Monica Stucchi, known professionally as Valerie Dore, was born on 28 May 1963 in Milan, Italy. Before her music career, she worked as a graphic designer and fronted The Watermelon String Band, a bluegrass ensemble. In the early 1980s, she was discovered by producer Roberto Gasparini, who launched her solo career under the stage name Valerie Dore to enhance her international appeal. Her first single, "The Night" (1984), marked the beginning of her music journey. Subsequent singles "Get Closer" and "It's So Easy" were released in 1984 and 1985, respectively. She performed on various TV shows, including Azzurro on Rai 2 and on German TV. In 1986, she released her debut album, The Legend, which included hits like "Lancelot" and "King Arthur". The following year, she moved to London to record "Wrong Direction", co-produced with her future husband, Mauro Zavagli. Between 1990 and 1991, she lived in Madagascar but did not find support for a planned album. In 1992, the label ZYX released The Best of Valerie Dore. After a hiatus, she returned with "How do I get to Mars?" in November 2006 and later released Greatest Hits & Remixes in 2014.