Antonella Ruggiero is an Italian singer, mostly known as the founder and former lead singer of Matia Bazar, from 1975 until 1990.
Antonella Ruggiero in Moscow in May 2015
Matia Bazar is an Italian pop band formed in Genoa in 1975. The original members of the group were Piero Cassano (keyboards), Aldo Stellita (bass), Carlo Marrale, Giancarlo Golzi (drums) and Antonella Ruggiero (vocals). They represented Italy in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest with a song called "Raggio di luna". They are known for the quality of their female vocalists: after Antonella Ruggiero, Laura Valente, Silvia Mezzanotte, Roberta Faccani and currently Luna Dragonieri.
Their major hits were Solo tu (1978), Vacanze Romane (1982), Souvenir (1985) and Ti Sento (1985), which peaked on the charts in Belgium, Netherlands and Italy.
Matia Bazar performing in June 2007, from left to right: Piero Cassano, Roberta Faccani and Giancarlo Golzi