Giuseppa Romeo - aka Giuni Russo - was officially born 10 September 1951 i… Read Full Bio ↴Giuseppa Romeo - aka Giuni Russo - was officially born 10 September 1951 in Sicily, Italy. More likely, her real birthday was 7 September 1951.
Renowed for her amazing vocal range covering almost five octaves, she would blend musical and composing skills with an unique vocal interpretation. The mix of all of these qualities makes Giuni Russo one of the most interesting and unique artists ever in the Italian and international musical scene.
Giuni's family took lyrical music into the utmost consideration. Her mother was a natural soprano,as Giuni herself was. At a very young age, Giuni had her first singing and composing lessons, quickly developing her great natural talents.
In 1967, under the name of Giusy Romeo she won the Castrocaro Festival with the song "A Chi" (an italian cover version of Hurt by Timi Yuro). She was awarded the right to participate to Sanremo Festival, Italy's most important musical event, to be held the following year.
In 1968 she sang "No Amore" - her first single - at the 18th Sanremo Festival. On the same year were released two more singles, including L'onda and I Primi Minuti, the italian cover of Aretha Franklin's "I Say a Little Prayer".
In 1969 Giuni moved to Milan were she was to spend most of her life. There she met Maria Antonietta Sisini, a musician who would share with Giuni the ups and downs of a 36-year rare artistic union and friendship.
In the seventies, Giuni changed her name in Junie Russo and recorded a few tracks for some minor labels.
Her first album, Love is a Woman - with English lyrics - was released in 1975. All the tracks are signed by Giuni and Maria Antonietta Sisini.
In 1978 - for the first time with the name of Giuni Russo - she got good exposure with the single "Soli noi/La chiave", hitting the French market, too.
In the early eighties Giuni's lifelong collaboration with Franco Battiato begins. In a recent interview Franco recalled: "... a natural talent. Amazing! Yes, the first time I heard Giuni sing it was in my home. I was struck with wonder by her vocal strength (...) matched with her musical sensibility. An uncommon feature since if one has a powerful voice often lacks subtlety. She mastered the most refined nuances."
In 1981 Giuni released the fine album Energie, but the big hit came the following year with the single "Un'estate al mare". The song won Giuni the 1982 Festivalbar contest and a huge popularity. The single stayed on the top ten charts for months. On the wave of this success Energie was reissued.
On one hand, the large success brought by "Un'estate al mare" gave Giuni a great popularity, but on the other hand biases the artist's career. It isn't easy to keep a balance between popularity and the musical research and experimentation that are the unvarying elements of Giuni's artistic journey.
The albums released in the following years - Vox (1983), Mediterranea (1984), Giuni (1986) and Album (1987) - display a constant artistic evolution. Giuni was able to blend the easy melodic strike of her many hits (Good good bye, Sere d'agosto, Limonata cha cha cha, Mediterranea, Alghero, Adrenalina) with a truly unique vocal experimentation.
In 1988 the album A casa di Ida Rubinstein marks the end of Giuni's easy pop phase. With uncommon and stunning influences, she performs popular arias and romances by Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi, a repertoire confirming her natural talent for an innovative musical approach. This album made Giuni the first and only representative of borderline music.
The release of A casa di Ida Rubinstein led the artist to tour with important lyrical and cultural associations. In contrast, recording companies look upon Giuni's experimentalism suspiciously and the relationship between them soon grew more and more precarious.
In 1992 Giuni released Amala, an album of greatest hits with two previously unreleased singles - "Amala" and "Alla spiaggia dell’amore".
In 1994 the new album Se fossi più simpatica sarei meno antipatica reached the shop shelves. Based on an imaginative interpretation of a writing of Ettore Petrolini, the album features the single "Fortunello".
Giuni followed an increasingly personal path that led her to collaborate with writers and poets. She read ancient holy texts, while touring a lot and writing new songs. It is during this period of her life that Giuni came in contact with Carmelite spirituality and began to study and appreciate Saint Teresa of Avila, Edith Stain and St. John of the Cross. The writings by these exalted personalities proved to be a constant source of inspiration for her.
In 1997 Giuni was called to work with Giorgio Albertazzi (one of the most popular and renewed italian actors) for the theatrical show Verba Tango. She sang lyrics by Jorges Luis Borges. On the same year the single "Gabbiano" was released, to be followed in the intentions by Gelsomini d'Arabia, a discographic project that never came to be.
In 1998 Giuni releases her first live album Voce Prigioniera.
In 2002, after four years of absence from the recording market and of an intense schedule of live performances, Giuni released Signorina Romeo live. The album is a selection of songs performed live in the preceding years.
