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STORY: Italian superstar Elisa is hoping continue her success in the U.S. with her new album "Steppin' On Water".
The multi-platinum singer is already a household name in her native Italy, with seven successful albums, and numerous awards under her belt. When asked if she had any hesitation about launching a career in America, Elisa said fear always exits.
Now the 34-year-old is ready to release her third U.S. album filled with ballads and up-tempo tracks, which Elisa labeled as adult pop.
"It's like pop-rock sort of, it's a cross between these things. Pop rock, folk, country, different influences."
The first single of the new CD, "Love Is Requited" is also featured on the film soundtrack for the new film "Someday This Pain Will Be Useful" starring Marcia Gay Harden and Ellen Burstyn.
At the age of 16 Elisa was signed to a record deal and became one of the few Italian musicians to mainly write and record in English. Elisa said she learned English by listening to Madonna, Michael Jackson and watching the U.S. television show "Fame" as a young girl.
"I was pretty shy and did want to write songs, but I didn't really want people to know what I was talking about, which was strange, but not. If you think about it, if you think I was a teenager, so that's why. And it's started as a game and then it became serious. I had a record deal I keep on singing in English, they asked me to sing in Italian and I did not want to, I tried, but it wasn't really happening, it wasn't ready to happen. So I keep on singing in English," Elisa said.
The once sober minded singer said the birth of her daughter in 2009 also helped rid her of her shyness and also sparked a silly side.
"Steppin On Water" was released on March 13.
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