Diana Winter, on stage with Giorgia and in class at Saint Louis

19 June , 2026

An interview with Diana Winter, guitarist and vocalist for Giorgia, who is about to set off on the G Summer Tour 2026.

Under the summer sky of the G Summer Tour 2026, between the Arena di Verona and the Reggia di Caserta, on stage alongside Giorgia is, as always, Diana Winter—the singer’s longtime vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and instructor of the academic pop singing courses at Saint Louis College of Music.

Speaking from the perspective of someone who has been part of the scene for years—from large-scale productions to more intimate settings—she tells us how her passion for music and experimentation has always guided her journey. From her long-standing collaboration with Giorgia to the new vocal challenges of her repertoire, all the way to a live-recorded album and a relationship with music built on exchange and growth, the profile of an artist emerges who manages to bring it all together—the stage, the studio, and teaching—with natural continuity, without clear-cut divisions between what is learned and what is shared.

Giorgia’s G Summer Tour 2026 will stop at major venues such as the Arena di Verona and the Reggia di Caserta. What are the expectations for these summer events, and how do they differ from those at arenas and stadiums?

The first thing I’m looking forward to is definitely… that it’s going to be really hot! Beyond the weather forecast, summer arenas differ from indoor sports arenas and stadiums in that they are venues more suited to listening: they have something of an open-air theater about them. Even though the performances are held outdoors, they still manage to create a more intimate and cozy atmosphere. I also find that the performance ends up interacting with its surroundings, and this helps make it even more engaging. Personally, I prefer this kind of setting to enclosed spaces: it has a truly unique charm.

intervista Diana Winter vocalist di Giorgia e docente di canto pop al Saint Louis

After years of performing alongside Giorgia at her concerts, what changes have you noticed in the evolution of your artistic relationship and in your audience?

From a strictly creative standpoint, there has been a growing exchange of ideas over the years, partly because we’ve been collaborating for so long. Artistically, I find myself much more involved in many decisions related to live performances. On a personal level, there is undoubtedly a deeper sense of connection, and I believe that the more connection there is on stage, the better the final performance will be.

Which songs from Giorgia’s new projects challenge you the most as a vocalist, from an interpretive standpoint?

Paradoxically, the songs I find most challenging vocally are precisely those from the latest album, which follow a contemporary songwriting style with different parameters than in the past. The way metrics and flow are handled changes significantly, and less emphasis is placed on pure sound or “long vowels,” precisely because the lyrics are very dense with words and place greater emphasis on the rhythmic aspect and the rapid articulation of sounds.

Your latest album, Collected Sounds Vol. II, was recorded live, without any invasive edits. How did you approach this methodological choice, and why did you adopt it?

I chose it precisely to go completely against the grain of the contemporary mainstream, where technology applied to performance is all too often used as a shortcut rather than as a tool for experimentation—which is what it really should be.

On this project, you collaborate with professionals such as Fabio Balestrieri, as well as with young musicians, some of whom are former students you met at Saint Louis. How did these collaborations come about?

If I were to compare music to a journey, I’d say it means staying connected to the beautiful places you’ve visited in the past—places that have helped shape your taste and your way of being—but at the same time allowing yourself the freedom to discover new things, both artistically and personally, and letting yourself be influenced by the new. Fabio Balestrieri has been my mentor since I was very young, and perhaps that is precisely why we now share a common vision, while still maintaining different perspectives, which represent the true richness of any artistic project. His presence has been essential, not only for my career but also for my personal growth.

I have been teaching voice at Saint Louis College of Music since 2019. How do your experiences as a musician intersect with your teaching?

Teaching is an experience that enriches one both professionally and, above all, personally. And I believe that it is precisely from humanity that the desire to create something of genuine artistic value must arise. For this reason, in my experience, the two areas coexist perfectly. Today, in an age when we all too often hide behind a screen, having the opportunity to share an intimate and often very profound space with another person is a privilege. And that’s also why I prefer to think of it as guiding a student along a path, rather than simply “teaching.”

Italian-Austrian, with a background in classical and vocal training, Diana Winter made her debut as a solo artist in 2007 with the album *Escapizm* (Warner) and has since built a career that spans pop, African-American music, and her own personal musical exploration, as documented in her latest album Collected Sounds Vol. II, recorded live, without any invasive edits. In the meantime, she has collaborated with, among others, Toots Thielemans, Phil Gould and Mike Lindup of Level 42, as well as Noemi, Franco Fussi, Drusilla Foer, and Elisa, among others.

But it is with Giorgia that her professional relationship has become the longest-standing and most structured: Diana has been working alongside her as a vocalist since 2009, participating in tours, special events, and studio collaborations. This artistic collaboration is entering a new phase this summer with the G Summer Tour 2026, which will take Giorgia’s project to arenas and major outdoor venues throughout Italy, from the Arena di Verona to the Reggia di Caserta.

Since 2019, Diana Winter has been teaching pop singing at the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome.