Italian icon Laura Pausini was honored with Billboard Italy’s prestigious Global Icon award on Wednesday (Nov. 12) during a historic Vatican ceremony with Pope Leo XIV. As part of Billboard Italia Women in Music 2025, the ceremony also emphasized the vital role of amplifying women’s voices in the music industry, with the Pope receiving a commemorative plaque underscoring this mission. Pausini’s remarkable career and humanitarian efforts continue to elevate Italian music on a global scale.

The superstar also presented Pope Leo XIV with a unique, unreleased song — her rendition of “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures.” The song celebrates universal brotherhood and the praise of God through creation.

Pausini has elevated Italian music

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