Valerie Dore: An Italo Disco Icon Between Success and Mystery
Monica Stucchi, known universally as Valerie Dore, was born in Milan on May 28, 1963. Her musical career began in 1977, amidst her time at art school and the pubs of Milan, where she lent her voice to Bruno Guaitamacchi's "Bluegrass Watermelon String Band." 1984 marked the year of her breakthrough: under the stage name Valerie Dore, Monica released the single "The Night." The track, a collaborative effort with Roberto Gasparini and Lino Nicolosi, climbed the European charts and led her to Festivalbar, where she secured second place in the DJ Star category. At the time, to lend an aura of exoticism and mystery, the French stage name was coupled with a declaration of her supposed birth in Monte Carlo. Riding the wave of this success, two more hits followed: "Get Closer" (1984) and "It's So Easy" (1985), the latter winning at Azzurro '85 and accompanied by a music video filmed in a Loire Valley castle.
The album "The Legend" (1986), produced by Gasparini and enriched by the compositions of Marco Tansini and the lyrics of Simona Zanini, marked a stylistic shift. The standout singles, "Lancelot" and "King Arthur" (theme song for Discoring), were notable for their atmospheres inspired by medieval legends. In 1987, Monica moved to London to collaborate with KP Schleinitz on the track "Wrong Direction". However, a dispute over royalties led her to end her partnership with Gasparini and to embark on the path of self-production with her future husband Mauro Zavagli, founding the label MZM Production. "Wrong Direction," released in 1988, highlighted a further artistic development.
The 1990s saw Monica progressively from the music scene. After a stay in Madagascar, she dedicated herself to the antiques trade in Arezzo and opened an art gallery in Milan, also experimenting with various activities such as restoration and private investigation. The year 2000, with her separation from her husband, marked the beginning of a difficult period, aggravated by the spread of unfounded rumors online that questioned her actual vocal participation in the tracks released as Valerie Dore.
Discography :
Singles
1983 - The night/The night (instrumental) (12"INCH)
1984 - Get closer (vocal version)/Ger closer (instrumental version) (12"INCH)
1985 - It's so easy (vocal version)/It's so easy (instrumental version) (12"INCH)
1986 - Lancelot/Guinnevere (12"INCH)
1986 - King Arthur/The magic rain (7"INCH)
1988 - Wrong direction (vocal version)/Wrong direction (instrumental version) (12"INCH)
Album
1986 - The Legend (LP ALBUM)
2006 - How do I get to Mars? Compilation "Congarbo" (COMPILATION)
