Ornella Vanoni, one of Italy’s most iconic singers, has died at 91 at her home in Milan after cardiac arrest. Known as “The Lady of Italian Song,” she recorded more than 100 albums and sold over 55 million records. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mourned her on X, calling her voice “unmistakable” and her legacy “an unrepeatable artistic heritage.”

Born in Milan in 1934, Vanoni first studied theater in Switzerland, Britain, and France. She once wrote, “There are birth dates that are not recorded in paperwork but which are, instead, the days when you finally become who you really are,” describing the fear she felt before her debut at Milan’s Piccolo Teatro. Though she loved acting, music soon became her path. Her partnership—both professional and romantic—with Gino Paoli led to her breakout hit Senza Fine in 1961.

Vanoni became known for her bold versatility, moving from songs about Milan’s underworld to refined pop and jazz. Her classic L’appuntamento reached a new generation when it appeared in Ocean’s Twelve. She also worked in film, TV, and theater, and in 1977 posed for Playboy.

Her personal life was just as vivid. She married Lucio Ardenzi and had one son but later admitted, “I never truly loved him.” In her memoir, she described herself as “one of those women. Women on fire… desperate and happy, alone and celebrated.”

Even late in life, she remained admired by artists and designers like Versace, Armani, and Valentino. Her final wish summed up her spirit: “The coffin should be cheap because I want to be cremated. Then throw me in the sea, maybe in Venice. I have the dress. It’s by Dior.”