Maria Carta, born in 1934 in Siligo, Sardinia, Italy, was a singer known for her contributions to traditional Sardinian folk music, updating them with a modern and personal touch. She began her career by winning Miss Sardinia in 1957 and later moved to Rome. Carta released her first albums, Sardegna canta and Paradiso in re, in 1971. Her breakthrough came in 1974 when she participated in the national television show Canzonissima, performing "Deus ti salvet Maria" and "Amore disisperadu". She collaborated with notable figures such as Amália Rodrigues, with whom she held a concert in 1972 and toured in 1973. Carta's final performance was in Toulouse in 1993. She passed away in 1994 in Rome. She received the Targa Tenco award for dialectal music in 1985 and was made a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1991.
