GALA is an Italian singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the 90s with her hit “Freed from Desire”. She was born Gala Rizzatto in Milan in 1975 and grew up in a musical family. Her father was a jazz musician and her mother a singer, so she developed an interest in music and singing at an early age. At the age of 17, she left Italy to study in New York at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. After graduation, GALA began her musical career in the United States, working as a backing vocalist and songwriter for various artists and bands, including the rock band “Punkcake”.

She later moved back to Italy and released her debut single “Freed from Desire” in 1996, which quickly became a hit in Europe and beyond. “Freed from Desire” was a huge success and was Gala's breakthrough song. The song was composed and produced by Italian DJ and producer Filippo Andrea Carmeni, better known as Karmen. The song combines the uplifting beats of dance music with the catchy melodies of pop music, and the lyrics, about the desire for freedom and self-expression, appealed to many people.

“Freed from Desire” quickly became an international hit, reaching the top 3 on the charts in several European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and France. The song also became popular in other parts of the world, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

In addition to her musical career, GALA is also involved in various humanitarian and environmental projects. For example, she has worked with animal welfare organizations to raise awareness about animal abuse and neglect. She has also participated in mental health activism and LGBTQ rights.

The story behind the song is that it was inspired by a mystical experience that GALA had while attending a spiritual meeting of the Hare Krishna movement in India. During this meeting, she heard a mantra that inspired her so much that she wanted to incorporate it into her music. This is how “Freed from Desire” was born as a danceable track with a spiritual message. The song is about letting go of desires and freeing yourself from material things to enter a state of spiritual freedom. The text includes repeated phrases such as “My love has got no money, he's got his strong beliefs” and “He's free from desire, he's fancy free”, which emphasize the message of letting go and freedom.

The success of “Freed from Desire” meant that GALA was recognized not only in the music industry but also beyond. For example, in 1997, she was nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award in the Best Italian Act category. In 1998, she won the World Music Award for Best Selling Italian Female Artist, and in 1999 she received the Italian Music Award for Best Dance Song.

In addition to these awards and nominations, “Freed from Desire” was also used in various commercials and movies. For example, the song can be heard in the movies “Riding in Cars with Boys” and “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous”, and it was used in advertisements by brands such as Coca-Cola and Nokia.

All in all, with “Freed from Desire”, GALA has not only scored a huge hit, but has also received recognition and awards for her work in the music industry. The song established her name as an artist and remains an iconic song from the 90s.

Gala's influence on the music industry is not to be underestimated, especially in dance and pop music. “Freed from Desire” was a pioneer in the genre of euro dance , which became extremely popular in Europe in the 90s. The song was a unique mix of dance beats and pop melodies and there is a harmonic riff in the song, played on a synthesizer. This riff is a characteristic element of the song and is recognisable from the beginning of the song. In addition to the uplifting beat, the song was formed by Gala's unique, infectious voice. The accompanying video clip, in which she is seen dancing on a stage with a huge mirror ball, added to the song's popularity. “Freed from Desire” topped the charts in various countries for weeks and became one of the biggest hits of the 90s.

Although the song “Freed from Desire” is over 25 years old, it still remains popular and has now reached cult status. The song is still played at parties and events and still has a large number of fans around the world. One of the reasons for the song's continued popularity is its catchy melody and chorus that sticks easily.

“Freed from Desire” was influential not only because of the music itself, but also because it was an Italian-language song that was successful worldwide. This opened the door for other European artists to sing in their own language while still reaching an international audience.

In addition to her pioneering work in eurodance, Gala's music also influenced later musical styles. Her later work included elements of rock, electro and experimental music, constantly developing and innovating her sound. Her music has therefore contributed to the evolution of various musical genres and is still an inspiration for many artists to this day.

The song “Freed from Desire” has not only had a significant impact on the music industry, but has also been reused and remixed many times by other artists and producers. The striking chorus and danceable beats make the song perfect for remixes and mash-ups, and it has been re-released in various forms.

One of the most famous remixes of “Freed from Desire” is the version by Dutch DJs Quicksilver and Freddy Fader, which was a big hit in Europe in 2002. There are also numerous bootlegs and unofficial remixes of the song made by other DJs and producers, who incorporated the song into their own sets and mixes.

But “Freed from Desire” has remained popular not only in the dance scene. The song has also been used frequently in movies, television shows, and commercials. For example, the song was used in the British film “Bend It Like Beckham” and the American television series “Sex and the City”, among others.