Wikipedia

Anna Oxa

Anna Hoxha(Albanian:[ˈanaˈhɔdʒa];born 28 April 1961), known professionally asAnna Oxa(Italian:[ˈannaˈɔksa]), is an Italian and Albanian singer, actress and television presenter. She has received mainstream popularity and recognition within Italy due to her numerous participations in theSanremo Music Festival.

Anna Oxa
Anna Oxa in concert in 2009
Anna Oxa in concert in 2009
Background information
Birth nameAnna Hoxha
Born(1961-04-28)28 April 1961(age 63)
Bari,Italy
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
  • television presenter
Years active1978–present
Labels
Websitewww.oxarte.net

Beginning her career as a teenager, Oxa debuted in theSanremo Music Festival 1978with the song "Un'emozione da poco",placing second in the competition. Following her success in Sanremo, she released her debut studio albumOxanna(1978) that year, which became her first chart-topping album in Italy. After numerous participations in Sanremo during the 1980s, Oxa competed again in theSanremo Music Festival 1989,performing "Ti lascerò"as a duet withFausto Leali.The duo won the competition, and thus were chosen as theItalian representativesin theEurovision Song Contest 1989inLausanne,competing with the song "Avrei voluto";they placed ninth in the finals. Oxa went on to win Sanremo once more, winning the1999 editionas a soloist with the song "Senza pietà".In total, Oxa has competed in Sanremo fifteen times across six decades (a record shared withAl Bano,Milva,Peppino di CapriandToto Cutugno), and additionally hosted the competition in1994.

In her 45-year long career, Oxa has released seventeen studio albums, of which two of them have charted at number-one on theFIMI Albums Chart.Aside from singing, Oxa cohostedFantasticofor two years, was a judge onAmici di Maria De Filippi,and competed in theItalian versionofDancing with the Stars.As an actress, she has appeared inStryx(1978) and the filmMaschio, femmina, fiore, frutto(1979).

Early life

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Oxa was born on 28 April 1961 inBarito an Albanian father originally fromKrujë,Qazim Hoxha, and an Italian mother from Bari, Elena Piccininno.[1]She was raised in the San Pasquale neighborhood of Bari, and attended school at theliceo artisticoGiuseppe De Nittis.[citation needed]

Career

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1970s–1980s: beginnings and breakthrough

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Oxa withFausto Lealiafter winning theSanremo Music Festival 1989

Oxa began her career at theSanremo Music Festival 1978,performing the song "Un'emozione da poco",written byIvano Fossati,who also sponsored her performance. Sporting anandrogynouspunklook, Oxa achieved great success in the competition, reaching second place behind onlyMatia Bazar.[2]After the show, "Un'emozione da poco" was released as a single by record labelRCA Italiana,and became Oxa's first number-one single in Italy. Following the success of "Un'emozione da poco", Oxa released her debut studio albumOxanna(1978). The album also became a chart-topping success in Italy.[3]The second single off ofOxanna,"Fatelo con me", also written by Fossati, was selected to compete in the 1978 edition ofFestivalbarand became a top twenty hit in Italy.[4]

Oxa later began to collaborate with Italian singersLucio DallaandRino Gaetano.With them, she released the single "Il pagliaccio azzurro" in 1979, an Italian language cover of the song "Till it Shines" by American musicianBob Seger.The single was used as thelead singlefor Oxa's self-titled second studio album, released the same year. The album peaked within the top ten in Italy, and also included an Italian cover of the song "Because the Night"byPatti Smith.[5]To promote the album, Oxa ventured into acting and appeared as the lead in themusical filmMaschio, femmina, fiore, frutto(1979). In 1980, Oxa released the single "Controllo totale", an Italian cover of the song "Total Control" byThe Motels;the single became a top forty hit in Italy, and served as the lead single for her debutextended playof the same name.

