Carmen Consoli

Biography

Carmen Carla Consoli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkarmeŋ ˈkɔnsoli]; born 4 September 1974) is an Italian singer-songwriter. Described as 'a remarkable combination of rocker and intellectual', she has released 11 studio albums, one greatest hits, one soundtrack album, two live albums, four video album and 33 singles, selling 2 million copies in Italy, certified by M&D and FIMI with a multiplatinum disc, 11 platinum and two gold certifications.
She entered the Sanremo Music Festival three times, and during her career won a Premio Tenco, a Targa Tenco, a Lunezia Award, seven Italian, Wind & Music Awards, a Telegatto, a David di Donatello, and two Nastri d'Argento, as well as several other awards. In 2012 Consoli has been appointed as a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Early life

Carmen Consoli was born in Catania, Sicily, to a Sicilian father, Giuseppe Consoli, and a Venetian mother, Maria Rosa Toffolo, and grew up in the small town of San Giovanni la Punta. She started playing guitar at the age of nine and at fourteen she started performing with a rock-blues band, the Moon Dog's Party.

1990s

Consoli served as backing vocalist in the 1991 Caftua album One Day and in the 1994 Lula album Da dentro. In 1995, during a trip in Rome, she made her first television appearance, performing the song "L'isola del tesoro" (later released as "Novembre '99" in the album Stato di necessità×Stato di necessità20 February 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Bambina impertinente3:392Stato di necessità4:103Parole di burro4:054Novembre '99 (L'isola del tesoro)3:495In bianco e nero3:376L'ultimo bacio3:267Il sultano (della kianca)4:028Amado Señor3:349L'epilogo3:5910Orfeo4:1811Equilibrio precario3:5912Non volermi male26:20) in the Rai 3 Michele Santoro's talk show Tempo reale. Returning to Catania, she was chosen by producer Francesco Virlinzi as the vocalist of a rock group which never materialized and whose name was an homage to Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Big Brothers (and the Katanise Company)"; while the project was eventually scrapped, the other two members of the band Massimo Roccaforte and Salvo Distefano became longtime collaborators of Consoli. The same year she was among the winners of Sanremo Giovani, a televised competition aimed at selecting the contestants of the Sanremo Music Festival newcomers section, with her first single "Quello che sento". In 1996, she entered the 46th Sanremo Festival with the song "Amore di plastica×Amore di plastica1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Amore di plastica4:082Quello che sento3:41", and released her debut album, Due Parole×Due parole1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Amore di plastica4:062Questa notte una lucciola illumina la mia finestra2:533Sulla mia pelle3:034Posso essere felice3:175Lingua a sonagli2:456Non ti ho mai chiesto4:057Vorrei dire3:318La stonato3:169Nell'apparenza3:5910La semplicità3:1711Quello che sento3:4412Fino a quando4:16.
Her next album, Confusa e felice×Confusa e felice1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Bonsai #11:022Uguale a ieri3:593Diversi3:544Confusa e felice3:385Fidarmi delle tue carezze3:336Un sorso in più3:557Venere3:518Per niente stanca4:269Fino all'ultimo5:0410Blunotte4:0611La bellezza delle cose4:0412Bonsai #21:01 (1997) was a critical and commercial success, selling over 130,000 copies. The same year, she got awarded the Premio italiano della musica award as revelation of the year and she embarked on her first tour. In September 2007 she was for a week the host of the program So 90's on MTV.
In 1998, she released her third album, Mediamente isterica×Mediamente isterica29 October 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Bésame Giuda3:512Bésame mucho0:283Puramente casuale3:354Sentivo l'odore4:405Autunno dolciastro5:326Ennesima eclisse4:037In funzione di nessuna logica3:078Geisha2:399Eco di sirene4:4310Quattordici luglio5:0311Anello mancante3:4912Contessa miseria3:3913L'ultima preghiera4:17, a concept album representing different kind of female figures. This album was successful but not as much as her previous work, selling over 80,000 copies. Between December 1998 and February 1999, she was a regular guest of the Italia 1 variety show Comici.

