In 2009, a Musical Journey began! The American music industry opened its door to three teenage boys who were the first Italian artists in history to sign a contract directly with a major American music label.
Their music was Operatic pop or popera. What was this new movement? It’s singing Opera in a more classical style. While opera is very strict and regimented, popera is more ethereal it has a lighter feeling and it moves freely. It takes away the hard edges of opera and replaces it with a more ethereal feel while still presenting the drama and the high notes of the opera.
This along with the classical Neapolitan songs became a big draw. Why did it work? One reason is three amazing voices! If the voice wasn’t there, the song wasn’t going to sell.
When I’m writing these pieces, I do a lot of research and I watch a lot of videos. And this is what I found. I looked at videos of the promos the boys did, for their albums. They were 16 – 17 years old and I found many teenagers at these promos. I saw teenage girls and boys singing opera and Italian songs. They liked it because the music is easy and catchy and, they picked it up very easily. And I might add, the guys are very attractive and likeable. The young girls love them not because they are very handsome but because they can relate to them. They were 16 – 17 years old and they were telling these young kids we love this music and you can too. And they did and still do! Once the kids were sold the parents followed.
Who wouldn’t want their kids singing this music? In turn the parents found it just as pleasing. As to the grandmothers they were the ones who were fainting over these attractive young men.
In 2010, they joined Quincy Jones’ “We are The World for Haiti” charity event. They performed alongside 80 other international artist including Celine Dion, Bono, Lady Gaga, Barbra Streisand, Usher, Natalie Cole, and more. They were unknown to the group and all were amazed at their voices and anxious to know who these three young men were. It didn’t take long for them to find out.
In May 2010 their first album Il Volo was released.
Their first album is self-titled Il Volo. It received platinum certification in Italy and the Spanish edition of the album received a nomination for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2011. The album also debuted at number 1 on the US Top Classical Albums Chart.
And so the awards begin!
In April 2013 they release a Spanish version of We Are Love, titled Más Que Amor, which includes a duet with Mexican singer Belinda. The album débuted at number 1 on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums. Más Que Amor was certified “Gold” in Mexico and Argentina. And this catapulted them into the Latin market. From that day on they took the Latin market by storm. This is unheard of! Three Italian kids taking over the Latin market!
In February 2014, they receive two nominations at the 2014 Latin Billboard Music Awards, as “Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group” and “Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group.” At the awards show they were awarded as “Best Group of the Year in the Latin Pop Album” category and they won “El Pulso Social Award,” as the artist who dominated interactions on social networking sites during the Billboard Awards.
On February 14, 2015, they won the Sanremo Music Festival 2015 with “Grande Amore” winning 39.05% of the total vote over the 2 leading challengers. This win gave them the opportunity to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. As Italy is a member of the Big Five, the group went straight into the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, which was held in Vienna on May 23, 2015. Grande Amore came in 3rd with 292 points but, they won the televote with 366 points and won the Marcel Bezencon Press Award, as best song according to the collective voting of the accredited press. The extended play Sanremo Grande Amore was released in Italy on February 20, 2015 and it was certified triple platinum by FIMI. At the Latin Billboard Awards, they dominated the social networking sites and now, they win the televote and the best song according to collective voting by the accredited press. The people speak!
This is just to mention a few of their achievements. There are so many more achievements but, they are too numerous to mention. And, let’s not forget they sang with entertainers like Placido Domingo, Eros Ramazzotti, and Belinda.
In 2012, Barbara Streisand invited them to join her “Back to Brooklyn Tour,” which included 12 performances in the United States and Canada.
The albums keep coming! The success keeps coming, the tours in North and South America keep selling out and the boys have grown into fine attractive young men. And, now they’re ready for a new experience. The music evolves and they are ready to crossover. In 2018 they release one of the most exciting Latin albums to come out in years. I would go so far as to say Amame is the most exciting Latin album that was ever produced. It’s opera, it’s rock, it’s classical, it’s pop and it never stops giving. The rhythm in songs like Noche Sin Dia is amazing. You have to move with the music. You can’t sit still.