After declining sales and a lack of promotion from her label, Oxa cut ties with RCA Italiana and signed a contract withCBS Records Internationalin 1981. She returned to Sanremo the following year, competing in theSanremo Music Festival 1982with the song "Io no". Oxa's participation saw a great stylistic change in her image; she no longer sported her androgynous punk look that she had become known for, and instead grew her hair long and dyed it blonde, adopting a sexier appearance that went on to define her career for the following decades. "Io no" placed as a finalist in the competition, and went on to become a top forty hit. Despite this, CBS International did not believe it performed well enough to warrant an entire album. The following year, Oxa released the single "Navigando" to serve as the lead single to her third studio album, titledPer sognare, per cantare, per ballare(1983). Oxa continued to take part in Sanremo several times during the 1980s, competing in1984,1985,1986,and1988,placing within the top seven each time. Her 1986 entry, "È tutto un attimo", went on to become a massive success in Italy; while only placing fifth in Sanremo, it became her second chart-topping hit in her home country, and served as the lead single to her albumÈ tutto un attimo(1986), which peaked at number-three.[6]

Following the success ofÈ tutto un attimo,Oxa began pursuing television presenting and was a co-presenter ofFantasticoin 1988 and 1989.[7][8]Oxa entered theSanremo Music Festival 1989as a duet with Italian singerFausto Leali,performing the song "Ti lascerò"."Ti lascerò "went on to win the competition, becoming the first winning song for both Oxa and Leali, and became Oxa's third number-one single in Italy. Following their win, the duo was selected torepresent Italyin theEurovision Song Contest 1989inLausanne.They opted to record a new song for the competition, and competed with "Avrei voluto";the song placed ninth in the final." Avrei voluto "was released as a single from Oxa's albumTutti i brividi del mondo(1989), which became her second chart-topping album in Italy.[9]

1990s–2000s: continued success

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Oxa in 2008

Oxa returned to Sanremo the year after her win, competing in theSanremo Music Festival 1990with the song "Donna con te".The song was originally to be performed byPatty Pravo,but after Pravo demanded multiple changes be made to the song and eventually refused to perform it, Oxa was asked to replace her.[10]"Donna con te" performed well, becoming a finalist in Sanremo and a top ten hit in Italy. Despite the single's success, it was not included on a studio album and only appeared onOxa – Live con i New Trolls(1990), Oxa's collaborative live album with Italian bandNew Trolls.Following the collapse of CBS International in 1990, Oxa was transferred to theColumbia Recordslabel underSony Music.Her first release with the new label was "Mezzo angolo di cielo", released in 1992 and becoming a top twenty hit. She followed up the success of the single with the release of the albumDi questa vita(1992); the album peaked at number-five in Italy.[11][12]Following this release, Oxa took a brief hiatus from performing original music. She hosted theTelemontecarlo(TMC) programViaggio al centro della musicaand later theSanremo Music Festival 1994.From 1993 to 1994, Oxa released two cover albums and one album of remakes of her previous releases.[13][14]

Her first original release sinceDi questa vitacame in 1996, releasing the single "Spot" which competed in Festivalbar 1996. The single was later included on the albumAnna non-si lascia(1996), which peaked at number-ten in Italy.[15]Her firstgreatest hits albumStorie – I miei più grandi successi(1997) was later released the following year, including songs from both her CBS International and Columbia contracts.[16]Oxa competed in theSanremo Music Festival 1997with the album's lead single "Storie", placing second.[17]In 1999, Oxa signed toSony BMG,which also received the rights to the songs that Oxa recorded while signed to RCA Italiana in the 1970s and early-1980s. That year, she competed in theSanremo Music Festival 1999with the song "Senza pietà".She went on to win the competition, earning her second Sanremo win.[18]As Italy was not participating in theEurovision Song Contestat this time, however, she was not asked to represent her country at theEurovision Song Contest 1999inJerusalem."Senza pietà" went on to be a top ten hit in Italy, and served as the lead single to Oxa's album of the same name, which peaked at number-three.[19]

