Gianna Nannini turns 70 “but age is optional”, as she herself sings in her latest song ‘1983’. Born on 14 June 1954, the legendary Sienese rock star celebrates a large sum in a particularly intense and prolific year for her career. With a new album of unreleased songs, the reissue of her book about her life and a film for Netflix entitled ‘You are in the soul’ which tells the story of her first 29 years, 2024 is a year that she celebrates and explains the Nannini phenomenon.
Born in Siena, in the Oca district, Gianna Nannini began her musical career when she moved to Milan where her talent was discovered by Mike Bongiorno and Mara Maionchi. But 1983 was the year of her rebirth, a central theme both in the new album and in the film ‘Sei nell’anima’. The song ‘1983’ from his new album which accompanies the film’s closing credits, contains a profound reflection on life and time: “The moral of the story is that there is always an alternative / Death is obligatory, but age it is optional.”
The film ‘Sei nell’anima’, produced by Indiana Production and directed by Cinzia Th Torrini, retraces a crucial year in Nannini’s life, when, despite having already achieved success with the single ‘America’ and the album ‘California’ , had a psychological breakdown, probably under the pressure of the demand to churn out new hits within the tight deadlines required by the discography. This pressure led to a breakdown with hallucinations and panic attacks, risking her being admitted to a psychiatric facility. It was thanks to the closeness of her family and her first great female love, Carla, that the artist managed to reconstruct her life.
From the collapse of 1983, Gianna Nannini recovered with extraordinary strength, starting the most prolific season of her career. From that moment, her hits arrived one after the other, consolidating her status as the most appreciated Italian rocker, even internationally. Songs and albums such as ‘Fotoromanza’, ‘Profumo’, ‘Bello e Impossible’, ‘I Maschi’, ‘Marvelous Creature’ and ‘Sei nell’anima’ have become timeless. “The hit is a miracle, a magic that doesn’t come on command,” Gianna underlines today, reflecting on her extraordinary career.
In addition to the new album, the reissue of his autobiographical book ‘Sei Nell’Anima – Cazzi Miei’ offers a more in-depth look at his life and career, telling not only the moments of glory but also the difficulties and personal challenges he had to face. At 70, Gianna Nannini continues to inspire generations of fans with her music and her story, proving that age is truly just a number when she has the passion and determination to continue dreaming and creating.
