Gianna Nannini was born in Siena, Tuscany. She has two brothers, Guido (b. 1951) and Alessandro (b. 1961). After school, she studied piano at the "Luigi Boccherini" University in Lucca. In 1975, she moved to Milan, where she studied composing and philosophy. The following year, she published her first record "Gianna Nannini". Her album "California", released in 1980, was inspired by a trip to the US. One year later, she composed the soundtrack for Luciano Manuzzi's Sconcerto Rock (1982). She became one of Italy's most successful singers in the 1980s, which gave her the opportunity to record the official song for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, "Un' Estate Italiana". In December 1994, she graduated in philosophy from the University of Siena. Her last album "Grazie" was released in February 2006 and became the best selling of her career in her native Italy.