My friend Didier from Paris introduce me to the talents of Dalida years ago. I have such a special place in my heart for Dalida. He beautiful voice and wonderful sense of humor is what I miss the most about the lovely Dalida. I have heard so much about her brother too who managed her. Thanks for sharing this wonderful site. |
I have been a fan of Dalida since I was 12 years old. She has brought such happiness into my life since then. Her music is beautiful and her voice is that of an angel. She is and will forever remain my favorite singer. I have ALL her music, duos, her autographe, books, her postage stamp, posters, a concert ticket from 1980 at palais de congress in France, clippings in french, hommages, remixes, instrumentales, any MANY other things. I have painted 2 portraits of her and copies of them are in the CASA DI DALIDA MUSEO in Serrastretta, Cantanzaro, ITALIA. I am an Italian american. I live my life each day as an Italian. I speak Italian, French, and English. She is a very special person in my life and I am very thankful to God that he put her in my life for a reason. I believe she is one of my guardian angels. If anyone would like to talk to me about Dali, please do not hesitate to contact me! I know everything there is to know about our beloved DALIDA! Viva Yolanda Cristina!! |
love Dalida! Dalida forever! European Music Forever! Dalida the Queen We love you we will never forget.Dalida is beauty,style,glamour,class,grace,taste,and a real star.Hollywood does not deserve you.You were and are still too good for them.Dalida is the real artisit! |
I am a recent admirer. I was introduced to Dalida from watching video clips of her performing with Petula Clark, who is a favorite of mine. I was almost immediately drawn to Dalida, and since then have been trying to learn as much about her as I can. What a fascinating woman; so talented and extraordinarily beautiful. (And she is of Italian ancestry, like me!) The last time I was in Paris, I visited her grave in Montmartre. It's truly beautiful, and fitting for someone like Dalida. I was touched to see so many floral tributes for her. I have spoken to many people all over Europe about Dalida, and when her name is mentioned their faces light up! She may be gone, but her memory will truly live forever. I wish I could have seen her perform live. God Bless, Dalida. |
I stumbled upon Dalida while listening to RadioIO's Disco channel. The song was "Americana." I was cleaning my apartment when it came on, and I ran over to my computer to jot down just who it was that sang such an amazing song. Ever since, I've been hooked! What a wonderful performer! Too bad I didn't hear of her until now. |
I first heard Dalida when I was 12 years old.I have been hooked ever since.I would have loved to meet her.I can listen to her music forever and never get tired of it.In 2006 I visited her gravesite at Cimetiere du Montmartre.It was with great sadness since I realizied I would never get to see her sing.The gravesite is beautiful and hauting at the same time.The statue of Dalida with all the flowers around it was very moving.Thank you for the wonderful website. |
First let me thank you for the fabulous site you have created for such an ICON and DIVA!! I grew up listening to Dalida's songs (amongst others), hers truly stands out.
