Sanremo ended recently but as we have yet to see, Il Volo was once again treated badly.
This situation was monitored by Michele Monina, a music critic journalist, who is not part of the Sanremo press jury, but is widely listened to.
In the previous post I attached a video where Monina was having lunch with Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca and where he complimented them on the more pop turn that Il Volo is taking and complimented them a lot on their performance of Queen (I remind you that Monina loves rock more).
Well, the day after lunch Monina published LETTER 43 on the blog, a long consideration which I will now translate for you.
The exaggerated bullying against Il Volo, guilty only of knowing how to sing
Michele Monina 02/13/2024
You may like their music or not. But a new shitstorm has been unleashed on Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca by journalists, professionals and “left-wing” intelligentsia. Which really doesn’t forgive the trio for having a repertoire that looks to the past, exalting the Italian spirit even abroad. Now, among other things, an album of unreleased songs is also arriving. Leave these guys alone.
Nobody touches Il Volo. Yes maybe. It seems that the three boys are always the object of criticism from almost everyone, despite there being a constant tendency towards political correctness, towards creeping do-goodism which pushes most to put on pink unicorn glasses whenever someone bothers to criticize someone something else, perhaps even harshly. They, however, fall into a separate discussion, where no one talks about media pillorying, shitstorms, bullying. Many music journalists who crowded the Sanremo press room gave off a boorish show of booing when they finally saw them enter the top 10. Yet they hadn’t bothered to fail them in their report cards, even if we’re certainly not discussing the judgment of those who deal with music for work – or rather: for work they deal with music during the Holy Week of the Festival, one might say, given that then in the rest of the year many people talk and write about sewing or flowers and plants.
Moreover, let’s not forget, those of Volo on their previous passage to Sanremo had not only been met with boos but also stadium chants and dances, when instead of going on to win they had found themselves third, in 2019, after Mahmood and Ultimo. Despite this, the three had always remained impassive and professional, unlike their colleague from San Basilio. (refers to Ultimo who had instead responded in kind against the journalists)
(in this video the press room rejoices because Il Volo is third and therefore cannot be first, there are several journalists who say “shit” aimed at Il Volo)
The bizarre idea that reviving the Bel canto tradition is “right-wing”
In addition to the journalists, however, more or less well-known people also joined the chorus, there to mock the project of these three young singers who arrived at Sanremo 2024 to celebrate 15 years of their career. Criticisms came especially from the left, where evidently this bizarre idea persists that re-proposing the tradition of Bel canto is something attributable to the right: who knows what someone like Giovanna Marini thinks, who has sunk the roots of her work in tradition, and is certainly not never been pointed out as something other than itself. Returning to them: Piero Barone, born in 1993, Ignazio Boschetto, born in 1994 and Gianluca Ginoble, born in 1995, had met during the talent show Ti lascio una canzone, hosted by Antonella Clerici, and from there they set off to conquer the world, with the stage of the victory of Sanremo 2015, with Grande Amore, undoubtedly fundamental.
They bring music that is a hallmark of Italianness around the world
You may not like their music: it tends to look to the past, given that up to now they have never published an album of unreleased songs, preferring to direct their singing towards that vast and now consolidated repertoire which goes from Puccini to O sole mio, passing through Granada or Frank Sinatra classics. Personal tastes are all legitimate, let alone, but all that remains is to rage against three very young people who, until proven otherwise, not only are not doing anything wrong, but are actually continuing to bring around the world a music that is Italian figure, is something miserable, as well as extremely vile. Because launching criticism on social media, but also practicing a not too different form of bullying in the press, as if we were talking about something reprehensible, is an operation that leads to nothing interesting.
In the sense: it does not expand a judgment, especially if repeated by machine, it does not analyze or deepen a possible critical point of view; it becomes just a cutting comment, moreover given on those who are undoubtedly capable of singing, a fact which may well appear irrelevant, but which ultimately should be the basis of the profession of a singer.
In the trap era, those who know how to sing almost have to hide
Be careful, we are not here to contrast the three guys from Il Volo with those who use autotune or something like that – these are specious discussions that we will calmly leave to Luca Jurman I (music critic) and other wannabes – but rather to try to indicate how, precisely in a broad discussion that foresees the possibility of making music even for those who cannot play or sing (trap in this provides too many examples) escapes for what anomalous reason precisely those who know the basics of singing and practice them even with excellent results it should be vilified and attacked. It seems – God forgive us for the quote from General Vannacci – a world in reverse, where those who know how to do something that was once considered basic today almost have to hide, or keep the own secret art, because the world would go in another direction. Here too, excluding a priori that there could be multiple directions, given that music can be expressed with rigor and precision, as Il Volo evidently knows how to do and intends to continue to do, it seems that a sort of homologated single thought wants to decide the dish of the day, imposing the same dishes on everyone, to be honest, often quite bland.
