| Diana Est | |
| Birth Name: | Cristina Barbieri |
| Origin: | Milan, Italy |
| Genre: | Italo disco |
| Occupation: | Singer |
| Years Active: | 1981–1985 |
| Label: | Dischi Ricordi |
| Associated Acts: | Enrico Ruggeri |
Cristina Barbieri (born 12 June 1963), best known as Diana Est, is an Italian singer who retired in the mid-1980s.
Born in Milan, Barbieri started her career as the vocalist in a new wave group formed by alumni of the Santa Marta Music School in her hometown, first using her birth name Cristina, then adopting a number of stage names.[1] In 1981, she was put under contract by Dischi Ricordi and adopted the stage name Diana Est.[1] Shortly later, she made her record debut with "Tenax", an Italo disco song written by Enrico Ruggeri whose lyrics were partly in Italian and partly in Latin.[1] [2] In 1983, she got her main hit with the song "Le Louvre", still written by Ruggeri.[1] [3]
Following a further single, and once her contract with Ricordi expired, Est abruptly decided to quit showbusiness in the mid-1980s.[1] [2] In 2002, the novelist Matteo B. Bianchi wrote a short story, Magnifica ossessione (i.e. "Magnificent obsession") about the imaginary life of Est after her retirement.[4]
Barbieri is the niece of singer-songwriter Mario Lavezzi.[1]