We all know that Maura Pucci loves Il Volo and also that she has a special affection for Gianluca.
Three years ago, she wrote on the occasion of Gianluca’s birthday, a beautiful letter that I am now translating for all of you with pleasure.
I must give you a premise, when Maura wrote this, she was a little worried, because she read everywhere that Gianluca was praised, but the beautiful words were almost always about, his appearance , and for Maura, this fact seemed really very reductive, because “her” Gianluca , he also had something better to offer.
Enjoy the reading!!
I fell in love with him in 2009, when I was disconcerted, but enchanted, by his voice from the deep register, an adult voice that came from a boy, from the face of an angel.
The years have passed and his voice, gradually, has taken on all the nuances that age, still immature, does not allow.
Today I am able to talk about its versatility, because he has many voices, different, but all recognizable.
We can start from his surprising FILO DI VOCE, (wire of voice) with which he concludes the first verse of “Notte Stellata”, SOFT and SUBTLE, like a sigh, as well as all the whispered parts of the same song and many others, to reach its opposite, that is the DRAMATIC and THEATRICAL voice of baritone in “Aranjuez”.
Moving on from the voice CARESSING and LIGHT, with which he faces the beginning of many songs, from the SOFT and SENSUAL voice of the true crooner, from the AGGRESSIVE voice of “Delilah”, to the POWERFUL but LIGHT voice of “La Danza”, which becomes POWERFUL and TRIUMPHAL in his “Vincerò” of Nessun Dorma, to culminate in the DEEP and SOLEMN voice of the Christmas songs and / or religious, to which he gives a touch of sacredness.
There is also the one, used off the stage, full of RHYTHM and SWING, for particular interpretations, accompanied by him by the snapping of the fingers ……
So many voices for a chameleon singer, as it has been defined:
“Gianluca has a PERFECT VOCALITY, his voice is an INSTRUMENT.”
These are not my words, but of an American expert, a vocal coach, Gianluca does not sing, he INTERPRETS.
Because he sings with all of himself, with his eyes, with his facial expression, with his hand movements, even with his body posture. Look at it well in “Bridge Over Troubled Water”.
When he sings a song, he does not perform part of his work, but “brings out” the passion for music that he has in himself, to transfer it to those who listen him: he is fulfilling a mission.
……. because he “feels” the music, to the maximum degree.
I saw him with a entranced expression, listening with closed eyes, the splendid voice of Piero, who sang beside him, “O Holy Night” ……. are things that move me and are not forgotten.
How is the artist Gianluca on stage?
He brings to the stage all the behavioral and character characteristics that distinguish him in his private life.
Always in search of perfection, he is PROFESSIONAL to the maximum degree; GENTLEMANLY attitudes, CHEERFUL and SMILING, sometimes even LIVELY, but never too EXUBERANT. WITTY, but with measure; RESERVED, but no longer shy as in the past; ROMANTIC, TENDER, helpful, full of affection for fans, just as he is towards family members, friends, children, the disabled.
I want to add a quality, which with the presence on stage, perhaps not involved, is also sincerely MODEST and not “arrogant” as many insinuate.
Some time ago, he said something that struck me, and now I try to summarize:
“I still find it hard to realize that I, who have had idols since I was a child and still have them today, may in turn have become an idol for many people.”
This is “my” Gianluca, as I see him, and, according to my personal tastes, I have found in him all the qualities that make him a son, a brother, an ideal nephew. ❤️
In fact, I consider him a virtual “grandchild” ……….😘
We are at the conclusion and until now, I never said, that he is also beautiful? Yes, because I wonder how much it costs for a show artist to be BEAUTIFUL too?
It depends. Being beautiful counts a lot for a movie star, how many beautiful actors have been successful without being able to act!
But a singer is asked …… a beautiful voice, that he knows how to use and that enchants those who listen to him.
Like Gianluca’s voice, a healthy bearer of strong and contagious emotions.
If then, the lucky singer is also pleasant in appearance, that is just a plus that does not hurt. 😁😁
Maura
I fully agree with what Maura wrote, it’s true, Gianluca’s beauty is evident and immediately striking, but when he plays a song, his skill in modulating his splendid voice and in interpreting the song is evident.
What to say about this splendid “MI MANCHERAI”, how much transport, how much emotion.
I only knew Il Volo after the victory of Sanremo 2015, so the idea I had of Gianluca was that he started the songs because he had the lowest tones.
I was at the NOTTE MAGICA concert in Florence and I was able to attend the great skill of Il Volo, but the one of the three that surprised me the most was Gianluca, I never imagined how much power he could have in his voice.
Congratulations Gianluca !! Honor of merit !!