Their first album of unreleased songs will soon be on the market
And let’s say, let’s get to today, that Il Volo has been working for over a year on a project that intends to move the trio towards the contemporary, certainly not abandoning the world from which the boys come: they are not self-harming. In doing so they spent months and months in close contact with a team of authors, who on their three different voices – different in texture, colour, timbre, all fundamental characteristics in singing – wrote unpublished songs, soon to be on the market in what will be their first real album. An operation that they had already tested on the last tour, where in addition to performing together on their great classics, that is, on the great classics of the Italian Bel Canto tradition, they expressed themselves individually, distinguishing themselves and in some way characterizing themselves as individuals, all with that rigor we were talking about before, the same rigor they put into interviews, but also in making themselves available for selfies or autographs with their audience.
Political ideas stuck on the three boys
It’s sad to see them targeted, exactly in the same way that it was sad to see Geolier booed at the Ariston when he won the evening of duets: he is even younger (23 years old) and to take it out on those who are young, even more so if to do so he keeps that distance due to mobile phone or computer screens, is in effect comparable to bullying. Then, obviously, the criticism is there, even on the new, more pop turn of Il Volo, but the tones should at least be in the category of good taste, and if desired, also common sense. Because the writer is used to giving rise to even ferocious criticism, but always with irony and never going personal, while here the point seems to be precisely the three of them, Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca, and any form of patriotism confused for something halfway road between a Putinian nationalism and something that could, if desired, be attributable to the ideologies of the Brothers of Italy or the League (these are two Italian political parties)
Ideas stuck on guys who, until proven otherwise, shouldn’t have anything to do with kids (in the sense: maybe they think that way, but it’s not by singing classics or referring to that tradition that they intend to convey messages, and in any case doing so even when they try moving towards something else is wrong in its own right).
In the words of Anna Tatangelo, “when the person is nothing, the offense is zero”
However, if you feed the controversy to the masses who have the opportunity to act undisturbed on social media, you end up offering a sad spectacle that makes you uncomfortable. Every day we accuse others of incorrect attitudes, we defend the indefensible by brandishing like clubs the right not to fall into a shitstorm or be pilloried by the media, and then too often we end up being the creators of these incorrect behaviors.
All for the sole fault of being successful abroad, or maybe even just making music that we don’t like. It would be nice to be able to apply to them to the words of Francesco De Gregori (Italian singer) – who we imagine is appreciated by that segment of the intelligentsia who loves to mock them – paraphrasing the ending of the refrain of La leverage footballistica del ‘68: “The boys will also do if they have narrow shoulders.” But in reality, lucky them, it seems that Il Volo is made up of three bold young men who have already gained broad shoulders by performing on stages all over the world. So let’s opt for the more popular “cantate che vi passa”, because it is really true that the words should be calibrated on the mouth of the person who pronounces them, or to put it with the divine Anna Tatangelo, (Italian singer) “when the person is nothing the offense is zero.”
What can I say, he really “pulled the ear” of his fellow journalists, but let me explain a little about who Monina is.
Let me start by saying that Monina, at the beginning of 2015 but in particular in 2016, was a great detractor of Il Volo, writing very unflattering articles about them.
Then Il Volo presented itself again in Sanremo in 2019 and even then Monina was not accredited in the press room but, like this year, interviewed the singers separately but always within Sanremo.
So it was that in 2019 Monina met Piero, Ignazio and GIanluca for an interview that lasted a long time and in which our boys spoke heart-to-heart with Monina, describing the difficulties they encountered, talking about their musical studies and performing a strong musical culture, in particular from Gianluca, Monina also noting that they were polite people, they were not at all unpleasant or arrogant, and therefore Monina had a very good impression of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, so much so that from then on he changed his opinion.
Since then Monina has had the opportunity to write little about Il Volo, but shortly before Sanremo this year he mentioned them in a short article where he warned his colleagues journalists not to make that stupid and rude scene in the press room of 2019, but that if they had something to say to them, to have the courage to say it to their faces.
Now, this new long article seemed to me to be truly heartfelt in defense of Il Volo and I dare say that it is the only voice that has been raised in defense of Il Volo, because believe me, some journalists even in their lists of the various singers in Sanremo, they don’t even mention Il Volo, as if they hadn’t been part of the festival, so much so that I thought they were “the unnamed”.
As you understood by reading, Monina also tries to give a political explanation.
Honestly, I have never thought about this, also because music must be above political ideas, but if Monina writes this, there has certainly been some stance taken by journalists with certain political ideas.
Even more so, I am increasingly of the opinion that journalists should not vote in Sanremo.
Another journalist, Antonella Esposito, published Monina’s article on her page, adding her opinion.
Here it is.
