Italian pop singer and teen idol Valerio Scanu rose to fame thanks to the television talent show #Amici di Maria De Filippi, which paved the way to a successful career. Born on April 10, 1990, in the Sardinian town of La Maddalena, Scanu debuted as a child in TV shows and contests such as #Canzoni Sotto l'Albero and #Bravo Bravissimo, the latter of which he won in 2002. In 2008 he took part in the eighth season of the reality show #Amici di Maria De Filippi, in which he finished second behind winner Alessandra Amoroso -- a result that led him to sign a deal with EMI. The following year, two of his songs -- including the Top 20 hit Can't Stop -- were included in the annual #Amici di Maria De Filippi season-ending compilation. The same year, Scanu also released the Sentimento EP, which became a Top Five success thanks to its eponymous single, and later the Valerio Scanu album arrived, gaining gold record status thanks to its pre-sales only. In February 2010 he won the Sanremo Music Festival with the romantic ballad Per Tutte le Volte Che…, later included in an album with the same title. ~ Aurelio Pasini, Rovi