2000s

In 2000, she took part in the Sanremo Music Festival for the third time with the song "In bianco e nero×In bianco e nero2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1In bianco e nero3:482Non volermi male4:303L'animale3:51", leading song of her fourth album Stato di necessità×Stato di necessità20 February 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Bambina impertinente3:392Stato di necessità4:103Parole di burro4:054Novembre '99 (L'isola del tesoro)3:495In bianco e nero3:376L'ultimo bacio3:267Il sultano (della kianca)4:028Amado Señor3:349L'epilogo3:5910Orfeo4:1811Equilibrio precario3:5912Non volermi male26:20. The album also includes two of Carmen's best known songs, "Parole di burro" and "L'ultimo bacio", the latter becoming the theme song of the film with the same name by Gabriele Muccino.
Stato di necessità became her most successful album, selling more than 300,000 copies in the first year. The same year, Consoli won two Italian Music Awards and a Nastro d'Argento Award.
In 2001, she held a summer tour with Paola Turci and Max Gazzè. The same year, she released her first live album, L'anfiteatro e la bambina impertinente×L'anfiteatro e la bambina impertinente2001 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Per niente stanca5:212Parole di burro3:553Venere4:344Blunotte4:165Geisha3:136L'ultimo bacio3:507In bianco e nero4:198Confusa e felice4:189Equilibrio precario3:4310Bonsai #21:1011Amore di plastica3:5612In funzione di nessuna logica3:2613Amado mio2:1614Quattordici luglio4:0415Contessa miseria4:47. The album presents Consoli's greatest hits rearranged with an orchestra of sixty elements conducted by Paolo Buonvino.
A year later, she released her fifth studio album, L'eccezione×L'eccezione2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Pioggia d'aprile3:252L'eccezione3:133Mulini a vento3:454Fiori d'arancio3:345Matilde odiava i gatti3:206Uva acerba3:407Moderato in re minore4:208Masino1:349L'alleanza3:1410Venti del nord3:4411Eppur si muove3:2312Carmen7:21. The album debuted at number 1 in the Italian album charts, selling more than 200,000 copies. The same year she founded a label, Due Parole, with the aim of supporting indie musicians. In 2003, thanks to the album's lyrics, she won a literary award, a special Grinzane Cavour Prize, and was awarded female artist of the year at the Italian Music Awards.
2003 also saw the release of her second live album, Un sorso in più – dal vivo a MTV Supersonic, published with the collaboration of MTV Italy. The album was recorded at MTV's program Supersonic the year before, when Carmen presented to the public L'eccezione. In 2004, she held her first tour in the United States, also performing at South by Southwest.
In 2006, her sixth studio album Eva contro Eva×Eva contro Eva12 May 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Tutto su Eva6:102Maria Catena4:153La dolce attesa4:194Sulle rive di Morfeo4:355Il pendio dell'abbandono3:196Preghiera in gola3:557Piccolo Cesare4:478Madre Terra3:559Signor Tentenna4:3410Il sorriso di Atlantide4:09 was released. Debuting at number 1, the album showed a new perspective of Consoli's music, this time enriched with traditional Sicilian sounds and ethnic influences. The album contains collaborations with Goran Bregovic and Angelique Kidjo. The same year, she recorded a successful duet with Franco Battiato, "Tutto l'universo obbedisce all'amore", for Battiato's album Fleurs 2. After a series of concerts through Europe, Canada and the United States Eva contro Eva was published in 2007 in the United States through Universal Latino. The same year, she composed the music of "Anna Magnani", with lyrics by Vincenzo Cerami, for the Adriano Celentano's album Dormi amore, la situazione non è buona.
In 2008, Consoli's third album Mediamente isterica×Mediamente isterica29 October 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Bésame Giuda3:512Bésame mucho0:283Puramente casuale3:354Sentivo l'odore4:405Autunno dolciastro5:326Ennesima eclisse4:037In funzione di nessuna logica3:078Geisha2:399Eco di sirene4:4310Quattordici luglio5:0311Anello mancante3:4912Contessa miseria3:3913L'ultima preghiera4:17 was celebrated through a "Deluxe Edition" and a new tour. The same year she composed the original soundtrack for the film The Man Who Loves, directed by Maria Sole Tognazzi and starring Monica Bellucci, Pierfrancesco Favino and Ksenia Rappoport. Still in 2008, she recorded "L'appuntamento" in a duet with Ornella Vanoni for Vanoni's album Più di me.
Her seventh studio album Elettra×Elettra30 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Mandaci una cartolina3:402Perturbazione atlantica3:363Non molto lontano da qui3:494Mio zio3:185Sud est3:326Marie ti amiamo3:147'A finestra4:478Col nome giusto3:429Elettra4:2710Ventunodieciduemilatrenta4:01 was released on 30 October 2009, including first single "Non molto lontano da qui" and debuting at number 2 in the FIMI Italian Album Charts.
The album sold in Italy more than 60,000 copies gaining platinum status; thanks to it, Consoli was the first female artist to win the Targa Tenco in the "Album of the Year" category. The same year, she took part to the charity single "Domani 21/04.09".