I would like to respond publicly to the many questions I have received privately regarding the article published by Michele Monina. I will try to be impartial, without being “too” biased. (she loves Il Volo)
I won’t talk about politics and this is the important assumption from which I would like to start and I don’t think the political orientation of my colleague is even important. I found your article on bullying, because that’s what it’s about, courageous and also honest. Only fools do not change their minds and, net of past judgments – or worse – prejudices, it seems to me to be a lucid confession from someone who has known the artists and evaluated their technical skills, experience and education.
The conversion, if we want to call it that, must have started from the face-to-face meeting during a lunch at Il Villaggio Del Festival.
A chat beyond the permitted television times which allowed Monina and Il Volo to make a quick analysis of the current recording situation. It was agreed that music is hitting rock bottom, in terms of production, a slave to autotune, up-tempo and catchphrases. It’s no longer the time for songs and reasoned lyrics, but that’s fine too, after all, the market creates the logic of the market and in the end we end up singing songs that are all the same and – maybe we like them? – and we risk forgetting after a few months. Could educating about musical culture make a difference, since many young people don’t know who Prince is and don’t even know Michael Jackson? This is Gianluca’s proposal, but it is also another story and it is not yet the historical moment to address it. In the meantime, I would enjoy the opinion of an expert who has addressed an uncomfortable topic that is still talked about too little.
On Antonella Esposito’s page it was possible to comment and so I did and here is my comment:
I fully agree with what you pointed out and, as you wrote, Monina’s article was certainly courageous, but this is the intelligence of people who, if at first they had a wrong vision, do not continue to follow the herd, but they evaluate with their own knowledge the topic they write about, in this case Il Volo. In recent days I have read assessments and comments that go beyond criticism but are only designed to offend and this is ridiculous but also a sign of great degradation and rudeness, shame on some people.
Patrizia Ciava, who we know well here, also published Monina’s article on her page, with this comment:
“All-out defense of Il Volo by Monina who once called them “bimbiminchia” (a word that means childish and with a limited quotient), struck on the road to Sanremo, thanks to the fateful meeting with the boys in 2019. 😉 (She means that the 2019 meeting struck Monina, like a miracle, and made him change his mind about Il Volo)
Also in this case you could comment and my comment was this: “And thank goodness there are those who have the courage to admit they were wrong.”
And do you remember Sunday, when Il Volo was a guest at Mara Venier and there were also journalists who couldn’t ask any questions?
At the end of the Il Volo moment, Ignazio said to journalists: “Singers sing, not scream.”
Some newspapers picked up on this moment saying that Ignazio had said this against Lino Banfi, an elderly actor who was sitting near the journalists, but it’s not true!!!! He was referring to Andrea Laffranchi, a journalist who always writes very badly about Il Volo, in fact here is his report card from Sanremo and you will understand why Ignazio said so.
IL VOLO rating 5.
Il Volo or sung scream? They may have many fans in the world, but we take ourselves out of the club.
Maybe I bored you with this long post, but it was right that you too, on the other side of the ocean, knew exactly how the situation is here and how the press behaves towards Il Volo.
So you might think, but then why did Il Volo participate in Sanremo with these conditions?
As I told you, there was great courage on their part, but the media exposure that Sanremo offers is priceless and I believe that their victory was to reach an audience that otherwise would not have listened to them. Under the video of WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER there are many comments from young Italian males (before there were very few and only to insult) who have changed their minds about them, I’ll transcribe some of them:
@nicbellic9794 The absurd thing is that this cover will probably go around the world, especially in the UK and USA, but here in Italy they didn’t even reach the Top 5. The same goes for Santi Francesi who brought a legend like Skin to Sanremo and they too out of the Top 5. Now Italians want ballet music on TikTok, and covers like these are “boring” in their words.
@giankyclari1309 Italy doesn’t deserve these 3 phenomena, if it then puts other people in first position, and not for racist reasons, but because the 3 of them are worth more.
Singing the Queen song was an act of courage, fully satisfied by those who adored and adore Queen and Freddy.
@lorenzovecchiotti4668 Famous in every corner of the world, they sing magnificently, they really know music and not with a computer and autotune… Italy doesn’t deserve them
@pzunino59 Gives goosebumps, well done for those who loved Queen it was an absolutely unmissable moment. The world envies them and we don’t know how to appreciate them.
@thejontube1504 The only ones who can afford to pay homage to Freddy Mercury..
Il Volo at least deserve the victory with their piece MASTERPIECE, given that they would have deserved to win with this splendid interpretation of Queen!!!
No less important is Stef Burns’ guitar!!! Come on!!!!
@francescoplanb3567 I’m not a fan of theirs but this year I’m really appreciating them, they brought a great song and this cover is really well done, frankly I’m outraged that so much skill is so blatantly ignored!
@lauradesiere7471 I’m a rock “fanatic” and Volo isn’t my thing…usually, but the combination of Vasco’s legendary guitarist and their sublime voices made me want to film it. Touching sacred monsters like Queen and doing the song badly would have been a crime…instead you honored the song. Well done, I will buy your first album of unreleased songs. Damn, what rumors.
