Category Archives: Personally Speaking

Personally Speaking

SMILE by Mary Bohling

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When I first saw Il Volo in concert, one of the highlights was their rendition of “Smile.” They brought something to that song that had never been done before. The harmony, the expression, the quality….all perfection. I bought the CD at the venue, and I remember listening to “Smile” in the car on the way home, and being enchanted again at what I was hearing–completely enthralled by their voices.

Barbra Streisand must have felt it, too, because she chose that song to share with them on her tour. What a show stopper that was! And when Ignazio hit the high note at the end–wow–It even made her stagger back a bit. Her “show off” remark was perfect. And did you see the look on his face??? Priceless!

g - all smilesThe fact is that all of these young men have million dollar smiles.…all gorgeous and all unique. Each time I see one I think, “that one is the best” until I see the next one. Gianluca’s smile could be an ad for a toothpaste brand. It is so enchantingly beautiful, teamed with his smiling eyes it takes your breath away. Something wonderful happens to Ignazio’s face when he smiles. It’s like a light was turned on–it just glows, and his face shines with so much joy, you just can’t help but smile along with him. Piero’s smile is touchingly sweet. It tugs at my heart strings and makes me say “awww,” followed by a big sigh. He is a handsome man and his handsome smile just completes it.

It’s always a treat when they are having fun and their smiles give way to great guffaws of laughter. They love top - at Pescara Concert by Mimmo Cusano laugh. They enjoy just being together and having fun with life. And we can’t help but smile when they smile and laugh when they laugh, because they are who they are, and they convey their warmth and joy to all who have the Il Volo experience.

Smiling–it’s such an easy thing to do and so contagious. Their music has brought smiles to our faces when we were feeling down, or facing a medical diagnosis, or experiencing a loss….whatever our need, the music of Il Volo has had a healing effect for so many. We have seen this in the comments made by grateful fans.

i - from loretta 1People often wonder if the guys know just how much of an effect they have on all of us. They see the adoration on the faces of the fans wherever they go, but I hope they know that to so many of us they are much more than just handsome faces with beautiful voices. Because we see in them something above the norm that lifts us up and puts smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts.

How appropriate it was that someone somewhere in the group of people guiding their careers chose “Smile” as one of the first songs in their repertoire. It’s a perfect song to convey what they mean to us. In our hearts and minds they are always smiling and making us smile, too.
IV♥,
Mary

Personally Speaking

Personally Speaking About Gianluca’s Periscope ~ Jane

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 If you did not get a chance to watch Gianluca’s Periscope filmed in Ignazio’s home a few weeks ago, here it is!  I am so glad someone was a genius and saved this to Youtube.  It is a classic!

 

First and most importantly, I will say IL VOLO’s music is the OXYGEN in their world!  It is simply ingrained in every ounce of their being.  Gianluca and Ignazio appear as if they just rolled out of bed looking freshly tossled, hair and all.  LOVE the way they are so comfortable with who they are.


Gianluca is ever so patiently singing, Can’t Help Falling In Love With You, while Ignazio chimes in on his saxophone.  Gianluca says, “No-no,” at first, then succumbs to the accompaniment , but does actually yell out for an AMBULANCE at one point!  Their rendition of Joe Cocker’s, You Are So Beautiful, is priceless.  They both pull out their best Joe Cocker gravelly voices and have a ball singing those lines. 


They end their impromptu concert with John Legend’s, All Of Me.  Gianluca’s amazing ability to drift effortlessly from silky lows to passionate highs is wonderful.  Ignazio joining in near the end for some harmonizing and heavenly high notes is the icing on the cake.  MANY of us have our fingers crossed that we will see this very song appear on an upcoming CD someday!  They take an already marvelous song and make it a song you want to just keep listening to over and over again.  And you can only imagine how breathtaking it would be with all THREE of them providing the vocals.  It would be yet another one of their repertoire that simply mesmerizes us.


They end their concert with that rousing Italian song (which I’m sorry I don’t remember the name of) that we saw Piero sing with a bunch of guys last year.  Anyway, it was a fun way to end their mini-concert.


