Emma Marrone

Emmanuela "Emma" Marrone, born on 25 May 1984, is an Italian singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Florence, she grew up in Sesto Fiorentino before moving with her family at age four to Aradeo in the province of Lecce. She acquired a passion for music from her father, a guitarist in local bands. After graduating from classical high school with a thesis on music, she worked in a warehouse and as a saleswoman for three years.

Marrone began her professional musical career in 2003 by competing in the television talent show Superstar Tour. Winning the competition, she formed the group Lucky Star alongside Laura Pisu and Colomba Pane, releasing the single "Stile" and later the album LS3 before disbanding. In 2007, she formed the alternative rock band M.J.U.R., releasing an album in 2008. Between 2007 and 2009, she also performed soul and funk in the band Anonimo Soul with her uncle and played with her father's band H2O.

Her breakthrough came in 2009 when she won the talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi on Canale 5. This led to a contract with Universal Music and the March 2010 release of her debut EP, Oltre. The EP topped the Italian Albums Chart, featured the platinum-certified number-one single "Calore," and was awarded triple platinum status. Later that year, she released her second solo album, A me piace così. In 2011, she placed second in the Sanremo Music Festival alongside the group Modà performing the chart-topping single "Arriverà."

Marrone released her third studio album, Sarò libera, in September 2011, which reached number one on the Italian album chart and went triple platinum. In February 2012, she won the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Non è l'inferno," which topped the Italian singles chart and achieved double platinum certification. Her fourth studio album, Schiena, followed in April 2013, also debuting at number one and achieving triple platinum status. In 2014, she represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen with "La mia città," finishing in 21st place, and released her first live album, E Live.

In late 2015, Marrone released her fifth studio album, Adesso, preceded by the double-platinum single "Occhi profondi." Her next studio album, Essere qui, was released in January 2018 and reissued as Essere qui (Boom Edition) later that year. Throughout her career, she has released seven solo studio albums, one EP, and over fifty singles, selling more than two million records in Italy. She has collaborated with international acts such as Thirty Seconds to Mars and Álvaro Soler, as well as prominent Italian musicians including Vasco Rossi, Elisa, and Modà, while also writing and producing for artists like Elodie.

Beyond her recording career, Marrone served as a coach on Amici di Maria De Filippi during several seasons, earning two Italian Television Direction Awards, and co-hosted the Sanremo Music Festival in 2015. She also expanded into acting, appearing in Gabriele Muccino's film The Best Years in 2020 and Stefano Chiantini's Il ritorno in 2022. Over her career, she has earned three MTV Italian Music Awards and a TRL Award, alongside nominations for the MTV Europe Music Award, World Music Awards, and Kids' Choice Awards.