@MusicFed I’m not a fan of theirs but this performance was incredible. Breathtaking. Burns perfect solos and with the usual taste and style. The boys sang like a god and “with intention”, reaching all the difficult notes.
…………………and I could go on like this……..this is definitely the best victory of Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca!! 🥰👏👏👏
And that’s all for now, but last night Il Volo was on Radio Italia, and so in the next article there will be them on Radio Italia and other serene and cheerful moments.
Of course I’m waiting for your comments on the “bullying” against Il Volo, and sorry if I got on your nerves reading this.
Sanremo, on the first evening, all thirty singers competed including Il Volo.
All songs are heard live for the first time (only journalists and orchestra players first).
The race is very long, Il Volo performs after midnight (the sequence is drawn randomly).
And finally they arrive… they come down the stairs, beautiful, elegantly different, dressed in Armani.
CAPOLAVORO
The final reception from the public was good, although I would have thought better.
The song is beautiful, quite catchy, I liked it .
I’m so excited for them, they’ve been waiting for media exposure like this for a long time and their performance of the beautiful song was the icing on the cake.
The more I listen to it, the more I like it and it gets into my head, it’s a true masterpiece.
I attach to you some comments published by a vocal coach who is really hard on some singers, he classifies them based on how the song is performed.
Il Volo are a cut above ALL! Tonight less set and managed entries with 10 and praise!
Immediately after performing the song, the boys entered the Radio 2 box.
At Radio 2 there are two hosts, the man is a journalist, his name is Gino Castaldo and he has never had good comments for Il Volo.
The presenter/journalist is EVA STOKOLMA, she saw the video of the BSMT interview and also commented……thanks Eva!!
I translated the video.
EVA= The guys from Il Volo have entered, stand where you want.
GIANLUCA= I’ll stand next to you.
EVA= It seems right to me, because next to Gino he really doesn’t deserve it.
PIERO= Gino stays close to us, so if he makes something wrong (he means his comments) he knows that we are not merciful here.
EVA= Crazy, (in the sense of very good) you were crazy, how did it go? How did you find each other?
PIERO= Well Ariston is always a confirmation, that is, you experience unprecedented emotions when you go on that stage.
EVA= And what is this emotion today?
GIANLUCA= It’s an emotion that is contained in three minutes of song after a year and a half of work, everything fades like this.
EVA= But the song remains.
GIANLUCA= The chorus, in our opinion, is singable and it’s the main thing, regardless of the genre, that we tried to do something more contemporary, but the important thing is to bring songs that people can sing.
EVA= But when can someone sing your song? Secretly, not in front of people (she means their songs have great high notes that few can do)
PIERO= I’ll tell you something, I bet that at least once in his life Gino hums it in the shower.
GINO= (he laughs) but this new one?
PIERO= No, not even the past one.
GIANLUCA= Let’s let Gino do this (Gianluca sings the chorus of Capolavoro….but Gino doesn’t finish it)
GINO= No, no, I would do it but…..
GIANLUCA= Gino would have sung a song from Il Volo!!!
GINO= I would do it right away but I’m as tone deaf. I have a very strong ear, if you drop half a tone I can hear it immediately, but not on me, because I’m out of tune.
GIANLUCA= Listeners, for those who are watching us on Radio 2, excuse me, let me tell you something……. we promise you that sooner or later we will make Gino sing with us. It’s a promise.
GINO= I have a serious question. You have been international for a long time, you move from one stage to another, crazy performances from New York, the world is your audience.
Is it possible that Sanremo is still so exciting for you who now have the world in front of you as spectators?
IGNAZIO = But you know better than us that around Sanremo there is a whole machine that rotates and it’s crazy, there’s a lot of work this week and if you’re not strong you risk being overwhelmed and sucked in by the anxiety and tension that the week takes its toll on you, after a year and a half of work as Gianluca said.
GIANLUCA= But it’s an emotional factor, we were born here, so we become children again when we go up on that stage, all those childhood anxieties re-emerge as if it were the first time.
EVA= Anyway guys I saw an interview with you where you talk about the crazy things that have happened to you around the world and the VIP folder. (the photo folder)
PIERO= Ah, the VIP folder, you saw the interview (BSMT)
EVA= You have so many stories, I would keep you talking for hours…
GINO= But they will come every evening, do you want….
EVA= We are waiting for you tomorrow too, who knows, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow (because the names of the singers who have to perform are drawn by lot on the very morning of the performance)
PIERO= Fortunately the police didn’t arrive the next day, after having told that (Piero refers to the BSMT interview)
GIANLUCA= We’ll be back. We will return here most evenings.
EVA= Is it a threat?
GIANLUCA= See you tomorrow or the day after.