RIP Dalida, you are truly missed. |
Dalida and me… My story has two chapters. In a sense, I have known Dalida since the 70s, since my early youth. But it is also true that I have just rediscovered her. I remember in the 70s and 80s they often showed her on tv in Russia (at that time the former Soviet Union), and I as a girl, not knowing a word in French, liked watching how beautifully she sang and danced. Then I remember how unthinkable May 1987 was… Afterwards, life led me away from French chanson. And here I am, living in the U.S., already 40. Last summer I was taking a class “French for Reading Knowledge,” and decided to try my new skills and see whether I could understand the songs I had liked as a teen. When I heard Dali, it was both recognition and revelation. Only now, having learned to understand French and having acquired 40 years of life experience was I able to truly understand and appreciate all the depth and immensity, power and subtlety of her talent both of a singer and of a dramatic actress. I have been mesmerized with her ability to communicate with her voice superfine vibrations of emotion, and draw one into her aura, with her iconographic beauty and impeccable taste that every woman would want to imitate, but none ever will. Because of her artistic intuition she managed to do something that no one ever could. When non-Russians sing Russian songs or make movies about Russian, as a rule, it sounds fake: it comes out either as superficial, or overloaded with ethnic flavor, or even as a mockery, but never right. With Dali it is different. In her songs related to Russia (“Les temps des fleurs,” “L’amour qui venait du froid,” “Le temps d’aimer,” and “Spiel Balalaïka”) she was the only one, who, not being Russian herself, was able to grasp and express that elusive Russianness that is called “the Russian soul”… How do I know? When I listen to these songs, they make me homesick… After so many years, Dali has reentered my life, filled it up, transformed and enriched it in so many very tangible ways. Because of her, Dostoyevsky’s maxim, “Beauty will save the world,” has become full of meaning. Beauty has a force that is not subject to death, and it is not a lifeless cliché or wishful thinking. I know, know inside, that beauty will save the world, because every day it saves a small part of this world – me. Every day Dali saves me with her songs: saves from loneliness and despair, from dreariness and futility, from cold and unbelief … She has helped me to reconnect with something really real in the world and in myself that I thought I had lost. And I am forever thankful to her. Dear Dali, thank you, thank you… |
I discovered Dalida when I was a teen in the 70's. I feel in love with her voice, songs and her personality. Today after many years of being gone I still listening to her music as a tribute to such an unique voice and talent. |
I
discovered Dalida in 2000 when i saw a Russian drag-queen show and one
of the female impersonators did a cover of my personal favorite "Je
Suis Malade". I was mesmorized by the notorious pink robe and the
short black outfit. That image haunted me for a long time. Little by little
i started gaining more knowedge on that true Diva. With time I realized
that almost every song she has sung was about tragic love and solitude,
something that us so understandable and close to me. When I hear her songs
like "Pour Ne Pas Vivre Seul" and "Lucas" and I just
feel that she is not singing about her life, she is telling the eternal
truth about life in general. For me she is The Only Star. I understand
why she left us so early she was too lonely to stay alive, she will always
stay young and vivacious in our memories. That's what made her a legend,
her tragic life filled with love for others. Recently when I visited her
grave at Cimetiere du Montmartre, and saw her divine tomb a strange premonition
came over me, no she has not left us her soul is still there living in
her favorite Montmartre. An italian couple in their fifties saw me with
a bouqet of white roses and though I was Italian and were very surprized
to find out that Russians loved and adored that phenominal Diva. Dalida,
siempre viva!!!! Igor Deyneko (20 years) Boston |
She's
very special to me, She was introduced to me by a friend who used to live
in France. I think that's the best thing he could ever have given me.
J'adore Dalida as a French guy would say. I have bought many CD's of hers.
She made me start to learn French so that I could understand her songs.
I wish I could have met her. Fernando Quintanilla (30 yrs old) Miami |
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Dalida
has been one of the most cautivating singers I have heard in my whole
life, beautiful voice, great personality, beaty, great style, and very
well chosen songs. She had only one hit in Mexico, Paroles, Paroles, but
after that, I tryied to get more and more of her recordings, I have been
so fortunate, since I got six vinyl LPs and now we can get her music in
CDs. Julio Cesar Juarez (59 years) |
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I
am so glad to have found this site!!! Ifirst heard Dalida when I was looking
for songs in Albanian, then Dalida's "Salma Ya Salama" came
up! It is truly wonderful! I was so amazed to find good quality music.
Not this gaudy monstrosity the world calls "POP" but true audio
beauty! Visual poetry as well! It is a true shame that such beauty, grace,
talent, energy, and vibrant a life are no longer with us! I wish only
that she could get the recognition she deserves! I will Lambeth walk from
here to eternity! Merci mon cheri Dalida! Gracias bella senorita Dalida!
