Born in Switzerland and raised in Italy, Paolo Meneguzzi began performing in Chile in 1996, winning the Viña del Mar Festival with the song "Aria Ariò." His debut album, Por Amor, was released in Chile the next year, followed by Paolo in 1998 and Emocion in 1999. After signing to Ricordi, in 2001 Meneguzzi's Italian-language debut, Un Sogno Nelle Mani, came out shortly after his seventh place appearance at the annual Sanremo Festival, and in 2003 Lei E' went on to sell more than 200,000 copies, driven mainly by the success of the single "Guardami Negli Occhi (Prego)" at Sanremo. ~ Marisa Brown