EVA= True, you will only find out this tomorrow morning after the extraction. We give you a “lipo lip service” and we wait for you here at the microphones of Rai Radio2.
GINO= Good work, have a good week.
IGNAZIO= Thanks, bye everyone.
Then they go out to be interviewed by Fiorello.
Fiorello is waiting for them outside the Ariston Theatre, I think it is at least 03.00 in the morning. Piero, Ignazio and GIanluca haven’t gone to bed yet.
As usual Fiorello is very funny, I’ll translate for you.
Fiorello goes to meet them and hugs them tightly.
FIORELLO= Gentlemen, Il Volo, look at them.
P+I+G= Good evening
FIORELLO= Can I say that you are cooler?
PIERO= Thanks!
IGNAZIO= Well, let’s say handsome, he seems like a godfather (referring to Piero)
FIORELLO= No, no, he’s a guy. But you’re becoming like the Phantom of the Opera.
A curiosity, I followed you tonight, you (Gianluca), because when you sing you look up to the left.
IGNAZIO= I’ll tell you why.
FIORELLO= Why?
IGNAZIO= Because it’s his best side.
FIORELLO= Oh, really?
GIANLUCA= Do you know that I don’t know why? I don’t know, maybe I was looking at the sky.
FIORELLO= Do you feel cold?
GIANLUCA= A little.
FIORELLO= Listen, I challenge you to do something I’ll fly, so without trying, Grande Amore, only the final verse, he makes the chord (the pianist), only the ending.
PIERO= Do you have an F minor? (sing the final chorus of Grande Amore – applause)
FIORELLO= Gentlemen, we have woken up Bordighera. (city far from Sanremo)
IGNAZIO= But doesn’t anyone sleep here? (because everything happens in thestreets of Sanremo and people should sleep)
FIORELLO= Look who’s here, directly from TG2 Manuela Morino (a RAI journalist on the balcony)
GIANLUCA= Hello TG2
FIORELLO= Manuela Morino, if I throw you a ball will you take it? (he throws the ball)
So, now we’ll turn this way, if you give me a microphone, because what we would like to do is one of our strong points.
PIERO= OK
FIORELLO= It’s a song that brings good luck.
PIERO= In French?
FIORELLO = In Sicilian. He is from Abruzzo (Gianluca) but adapts (Piero, Ignazio and Fiorello are Sicilian)
GIANLUCA = I’m Sicilian too (he says it in Sicilian dialect)
FIORELLO= The song is titled……
PIERO= Excuse me.
FIORELLO= Go
PIERO= Don’t do the classic version, good, use bows, go slower.
FIORELLO = The song is titled TIRICHITOLLA
IGNAZIO= I’ll start. (they start singing Tirichitolla which is a song in Sicilian dialect with double meanings in the words, and which every time they meet Fiorello makes them sing it)
FIORELLO= Gentlemen Il Volo! Thanks guys, good luck.
GIANLUCA= Hello to all the guys inside the box.
FIORELLO= Thanks, thanks to Il Volo. An applause!
Naturally, I had already warned you that on the first evening only the Press Room jury votes and therefore the votes would not have been in favor of Il Volo, in fact only the top 5 classified are communicated, here they are:
This is how the first evening ends, but tomorrow we start again, only 15 singers perform, including Il Volo, here’s how they were drawn. Il Volo will perform fifth, and this time there is 50% vote from home and 50% from the radio jury.
My husband and I will be ready with our cell phones and will vote the maximum allowed, that is, 5 votes per cell phone.
And here we are finally at the second evening, where only 15 singers perform, including IL VOLO.
They arrive in almost casual clothes, different, simple, I like them a lot.
They sing very well, always perfect, but much more relaxed, you can see that they are having fun.
The more you listen to the song, the more it gets into your head.
I really liked them and the audience really appreciated them a lot.
What can I say: WONDERFUL, they truly are a MASTERPIECE!! 🎉🎉👏👏👏
At the end of the performance, Gianluca took the bouquet of flowers that they were given and ran into the audience to give it to his mother and he hugged his brother .. how sweet!! ❤️❤️❤️
Immediately afterwards they reached the Rai Radio2 station for the interview, Eva Stokolma and Gino Castaldo were waiting for them.
Greetings and hugs from everyone.
EVA= We can tune your song (you mean they can sing it even if they’re out of tune). Do you give us permission?
IGNAZIO= This song is either sung out of tune or not.
GINO= Then I have some chances.
IGNAZIO= It’s one of those songs you sing in the shower. It’s one of those songs that you have to sing out of tune and I was thinking about it last night, because yesterday you said that you don’t sing because you have a good musical ear, but…..
GINO= I’m out of tune.
IGNAZIO= And I imagined you in the shower singing it out of tune.
GINO= And it works the same!
IGNAZIO= Yes, it’s one of those songs you sing in the shower…
PIERO= Igna, what a bad image….
EVA= But why do you think about Gino singing in the shower, while returning home….