In 2001, Oxa released the single "L'eterno movimento", which served as the lead single to her album of the same name. The song saw a stylistic change in Oxa's music, instead incorporating aninternationalsound. Oxa competed in theSanremo Music Festival 2001with "L'eterno movimento", where she placed tenth.[20]That year, Oxa appeared as a co-presenter on the second season of the Italian variety showTorno sabato(2000–04) withGiorgio Panariello.[21]She competed in Sanremo twice more in the decade, in2003and2006;in 2003, Oxa placed fourteenth with "Cambierò", while in 2006, Oxa did not qualify to the final with "Processo a me stessa".[22][23]

2010s–present: other ventures

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Oxa in 2012

In 2010, Oxa released her most recent studio albumProxima(2010). The album was preceded by the release of the single "Tutto l'amore intorno", a collaboration with her former collaboratorIvano Fossati.The single became a top ten hit in Italy, while the album peaked at number-two in Oxa's home country. She later returned to Sanremo a final time, competing in theSanremo Music Festival 2011with the song "La mia anima d'uomo", with which she did not qualify to the final. With her participation in the 2011 competition, Oxa had competed in Sanremo a total of fourteen times, spread out across five decades.[24][25]

In 2013, Oxa was invited byMilly Carluccito compete inseries nineofBallando con le Stelle,the Italian version ofDancing with the Stars.She was partnered with professional dancerSamuel Peronand received the highest scores from weeks one to three. She withdrew from the competition in week six following a leg injury.[26]In 2016, she appeared in the judging panel for series fifteen of the talent competition showAmici di Maria De Filippi,appearing alongside singerLoredana Bertèand actressSabrina Ferilli.

On 4 December 2022, it was officially announced that Anna Oxa would participate in theSanremo Music Festival 2023.[27]Her entry was later revealed to be "Sali (Canto dell'anima)".[28]

Personal life

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Oxa has been married four times. She married her first husband, Franco Ciani, in the early-1980s, although they later divorced. Soon after, she married Gianni Belleno. With Belleno, she had two children: Francesca (born 1991) and Qazim (born 1995). They later divorced. In 1999, Oxa married Kosovar politicianBehgjet Pacolli;they later divorced in 2002. Her fourth husband was her bodyguard Marco Sansonetti, whom she married in 2006; they divorced three years later.[29]

Since her youth, Oxa has beenvegan.[30]In 2020, Hoxha acquired Albanian citizenship in addition to the Italian one.[31]

Discography

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Albums

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  • Oxanna(1978)
  • Anna Oxa(1979)
  • Per sognare, per cantare, per ballare(1983)
  • La mia corsa(1984)
  • Oxa(1985)
  • È tutto un attimo(1986)
  • Fantastica Oxa(1988)
  • Pensami per te(1988)
  • Tutti i brividi del mondo(1989)
  • Oxa live con iNew Trolls(1990)
  • Di questa vita(1992)
  • Cantautori(1993)
  • Do di petto(1993)
  • Cantautori 2(1994)
  • Anna non si lascia(1996)
  • Storie – I miei più grandi successi(1997)
  • Senza pietà(1999)
  • L'eterno movimento(2001)
  • Collezione(2001)
  • Ho un sogno(2003)
  • La musica è niente se tu non hai vissuto(2006)
  • Proxima(2010)

Singles

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Main category:Anna Oxa songs

