.

What was life like growing up in an Italian family?
Well, God has blessed me by giving me an amazing family. My parents are the best parents I could wish for. Throughout my life, they have been, and continue to be, a great example. They taught me all I know about respect for other people, and love for life. They have given me unconditional love and the freedom to become the woman I always wanted to be. I have an amazing big brother who has always been like a guardian angel, protecting me, and great grandparents. In Italy families are really close, we always had big family dinners for Christmas and for Easter. I still call my parents everyday, and the rest of the family at least once a week, or they call or e-mail me. In my family we are like a” big team”, that loves and supports one another very much in all we do.

Who encouraged you the most to pursue music?
Well I think it was my Grandma Maria. She was a great soprano. She was an amazing, beautiful woman and I was so charmed by her charisma. I listened to her enchanting voice all the time; I was mesmerized by that sound. And she's definitely the one who made me fall in love with music - popular songs and operatic arias. My grandma always said that all kinds of music have the same dignity and deserve the same respect, when they are expressed with passion and love.

When did you first realize that this is what you wanted to do?
I think that music has chosen me. I didn't really ever think about becoming a singer or a songwriter. It has always been something that was in me. I was singing and playing the piano all the time and so I became a singer. Perhaps I was born a singer. I was singing songs by the French singer Edith Piaff to the family when I was only 3 years old!! I would wear one of my father's big, black shirts, put a belt around my waist so the t-shirt looked like a dress, and perform Edith Piaff songs. I was charmed by her voice and her personality. I am, still.

Where did you study music?
I studied piano at the "Santa Cecilia" Institute in Venice. I received my degree from the ”G.Tartini “ Institute in Trieste, and I took voice lessons in Venice with Jazz singer Down Mitchell.