GIANLUCA= He imagines him relaxed in the shower...(because Gino is usually biting with his comments)
GINO= I will tell you, and I was commenting on it, that your song grows with every listen….
IGNAZIO= Come on!! But this is great news.
GIANLUCA= Coming from Gino Castaldo (who has always been negative against Il Volo)…..thanks, coming from him it’s incredible.
EVA= But it’s the truth.
IGNAZIO= I have to say one thing, I had a lot of fun tonight. It’s something I immediately said to them (Gian and Piero), we hugged each other and I told them: “Thank you because I had fun.”
EVA= How beautiful!
PIERO= It was nice.
IGNAZIO= To die for!
GINO= And when this happens, it gets to the public.
GIANLUCA= But in fact we are pleased to follow our path and to arrive with a new unreleased song, because for us it is very important to build a new repertoire, little by little, we are approaching something that for us anyway is……
GINO= So it will have a sequel.
GIANLUCA= It will have a sequel, so a record will be released where there will be 12 songs, among the most famous Italian producers: Luca Faraone, Michelangelo (Italian producers)…..
GINO= Every song….
IGNAZIO= There is also a duet that we cannot spoil….
GIANLUCA= Wait, we can only say that it’s a duet with one of the artists competing this evening!!
EVA= Wow, tonight….
GINO= So among these fifteen singers….
PIERO= We can’t say….
GIANLUCA= It’s an incredible piece!
GINO= So he’s among the fifteen tomorrow
IGNAZIO= I really don’t know!
PIERO= It’s true, we don’t know…
EVA= They don’t know…. (she laughs)
GIANLUCA= (turning to Gino) But are you coming to the album presentation??
EVA= Guys, why do you invite Gino when I’m your fan….
GIANLUCA= But you are already invited.
IGNAZIO= But it’s a given that you’re coming.
GIANLUCA= Never take Eva Stokolma for granted.
EVA= I’m taken for granted, oh well ok.
GIANLUCA= It is understood that you are invited.
EVA= Thank you, thank you.
What is the experience like being introduced by other singers competing this evening?
PIERO= Nice!
IGNAZIO= It’s beautiful, but thank goodness we weren’t introduced by Negramaro (they are a group of 5) otherwise we would have been a football team.
PIERO= But with Rose (Rose Villain who introduced them) there is a beautiful alchemy.
EVA= So it’s her. (the one from the duet)
PIERO= No, it’s not her.
IGNAZIO= I’ll tell you something nice that perhaps other artists have already told you.
This year there is an alchemy….it’s beautiful….and even with those we didn’t know.
For example, Alfa or Gazzelle (two singers from Sanremo), are wonderful guys.
GIANLUCA= Do you know how we will end this festival? The final evening is my birthday, we’ll have fun, come on.
EVA= But really? I bring you a gift.
GIANLUCA= Your presence.
EVA= How kind.
GINO= We have to listen to the song during the race.
EVA= We look forward to hearing from you on Friday. (duet evening)
GIANLUCA= Friday?
EVA= You will do something crazy.
GIANLUCA= Castaldo will fall in love with Il Volo on Friday! (Castaldo loves rock)
EVA= But who doesn’t love you guys!
Greetings and Hugs
At least this time Castaldo managed to pay some compliments to the boys who are always very kind.
It’s clear that Eva likes Il Volo!! 🥰
At the end of the race, the ranking of the evening. Naturally I gave all my possible votes to Il Volo (10), I was hoping a lot for this vote from home but I knew well that the radio jury would have been another cold shower and in fact Il Volo is not included in the evening’s ranking of the top 5 . What can I say, a big disappointment.
These are the top 5 ranked singers from last night.
And to really make you understand that Il Volo is always boycotted by journalists and radio stations, here is this comment posted by RAI.
I translated for you.
Among the uptempos the challenge is open, among the ballads Il Volo wins and has a victory song.
We know that they don’t make inroads into social media and that the press and radio are prejudiced against them, but that’s another matter.
And now a nice roundup of photos of our loved ones during the singers’ parade the day before starting Sanremo.
And at the party before Sanremo
and on the Vanity Fair cover!
This is how the first two evenings of Sanremo ended. This evening (Thursday) Il Volo doesn’t sing, they present a singer, and Friday will be the evening of duets, I can’t wait!!!
See you very soon!!
Daniela 🤗
P.S.
Our boys today at noon (8 February) had great satisfaction, meeting the first fans in an instore in Sanremo for whom they signed autographs on their CDs.
And hearing CAPOLAVORO sung by those people, I think, is their greatest satisfaction.
First of all I want to apologize to all of you, because I previously wrote to you that no one can listen to the Sanremo songs until the first evening of the festival.
Unfortunately I didn’t remember that accredited journalists are allowed to listen in order to give their opinions, naturally they cannot report the music outside but they can write a phrase of the melody.
