Wilma De Angelis, the pioneering Italian singer, television host, and culinary trailblazer who helped shape seven decades of national entertainment, has died in Milan at the age of 96, The Daily Fact reported. Her death marks the passing of a defining figure from the golden era of Italian light music and early television.
The news was announced by her nephew, Fabio De Angelis, through a statement published on Facebook. Family members and admirers across Italy quickly offered tributes to the veteran performer, whose career spanned major music stages and pioneering daytime broadcasts.
Musical Beginnings and Sanremo Stardom
Born in Milan on April 8, 1930, De Angelis began studying vocal performance at a young age. After initial performances in Milanese venues, she signed a recording contract with Vis Radio in 1952, according to The Sports Gazette. She spent four years singing with Maria Dattoli in the Duo Vocale Vis before launching her career as a solo artist.
In 1956, she earned the title of “Reginetta del Jazz italiano” at Boario Terme. Her breakthrough on the national stage came with her debut at the Sanremo Music Festival in 1959, where she performed the tracks “Nessuno”—sharing the stage with Betty Curtis and later duetting with Mina on the same song during Canzonissima—and “Per tutta la vita”. She secured third place at Sanremo in 1960 with “Quando vien la sera”, and earned the enduring nickname “Miss Patatina” following her commercial success with the Gianni Meccia-penned track “Patatina” at the 1961 Festival, as detailed by The Sports Gazette.
Pioneering Cooking Shows on Television
De Angelis transitioned successfully into television broadcasting in the late 1970s through a collaboration with Paolo Limiti. She began hosting culinary programming on Telemontecarlo, starting with Telemenù and later Salt, pepper and imagination, which ran continuously for 18 years, as reported by HANDLE. These broadcasts established her as an early pioneer of cooking shows on Italian television, leading to subsequent popular programs including Lunch with Wilma and appearances on Very nice, See you on TV, and Sunday In.
In later years, De Angelis found renewed popularity among younger generations through social media platforms. Her digital footprint expanded via viral video clips, most notably her Italian-language interpretation of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”, which fans renamed “Dimmi di sì”.
Family Tributes and Community Remembrances
Announcing her death on social media, Fabio De Angelis wrote: “Goodbye, Aunt Wilma. Your songs, your kindness, your smile, and your joy for life will forever warm our hearts. A heart that, right now, is in pieces. In the end, you lived a life worth living! Goodbye, Aunt, until the next life.”
Local organizations also marked her passing. The Pro Loco of Cerro Maggiore, a community near Milan that awarded De Angelis a career achievement prize in 2020, remembered her through president Alex Airoldi as a genuine example of humility and talent, according to Virgil.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wilma De Angelis
When and where was Wilma De Angelis born?
Wilma De Angelis was born in Milan on April 8, 1930, and spent her life and career centered around the city.
How many times did Wilma De Angelis participate in the Sanremo Music Festival?
She participated in the Sanremo Music Festival five times between 1959 and 1963, scoring her highest placement with a third-place finish in 1960 for “Quando vien la sera”.
What was the name of her long-running television cooking show?
Her television career as a culinary pioneer began with Telemenù on Telemontecarlo in 1979, later evolving into Salt, pepper and imagination, a format that remained on the air for 18 years.
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