Francesca Battistelli splashed onto the music scene in July with her debut CD My Paper Heart, a mix of bluesy piano-driven rock and smoky vocals.
In addiiton to singles climbing the Christian music charts, songs from the album were featured twice on MTV’s hit reality show “The Hills.” Francesca is currently out on the road with Christian music veterans and Winter Jam founders NewSong.
While you’ve probably heard Francesca’s music, here are a few things you might not know about the talented newcomer:

1) Francesca doesn’t have a middle name! “My parents thought ‘Francesca Battistelli’ was long enough.”
2) Her childhood dream was to be a prima ballerina with the New York City Ballet. “I danced seriously for 10 years, until I discovered music.”
3) Her parents met on the national tour of the musical “The King and I.” Her father was the assistant conductor and her mom played the part of Anna, opposite Yul Brenner. “They fell in love across the footlights!” Francesca says.
4) Francesca was in an Orlando-based production of the original “Ben Hur: The Musical” when she was 14.
5) And last? “I can’t whistle. It’s terrible.”
She may not be able to whistle, but this girl can definitely sing. To learn more about Francesca Battistelli, visit her website or MySpace page.