I didn’t remember this rule at all, in fact, perhaps I didn’t want to remember it, given the bad treatment our journalists have always had towards Il Volo.
This time too, some of them did not contradict themselves, giving Il Volo very low marks, but there were also favorable votes. For fairness I will list them both, although I know that many fan pages have only published positive comments, but this is not the case.
I’ll start with the best comments, then I leave it to you to interpret them.
At the beginning of the comment I put the name of the newspaper, sometimes even the author who published the review. There are also some put the vote which could be given up to a maximum of 10.
IMUSICFUN
Third participation in Sanremo for Il Volo which offers a fundamentally different song compared to the previous ones brought to the competition at the Ariston. The first part of the song moves on a piano that accompanies the voice of Gianluca who casually interprets a text in which the hand of the author Edwyn Roberts can be felt, the refrain, entrusted to Ignazio in the opening, is preceded by an underlining of Piero who makes the song truly precious. The string play after the second chorus gives way to a triumphal finale. A song characterized by a pace that highlights the vocal evolution of the trio. A piece that enhances the group idea, but also the vocal peculiarities and stylistic approach of Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio. RATING 7.5
IL FATTO QUOTIDIANO
The piano introduces the return of Il Volo. In full musical transformation Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio from tenors become singers to present themselves with sounds different from those heard up to now. Each with a different nuance, they sing about love.
Verdict: They’ll make a great impression! The refrain ‘Fall from the sky like a masterpiece, before you there was nothing good’.
PANORAMA
Less lyrical and more pop than usual. A perfect piece for the style of the three who have already won the Festival once and who with this song have a good chance of finishing in the upper areas of the final ranking.
FUNWEEK
When the Il Volo song starts, you immediately understand that we are traveling on another level. Yet it seems that the three boys have opted for a less pompous, less lyrical style. That vein of pop gives Il Volo a lot: watch out for the podium.
TV BLOG
The trio returns to Sanremo 2024 with a piece consistent with their path, the voices well balanced and distributed for a potential ‘classic’ of their repertoire. Gianluca Ginoble opens up to the fusion of the three voices in the chorus, to express how much she is a masterpiece…
LA GAZZETTA DEL MEZZOGIORNO
We go out of our way, you may like the band or not, but the song is worthy of the podium. The three guys from Il Volo return with a song that reflects their amazing success: magnificent voices, a modern melodic start and a lyrical refrain but without overdoing it. They have polished off some virtuosity and worked more on the contemporary part, the result could even be a victory. Well done.
OGGI
They won in 2015 with Grande amore, but they won’t repeat it (and for this they should be praised). The three former tenors have grown up, are thirty years old, celebrating 15 years of their career, and return with majestic pop, but without exceeding the bel canto. They no longer all sing together, each one enhances his own vocality. Works. RATING 8
LA WEBSTAR
Three unique voices, which give strength to an immediate but absolutely non-trivial text. Few words, but all said and sung very well. Less lyrical, but still effective and extremely clear. The title seems pretentious, but after listening to them you change your mind. Pure talent. RATING: 7.5
“A sail on the open sea and suddenly you”
AVVENIRE
Less lyrical and more mature song that comes from the personal experiences of the three boys (already winners in 2015 with Grande Amore) who on the threshold of 30 years are looking for a leap forward. Here a love for a woman, for a parent, for someone who is no longer there sung with great skill. “And suddenly you . . .”
TGCOM24
To present yourself with a song with a title like that takes personality or unconsciousness. The three reduce the use of the voice to a minimum with a lyrical approach, but remain in the tradition. They play a sort of separate championship, but in that they have few rivals. It is difficult to imagine that they will remain outside the top five places.
SORRISI E CANZONI TV
Winners in 2015, the guys from Il Volo arrive at their third Sanremo with the very romantic “Capolavoro”, a crescendo orchestral ballad that focuses entirely on the talent of the three performers and, perhaps even more than in the past, on the difference between their vocals, who move between opera and pop. “Fall from the sky like a masterpiece, before you there was nothing good.”
LEGGO
Example of vocal crossover that meets in a pop which, although classical in nature, is contemporary. Talk about hope “Fall from the sky like a masterpiece, before you there was nothing good.”
Here the trio leaves the circuit. The song is not Grande Amore. But it is with the orchestra that they will perform best. RATING 7
IL SOLE 24ORE
For the Volo tenors, a return to the Ariston in the name of modesty. You pass through the Eighties ballad structure with the trademark set voice that emerges here and there, but how do you title a piece Masterpiece? In the Po Valley they would say: “Fly low”. RATING 4.5
LA REPUBBLICA
A song that is more pop than lyrical, it satisfies most of their audience. They are the optimists of love and she falls “from the sky like a masterpiece”. RATING 6.5
QUOTIDIANO NAZIONALE
It is a masterpiece that falls from the sky, the verse is pop, the special is more romantic than fictional even if the voices swell. Orchestral. What their audience wants in the world. RATING 7
FANPAGE
In the mean time we have avoided the Grande Amore effect (almost for the entire song), and this time Il Volo tries a more pop and less lyrical path, as many have been asking them for years and they must be given credit for having attempted a new path, at least for them. It’s not clear, however, where they want to go for now with a song that passes without leaving any major shocks, but the atmosphere of the Festival will pay, as always, so in the end they will be right.
