Elisa (Italian singer)

Elisa Toffoli 2008

Elisa Toffoli (born December 19, 1977 in Trieste ) is an Italian singer and songwriter who became known as an artist under the name Elisa . In 2001 she won the Sanremo Festival , but the singer also had international success.

life and career

Beginnings

Elisa Toffoli was born in Trieste and grew up in Monfalcone ( Gorizia ), a small town in north-eastern Italy on the border with Slovenia . As a child she showed great interest in art : she danced, painted, acted in the theater and wrote short stories. Her love of art grew even greater when she discovered both Rudyard Kipling's poems and the lyrics by Doors front man Jim Morrison . But she soon realized that music was her way: at the age of eleven, she wrote her first lyrics and melody. A few years later, when her interest in music became concrete, Elisa began performing with various local bands and was so quickly introduced to the world of music.

When Elisa was 16 years old, Caterina Caselli , the owner of the Sugar record company , got a demo recording of her and recognized Elisa’s talent. She immediately arranged for her to travel to the United States to improve Elisha's English and record her first album, Pipes & Flowers . The album was produced by Corrado Rustici ( Whitney Houston , Zucchero ) and finally released in September 1997 by Caselli's record company. The critics and the audience were very impressed by the young singer. The debut album was later released in other European countries. In Italy, the album received many critical awards, such as the 1998 Targa Tenco for best debut and the Italian PIM music award . In addition, Elisa received the offer from Eros Ramazzotti to open his concerts across Europe as an opening act and she took this opportunity.

breakthrough

The singer 2007

In the years 2000 and 2001 Elisa released two albums: Asile's World and Then Comes the Sun . Asile's World was a significant step away from the debut with experimental electronic arrangements; the album was created in collaboration with various producers. The second edition eventually contained one of Elisha's greatest hits - her first song in Italian: Luce (tramonti a Nord Est) , which was already known by the original English title Come Speak to Me . The Italian text was from Zucchero, Elisa won the 2001 Sanremo Festival with the song .

The third album again showed a return to more traditional arrangements and was characterized by the collaboration with Corrado Rustici . An international CD called Elisa with songs from her first three albums was released in more than 20 countries in 2002. Her fourth album, Lotus , was released in 2003, followed by a tour of theaters in Italy. The main theme of the CD and the tour was very different from the previous albums. These were acoustic versions of some of their older songs as well as some new acoustic songs, including covers of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Lou Reeds Femme Fatale . Lotus has been sold more than 300,000 times.

In 2005 Elisa flew to Los Angeles to record her fifth album, which was now to be produced by Glen Ballard ( Alanis Morissette , Anastacia , Christina Aguilera ). The result was Pearl Days - in collaboration with drummer Matt Chamberlain ( Tori Amos , Macy Gray ) and guitarists Tim Pierce ( Phil Collins , Rod Stewart ) and Michael Landau ( Seal , Miles Davis ). In addition, she sang at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , sang in a duet with Luciano Pavarotti for Pavarotti & Friends , played the lead role in Giovanni Sollima's opera Ellis Island and recorded a duet with Tina Turner ( Teach Me Again ), with whom written by Elisa songs text for the documentary All the Invisible children ( all children of the world ); a collaboration between various directors such as Spike Lee and John Woo .

In late 2006 the album Soundtrack '96 -'06 was released in Italy , a compilation of the hit singles from her ten-year artistic career. The album contains four new songs, three of them in Italian. She sang the song Luce during the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin . Less than six months later, Elisa retired to the studio to work on another international release called Caterpillar , which features many of the songs from Soundtrack '96 -'06 . The album was released on July 20, 2007 in various European countries. The first single ( Stay ) is dedicated to her father.