Songs like Maldito Amor is a phenomenal experience for your ears. The delivery is smooth. It pulls away from the traditional Latin music and it delivers a sound that is very intense. Different! Very Different! The sound is pure and clean and, their voices are spot on! It’s one of those songs that stays with you forever.
This album is so Exciting! I thought about this album the other day and how I would write about it. These three amazing guys absolutely floored me. The beat is so intense and, they are spot on. I think they knocked it out of the box with Noche Sin Dia. With Latin music you don’t just sing it, you feel it, and if you don’t feel it, you don’t cut it. This album cuts it! Good move!
As if that wasn’t enough, they follow up with Musica! This is the album that proved that great can get greater. This album is representative of where these young men are now. It’s beautiful, it’s sensitive, it’s romantic. It’s about love. It’s about them being ready for love. It comes from deep within them. All the sweetness and humility of these guys is in this album. It moves your senses. What I am saying is they have evolved and, their voices have evolved. They’ve grown into their voices. Their voices are mature and have expanded in such an amazing way. There’s an intriguing balance in their voices. To experience this amazing evolution in voice and song you need go no further than “Be My Love.” Gianluca’s voice vibrates and expands to realms I’ve never heard before. Ignazio makes your heart stop as you journey along his notes which lead to absolute ecstasy. Piero fills all your sense and brings you to such heights that you have to stop and breathe.
This is Musica che resta!
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Oh God, Susan! so beautifully written, what a unbelievable journey of these three beautiful young men. You talking from our hearts and souls..
So what is next? Our boys separated, in seclusion, maybe finding themself, Igna started his own Label company, (I’m sure he will be very successful), Piero working on his unbelievable operatic voice, Gian ??? As the most handsome men in the world, hope Hollywood will not snatch him away…
I attended 4 of their concerts, including M&G, and hope there will be many more. What about second tribute to Three Tenors, is that still on schedule, maybe next year?
Thank you again for this wonderful article, please keep writing…
Thank you Irene! It’s always a pleasure writing about these young men! So talented! Who’s knows what awaits when Italy opens her doors! I do know they are planning a new album. Anything they do I welcome!
Susan, thank you for this lovely and loving article. Who are you that you can write like this. My remarks are so mundane compared to yours but still written with love for our fabulous Italian singers. I am wondering why the album Amame (which I have on my phone) was never released world wide. I remember hearing Gianluca say at an interview that they would never sing the songs from that album. Does any know what happened? Was it released in South America? Thank you again.
As far as I know it was released in South America. If the decision was made not to released it elsewhere I don’t anything about that. Most of my music comes from Amazon Music and I know it’s available there. As you know, when I write I write from my heart. I see so much in this album that I like. I am a critic and look at everything. And there is a lot to look at here. This was a very different album. It was a departure from traditional Latin Music. Why Gianluca said they won’t sing these songs at concerts??? I would think that with a few exceptions it wouldn’t fit into their repertoire.
Susan, it is true, the boys said that they will never sing these songs in their concerts.
I must also tell you that RoseMarie is the friend with whom I shared the translation of the book!
My personal opinion is that it was a legal matter–copyright or something else. I have nothing to base this on! Just a gut feeling.
Rose Marie I really don’t know what the situation is with the album. I know it’s available in the US. I personally love this album, that’s why I wrote about it. There are amazing things happening in the album. By the way, Daniela told me you did the translation, you did a great job with it. You made my job easy! Thank you!
Susan, just to make sure that Daniela gets credit for the translation too. We each did a half of the book, but she gave me the idea to attempt it. I learned so much of the boys’ early lives. Their parents and grandparents played such a huge part in raising such wonderful young men.
Thank you for your article. I agree with you and you said it so beautifully.
Thank you Kathy!
Lovely article, beautifully written, thank you.
I agree with all you say, entirely. I too wonder why Amame seemed to get ignored. It’s a great album and shows that Il Volo are brilliant in all genres.
Totally agree!
