Toto Cutugno died at 4 p.m. on Tuesday August 22, 2020 at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. As he fought against “a long illness” the singer’s condition has worsened in recent months, his manager, Danilo Mancuso, told the Italian press agency ANSA. The Italian author, composer and performer was 80 years old. Born July 7, 1943, real name Salvatore Cutugno embodied Italian music, and was a notorious figure in its export abroad. Indeed, Toto Cutugno gave international influence to the music of his country when he won Eurovision in 1990 with his title Insieme: 1992, a piece on Europe. He was the second Italian singer to win the European singing competition, and confirmed its status as a symbol of Italian culture. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also paid special tribute to him on social networks a few moments after the announcement of his death. “Goodbye to Toto Cutugno, a real Italian”, wrote the head of government on X.
The disappearance of an icon
Toto Cutugno was a monument in Italy, but he was also very famous internationally. The artist first became known for his title The Italianoreleased in 1983. A real success, especially in France where it rose to the rank of second most listened to song during the month of July 1983. In 2005, the singer had already sold nearly 95 million records all over the world… And when he was not singing, he was composing for others, and not the least: Let me dance by Dalida, Singing by Michel Sardou behind the love by Johnny Hallyday Indian summer by Joe Dassin, are all hits of which he was notably at the origin. Without forgetting artists like Mireille Mathieu, Gérard Lenorman, Ringo, or the singer Sheila, decorated with the Legion of Honor, with whom he also worked.