Daniela
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
What a beautiful letter. She gave words to describe all the sides of Gianluca. His brilliance with his singing and interpretation of the songs. I think all three of them have these same qualities.
Yes, Sara, they are three pearls of the same necklace!
Beautiful she has captured what makes people love him. He is sweet – passionate – compassionate – extremely talented his voice gives calmness and excitement – and of course he is wonderful to look at but he is not conceited I think it may sometimes embarrass him. I have loved him from the first time I saw him in 2009.
I agree, Camille, nobody remains immune from his charm.
Il Volo has the BEST fans!
I respect, admire, and ADORE Gianluca for his incredible talent, professionalism, versatility,
joy of life, playfulness, candor, and great character, and warmth inside and out.
Would love to meet him in-person one day. Grazie.
You will meet him, Chicago Love, I wish you with all my heart.
What Maura says about Gianluca can also be said about Ignazio and Piero. They each have their own personality but like they themselves say “one soul”. Gianluca is a sweet loving soul with a beautiful exterior, he shows his fans love and respect and we love him for that. For me the three are equal because they not only sing beautiful music, they are the music.
RoseMarie, I believe that each of them has unique peculiarities, but together they are very strong.
As I read this, all I could do is smile, and smile some more. If you didn’t know Gianluca before reading this, you know him now.
Janis, I am happy that this post made you smile. We all know your great affection for Gian, and I think he is well aware of it
I wholeheartedly agree.I’ve been following Gianluca since he was 15. I have great love for him as I’ve watched and heard him sing and grow into a man. His talent is obvious, but it is surrounded in a person of humility and love. What a combination.
Kathy, I’d say it’s a winning combination.
Beautiful words for a beautiful talented man. Loved the video This is Gianluca Ginoble. Thanks to you and Maura.
Beverley, Maura sends you greetings and we are happy that you enjoyed the video.
I have to say that I don’t understand why some fans consider Gian as shy. He poses bare chested with hair quaffed almost on a daily basis on the fan page. And that’s fine. He’s proud of his physique and looks and that’s healthy, but I would not consider him the shy one, instead I would think Piero to be on the shy side. I would think Gian’s presentation to be as strong as his handsome voice. He sort of stands apart from the comradarie of the other two and gives the impression that he is the shy one. He’s also a very serious performer.
Mark, in fact, Gianluca was shy at the beginning, so much so that at school, to make him sing, he went to the corner and turned against the wall while singing, so as not to be seen. Of course now, I would say that shy is no longer.
Another thing, I do not consider Piero shy at all, in fact he is very sure, in my opinion.
Daniela, Gianluca appears to be more shy on stage than Piero and Ignazio. He is quieter and more low key than the other two. At the meet and greet and sound checks he is very approachable and talks to everyone. And, he gives great hugs.
I was fortunate to meet Gianluca and Piero and Ignazio. Gianluca is perfect in every way. I think Gian is just now finding himself and what he can do. Each of them could do solo, but put together and there is magic. I do love IL Volo, I cannot or will not pick a favorite… each have their own gift. Gianluca is a beautiful singer and I dearly love him for how he performs and how he smiles. I wish you love, good health, and many more years singing for all to enjoy. Thank you Gianluca for enjoying performing for us. Hearts a fire… I dearly love you.
Sassylady, for us, they are Il Volo, unique in the way of singing and being. Each of us may have a little sympathy or affection towards one of them, but none of us would think of them as single singers, for us they are and will always be Il Volo.
Maura’s words were so beautiful. Daniela, thankyou for the videos. When he sings MI MANCERA it is so emotional. Powerful but gentle. All of the boys have their own way of touching you when they sing. That’s what makes them Il Volo.
Cathy, that video of Mi Mancherai is so sweet, I get chills every time I listen to it.
This is just lovely. It’s how we all feel. She has captured the spirit that endears these guys to us.
Yes, Victoria, Maura has captured the essence of Gian, his beauty surrounds all his other qualities.
Cannot pick a favorite. They are the fine wine to the luscious gourmet meal. All three of them total Magic!
I absolutely agree, Geri
Dear Daniela…it is with great pleasure and great love that I comment on the letter about Gianluca here. I, too, have been in love with Gianluca from the very first time I learned about IL VOLO. I had an instant connection with this amazingly talented young, hardworking artist. I had an instant heart, soul and emotional connection that fills me with love to this very minute…a silent attachment that I treasure now and will hold close to me until the end of time. I have come from a place of deep despair finding no joy in my life and no will to go on in my life, to a beautiful reawakening of my heart and my soul. He rescued me. The love in my heart and the feelings I have come alive when I hear the most beautiful voice of my Blue Velvet Prince, and I’m deeply affected as I listen to him and feel the words he sings and speaks. I admire his passion, talent, dedication and yes, Gian is a beautiful, young Italian man who has captured me and awakened every desire I have. I love the quietness, the gentleness, the genuineness and sensitivity Gian displays, all the attributes I love which draw me to him. I wish for Gianluca to be true to himself and to experience all the happiness his heart can hold. I am a Forever Fan of this beautiful man, his music and his very being. Thank you for sharing this lovely letter, and for giving me the opportunity to express myself…I thank Gianluca with all my heart.
