Raffaella Carrà, one of Italy’s most prolific music and media personalities, has died aged 78 from an undisclosed illness.

The news was confirmed today by Sergio Japino, Raffaella’s longtime partner. The statement from Sergio reads:

“Raffaella has left us. She has gone to a better world, where her humanity, her unmistakable laugh and her extraordinary talent will shine forever.

Her unstoppable force, which has imposed her at the top of the world star system, an iron will that has never abandoned her until the end, making sure that nothing of her deep suffering leaked out. The umpteenth gesture of love towards her audience and towards those who shared her affection, so that her personal ordeal would not disturb the bright memory of her.”

Born in Bologna on 18 June 1943, Raffaella began her showbusiness career as a film actress at the age of nine in the film Tormento del passato (Torment of the past). She later moved to the United States where she starred in Von Ryan’s Express alongside Frank Sinatra. In the 60’s and 70’s, she began a singing career. Some of her biggest hits include “Tuca Tuca”, “Tanti Auguri” and “A far l’amore comincia tu”, which was in several other languages including English and Turkish. She also recorded extensively in Spanish and was popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Rafaella was also known as a television host. She was regular face on RAI, where she presented shows such as Canzonissima and Carramba Che sorpresa. She presented Festival di Sanremo 2001 and was a coach on The Voice of Italy for three seasons.

Rafaella was a fan of Eurovision and was one of the driving forces behind Italy’s return to the competition in 2011. In 2008, she hosted the Spanish national final Salvemos Eurovisión and invited Eurovision 2008 winner Dima Bilan to perform on her show Carramba Che sorpresa as part of his winner’s tour around Europe. In 2011, she was one of the commentators for Eurovision 2011 for Italian viewers and was also the Italian spokesperson that year. She was rumoured to be in discussions to host Eurovision 2022 in Italy.

from https://eurovoix.com