2010s

In November 2010, Consoli released her first "best of" album, Per niente stanca×Per niente stanca16 November 2010 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 40 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Guarda l'alba3:352Fiori d'arancio3:363L'ultimo bacio3:254Mio zio3:165Eco di sirene4:466Blunotte4:057Bésame Giuda3:458Bésame mucho0:339Maria Catena4:1710In bianco e nero3:3711Tutto l'universo obbedisce all'amore (versione Consoli)3:2712Mandaci una cartolina3:3913Questa notte una lucciola illumina la mia finestra2:5014Un sorso in più3:5715Il pendio dell'abbandono3:1816Non molto lontano da qui3:4717Puramente casuale3:4218L'eccezione3:1219Tutto su Eva6:1020I Can't Get You Out of My Head3:27Disc 21AAA cercasi3:422Parole di burro4:053Contessa miseria3:504Quello che sento3:405Pioggia d'aprile3:246Senza farsi male3:317Matilde odiava i gatti3:238Confusa e felice3:409Madre terra3:5510Amore di plastica4:0711Anna Magnani (versione Consoli)4:0712Venere3:5513Quattordici luglio5:1714'A finestra4:4815Lingua a sonagli2:4316Bonsai #20:5917Orfeo4:1618Signor Tentenna4:3319Fino all'ultimo5:0620Je suis venue te dire que je m'en vais2:57; the album was anticipated by the single "Guarda l'alba×Guarda L'Alba1 January 2010 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Guarda L'Alba3:34", a collaboration with Tiziano Ferro. The second new song of the album, "AAA Cercasi", was released as a single in January 2011. The album debuted at the sixth place in the Italian Album Charts. In July 2011 she published her first video collection, which includes all her videos from 1996 to 2011 plus some extras.
In November 2014, Consoli released the single "L'abitudine di tornare×L'abitudine di tornare20 January 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1L'abitudine di tornare3:332Ottobre4:193Esercito silente4:584Sintonia imperfetta3:385La signora del quinto piano4:576Oceani deserti3:497E forse un giorno4:318San Valentino3:389La notte più lunga4:0910Questa piccola magia4:13", anticipating the album with the same name, released in January 2015. The album debuted at third place in the Italian Album Charts. The same year, she performed at Meltdown Festival. In 2016, she recorded with Tiziano Ferro the triple platinum single "Il conforto". The same year, she was named "maestro concertatore" (musical director) at Notte della Taranta, being the first woman to held this role. In 2017, she voiced Emma in the Italian version of the animated film Monster Family and performed the closing credits song with Max Gazzè.
In 2018, Consoli released a new live album, Eco di sirene×Eco di sirene13 April 2018 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Uomini topo3:362Parole di burro4:363Mio zio3:374Mandaci una cartolina3:505Pioggia d'aprile3:396L'ultimo bacio3:287AAA cercasi3:508Eco di sirene4:309Sulle rive di Morfeo4:1910L'eccezione3:4111Amore di plastica3:25Disc 21Tano4:092Fiori d'arancio4:073Perturbazione atlantica4:114'A finestra4:505In bianco e nero4:376Maria Catena4:357La notte più lunga4:048Il sorriso di Atlantide4:239Blunotte4:2610Sud Est3:5511Venere4:09, which debuted at the second place in the Italian hit parade.

2020s

In 2020, she was chosen as the Italian performer for the song "Loyal Brave True", part of the Mulan soundtrack.
On 25 August 2021, Consoli held an anniversary concert at the Verona Arena for her first 25 years of career; originally planned for 2020 and postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had among its guests Ornella Vanoni, Elisa, Nada, Max Gazzè, Daniele Silvestri, Afterhours, Irene Grandi, Levante, Colapesce & Dimartino, Samuele Bersani, Marina Rei, Mario Venuti, Tosca, and Finaz. In September 2021, she released her ninth studio album, Volevo fare la rockstar×Volevo fare la rockstar24 September 2021 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Sta succedendo3:312L'aquilone4:063Una domenica al mare4:334Mago Magone3:535Le cose di sempre3:556Qualcosa di me che non ti aspetti4:007Armonie numeriche4:488Imparare dagli alberi a camminare4:399L'uomo nero4:0610Volevo fare la rockstar6:54, which debuted at the second place in the Italian Album Chart, and first on the Italian Vinyl Chart. Following the album release, she started a Volevo fare la rockstar Tour, with Marina Rei as a guest.
In June 2023, Consoli performed at Womad, being the first Italian female artist to perform at the festival. In August 2023, Consoli made a three-date mini-tour together with Elvis Costello, a project the two had originally planned in 2012 but that at the time had been shelved due to Consoli's pregnancy. The same year, she received a Premio Tenco for her career.
In 2024, Consoli made her acting debut in Tutto l'amore che ho, a Rosa Balistreri biopic in which she also served as composer; the film premiered at the 42nd Torino Film Festival and was released in Italian cinemas in May 2025. For her score she received a Nastro d'Argento nomination. A soundtrack album, L'amuri ca v'haju, was released on 8 May 2025. In October 2025, she released an album in Sicilian language, Amuri Luci×Amuri luci3 October 2025 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Amuri luci3:532Unni t’ha fattu ‘a stati3:213La terra di hamdis4:024Mamma tedesca4:4153 oru 3 oru3:506Bonsai #30:467Γαλάτεια (Galáteia)3:448Parru cu tia5:059Comu veni veni4:3410Qual sete voi?3:1511Nimici di l’arma mia4:11. The album won the 2026 Targa Tenco for best album in dialect.

