Malika Ayane was born in Milan, Italy, on 31 January 1984, to a Moroccan father, Ahmed, and an Italian mother.

[5][6] During the mid 2000s, Ayane recorded songs for some TV spots, including a cover of "Over the Rainbow" for the campaign of Italian food company Yomo in 2005, and the original track "Soul Waver", performed in 2007 for Swedish car manufacturer Saab.

[7] In 2007, Ayane met Italian record producer and former singer Caterina Caselli, which granted her a deal with independent label Sugar Music.

[9] The album also spawned the single "Feeling Better", which became a radio hit in 2008,[10] while the track "Il giardino dei salici" was chosen by Barilla for a TV commercial.

[11] During the show, held in February 2009, she performed her entry "Come foglie", written by Negramaro's frontman Giuliano Sangiorgi.