Eleanor, I am so happy that listening to Il Volo and in particular Gianluca, has awakened in you the love for life and for the love itself. Because the three of them dispense love, and this is a truly important and unique feature.
I had to smile at Mark’s first comments…I of course had noticed all these photos–not that I minded!! I’m an Ignazio girl myself, but like most, I love them all. Gian’s voice is like warm velvet, and he works hard to be totally professional at the concerts. Mi Mancherai has a beautiful melody, and his version of it can break your heart. I wish it could be recorded, along with I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You. As to his looks, he reminds me of the late Marcello Mastroianni–just as handsome. (Plus I love his adorable Luna!)
Grazie Daniela and Maura for all this.
You know, one day I met Mastroianni at the newspaper kiosk. My husband (then my boyfriend) told me ……. but he is Marcello Mastroianni !! Marcello looked at us and smiled and then went away.
You must have been thrilled!
RoseMarie, I didn’t even recognize him, we were in Rome in the EUR district (where Mastroianni lived) but we never imagined meeting him and we weren’t even able to ask him for an autograph.
Thank you Daniela for the translation of the lovely letter that Maura wrote for Gianluca’ s birthday. She expresses very well many of the reasons that make us love and appreciate him. He like Piero and Ignazio have so many wonderful qualities and are multi- talented. Gianluca has such a sweet smile and loves his fans. He has a powerful voice and his phrasing is wonderful! I was hoping he would sing Mi Mancherai at Radio City in February. He sings it so beautifully! I think going this long without performing must be very difficult for all three since they truly love bringing their music to everyone.
Margaret, I too wanted him to sing MI MANCHERAI and Ignazio ALMENO TU NELL’UNIVERSO too, I think they considered them songs more known in Italy than abroad, but if I have the opportunity to meet them, I will tell them that people in the US want to hear also other songs.
Thank you Daniela for translating Maura’s beautiful letter. She expresses what many of us feel. I remember how shy he used to be. He has worked very hard to overcome this shyness. But you can still catch a glimpse of it once in a while. And that voice! So versatile. He can sing so sweetly and soft and then turn around and blow you away with the power. His interpretation is so emotionally transforming. I remember as a 17 year old when he sang Maria as a solo it was amazing what he did with that song. And lastly he is so gracious with all his fans. Even those who have made fools of themselves in the past, he greets with open arms. Though I don’t know who that could be!
Certainly Gianluca had to fight against his shyness, but now, by his admission, he is no longer shy, but always needs constant confirmation.
He is without a doubt very cordial and affectionate and certainly does not bear a grudge.
I want to refer back to the comment that Mark made about the frequent posting of photos by Gianluca on the fan page. Whatever the reason, Gianluca is succeeding in keeping the Il Volo emblem updated while they are not on tour.
Gianluca shows a remarkable photogenic skill, as it looks as if every photo that he takes is carefully planned and nicely detailed. May it be the environment, his adorable Luna, his friends or his photogenic self!
I find his variety of photos fascinating and I am sure that there are very many fans who are, like me, always looking forward and appreciate all his beautiful photos that he makes available to us.
Thank you dear Maura for detailing Gianluca’s beautiful and so uniquely wonderful voice to us.
Thank you Daniela for the translation, you are great.
Thank you Pat for your contribution to the lovey posts, it is very much appreciated.
He is doing his best to let us not forget. And how could anyone who has listened to them? However, I feel their emblem or brand, as I call it, is three, young and handsome, tremendous singers,a trio. Their chosen repertoire is, for the most part, from long ago, but they are reaching back in time and bringing those songs forward to the present and refreshing them with what we hope the younger generations will come to appreciate. This, in my opinion, is their emblem/brand and I don’t see how bare chested, seductive poses is at all related to the IL Volo brand. Gian is free, of course, to publish any pictures of himself he wants and I understand the ladies like them, but I don’t consider them “Brand”. The dog, however, is cute!
Mark, I think all the lady fans certainly appreciate his bare-chested pictures!!! Who could say no??? Even an 89 yr. old fan doesn’t turn away when his photo is shown! Guess your comments could be man-related, not woman related???? But, there’s my opinion and I respect yours, too, that it isn’t really necessary. But, who can have a lovely cupcake without the icing???