Thank you Susan for your wonderful article Thoroughly enjoyed and there is always something gained from every article written about these amazing guys
So right! Thank you!
Hi Susan, and thanks for this interesting post. Amame is available also on ITunes, but I have to confess it wasn’t my favorite, although I had bought the Maldito Amor cut–your favorite also. But I will check it out again after your enthusiasm. And OMG, Be My Love!! Ignazio just soars with his half-chorus–yikes! I had always loved the Mario Lanza version, but this is even better.
Be My Love is great, but I personally like Eternally better–I think the harmonies are exquisite.
Eternally is right up there! It was my parents wedding song!
And they sing it so beautifully…
Maldito Amor is an exciting song. So much expression in it. And yes I agree Ignazio does soar to new heights! Sometimes these guys leave me in total amazement! Where does it one come from?
I may be way off the mark and I hesitate to mention this, but I’ve had a feeling all along that the Amame CD was not all that well received by the audience it was intended for. On IL Volo Mundial, at the time, there were a lot of negative comments from Spanish speaking fans. I also noticed that at one of the concerts in the latest American tour that the Estefans were highlighted in the audience and many in the audience stood and applauded, but the Guys on stage remained seated and did not clap. Ignazio actually turned side ways. I may be foolishly suspicious, but wondered if there was a message in their remaining silent and motionless?
I know that the Estefans were at the concert in Miami and I think it was Gianluca who announced that they were there. And if I’m not mistaken there were some pictures backstage afterwards. Anyway to my knowledge there was no problem but don’t know. All I know is I really liked the album. I thought it departed from the traditional Latin style. I thought it was unique! And I thought the guys did a fabulous job with it. It was a wonderful crossover.
I agree with you that there were many negative reactions to the Amame album. In one of their interviews, the boys said the CD will only be available in Latin America because it was to honor their Latin American fans. However, I think at the beginning IL volo planned to have the album released world wide but the unfavorable reception made them change their minds. That’s just my thoughts.
I’ve also noticed the boys don’t sing most of the English songs in their second album in their concerts, and if this has anything to do with the controversy between Mr. Tony Renis and Mr. Torpedine. It’s just sad what happened between these two because I believe that Renis was the one that has lots of American connections and made it possible for Il Volo to have a time slot in TV shows like American Idol, Jay Leno, etc.
when I first discovered Il Volo, just like other fans, I tried to find out everything about them and watched dozens of interviews.
My comments is a reaction to Mark’s post.
I love IL Volo music and I have no heard or seen this album. I enjoyed reading their history and thank you for posting. I am happy they are blessed with their singing talent and for sure I am a fan for life. I am going to type in Amame to see if I can hear the song or album. Good story and many thanks.
Thank you Sassylady!
Susan:
You have out done yourself with this article.
Your attention to detail and how you present each phase of Il Volo’s career is just so well done… Thank you for your research and your ability to paint a beautiful picture with words…I hope all Il Volo fans take the time to read this article..
❤🎶❤🎶❤
Thank you Jeanette! They make it easy to write about them! Great guys!
Susan, your ability to share the maximum information but make it seem that only a moment in time has passed just takes me away! You weave the story, full of facts, into a tapestry and too soon it ends! So, thank you very much! I could never begin to do what you do with such skill and finesse. 💗
Thank you, Judy, for your kind words!
Susan, I really enjoyed reading your post today. It is so well researched and well thought out. You really do have a good understanding of the guys and their voices, and you have a way of writing that is concise and so enjoyable to read. Thank you for sharing. I too loved the Amame album and downloaded it from I Tunes I think. Anyway I have it on my phone to listen to whenever I wish. I have 2 questions. first there was a reference to Daniela and RoseMarie each translating half a book. Which book are they referring to? and second there was a reference to a rift between Tony Renis and Torpedine that I had heard nothing about. What happened there?
Janet, I know nothing about a rift between Renis and Torpedine! As to the book I can’t comment on that! That will have to wait for a later day!