2003 was the year of the great comeback to the mass audience. Giuni performed "Morirò d’amore" at the 53rd Sanremo Festival. This song also gave its name to the new album. Irradiazioni was released on CD the same year. It contains singles like "Gabbiano", "Fonti mobili" and the previously unreleased "Voce che grida", along with new versions of Giuni's greatest hits.
At the end of 2003 Demo De Midi was released, featuring fourteen new unreleased tracks from the '80s and the '90s in demo version.
In 2004 Napoli che canta, a suite for Roberto Leone Roberti's film (1926) was released on CD and DVD.
The night between 13 and 14 September 2004, Giuni Russo died at her home in Milan. Her last wish was to be buried at the Carmelite nuns' cemetery.
Renowed for her amazing vocal range covering almost five octaves, she would blend musical and composing skills with an unique vocal interpretation. The mix of all of these qualities makes Giuni Russo one of the most interesting and unique artists ever in the Italian and international musical scene.
Giuni's family took lyrical music into the utmost consideration. Her mother was a natural soprano,as Giuni herself was. At a very young age, Giuni had her first singing and composing lessons, quickly developing her great natural talents.
In 1967, under the name of Giusy Romeo she won the Castrocaro Festival with the song "A Chi" (an italian cover version of Hurt by Timi Yuro). She was awarded the right to participate to Sanremo Festival, Italy's most important musical event, to be held the following year.
In 1968 she sang "No Amore" - her first single - at the 18th Sanremo Festival. On the same year were released two more singles, including L'onda and I Primi Minuti, the italian cover of Aretha Franklin's "I Say a Little Prayer".
In 1969 Giuni moved to Milan were she was to spend most of her life. There she met Maria Antonietta Sisini, a musician who would share with Giuni the ups and downs of a 36-year rare artistic union and friendship.
In the seventies, Giuni changed her name in Junie Russo and recorded a few tracks for some minor labels.
Her first album, Love is a Woman - with English lyrics - was released in 1975. All the tracks are signed by Giuni and Maria Antonietta Sisini.
In 1978 - for the first time with the name of Giuni Russo - she got good exposure with the single "Soli noi/La chiave", hitting the French market, too.
In the early eighties Giuni's lifelong collaboration with Franco Battiato begins. In a recent interview Franco recalled: "... a natural talent. Amazing! Yes, the first time I heard Giuni sing it was in my home. I was struck with wonder by her vocal strength (...) matched with her musical sensibility. An uncommon feature since if one has a powerful voice often lacks subtlety. She mastered the most refined nuances."
In 1981 Giuni released the fine album Energie, but the big hit came the following year with the single "Un'estate al mare". The song won Giuni the 1982 Festivalbar contest and a huge popularity. The single stayed on the top ten charts for months. On the wave of this success Energie was reissued.
On one hand, the large success brought by "Un'estate al mare" gave Giuni a great popularity, but on the other hand biases the artist's career. It isn't easy to keep a balance between popularity and the musical research and experimentation that are the unvarying elements of Giuni's artistic journey.
The albums released in the following years - Vox (1983), Mediterranea (1984), Giuni (1986) and Album (1987) - display a constant artistic evolution. Giuni was able to blend the easy melodic strike of her many hits (Good good bye, Sere d'agosto, Limonata cha cha cha, Mediterranea, Alghero, Adrenalina) with a truly unique vocal experimentation.
In 1988 the album A casa di Ida Rubinstein marks the end of Giuni's easy pop phase. With uncommon and stunning influences, she performs popular arias and romances by Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi, a repertoire confirming her natural talent for an innovative musical approach. This album made Giuni the first and only representative of borderline music.
The release of A casa di Ida Rubinstein led the artist to tour with important lyrical and cultural associations. In contrast, recording companies look upon Giuni's experimentalism suspiciously and the relationship between them soon grew more and more precarious.
In 1992 Giuni released Amala, an album of greatest hits with two previously unreleased singles - "Amala" and "Alla spiaggia dell’amore".
In 1994 the new album Se fossi più simpatica sarei meno antipatica reached the shop shelves. Based on an imaginative interpretation of a writing of Ettore Petrolini, the album features the single "Fortunello".
Giuni followed an increasingly personal path that led her to collaborate with writers and poets. She read ancient holy texts, while touring a lot and writing new songs. It is during this period of her life that Giuni came in contact with Carmelite spirituality and began to study and appreciate Saint Teresa of Avila, Edith Stain and St. John of the Cross. The writings by these exalted personalities proved to be a constant source of inspiration for her.