So here they were in their down time in Ignazio’s home studio between the Jazz concert with their own band members in Marsala and their next concerts in Palermo…and what were they doing?  Singing their hearts out, of course!  Their music is as much a part of who they are as any limb on their body!  You know how sometimes you get a word or words stuck in your head and you just can’t get them out?  Well, I wonder if these guys have MUSIC running through their beautiful heads every moment, day and night?  It wouldn’t surprise me one bit.  

~Jane

Editorials, Personally Speaking

THANK YOU MR. RENIS ~ Mary Bohling

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L to R - Tony Renis, Gianluca, Piero, Jimmy Lovine, Ron Fair, Ignazio, Steve Leber
L to R – Tony Renis, Gianluca, Piero, Jimmy Lovine, Ron Fair, Ignazio, Steve Leber
Watching the video of the guys coming into the airport in Malta made me think of what Ron Fair, the executive producer of Il Volo Takes Flight, said back in 2011 about their future:  “when we come to the part where we have the screaming girls and then, you know, women fainting….I think so, but in the meantime we will make a lot of great music.”  His prediction has come true, maybe even more than he expected.  We have seen it over and over…the adulation of the crowds of fans wherever they go….from such humble beginnings to this level of fan adoration.
But back to Mr. Renis.  When he discovered them while flipping through the channels, he was amazed at what he was hearing.  He called Michele Torpedine and said that he had found something extraordinary and wondered if he would do a great project with him.  Of course, he did.  He said, “everything started on these late nights in front of the TV where Tony Renis and I realized that this was another important moment for music.”  And so it began, and now we have come to the moment that Mr. Fair said would come.
Tony Renis and the Guy's (Babies).
Tony Renis and the Guy’s (Babies). Don’t know what the heck that orange art thing is.
How do celebrities manage it?  Can they receive this outpouring of adoration wherever they go without its having a significant effect on them?  Other celebs have reacted in various ways….often negatively.  But negative is not in Il Volo vocabulary.
Only time will tell what the long term results will be, but we are confident that our guys intrinsic values will be maintained.  It will be a challenge to be sure.  Will they retain the humility that they have shown….the patience in greeting and interacting with the fans?…..the kindness they show to all from the very young to the very old?  Can they keep up with the pace physically and emotionally?  Being young helps, but there has to be more to it.  They seem to take their physical health seriously as shown in the workouts at the gyms wherever they go.  And we have seen evidence of attention to healthy diets.  (Provided that too much Nutella isn’t detrimental.)  They all have strong emotional ties to their families, who have been so faithful in staying up front in the boys’ lives, giving them support and continuing to be a positive influence.  These things are important, but what really counts is who they basically are…what are they made of?  What have they shown us in regard to that?
~They have proven to be adaptable to any situation into which they have been placed….they cope, they handle it admirably and they come up smiling (and singing.)
~They are devoted to their craft, continuing to study with their voice coach, because they want to be the best that they can be.  Michele Torpedine: “They are three very willing individuals who work really hard.  They are willing to face any type of sacrifice, because they want to make it.”
~They have had to be emotionally strong in order to survive the fast pace and variety of the situations into which they have been placed.
~They are ever optimistic.  They have displayed joy and anticipation in doing whatever has been expected of them regardless of wherever in the world it might be.
These things don’t even include the degree of talent that they possess.  They sing, they dance, they act—there seems to be no limit to what they are capable of.
So Tony, it would seem that your expectation of what they could accomplish was spot on.  We can’t thank you enough for getting these wonderful young men on the way to a fabulous career.  And we do mean “wonderful”….they fill us full of wonder every time we see and hear them.  You got them started, and they have continued to grow and flourish just because of who they are...the meravigliosi men of Il Volo.

~Jane

Personally Speaking

Personally Speaking ~ Jane

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WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??

There is something so wrong with the photos of these tattoos!  I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something is terribly missing here.  These do show the depth of his character and the unique style of this wonderful young man.  No doubt he made a few facial grimaces as the tattoo gun did it’s thing while obtaining these works of art.   But I think he forgot something when deciding what to put where…like WHERE IS MARIE?  Surely he knows who his all time greatest admirer on the planet is?  Surely this was just an over sight.  Surely there is another one in the planning stages we just have not had the privilege of viewing yet.  I’m just sure of it, but just incase…just to be sure…I’ll send him a quick memo!!