Grazzie Dalida! Shkran Dalida! Tuda Dalida! Shi-Shi Dalida!!!!! Daniel U.S.A |
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DALIDA
allways will be remember, she is the ultimate not diva she is a goddess
of all times and as so many of famous and educated people said she is
the last pharaoh. How can any living diva be compere to this beatifull
muse ? If anyone remember so many of this sofisticated famous people called
her the 8th. wonder of the world. I love many american divas and french
divas: Cher, Barbara S, Annie L, Patricia K, Mylen F, Mireille M, But
they are divas, Dalida is the goddees of all. She was everything you look
in a beatifull person she was so human that princess DIANA love here and
admire her so much. God bless you Dalida for ever!!! Luis Gonsalvez (38 years) |
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Back
in the 1960s, there was an English television show starring Patrick McGoohan
called "Secret Agent", the theme song was Johnny Rivers singing
"Secret Agent Man." On one episode, there was a song I had never
heard before, sung by a woman, in a language other than English, and it
haunted me. I did not know the name of the song, but sometime later, I
had a Trini Lopez record, and he sang it in Spanish (I might mention,
by the way, that Dalida did a French remake of Trini Lopez’s version
of the Pete Seeger “If I Had a Hammer”, and did some of his
hoots on it). The Spanish version gave me a possible name, “Historia
de un Amor”,but I still felt haunted. Years later, I saw an Edith
Piaf song with a name like the name of the song, and bought it, but it
wasn’t the same song. One night, I was watching the Tonight Show
or Letterman and they had an actress named Victoria Abril, who was promoting
a movie called “French Twist”, this movie is “Gazon
Maudit.” I went to see the movie and it is perhaps then that I heard
Dalida for the first time. About a year or so later, a Virgin Megastore
opened somewhat near me, and I went there. I bought the Dalida Annees
Barclay box set. I knew nothing of Dalida other than that she had sung
that song that haunted me so, whether she sang it the first time I heard
it or not. She was to haunt me more. About a year later, in May of 1998,
I went to Paris for the first time and what I hope will not be the last.
Somehow I had found out about the Place Dalida. I will never forget going
to the cemetery in Montmartre, and visiting the graves of Stendhal, Francois
Truffaut, and Dalida. I took some pictures there. Later I went to the
Place Dalida and took some pictures of the bust and helped some tourists
get their own pictures there. And I remember saying to an older couple
in my very poor French, “Pourquoi?” He could not explain it
to me. There was also a very synchronicitous moment, as I walked away
from Place Dalida, some painters were painting a house nearby, and Edith
Piaf singing “La vie en rose” came on the radio. I stopped
by their window to hear it. A little after I got home, I became interested
in the Internet and soon sent my Dalida grave pictures, along with some
Gainsbourg Montparnasse Cemetery pictures, to a site called www.findagrave.com
. Since that time, I occasionally get e-mails from their admirers around
the world, thanking me for taking the pictures. Some time later, I bought
the video of “Mina Tannenbaum” in a French-Canadian version,
because our American videoplayers do not play European videos very well
[or maybe not at all], and I was very touched to both see Gainsbourg and
Dalida for the first time on the t.v. in the movie, which I would also
recommend to anyone who likes Truffaut or Woody Allen. I used to volunteer
at a very large old theatre that shows foreign and independent films.
One time we had a film called something like “A Soldier’s
Daughter Never Cries” with Kris Kristofferson. Leelee Sobieski,
Barbara Hershey, Jane Birkin, and Virginie Ledoyen. I am not sure now,
but I think Dalida may have very briefly been on a t.v. set in that movie,
too. Sometimes when I am touched, it is difficult to put it into words.
When I was at Dalida’s grave, there were two very young people from
Switzerland who were passing and stopped. Dalida’s grave is a very
impressive and remarkable grave. They asked who she was. My French was
very poor, but I said that she was a singer and an actress and that the
easiest way to say it might be to say she was the French Marilyn Monroe.
