NICOSIA – Ornella Vanoni, the cherished singer renowned for her international hits like “Senza Fine” and “L’appuntamento,” has passed away at the age of 91 after a remarkable seven-decade career.

On Saturday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni conveyed her profound grief over Vanoni’s passing in a statement on X, highlighting the singer’s “distinctive voice” that has left an enduring mark on Italian culture. Meloni remarked, “Italy bids farewell to a singular artist whose artistic legacy is unmatched.”

According to La Stampa, Vanoni succumbed to cardiac arrest at her residence in Milan.

Vanoni’s illustrious career saw her release over 100 albums, amassing sales exceeding 55 million copies. This achievement solidified her status as an icon across multiple generations of admirers, earning her the title “The Lady of Italian Song,” as reported by LaPresse.

Born in Milan in 1937, Vanoni initially pursued her passion for theater, eventually gracing the Broadway stage in 1964. However, her love for music, coupled with what LaPresse described as a “unique and sophisticated performing style” spanning genres from jazz to pop, led her to collaborate with prominent songwriters both in Italy and internationally.

Vanoni’s partnership — and love affair — with famed Genovese singer-songwriter Gino Paoli produced the hit “Senza Fine” (Without End), which shot her onto the international stage in 1961.

Her later collaborations spanned a range of artistic talent including Gil Evans, Herbie Hancock and George Benson, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

Vanoni excelled in numerous prestigious music festival awards in Italy, including the country’s most popular Sanremo Music Festival in which she participated eight times, earning second place in 1968 with the song “Casa Bianca.”

Her talent extended into songwriting which was recognized when she twice won the prestigious Tenco Award — the only Italian singer to be awarded the prize as a songwriter and the only woman to have won it twice.

ANSA said Vanoni was much sought-after as a guest on television programs in her later years because of her unpredictable nature, the vast wealth of anecdotes she shared and her “complete indifference to political correctness.”