Elisa as part of the Amiche per l'Abruzzo with Fiorella Mannoia, Laura Pausini, Gianna Nannini and Giorgia

On July 5, 2007 Elisa performed at the Teatro del Silenzio as part of a concert by Andrea Bocelli and sang the song La voce del silenzio with him . On November 16, 2007, the live album "Soundtrack '96 -'06 Live" was released in Italy, which also contains a DVD for a concert on the tour. At the end of 2009 Elisha's first daughter was born, the father was the guitarist Andrea Rigonat, who was also involved in Elisha's next album Heart . It contains titles sung in Italian and English, including a version of the Tears-for-Fears hit Mad World from 1982. In support of the victims of the L'Aquila earthquake , Elisa was also part of the Amiche per l'Abbruzzo (group of 90 Italian singers, including Laura Pausini , Gianna Nannini , Fiorella Mannoia and Giorgia ), who gave a charity concert in San Siro .

The single Nostalgia introduced the next album Ivy in 2010 . In 2012 Elisa was featured on the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained with Ancora qui . On March 20, 2013 Elisa gave birth to her son and in the same year a new album called L'anima vola was released , which was for the first time completely in Italian. In 2014 an asteroid was named after her: (147766) Elisatoffoli .

After an extensive tour, the singer took part in the casting show Amici di Maria De Filippi in 2015 as an expert and was a. a. responsible for the band The Kolors , which won that year. At the end of the year she started work on a new album, which was produced by Curt Schneider . After a guest appearance at the Sanremo Festival 2016 , Elisa released the album On on March 25th, 2016. This year she worked for Amici again, this time together with Emma Marrone .

Discography

Studio albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
year	title	IT	DE	AT	CH	Remarks
1997	Pipes & Flowers	IT9 (35 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2000	Asile's World	IT7 (20 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2001	Asile's World (Sanremo Repackaging)	IT5 (20 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2001	Then comes the sun	IT10 (55 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2003	lotus	IT2 (30 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2004	Pearl Days	IT2 (24 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2005	Pearl Days (2005 edition)	IT16 (25 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Universal
2009	Heart	IT1 × 2 Double platinum (47 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Warner sales: + 140,000
2010	Ivy	IT4th platinum (46 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Warner sales: + 60,000
2012	Un giorno questo dolore ti sarà utile	IT46 (2 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Andrea Guerra & Elisa Soundtrack by You'll see what it's good for
2013	L'anima vola	IT1 × 2 Double platinum (93 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Warner sales: + 100,000
2016	On	IT1 platinum (45 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Warner sales: + 50,000
2018	Diari aperti	IT2 × 2 Double platinum (… Where.)IT	-	-	CH53 (2 weeks) CH	Island / Universal Sales: + 100,000

Live albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
year	title	IT	DE	AT	CH	Remarks
2007	Soundtrack '96 -'06 Live	IT11 (29 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Warner

Compilations

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
year	title	IT	DE	AT	CH	Remarks
2002	Elisa	-	-	-	CH84 (3 weeks) CH	Sony
2006	Soundtrack '96 -'06	IT1 Gold (2011) (94 weeks)IT	-	-	CH58 (10 weeks) CH	Sugar / Warner sales: + 30,000
2007	Caterpillar	IT34 (7 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Sugar / Warner
2017	Soundtrack '97 -'17	IT4th gold (23 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sugar sales: + 25,000

