Bianca d'Aponte's posthumous song “Straniero” makes Targa Tenco shortlist

The previously unreleased track “Straniero”, written by late Italian singer‑songwriter Bianca d'Aponte, has been selected as a finalist for the Targa Tenco 2026 award in the Best Song category. The song appears on the posthumous album Ensemble per Bianca d'Aponte, released in October 2025 and arranged by Tony Bungaro, with contributions from musicians linked to the historic prize.

Bianca d'Aponte, who died in 2003 at age 23 while preparing her first studio album for BMG Ricordi, left a modest archive of recordings. Her father Gaetano d'Aponte founded the Premio Bianca d'Aponte in Aversa to preserve her legacy; the competition now celebrates female songwriters and entered its 22nd edition. The Targa Tenco nomination underscores the growing recognition of d'Aponte's work within Italy's author‑song tradition.