John Lynch (51 years) |
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Hello,
Congratulations For This wonderdul website depicting the life and achievements
of the Eternal Legend. I am a Student at Louisiana State University in
Baton Rouge. I discovered Dalida since I was very young, when I heard
my parents listening to her. Indeed my mum and Dad live in the Beautiful
City of Paris. I think Mr. Orlando, the Brother of Dalida is just doing
a great job by promoting her sister's work, thus giving us the impression
that Dalida is still here. I love all her songs from Bambino to less known
ones, as Bravo or Fini, La Comedie. I have an extensive collection of
her CD's. This morning I woke up and I don't why I remembered the song:
"Pour Ne Pas Vivre Seule", as if Dalida whispered it to me in
my dreams. I sang that all day. That's why I came to look for her on the
web. And I found this great presentation, really this a wonderful site.
Please Keep on with the good Job. Wishing you the Best of Luck. Thank
you for keeping Dalida Eternal for the next generation. As for me, she
will always be present throughout my life. Most Sincerely, Sehzad Sehzad Sooklall (20 years) Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
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Dalida
was part on youth when I waas growing up in Cairo. Saturday night listening
to her voice on the radio made me realiza that her voice will always be
with me, she always brings out my inner emotions, listening to her is
like going home, a place Ihave not been there for over 35 years.The love
and saddness and her Middle Eastern emotions are always gathered in her
voice which for me makes my journey in this life a more happy, emotional
and times sad... Thank you Dalida for the years and for what you have
brought into my life, I am forever grateful and Imiss you...maybe someday
well meet and I'll tell you in person how much youhave meant to me........youre
always in my heart. Raafat Sarkis (50 years) San Francisco - California |
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Dalida
was a very special lady. I knew of her first as a performer who covered
Petula Clark's pre-Downtown English singles in French, which in turn,
forced Petula to start a French career. While visiting French Canadian
friends in the late 70's, who were fans of Petula Clark, also were fans
of Dalida. They played for me her new album at the time, "Ca Ma Fait
Rever", and I was instantly hooked. I didn't care anymore that she
covered early Petula songs, but was a entertaining force in her own right.
Each visit to Canada, and to New York's Librarie de France in Rockefeller
Center, lead me to collect some of Dalida's recordings (a jacket or 2
autographed) and eventually sway some friends in her direction. Even one
friend at that time and I attended her one and only Carnegie Hall concert
and had a blast! We even waited to see her, and literally got to the door
where she was signing some autographs, and you could see her inside. However,
her management had to get her out another way, so the door was closed,
but her enterage started throwing out postcard photos of Dalida's Femme
Et La Nuit album cover photo, and I couldn't grab any, but luckily my
friend picked up six & shared half with me. I still have them somewhere.
She has always stayed with me since, and when I learned of her passing,
I was saddened. I still miss her, always waiting for when she would come
back to America to perform. I was hoping she would have done Las Vegas.
One thing I found out today that I never knew when I found this site.
Yolanda (Dalida) and I share the same birthday and the same religious
upbringing. I've recently been able to obtain the Orlando complete 10
CD reissue, and now am working on the Barclay one. I've recently purchased
the remastered version of the Barclay hits. I had the previous issue and
there is quite a quality difference. Therefore, once I have both box sets,
I will have all her treasured songs. I am glad I found this site and we
can keep her legacy alive. Bill Budris (44 years) Cranford NJ - USA |
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I
only discovered Dalida in 1995, it was on the island of MYKONOS where
a DJ played selections from Comme si j"etais la. My lover & I
were smitten by the voice. We brought a copy home to our favorite french
restaurant Chez Jaqueline here in Greenwich Village on that evening the
Gypsy Kings were dinning & when the owner Jaqueline played GiGi Ammorosso
well, everyone in that room began to sing & dance! If so many people
could be energized by this woman I felt she had to be extraordinary! My
partner & I own our own Legendary gay night club for 20 years here
in Greenwich Village its called The MONSTER at 80 Grove Street. NYC. I
have encouraged a few of our female impersonaters to lipsynch a few of
Dalidas numbers. This web site is a true delight after all these years
I can now read about Dalida in english......merci! and please Come see
us in NYC! Charles Rice New York City - U.S.A |
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It
all started at the age of 18 years old. Lebanon, winter 1999 in the class
of "Seconde". Our French teacher proposes to us that we have
to choose an ideal lady to talk about of the current century. Me, who
knew nothing about Dalida; Have only heard one of her songs "Salma
ya salma". As my curiosity pushed me, I decided to choose her to
become my lady in this project that has to be presented. Stunned by much
information that I was able to collect of this Diva, I felt that through
her songs I will be able to bring to my fellow class mates this Legend.
