Iolanda Gigliotti

After winning Miss Egypt in 1954, she moved to Paris, where she launched her music career in 1956 with the hit "Bambino." That song made her one of the best-selling artists in French music history. She recorded in more than ten languages, including French, Italian, Arabic, German, Spanish, and English, and sold over 170 million records worldwide. Her voice was powerful and emotional, and her style dramatic; classics like "Paroles... Paroles..." (with Alain Delon), "Il venait d'avoir 18 ans," "J'attendrai," "Ciao amore ciao," and "Je suis malade" became timeless. She was a trailblazer, winning the first Oscar Mondial du Succès du Disque in 1958, and she starred in films, including The Sixth Day. She embraced fashion and glamour, and her persona influenced generations.

Her life included both triumph and deep personal tragedy. The suicides of loved ones, such as Luigi Tenco in 1967, contributed to her struggles with depression. On May 3, 1987, at the age of 54, she died by suicide in Paris, leaving a note saying life had become unbearable. She is buried in Montmartre Cemetery, and a bust of her stands at Place Dalida in Montmartre. Her legacy endures as one of the greatest voices in European music, melancholy yet vibrant, and still beloved, kept alive through tributes, the 2017 film Dalida, and her music. She was Egyptian.