Interview by Rita Bossi - Photographs Annalisa Ceccotti

There is a particular light that softens Rosanna Fratello’s expression when she speaks about her life in Forte. It is not the artificial glow of the stage lights that have accompanied her since her debut at the Sanremo Music Festival, but a warm, golden light filtering through the tamarisk trees and maritime pines of the Versilia coast. For the voice behind timeless hits, this place is far more than a holiday destination – it is a deliberate choice of the soul, a sanctuary where the buzz of fame gives way to the gentle rhythm of the sea. Her connection to this swathe of Tuscany began long ago, like a love that deepens over time. “It was a silent coup de foudre,” she confides, her gaze drifting toward the Tyrrhenian horizon. How exactly did that first encounter happen that led her to choose Forte as her safe harbor? The answer lies in a search for authenticity: in a fast-moving world, she sought a place where time had the courage to slow down, and she found it along these elegant, understated streets. Now, her daily life is far removed from the city’s rush. When asked what a typical day looks like for her when she is away from TV obligations, she describes a ritual made of small gestures: a morning walk along the pier, the scent of espresso mingling with the sea air, and the quiet joy of being recognized by local shopkeepers simply as “Rosanna.” It is a deeply human dimension, almost from another era, where she embraces a sense of rediscovered normalcy. Yet Forte reveals two distinct identities: the vibrant social energy of summer and the suspended quiet of the colder months. Which of the two feels closest to your sensibility? While the energy of summer echoes the vitality of major performances, it is winter that brings her the deepest emotions. In those moments of solitude – like on deserted beaches or atop the Apuan Alps where they appear to touch the sea – Rosanna reconnects with what she calls her “music of silence,” the space she needs to nurture her creativity. Is there a particular place – a true retreat – where you like to escape? Without hesitation, she points to the pinewood: a natural sanctuary where walking becomes a way to reconnect with oneself. It is here that Rosanna Fratello has moved beyond being simply a celebrated performer to become, in every sense, a Versilian by adoption. “When I see the mountains standing behind us,” she concludes, “I feel my heart beating in the right rhythm.” And it is precisely in that rhythm that the secret of her enduring charm resides.