Gala

Gala Rizzatto, known by her stage name Gala, is an Italian singer and songwriter born on September 6, 1975, in Milan. Her first name was chosen in homage to Gala Dalí, muse of Salvador Dalí. From a young age, she developed an interest in visual arts and photography. At 17, she left Italy to study art in Boston, and later graduated from Tisch School of the Arts in New York. It was in New York that she became immersed in the underground art scene, capturing images of nightlife and emerging artists.

In 1995, she recorded her first single, “Everyone Has Inside,” but her breakthrough came in 1996 with “Freed from Desire,” which became an international hit. The song topped charts across several European countries, earning a diamond certification in France, platinum in the Benelux, and gold in the UK. Her debut album, “Come into My Life” (1997), featured additional hits like “Let a Boy Cry” and the title track, solidifying her status as a dance music star.

After the death of her manager Steve Fargnoli in 2001, Gala returned to New York and in 2004 founded her own label, Matriarchy Records, aimed at supporting female artists. She continued creating music, exploring new sounds, and collaborating with various artists. In 2009, she released the album “Tough Love,” followed by singles such as “Lose Yourself in Me” (2012), “Taste of Me” (2013), and “The Beautiful” (2014).

Gala remains active on the international music scene, performing at major festivals and events. In 2014, she headlined the Winter Olympics ceremony in Sochi, and in 2018, she took part in the “Love the 90s” tour in Spain and performed at the Barcelona Gay Pride. In 2021, she released the single “Parallel Lines,” accompanied by an animated music video in collaboration with Nina Paley.

Today, Gala continues to create and share music, remaining an iconic figure on the European dance scene.