The first song that entered my ears for Dalida, was "GiGi L'amorosso".
Here comes the day of the presentation. I see myself standing in front
of 30 students in my class, lecturing to them everything that has to do
with this star from A to Z bringing her back alive through some of her
songs that I played in class. Finally I discover that the French teacher
that I had was and still a BIG FAN of Dalida. Here we are in the year
of 2002 my passion for this Lady grows more each day. Dalida is the only
one to bring the smile back on my lips when I am unhappy. A wish that
I hope it might become true one day, is to be in France in front of the
grave of the Legend and display one white rose on her tomb, representing
the purity and respect of my love that I have towards her. I would like
to thank Mr. B. De Besse who was kind enough to let me discover Dalida
more and know the real her through her songs and clips; of course the
staff of dalida.com to whom I have all the grateful thanks. Joe Last Mikhael (20 years) California - U.S.A |
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I
heard Bambino when I was 11 years old and was hooked. I'm writing this
in English, because more and more people in the USA listen to Dali's songs
and love them. Most of them, myself included, can't get used to the idea
that she's no longer with us. I have every song she recorded except for
one. Dali was unique. She still is. I'll always love her. Her songs always
make me feel better when I'm sad and I thank God for having created her
her. However he took her back too soon! I know, a lot of people around
the world love and admire Dali, but I don't think anybody loves and admires
her more than I do. Terry Theodossiou Foster City - Californie, E.U. |
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Dalida
was, is and will be singing in my soul forever. She is a sparkling diamond,
beautiful, talented, with a great heart and soul, but like the stars above,
she was shining alone in the dark... I wish I were able to save her on
that terrible day when she decided to leave us. But I was too little,
I didn't know anything about her in 1987. I hope someday someone in Hollywood
will make a movie about her life, because she deserves it so much. That
would be the greatest tribute to her ever. Thank you, Dali, you've brushed
my heart with angel's wings. America loves you. Michael (27 years) San Francisco - USA |
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In
May of 1997, I traveled to Paris, and while shopping in a local receord
store, I heard the beautiful vocie of Dalida. She just reached in and
touched my heart. I just to get to purchase one of her CD's, since then,
I have every CD (over 20) and I an now collecting her old albums, 45's
and magazines appearances. She has cast her magic spell on me. Dalida
was a true artist, she felt what she sang and always gives of herself
to her fans. She truly is a legend, gone but certainly not forgotten.
Her music will live forever, as it is timeless. Every time I play a Dalida
song, it can make me happy, sad, sing along or just feel like dancing.
Thank you Dalida for all the joy you've given me and the world. Bob Bethia (29 years) Azusa - Califorina |
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bonjour
a vous,je suis francais,apres avoir vecu 6 ans en Afrique et maintenant
en Floride,je ne peux voyager sans les cd's de DALIDA,ils m'apportent
reconfort et joie de vivre.Mon reve a toujours ete de renconter mon idole,faute
de cela ces cd,s sont un peu,une partie d'elle,dernierement,dans un club
a miami,j'ai assiste a un spectacle ou l'on imitait,Celine Dion,Cher,et
a ma plus grande surprise DALIDA,ce n'etait pas perfait, mais de voir
qu'elle faisait partie du recital de ces artistes,ma fait un pincement
au coeur."DALIDA FOR EVER"il n'y a aucun doute. Merci,pour ce
site,et pour ces fabuleuses compilations.Continuez a nous faire vivre
de telles emotions.A tres bientot Frederic. Malloggi Frederic (36 years) Miami - U.S.A |