More albums

Dancing (2008)
Steppin 'on Water (2012)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
year	Title album	IT	DE	AT	CH	Remarks
2000	Gift Asile’s World	IT26 (1 week) IT	-	-	-
2001	Luce (tramonti a Nord Est) Asile's World (Sanremo Repackaging)	IT1 Gold (2018) (23 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 50,000
2002	Rainbow Then Comes the Sun	IT5 (17 weeks) IT	-	-	-
	Time Then Comes the Sun	IT46 (2 weeks) IT	-	-	-
	Come speak to me Elisa	-	-	-	CH70 (14 weeks) CH
2003	Almeno tu nell'universo Lotus	IT1 (25 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Cover version, original by Mia Martini
2003	Broken lotus	IT3 (21 weeks) IT	-	-	-
2005	Una poesia anche per te Pearl Days	IT2 (28 weeks) IT	-	-	-
2005	Swan Soundtrack '96 -'06	IT3 (25 weeks) IT	-	-	-
2006	Teach Me Again All the Invisible Children (Soundtrack)	IT1 (23 weeks) IT	DE43 (6 weeks) DE	AT65 (3 weeks) AT	CH41 (4 weeks) CH	feat. Tina Turner
2006	Gli ostacoli del cuore soundtrack '96 -'06	IT- Platinum (2018) IT	-	-	-	download only, number one in the download charts (32 weeks) feat. Ligabue sales: + 50,000
2007	Stay Soundtrack '96 -'06	-	-	-	-	Download only, number 11 in the download charts (22 weeks)
2008	Qualcosa che non c'è soundtrack '96 -'06	IT17 (8 weeks) IT	-	-	-
2009	Ti vorrei sollevare Heart	IT1 × 2 Double platinum (38 weeks)IT	-	-	-	feat. Giuliano Sangiorgi sales: + 60,000
2010	Anche se non trovi le parole Heart	IT33 (9 weeks) IT	-	-	-
	Basta so Casa 69	IT7th platinum (32 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Negramaro with Elisa Sales: + 30,000
	Nostalgia ivy	IT34 (4 weeks) IT	-	-	-
	So do, so see Ivy	IT37 (6 weeks) IT	-	-	-	feat. Fabri Fibra
	Ho messo via Ivy	IT87 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	Cover version, original by Ligabue
2011	Forgiveness ivy	IT51 (1 week) IT	-	-	-
2011	Love Is Requited Steppin 'on Water	IT37 (11 weeks) IT	-	-	-
2012	Eppure sentire (un senso di te) Steppin 'on Water	IT52 platinum (3 weeks)IT	-	-	-	from the soundtrack to Handbuch der Liebe 2 (2007) Sales: + 50,000
2012	Dancing Then Comes the Sun (2001)	IT33 (2 weeks) IT	-	-	-
2013	Ancora qui L'anima vola	IT41 (4 weeks) IT	-	-	-	from the soundtrack to Django Unchained
	L'anima vola L'anima vola	IT2 × 2 Double platinum (34 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 60,000
	Non fa niente ormai L'anima vola	IT18 (4 weeks) IT	-	-	-
	E scopro cos'è la felicità L'anima vola	IT60 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	feat. Tiziano Ferro
	A modo tuo L'anima vola	IT18th × 2 Double platinum (26 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 100,000
2013	Qualcosa che non c'è soundtrack '96 -'06 (2006)	IT92 (1 week) IT	-	-	-
2013	Ecco che L'anima vola	IT22nd gold (13 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 15,000
2014	One	IT54 (2 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Cover version, original by U2
	Un filo di seta negli abissi L'anima vola	IT39 gold (19 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 15,000
	Pagina bianca L'anima vola	IT87 (1 week) IT	-	-	-
	We Are Incurable Romantics Stay Gold	IT29 (7 weeks) IT	-	-	-	Ozark Henry feat. Elisa
2015	La signora del quinto piano # 1522	IT64 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	Carmen Consoli , Elisa, Emma , Irene Grandi , Nada & Gianna Nannini
2016	No Hero On	IT8th × 3 Triple platinum (30 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 150,000
	Sorrido già On	IT51 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	feat. Emma & Giuliano Sangiorgi
	Love Me Forever On	IT86 gold (1 week)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 25,000
	Bruciare per te on	IT93 platinum (3 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 50,000
2017	Ogni istante	IT40 platinum (10 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 50,000
2018	Quelli che restano Diari aperti	IT38 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	Elisa & Francesco De Gregori
2018	Se piovesse il tuo nome Diari aperti	IT4th × 2 Double platinum (33 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 100,000
2019	Also fragile Diari aperti	IT18th platinum (20 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 50,000
	Vivere tutte le vite Diari aperti	IT22nd platinum (26 weeks)IT	-	-	-	with Carl Brave Sales: + 50,000
	Tua per semper Diari aperti	IT88 gold (3 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Sales: + 25,000
	Blu Part II Diari aperti	IT75 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	with Rkomi
2020	Neon - le ali	IT5 gold (20 weeks)IT	-	-	-	with Marracash sales: + 35,000
2020	Andrà tutto bene	IT27 (1 week) IT	-	-	-	feat. Tommaso Paradiso