Editorials, Personally Speaking

Musings ~ Mary Bohling

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Hi, Just some thoughts…

MUSINGS ABOUT OUR IL VOLO GUYS

It occurs to me that the guys have some very endearing habits and mannerisms that we often see repeated:
For instance, have you noticed that Piero is partial to wearing piero mood regbaseball caps?  He must have dozens of them, most with a team logo.  Maybe he wears them to protect the flat straight up hair style that he seems to favor, or maybe he just likes the look and comfort.  At any rate, we like his looks whatever he is or isn’t wearing on his head.
I and walterI think it’s endearing the way Ignazio has taken to loving horses.  He says that it has become a passion, and that it is a way that he can “pull the plug and be carefree.”  Isn’t it great that he has found a way to do that considering the hectic life style the guys have been going through?  True, they love the performing, but they need to have ways in which to relax and “be carefree.
I remember that Myron had a theory about why Gianluca often putsmusings 3 his weight on one toe while singing.  I think it had something to do with breathing.  Sorry if I’ve got that wrong, Myron.  Anyway we think it’s endearing whatever the reason.
I personally love the way Piero bends over when he’s laughing musings 4heartily and often slapping his leg during a real guffaw.  He does love a good joke, especially when it’s at Ignazio’s expense  He also likes to do a flipping trick with his microphone when taking a breather from the song they are singing.  Too cute, Piero.  You are a great microphone flipper…….(Notice how pleased he seems when he has flipped without dropping it.)
Ignazio loves to take over conducting the orchestra during a musings8performance.  The conductor is very patient about handing him the baton (or does he just take it?)  And the orchestra never falters, even when Iggy is being silly, which is most of the time.
More Piero mannerisms which I find endearing.(Are you tired of that term by now..sorry, I’m not through with it.)  I don’t think he could talk without using his hands.  I guess that is a mannerism typical of Italians, and he would be speechless piero's kiss from Viennawith his hands tied behind his back.  Also endearing is the way he loves to send kisses to the fans, whether in person from the stage or in a video clip.  Sometimes he gets  carried away with thye intensity of the pucker, but he means well, and I love it.
Gianluca is endearing in the way he keeps trying to tone down the musings 6antics of Ignazio and Piero.  (mostly Ignazio)  He is often seen trying to get his brother to be serious–even saying, “don’t be silly.”  Yes, I heard that on one of the video clips.  Good luck with that, Gian.  We love you for trying.
musings 5We can’t forget Piero and Ignazio’s pelvic thrusts….can’t get through a performance without them.  I don’t know that I would call them endearing, but they are a part of those two guys repertoire, and they aren’t going away.  (Would I want them to?)
But what is REALLY endearing is “the wink” that Gian treats us to musings 2every so often.  Who hasn’t melted at that sight?
oh PieroI’m not really sure what the V sign that they (mostly Piero) always need to show in almost every photograph.  I guess it means “peace,” at least that’s going to be my take.  It’s a nice gesture.
It seems that Italian men, (especially Sicilian?) are not afraid to express affection for each other.  Our Italians are certainly comfortable about hugging and kissing, and almost always have their arms around each other.  Endearing?  Yes, definitely.
I love the three-way handclasp that we see, usually at the beginning musings7of an event.  It’s like a pact that they have that’s saying, “we’re in this all together and we’re going to be great.”
Oh, more about Piero:…..the heart shape he makes with his hands to show love to the fans, and is that phone permanently attached to his hand?
piero's heartHow about the frequent adjustment to his glasses?
And we can’t overlook Piero and Ignazio’s hip bumps……again, too cute.  And the way Ignazio wrinkles up his forehead, trying to look wise? perplexed?  busy?  concerned?  Only he knows for sure.  We also see him making the “duck face” and screwing up his face into a scowl.  We may not understand it, Ignazio in Ny - fireman mood - Aprilbut we just like to watch him anyway, because we love him so much.
I’m sure that there are many more endearing mannerisms that could be mentioned, because they are, after all, the most endearing men on the planet, …right?  Right.   Amen.
~Mary