Personal life

Since 2006, Consoli is a Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
In November 2012, she was bestowed the title of Cavaliere (Knight) of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. Consoli has a son, Carlo, conceived through artificial insemination.

Studio albums

1996 Due parole (15,000 copies)
1997 Confusa e felice No. 6 ITA (130,000 copies), Platinum
1998 Mediamente isterica No. 4 ITA (80,000 copies), Platinum
2000 Stato di necessità No. 6 ITA (300,000 copies), 3× Platinum
2002 L'eccezione No. 1 ITA (200,000 copies), 2× Platinum
2006 Eva contro Eva No. 1 ITA No. 85 CH (80,000 copies), Platinum
2008 Mediamente isterica Deluxe - Anniversary Edition No. 22 ITA (11,000 copies)
2009 Elettra No. 2 ITA (80,000 copies), Platinum
2015 L'abitudine di tornare No. 3 ITA
2021 Volevo fare la rockstar No. 2 ITA
2025 Amuri luci No. 17 ITA

Greatest hits albums

2010 Per niente stanca No. 6 ITA (40,000 copies), Platinum
2017 The Platinum Collection

Live albums

2001 L'anfiteatro e la bambina impertinente No. 6 ITA (200,000 copies), 2× Platinum
2003 Un sorso in più – Dal vivo a MTV Supersonic No. 18 ITALIA
2018 Eco di sirene No. 2 ITA

International albums

2001 État de necessité – French version of Stato di necessità
2002/2003 Carmen Consoli – English version of L'Eccezione
2007 Eva contro Eva – Published in the United States by Universal Latino (in Italian)

Soundtracks

2008 L'uomo che ama
2025 L’amuri ca v’haju

Singles

1995 Quello che sento
1996 Amore di plastica
1996 Questa notte una lucciola illumina la mia finestra
1996 Lingua a sonagli
1997 Confusa e felice No. 3 ITA
1997 Venere
1997 Uguale a ieri
1998 Mai come ieri feat. Mario Venuti
1998 Bésame Giuda
1998 Puramente casuale
1999 Eco di sirene
1999 Autunno dolciastro
2000 In bianco e nero No. 10 ITA
2000 Parole di burro No. 4 ITA
2000 Orfeo
2001 L'ultimo bacio
2001 Gamine impertinente (France)
2002 L'eccezione No. 4 ITA
2003 Pioggia d'aprile – Gold Certification (15.000 copies)
2003 April Showers (Germany and Spain)
2003 Fiori d'arancio
2006 Signor Tentenna
2006 Tutto su Eva
2009 Domani – Artisti Uniti per l'Abruzzo No. 1 ITA – Multiplatinum Certification (562.000 copies)
2009 Non molto lontano da qui
2010 Mandaci una cartolina
2010 'A finestra
2010 Guarda l'alba No. 20 ITA
2011 AAA Cercasi No. 46 ITA
2015 L'abitudine di tornare
2015 Sintonia imperfetta
2015 Ottobre
2017 Il Conforto (Tiziano Ferro feat. Carmen Consoli) No. 4 ITA

DVDs

2001 L'anfiteatro e la bambina impertinente
2008 Eva contro Eva No. 2 ITA
2009 Amiche per l'Abruzzo No. 1 ITA (250.000 copies)
2011 Per niente stanca – Video Collection No. 7 ITA

Videos

1996 Amore di plastica
1996 Lingua a sonagli
1998 Mai come ieri feat. Mario Venuti
1998 Bésame Giuda
1999 Eco di sirene
1999 Autunno dolciastro
2000 Parole di burro
2001 L'ultimo bacio
2002 L'eccezione
2003 Pioggia d'aprile
2003 Fiori d'arancio
2006 Signor Tentenna
2006 Tutto su Eva
2009 Non molto lontano da qui
2010 Guarda l'alba
2011 AAA cercasi
2015 L'abitudine di tornare
2015 Sintonia imperfetta
2015 Ottobre
2017 Il conforto (Tiziano Ferro feat. Carmen Consoli)