References

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  1. ^"Madre Teresa, Anna Oxa e John Belushi: i piu' famosi dal Paese delle Aquile"(in Italian). Corriere della Sera.Retrieved11 October2012.
  2. ^Eddy Anselmi (2009).Festival di Sanremo: almanacco illustrato della canzone italiana(in Italian). Panini Comics, 2009.ISBN978-8863462296.
  3. ^"I singoli più venduti nel 1978 in Italia su Hit Parade Italia"(in Italian).Retrieved21 March2011.
  4. ^"Successi con la F su Hit Parade Italia"(in Italian).Retrieved21 March2011.
  5. ^"I successi con la P su Hit Parade Italia"(in Italian).Retrieved21 March2011.
  6. ^Beniamino Placido (16 February 1986)."Inventiamo una festa anche per San Romolo"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 25.Retrieved21 March2011.
  7. ^""Fantastico 10": L'accordo è fatto "(in Italian). La Repubblica. 28 July 1989. p. 35.Retrieved21 March2011.
  8. ^Aldo Grasso – Massimo Scaglioni,Enciclopedia della Televisione,Garzanti, Milano, 1996 – 2003.
  9. ^"Gli album più venduti nel 1989 in Italia da Hit Parade Italia"(in Italian).Retrieved21 March2011.
  10. ^Maria Pia Fusco (17 February 1990)."Aragozzini:" Questo è il mio Festival! ""(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 25.Retrieved21 March2011.
  11. ^"Gli album più venduti del 1992"(in Italian).
  12. ^"I successi con la D su Hit Parade Itala"(in Italian).Retrieved21 March2011.
  13. ^Ernesto Assante(23 February 1994)."Sanremo, rieccoli!"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 31.Retrieved21 March2011.
  14. ^"Gli album più venduti del 1993"(in Italian).
  15. ^"Gli album più venduti del 1996"(in Italian).
  16. ^"Gli album più venduti in Italia del 1997 su Hit Parade Italia"(in Italian).Retrieved21 March2011.
  17. ^Maria Pia Fusco (23 February 1997)."Jalisse, una vittoria annunciata"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 9.Retrieved21 March2011.
  18. ^Eddy Anselmi (2009).Festival di Sanremo: almanacco illustrato della canzone italiana.Panini Comics, 2009.ISBN978-8863462296.
  19. ^Maria Pia Fusco (28 February 1999)."Anna Oxa regina a Sanremo"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 38.Retrieved21 March2011.
  20. ^Stefano Bartezzaghi (24 February 2001)."Piccola enciclopedia della parola fiorita"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 42.Retrieved21 March2011.
  21. ^Nicola Curci (9 December 2001)."Panariello si converte al pugliese"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 1.Retrieved21 March2011.
  22. ^Massimo Pisa (23 February 2003)."Oxa: al festival canto tutto il mio dolore"(in Italian). La Repubblica. p. 43.Retrieved21 March2011.
  23. ^"Classifica Fimi del 24 febbraio 2006".Archived fromthe originalon 22 March 2012.Retrieved22 March2011.
  24. ^"Sanremo, prima serata: Anna Oxa e Anna Tatangelo bocciate dalla giuria demoscopica. Tutte le immagini della prima serata".TV Sorrisi e Canzoni(in Italian). 16 February 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 29 April 2011.Retrieved28 January2012.
  25. ^Alessandra Giacomazzi (16 February 2011)."Il duetto di Luca e Paolo dà la scossa all'Ariston".La Stampa(in Italian). Archived fromthe originalon 21 January 2012.Retrieved27 January2012.
  26. ^"BALLANDO CON LE STELLE 2013, SEMIFINALE: FUORI GIGI MASTRANGELO (E ANNA OXA). FINALE A SEI COPPIE".1 December 2013.
  27. ^Granger, Anthony (4 December 2022)."🇮🇹 Italy: Festival di Sanremo 2023 Participants Revealed".Eurovoix.Retrieved21 January2023.
  28. ^Granger, Anthony (17 December 2022)."🇮🇹 Italy: Sanremo Giovani 2022 Qualifiers & Sanremo Song Titles Revealed".Eurovoix.Retrieved21 January2023.
  29. ^Decker, Bob (16 September 2001)."Como: Anna Oxa prende casa a Sagnino".
  30. ^"La vegana Anna Oxa con lo chef al seguito a Sanremo. Eliminata"(in Italian). 15 February 2011.Retrieved27 March2011.
  31. ^"Edi Rama hands over the Albanian Passport to Anna Oxa, she's officially Albanian".20 December 2020.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Sanremo Music Festivalwinner
1989
(withFausto Leali) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
1989
(with Fausto Leali) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by OGAE Second Chance Contestwinner
1997 		Succeeded by
Nurlaila
with "Alsof je bij me bent"
Preceded by
Annalisa Minetti
with "Senza te o con te"
 Sanremo Music Festivalwinner
1999 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anna_Oxa&oldid=1258491889"