In 1997 Giuni was called to work with Giorgio Albertazzi (one of the most popular and renewed italian actors) for the theatrical show Verba Tango. She sang lyrics by Jorges Luis Borges. On the same year the single "Gabbiano" was released, to be followed in the intentions by Gelsomini d'Arabia, a discographic project that never came to be.
In 1998 Giuni releases her first live album Voce Prigioniera.
In 2002, after four years of absence from the recording market and of an intense schedule of live performances, Giuni released Signorina Romeo live. The album is a selection of songs performed live in the preceding years.
2003 was the year of the great comeback to the mass audience. Giuni performed "Morirò d’amore" at the 53rd Sanremo Festival. This song also gave its name to the new album. Irradiazioni was released on CD the same year. It contains singles like "Gabbiano", "Fonti mobili" and the previously unreleased "Voce che grida", along with new versions of Giuni's greatest hits.
At the end of 2003 Demo De Midi was released, featuring fourteen new unreleased tracks from the '80s and the '90s in demo version.
In 2004 Napoli che canta, a suite for Roberto Leone Roberti's film (1926) was released on CD and DVD.
The night between 13 and 14 September 2004, Giuni Russo died at her home in Milan. Her last wish was to be buried at the Carmelite nuns' cemetery.
Sakura
Giuni Russo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sakura, sakura
Yayoi no sora wa, miwatasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka, nioi zo izuru
Izaya izaya mi ni ikan
Yayoi no sora wa, miwatasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka, nioi zo izuru
Izaya izaya mi ni ikan
Giuni Russo's song Sakura is a beautiful homage to the Japanese cherry blossom flowers, which arrive each spring in Japan. Sakura, sakura is the opening line of the song, and it translates to cherry blossom, cherry blossom. The subsequent lines describe the magnificent view of the cherry blossom flowers in full bloom in the spring sky, with mist or clouds surrounding them, creating a dreamlike and enchanting atmosphere. The last line, izaya izaya mi ni ikan, is open to interpretation, but it can be interpreted as an invitation or a call to the viewer to come and see the cherry blossom flowers for themselves.
The lyrics of Sakura are simple yet profound, as they capture the beauty and essence of the Japanese spring landscape. The song is a tribute to the Japanese culture, which values nature and observes the changing of seasons. It is a reminder that the beauty of the world is there for us to admire and cherish.
Line by Line Meaning
Sakura, sakura
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms
Yayoi no sora wa, miwatasu kagiri
The spring sky as far as the eye can see
Kasumi ka kumo ka, nioi zo izuru
Is either misty or hazy with a subtle fragrance
Izaya izaya mi ni ikan
Going deeper and deeper into its beauty
Contributed by Alex J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Roberto Cevenini
Ma cantanti di m......a in giapponese mai sentiti invece questa creatura figĺia prediletta di Dio mandatasulla terra
Ma andata sulla terra per stupirci nessuno come lei più grande di lei nessun0
Silvana Licursi Official Channel
Ho imparato questa dolcissima canzone a Kyoto, anni fa. Lei la canta in maniera perfetta, rispettandone la delicatezza e l'armonia. Voce stupenda, musicalità eccezionale.
田村哲也
I have been one of your fans since I heard "Johnny Guitar", I think that was several years ago. I would like to express special thanks to that, this time I have luckily found that you are singing a traditional Japanese song "Sakura, Sakura", with your extraordinary beautiful voice. Please keep it up with your beautiful voice and let it hear many people and make them happier. Niko from Japan
Robby Kappa
Canzone simbolo del Giappone...la MAGICA GIUNI l'ha resa semplicemente MERAVIGLIOSA!
Arigato gosaimasu Giuni!
Manou Salgosses
Questa donna era un'aliena. Genio assoluto, divina.
silvia58able
grandissima Giuni, non avevo mai sentito questa canzone, emozionante!
Giorgio
Meravigliosa,Unica, voce internazionale che non abbiamo colto in pieno. Cara Giuni che Dio ti accolga nel suo Regno.Ti amo e ti amero per sempre.
75pablo
Giuni, ti ascolto ogni giorno!.....se la bellezza salverà il mondo, grazie a te sono a buon punto.... Magnifico pezzo, non lo conoscevo... Grazie!
Ena Enita
Bellissima bellissima canzone.,.. grazie Giuni
Ercole Marino
in questo triste periodo per il Giappone l'ho ascoltata spesso....
Fuyuko520
最初の詩が欠け… けど、本当にいいですよ、好きです。 ルッソさんが素敵な声を持ってました、ちょっと羨ましいね ^^