Silvia Salemi discusses childhood silence following sister's death

Italian singer-songwriter Silvia Salemi has shared details regarding a profound childhood trauma involving the death of her older sister, Laura, who passed away from leukemia at age five. At the time of her sister's death, Salemi was just over a year old.

Salemi revealed that the loss resulted in a period of selective mutism that lasted until she was five years old. She described herself as a “turned-off microphone” during those years. Her ability to communicate returned after she discovered an old cassette recording in her mother’s drawer. The recording featured her sister interacting with her while hospitalized.

Hearing her own voice on the tape prompted Salemi to begin practicing sounds and eventually singing in private to rediscover her voice. This experience later became the basis for her 2017 autobiographical book, “La voce nel cassetto” (The Voice in the Drawer), which has since been adapted into a theatrical performance.