Biography
Matia Bazar is an Italian band from Genua, established in 1975. Founding members were Piero Cassano, Aldo Stellita and Carlo Marrale , Giancarlo Golzi and singer Antonella Ruggiero. Matia was the stage name with which Ruggiero began her music career in 1974. The debut single of the group was “Stasera che sera”, followed by “Per un’ora d’amore” and the first album in 1976. Although the group’s participation in the 1977 Festival di Sanremo was not a success, their song became a sales success. In the same year Matia Bazar succeeded with “Solo tu”, a number one hit. A year later they won Sanremo with the song “… e dirsi ciao”. In 1979 they represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest with “Raggio di luna”. In 1983, Matia Bazar won the critics’ prize at the Festival di Sanremo with the eventual number one hit “Vacanze romane”. From 1985 is also their internationally most famous song “Ti sento”, topping the charts in Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy. In 1989 the singer Antonella Ruggiero left the group. Her successor was Laura Valente. With her, the group participated in the Sanremo Festival twice more, with “Piccoli giganti” in 1992 and “Dedicato a te” in 1993. A lot of changes in the line up came, with Giancarlo Golzi always remaining. Bassist Aldo Stellita died in 1998. The band is still performing and making albums; they took part in San Remo three more times.
