Francesca Battistelli

Francesca Battistelli's parents met while working in the theater, and at age six she knew she wanted to follow in their footsteps. She avoided extracurricular activities and instead spent all her extra time in dance classes or musical theater training. It paid off. At age 15, she got her first break, joining a mainstream all-girl group. After honing her skills and getting used to life on the road, Battistelli needed a break. During this time, she picked up a guitar and began penning original songs inspired by her deep faith in God. Those tunes led to her record deal and her award-winning debut at age 23, My Paper Heart.