Paola Iezzi shows us that at 50 years old, it is still possible to start over

The news is hot off the press. Paola Iezzi—the brunette of the musical duo Paola and Chiara, just to be clear—will be one of the judges on the new edition of X Factor. Joining her will be Manuel Agnelli, Achille Lauro, and Jake La Furia from Club Dogo. The host will be Giorgia. To see this new lineup in action and on the hunt for new talent, we'll have to wait until September. In the meantime, we can reflect on Paola's career.

The Beginnings: Paola, Chiara, and Luca Guadagnino

The younger generation might not even remember. Paola and Chiara, the Iezzi sisters, began their careers as backup singers for 883 in 1996. Then came their rise as a duo. Their first album, titled Ci chiamano bambine, was released the following year in 1997, the same year they won Sanremo in the Newcomers section. Their hits, catchy songs like Festival, Vamos a Bailar (Esta vida nueva)—whose music video was directed by Luca Guadagnino—Amoremidai, Viva el Amor!, and Kamasutra, remain in the minds of millennials and the Italian music scene of the early 2000s, etched in our memory.

What’s Next? The Careers of Paola Iezzi and Chiara Iezzi

In 2006, Chiara released a solo single, followed by Paola in 2009. In 2013, their paths permanently diverged. Paola stayed in the music scene, with albums (including Christmas-themed ones) and collaborations, most recently with Myss Keta in the music video for Le ragazze di Porta Venezia and with a few forays into television (as a judge on Drag Race Italia in 2023). Chiara, on the other hand, fully dedicated herself to acting, producing, and directing. This part of her career led her to participate in Mare Fuori, even if only for two episodes, alongside Clara Soccini.

Sanremo, Festa Totale, and X Factor: The Revival

In 2023, the plot twist. All grievances were set aside, and the duo returned to Sanremo, more united than ever. The song is titled Furore, and it’s a hit. This major comeback was followed by an album of reinterpretations and duets, Per Sempre. It all culminated in the single Festa Totale and the announcement of Paola Iezzi as a new judge on X Factor starting in September.

A Hope for 50-Year-Old Women?

In short, the story of Paola Iezzi and her sister Chiara is one of great reinventions and rebirths, even beyond the age accepted by public opinion. Aging, for a woman in the public eye who wants to work in the entertainment industry, is practically a tragedy. Being 50 in this field, and not only this one, is a death sentence to obscurity if not to oblivion. Paola refuses to accept this and with her looks and choices shouts to the world: I’m still here, and I still have a lot to offer.