- She is an Italian by birth, became a German through her marriage to her first husband Erik van Aro, is now a French Citizen. She is considered a true world citizen and a polyglot speaking 6 languages fluently and having recorded and released more than 1350 songs in 12 different languages.
- Performed with many international superstars such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Benny Goodman. She was a frequent guest on TV shows in the 1960s and 1970s, especially on The Dean Martin Show (1965).
- She enjoyed an international hit in 1955 with the song "The Breeze and I".
- Younger sister of the late Silvio Francesco. They made many records together, and he was a frequent guest and musical director in her stage as well as TV-shows.
- Received an Echo Award for her lifetime achievements in 2002.
- Her top ten hits in Germany include "Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe" (german version of Cole Porters 'I love Paris' and 'Wo meine Sonne scheint' (german version of 'Island in the sun' Top ten hits in Italy include 'Till', 'Personalità', 'Nessuno al mondo', 'Metà di me' Top ten hits in France include '39 de fievre' (French version of 'fever'), 'Bim Bom Bey' received French record academy award as best recording, 'Sait on jamais'.
- Platin Romy in Austria 1998 Life time achievement.
- Fame Award 1965 in the USA as best female singer on TV
- Became one of the first European female singers to ever perform a rock and roll song in a movie when she sang a duet with Bill Haley in Hier bin ich - hier bleib' ich (1959).
- Sister of actor/musician 'Pietro Valente' and Mother of singer 'Eric van Aro'.
- Daughter of Giuseppe Valente, a well-known accordion player, and Maria Valente, a musical clown.
- Premio Gabardi 2004 Life time achievement in Italy
- 3 Bambi Awards in Germany for Life time achievement
- Officer of Artistic Education 1972 in France
- Goldene Kamera 1966 in Germany
- Cross of merit 1968 and Grand Cross of merit 1985 in Germany
- The O Globo in Brazil
- Euro Premio 1964/1965
- Once died on stage in Mexico when absent mindedly she did the show in French.
- Started singing when 4.
- Speaks 6 languages and sings in 12.
- In 1958, she recorded the French song "C'est si bon" which was written in 1947 by Henri Betti (music) and André Hornez (lyrics). The song was recorded with Kurt Edelhagen and his Orchestra. In 1968, she recorded the song a second time but with Heinz Kiessling and his Orchestra.
- In 2019, her hit song from 1959, "Bongo cha cha cha" was included in the soundtrack of Spider-Man: Far from Home, directed by Jon Watts, becoming viral and risen to new popularity. In 2021, the song went viral on social media platform TikTok, thanks to its use for a trend that has collected over 250 million views, started from Latin countries and South America, and then popularized also in Italy and Germany.
- A briglia sciolta, the Italian jazz CD recorded in 1989 and re-released in later years under the titles Fantastica and Platinum deluxe, was her best-selling CD worldwide.
- In 1970, she appeared in the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium singing "Before the Parade Passes By" and "The Breeze and I".
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content