Italian music stars Laura Pausini and Giorgia offered deeply personal tributes to the late television host Pippo Baudo while attending his wake at Rome’s Teatro delle Vittorie. Pausini, arriving with actors Paola Cortellesi and Riccardo Milani carrying white roses, described Baudo as “the man who changed my life,” crediting him with giving her family “an opportunity, a dream.”
“He gave me so much advice,” Pausini stated, her voice choked with emotion. “He is the most important encounter of my life. This affection remains in my eyes, my voice, even in the scoldings he sometimes gave me. I loved the advice he gave me over the years: ‘Remember Laura, you must sing timeless songs, don’t settle.'” She revealed his final message urged her “not to be afraid to dream a little bigger,” encouraging her personal dreams beyond music like starting a family. “He spurred me not to let the responsibility of this profession consume me and make me forget my private life. That’s true life advice,” Pausini concluded.
Giorgia, visibly moved and seen tearfully embracing Baudo’s longtime collaborator Dina, recalled how Baudo “believed in me more than I believed in myself at the beginning.” She credited him with shaping her career path: “If Pippo hadn’t been there in ’93, ’94, ’95… I certainly would have taken a different path.” She highlighted his most valuable counsel: “To make choices that might seem uncomfortable or imperfect, but that feel true. He set that example, always being loyal, consistent, and honest with the public.”
Reflecting on their later years, Giorgia noted Baudo revealed “a sweetness that was waiting to emerge.” Her fondest memory was his call announcing her Sanremo victory: “‘You won.’ I said ‘freaking awesome!’ I was a completely dazed 23-year-old, not grasping the magic happening.” Both singers emphasized Baudo’s profound cultural impact, with Giorgia calling his death “a collective loss that unites us – a legacy few leave behind.”
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