Thank you, Susan for this article. It’s such a good overview of Il Volo’s road to fame and fans. I have the same questions that Janet asks – which book did Daniela and Rose Marie translate? I want to read it ! And what is the story between Tony Renis and Michelle Torpedine? I’m kind of a latecomer to the party, because I became a fanatic fan only after Il Volo’s PBS program in the fall of 2016 and I went to their concert in Minneapolis in spring of 2017. But I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on about them ever since. But I know there are many more posts and articles that I haven’t yet read. I loved meeting them in Chicago – just two months ago – so glad I got to that concert ! Too bad about Las Vegas, but hopefully they will try to make that up some day in the future.
Thanks again for this great article, Susan.
Maija, as I said to Janet, I know nothing about a rift between Torpedine and Renis. As to the book that I can’t comment on right now! It’s so nice that you got to meet these wonderful guys. They really are great guys! They love the fans and attribute all of their fame to them!
Susan, again, another interesting and informative article.
After attending their concerts and watching every video i can get my hands on, I have a question. Do you think that Gianluca ever feels left out with Piero and ignazios joking and kidding? Just curious!
That’s an interesting question Edna. I have to answer no because, the joking in the performances are part of the show. It not a slight on Gianluca. Gianluca is the straight man to Ignazio to comedy. Did you read my article To Talk About our Guys? It’s posted here on the Flight Crew. It talks about the production and how the levity moves the show along. I’m sure it will answer your question
Thanks for this great article. There are so many fans that fell in love with the boys just recently and articles about their 11 year journey would appreciated by all. I love Amame album and can not understand why people will not allow these young men to spread their “wings” into all directions.
You’re right Regina! They should be able to do what they want to do. They are very concerned about their fans and how they view them. That’s commendable and that’s why they are so successful. All I know is I am very happy that they made this album and I think they enjoyed doing it!
I too purchased the Amame album from itunes. I remember the negative reaction from the South American fans and one response in particular that I remember was a girl who said that the reason Il Volo is loved in South America is that they are different. And when they sing Amame they are like any other Latin band. That was just her opinion of course. And as for Torpenidine and Tony Renis, I remember when an Italian critic was putting them down for not acknowledging Tony Renis after their win at Sanremo, Michele responded to him “Don’t talk to me about Tony Renis. He knows what he did”. So isn’t that intriquing? Wish I knew. Maybe something to do with their break from Universal and them having to find a new record label.
In my last posting, I did not include my comment about manager, Michele Torpedine’s interview where he remarked he’d like to take the group to sing in China. What? Was he kidding? China has caused COVID19 and it spread to over 184 countries, with so much illness and death, especially in Italy My opinion is everyone should be grateful to America and our President. China? I don’t think so.
America helps Italy in so many ways.
Respectfully,
Elisa Marie
Well, what can I say about “BE MY LOVE” ..I will try after I take a breath ! This is,by far, the most beautiful thing they’ve ever done, and that’s saying a lot since everything they do is great. Always knew Gianluca has a wide vocal range but what he’s done with this song is indescribable.
Webster defines incredible as unbelievable,
extraordinary….
This best describes IL VOLO and BE MY LOVE
Thanks to the boys for the best musical experience I’ve had in a long time.
Mona Cermele
Thank you for your writing Susan. I have 4 cds. I have been looking for the song Quando l amore diventa poesia. I love this song that Ignazios solo Allmeno Nell Universo. I want on cds for my car. Cannot find them. I have the dvd but I want on cd for my car.
The Ámame CD is amazing ! I do skip the tracks with other singers I am not fond of them at all. I remember reading that Piero was not at all happy about that CD, doubts about the direction and thought it would not be well received. He looked like he had such a blast on Noche sin Dia video. The vocals on the CD are out of this world. I also remember reading it was for their Latino friends, I had difficulty with the Spanish pronunciation on it as it is South American, I live part time in Spain. The European Spanish market may not have liked it if released worldwide ? Re Gian and being left out ? as said it is part of the show but I do think Gian is less likely to be making mischief than Ignazio and Piero 🙂
Great job thanks as always. Keep them coming for all of us who need the transition!