Guest Posts

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
year	Title album	IT	DE	AT	CH	Remarks
2019	Blu Dove gli tatting non arrivano	IT9 platinum (17 weeks)IT	-	-	-	Rkomi feat. Elisa sales: + 50,000

Web links

Commons : Elisa Toffoli - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Literature by and about Elisa in the catalog of the German National Library
Elisa at Allmusic (English)
Official website
elisatoffoli.de - unofficial German website
Elisa at Rockol.it

supporting documents

↑ (147766) Elisatoffoli in the Small-Body Database of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena , California (English)
↑ ^a ^b ^c
Chart sources (albums):
- Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI album . Lulu , 2013, p. 105 (IT until 2012).
- Albums by Elisa. In: Italiancharts.com. Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (IT from 2000).
- Albums by Elisa. In: Hitparade.ch . Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (CH).
↑ Awards archive . FIMI, accessed June 15, 2020 .
↑ ^a ^b
chart sources (singles):
- Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI Singoli . Lulu, 2013, p. 89 (IT until 2012).
- Archivio classifiche Top Digital. FIMI , accessed on November 13, 2016 (Italian, IT from 2008).
- Elisa. In: Official German charts. GfK Entertainment , accessed on November 13, 2016 (DE).
- Elisa singles. In: Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien, accessed November 13, 2016 (AT).
- Elisa singles. In: Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (CH).
↑ ^a ^b Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI Singoli . Lulu, 2013, p. 174 .
↑ Luca Valtorta: Carmen Consoli per le donne, “la mia canzone contro gli stalker”. In: Repubblica.it . Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso, May 28, 2015, accessed November 13, 2016 (Italian).

personal data
SURNAME	Elisa
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Toffoli, Elisa (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Italian singer and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH	19th December 1977
PLACE OF BIRTH	Trieste , Italy

[1] (147766) Elisatoffoli in the Small-Body Database of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena , California (English)

[Albumcharts-2] Chart sources (albums):

Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI album . Lulu , 2013, p. 105 (IT until 2012).

Albums by Elisa. In: Italiancharts.com. Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (IT from 2000).

Albums by Elisa. In: Hitparade.ch . Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (CH).

[3] Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI album . Lulu , 2013, p. 105 (IT until 2012).

[4] Albums by Elisa. In: Italiancharts.com. Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (IT from 2000).

[5] Albums by Elisa. In: Hitparade.ch . Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (CH).

[certificazioni-3] Awards archive . FIMI, accessed June 15, 2020 .

[Singlecharts-4] rt sources (singles):

Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI Singoli . Lulu, 2013, p. 89 (IT until 2012).

Archivio classifiche Top Digital. FIMI , accessed on November 13, 2016 (Italian, IT from 2008).

Elisa. In: Official German charts. GfK Entertainment , accessed on November 13, 2016 (DE).

Elisa singles. In: Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien, accessed November 13, 2016 (AT).

Elisa singles. In: Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (CH).

[8] Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI Singoli . Lulu, 2013, p. 89 (IT until 2012).

[9] Archivio classifiche Top Digital. FIMI , accessed on November 13, 2016 (Italian, IT from 2008).

[10] Elisa. In: Official German charts. GfK Entertainment , accessed on November 13, 2016 (DE).

[11] Elisa singles. In: Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien, accessed November 13, 2016 (AT).

[12] Elisa singles. In: Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien, accessed on November 13, 2016 (CH).

[Downloadcharts-5] Guido Racca & Chartitalia: Top 100 FIMI Singoli . Lulu, 2013, p. 174 .

[6] Luca Valtorta: Carmen Consoli per le donne, “la mia canzone contro gli stalker”. In: Repubblica.it . Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso, May 28, 2015, accessed November 13, 2016 (Italian).