Known as the Queen of Italian Pop, Mena has sold over 150 million records worldwide and is a music legend who has been captivating fans since the 60s. Her new album, drops Nov. 22, and its title—named after an essential sailing note—represents the concrete and yet effortlessly unfussy nature of love. Just like the knot, the album explores the twists and turns of love in all its beauty and complexity. At 84, Meena is still going strong, and as popular as ever.
Mina, born Mina Anna Mazzini, is one of the most adored pop stars in Italy. She is a cult figure comparable to Liza Minnelli and Bette Midler. A musical diva who today is as great a superstar for Italians as Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift. Like a 21st-century Greta Garbo, she lives in exile in Lugano, Switzerland, where she moved in 1966. She has not performed in concert since 1978, although she continues to record albums.
Luca Josi, a journalist-turned-entrepreneur who served as Telecom Italia’s director of brand strategy and multimedia entertainment, worked with the singer for five years on an innovative communications campaign. “Mina,” he says, “is the night light that every brand dreams of lighting up. I was lucky enough to work on her music for five years – those years went by, and she’s always been there.” There will be time.
“She sings well,” said Gino Castaldo, music critic for La Repubblica.
Between 1959 and 1969, Mena starred in 13 “musicalelli” films – the popular Italian musicals where pop stars would break into song mid-film. Among his co-stars was none other than jazz legend Chet Baker.
Giuseppe Tornatore, the director behind it, recalls Mena’s musical films with real passion, saying that the audience sang along with the characters on screen. I had unforgettable moments watching the crowd sing in harmony with the singers. But Meena herself was not a fan of these campy films. She once said “If I had to dig any of them up, I’d throw them all away.”
Although she never looked back in those days of cinema, Meena’s voice continues to resonate in some of the biggest films of history. His songs have graced the soundtracks of 109 films worldwide, ranging from classic Italian comedies to works by famous directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni (), Bernardo Bertolucci (), and Gabriel Salvatore (). But it’s not just Italian cinema — Mina’s voice has also made it to Martin Scorsese (from his 1960 album of the same name, “Il cielo in una stanza”).
Turkish-Italian director Farzan Ozpetek, one of Italy’s most famous filmmakers, has used Mina’s songs in several of his films ( , ). She has a special creative relationship with him: “Mina is essential to my work,” explains Ozpetek, “Whether it’s a script or a novel, she’s the first person I turn to. She always has a new perspective. presents and sees the lack of others. To me she represents a revolution in emotion, art and more. I’ve loved her since I was young — her original style, her rebellious spirit, and His unique voice of course. I owe him a lot and will be forever grateful.
Even legendary director Lena Wertmüller, who wrote the lyrics to Mena’s 1966 hit “Mi sei scoppiato dentro al cuore,” reportedly said that she always admired Mena deeply: “As a director, I Often thought of her as one of a kind.”
Federico Fellini was completely impressed by Mena’s talent, once saying that “Mena has the face of the moon. Her eyes are sweet but cruel. Her mouth summons comets from the sky with a single whistle. She even Thought of casting her as Gradisca, the embodiment of female desire, dreamed of having her on his set.
In 1958, aged just 18, Mina got up on stage at the Busola Club in Fort de Marme, microphone in hand, just for fun. Within moments, he was signed by a manager, and it was the beginning of his unstoppable rise. Less than three years later, the Italian journalist Oriana Fallacci wrote: “Who is this girl who, in less than two years, has become the symbol of Italians, young and old, rich and poor, stupid and intellectual, communist and Catholic?” Has become a kind of legend? In a week, he’s on the cover of six major magazines, and if you say you’ve never seen him sing, he treats you like an ignoramus, a traitor, or a fool. Do!
It was around this time that Paul McCartney wrote to her, calling her version of “Michelle” the best non-English cover he had ever heard, while Alfred Hitchcock once told reporters: “I I would love to sing in one of my movies.”
Meena’s success is not only due to her incomparable voice but also to her stunning presence. With her athletic swimmer’s body (she was a competitive swimmer in her youth), her radiant face, her eyes drawn with sharp ink lines, and her rebellious spirit – complete with a laugh that instantly Recognizable – she became a pop icon before the term existed. Andy Warhol summed it up in the 70s: “She was a born actress, a symbol of technological civilization, a lunar ghost, aggressive and a little pop.” “
Over the years, Mina reinvented herself countless times: a bodybuilder, a bald alien, a bearded diva, a Renaissance Madonna and an 18th-century lady. Whether she was drawing on the influences of Botero, Picasso, Walt Disney or Mapplethorpe, Mina was always changing herself, staying ahead of the curve.
Among all the media he conquered, he had a special affinity for radio. From the 1960s to the 90s, he hosted his own shows and introduced Italians to all kinds of music, from Brazilian to jazz to American pop like James Taylor and Blood, Sweat and Tears.
But what really made him a multimedia phenomenon was his phenomenal presence on television. Between 1959 and 1974, Mina revolutionized Italian variety shows, borrowing from American trends with minimalist, elaborate studio sets that highlighted the actors’ bodies. Mina also became a brilliant hostess, connecting with all kinds of guests with ease, from movie legends like Vittorio De Sica and Marcello Mastroianni to everyday stars. She wasn’t just an actor – she was a TV icon.
Mena’s personal life also shook Italian culture. Her public relationship with married actor Corrado Pani, and the birth of their son Massimiliano – out of wedlock in a country that still had no divorce laws – changed the way Italians viewed love and union. And later marked. Massimiliano, who now works with his mother in Lugano, is part of the creative team behind Mina’s latest album.
At 84, Meena’s voice is still nothing short of extraordinary. Her range spans four octaves — ordinary singers usually have two — and 40 semitones, allowing her to glide effortlessly from the deep warmth of the bass to the crystal-clear highs. Jazz legend Sarah Vaughan once said, “If I didn’t already have mine, I’d want Mina’s.”
No one else has captured the passionate, passionate ups and downs of love quite like Meena. More than 70 albums later, her voice still delivers the same raw, emotional intensity. In the opening track, she delivers a poignant, brave confession “If I can’t love and be loved enough, what good am I?”
Meena remains a fascinating enigma for music lovers. Despite not giving a single interview since 1978, avoiding live performances for decades, and living far from the limelight, every new album he releases shoots up the Spotify charts, which today Competes with top Italian artists.
A timeless album. Meena does not follow trends or try to keep ahead of the fast pace of the digital world. Instead, she finds the new within herself. His son Massimiliano, producing and arranging the album, ensures that the music does not follow the market’s temporal trends or copy past glories.
The sound ranges from soft rock to more traditional styles, sometimes experimenting with modern vibes. But the direction is clear: each sequence feels like a cradle for Mina’s voice, the instrumentation and electronics never overpowering her unique vocal presence.
The album’s standout track is “L’amore vero” (Real Love), where the Italian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gabriele Comeglio, brings out the romantic essence of Mina’s voice, perfectly balanced between intensity and restraint, the truth. Creates a sense of without veering into the melodramatic.
The most radio-friendly track, “Throw It Away” (Throw It Away), written by Francesco Gabbani, is a hit that lands Mena firmly at number 21.St Century seems like its deeply intimate lyrics make for something even more powerful from her side, with a beautiful guitar solo from Luca Menighello bringing the song to a stunning close.
A treasure trove of vocal gems. Each song reveals new layers, revealing not just a singer but a true artist and committed explorer, constantly pushing boundaries and discovering new ways to express love’s timeless journey. At 84, that’s quite an achievement.
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