You are most welcome, Ineke!
Ineke, when I wrote this post I thought that surely you would have commented, I was waiting for you.
So, I think you and Mark are both right, but both start from two different points of view.
Certainly the boys’ brand is that of being a trio, of magnificent voices, who have beautiful singing in their repertoire and are also three beautiful young boys (even if they are already 10 years of success), and this is Mark’s point of view that I share.
But it is also true that every photo published by Gianluca, even if he is the only one, brings to mind IL VOLO, as he is 1/3 essential part of it (the same applies to Piero and Ignazio, but they publish photos much more rarely) . For this reason Ineke says that “Gianluca helps to keep the thought on IL Volo active” and I also share this.
It is also true, Ineke, the refinement in Gianluca’s photos and videos are evident, I was talking about it with Maura, Gianluca’s videos take into account what is framed by the total perspective, the lights, things that are often not valued in Piero and Ignazio. But I believe that in Gianluca, this is innate, he is a perfectionist of the image, but not because he is an exhibitionist. I didn’t know Il Volo when they were children but I read a lot about Gianluca’s shyness.
I also read some time ago that Gianluca himself defined his continuous way of publishing his images, a constant search for affirmative confirmation, which however denotes a need for reassurance.
It seems strange, that a person so obviously good-looking, needs reassurance, but this is part of his person while instead, always by his own admission, he declares that he is no longer shy, that this phase is passed.
Last thing. The record companies encourage artists to entertain publications of their moments of life, so as to be active with their fans (especially nowadays with social media). Once Ignazio said that he was scolded by management, because he was not very present on social media, and since then he has tried more to appear. I believe that Ignazio and Piero, certainly less present than Gian on social media, have tacitly and cleverly let him manage this part more, after all Gian likes it and everyone is happy.
I agree with you Daniela.
Thank you Daniela for translating these beautiful words and Maura for writing them. I love IL VOLO and think they all three are very special in their own way, all are great singers, beautifu inside and outside. Gianluca’s sweetness, tenderness, love for people and animals is soo touching. I have a beautiful memory from M&G, we were forced to hurry up, but when I said, that I want a hug Gianluca opened his arms and with his beautiful smile said”Hi, come stai?” ang huged me. That was really sweet. Handsome man, awsome singer with beautiful personality, isn’t too much for one person? 😉 Thank you again 😘
Jolanta, I also experienced something similar three years ago at my M&G with the guys in Chicago. My birthday was two days before the concert and I told the guys that as I gave them each a brief birthday hug. When we were starting to line up for the photo Gianluca came up face-to-face with me, looked me straight in the eyes, smiled and said, “Buon Compleanno!” He took that tiny bit of extra time to personally wish me a Happy Birthday! I will never forget it! It made my first IL VOLO concert very special. 😊
Unforgetable birthday gift Pat😍😗
Pat, truly unforgettable, pity that your concert has been canceled this year.
Jolanta, so you deserved a big hug, it is really typical of Gianluca to behave like this. The first time I met them at the store to sign the CD, I spoke about Flight Crew and Gianluca immediately replied with interest and with a broad smile, and it was always Gianluca who appointed Flight Crew in an interview in the US .
Thanks for sharing this beautiful article! Maura, you hit the nail on the head! He’s all that and more! What more can I say? 😍🥰😘
What else can you say Dorothy? …….. but that you love Il Volo … but we already know it !!
Touché
Touché
Touché
With all my ❤️
I imagined you would be “touched” Cynthia !!
Maura and I share the same sentiment…
But not just that ….
You compile these posts oh so beautifully… so informatively…. so interestingly… so compellingly….🌹👍🥰😉❤️🍎🍇🍒🎈🍀🍓🌈😀😘😘😘
Thanks Cynthia, you are too kind !! 🙂
This beautiful man can smile, speak, and sing so beautifully,
I began hearing him sing when he was about 14 and he has
only improved mightily over these 10 years. I teared up
when reading Maura’s writing and yours too Daniela. Thank
you so much for putting our Gianluca in these lovely words.
Gale, I’m glad you liked Maura’s words and this post.
Gianluca has breached many hearts.
I love him when he was 14 years old and-when I hear his voice i start to smile .. Nice , beautiful, intelligent and worm child .and he is always
perfect and elegant !!!!!
Absolutely perfect and elegant, Maya, always !!
I adore Il Volo, they are beyond tributes!! I would love them to sing a Beatles song!!!!
Somewhere among the instagrams shown on the internet, there is one of Piero and Igna talking back and forth, with Piero singing “Imagine”. Such a beautiful rendition even with no background music!!! See if you can find it, Gloria.