ONDE FUNKY (Paola Gallo)
Melodic reassuring love song, perfectly in line with the interpretations of Il Volo.
“This life with you is a masterpiece” is flypaper for applause. Listening to her you can already imagine the standing ovations from the traditional audience which this year has few, very few representatives. RATING 6/7
ANSA
The three boys who are now men try to take off the vintage patina, but it’s a safe bet that the older generations will appreciate it more. From bel canto to bel pop, the Ariston will appreciate. RATING 6.5
VANITY FAIR
“I felt lost / Like a flower in the desert / And suddenly you, you”. Unfortunately the piece does not reflect the title. RATING 5
ALL MUSIC
Divisions of the parts of the song always the same and they, as always, equal to themselves. The song is powerful and draws easy applause in the room, playing with the orchestra, something that is also typical of them. It’s not a bad song, but where we were with “Grande Amore” we’re still there. Good for them because they could make the podium. RATING 6
DAVIDE MAGGIO (attenzione a come sono scritti i nomi in questa recensione)
Ignazio Barone, Piero Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble are that stuff: lyricism, love, melodrama and some banality. The chorus is there but it’s not as powerful as at the time of Grande Amore. RATING 6
CORRIERE DELLA SERA(LAFFRANCHI ANDREA, this journalist harshly attacked Il Volo in the press room in 2019)
The three try to modernize themselves, the direction is that of pop but they remain harnessed by the rhetoric of opera and bel canto. The text gets lost in the banality of clichés, from “sailing on the open sea” to “flowers in the desert”. RATING 4.5
TODAY
Il Volo failed. Il Volo in the Valerio Scanu version (Italian singer). Almost no trace of the three tenors, who put themselves to the test with a melodic pop song with a flavor of the early 2000s. Courageous but distorted. Masterpiece, only in the title. RATING 5
MESSAGGERO
“Suddenly you fall from the sky like a masterpiece, before you there was nothing good”: he likes to win easily. Shall we bet that it will be the most popular at weddings this year? It adds nothing to the trio’s style, but it will take them to the top. RATING 5
BILLBOARD
It is right that in Sanremo there is also the lyrical quota so loved abroad by those who go crazy for everything that concerns Italy (and also very loved in our country) but in the midst of all the up-tempo (fast pace) pieces of this this year they make the same impression as an older uncle at the high school party.
IL MATTINO (Federico Vacalepre, this journalist was the architect of the Anti-Volo Brigade in 2019.)
The “Masterpiece” of the title is not the song, whoever praises himself blames himself and the trio knows this well, but the sung love story.
Less romantic than usual, in search of a different repertoire, to launch the first album of unreleased songs with three voices aiming for a standing ovation at the Ariston. RATING 5.5
ELLE
They sing the great praise of love but, more than a masterpiece, the song recalls the musicality of Disney films.
ROCK.IT
A little better than one might have feared. But the misfortune remains. RATING 5.5
I think you might have an idea of what our journalists think after reading these reviews.
Some are really bad, sometimes it seems that having beautiful voices is almost a mistake, and not a merit.
The ratings are certainly very low and journalists are certainly not immune from reviewing with their personal tastes.
Have you also read the names of the authors of the song: Edwyn Roberts, Stefano Marletta and Michael Tenisci are all successful young singer-songwriters.
Here they are in this photo, from left: Michael Tenisci Edwyn Roberts Piero Barone Stefano Marletta Ernesto Ginoble
And now I offer you this article from TP24. Reading this article my arms literally fell.
I warn you that the article talks about Ignazio because it is a newspaper from the Trapani area (Sicily, near Marsala)
Sanremo 2024, critics divided for Ignazio Boschetto and IL VOLO: “They can’t win”
“They cannot and must not win.” Some comments from journalists and music critics are merciless for Ignazio Boschetto from Marsala and the trio Il Volo, who will participate in the next edition of Sanremo 2024.
Yesterday the specialized press had the opportunity to preview the songs (almost all of them are very catchy and danceable, is the general comment) giving report cards to the artists.
And, once again, Il Volo was not appreciated. “Il Volo cannot and must not win this time” writes the Huffington Post.
Il Volo is taking part in Sanremo 2024. For them, this is their third participation in the competition at the Festival after first place in 2015 with Grande amore and third in 2019 with Musica Che Resta. This year Ignazio Boschetto, Piero Barone and Gianluca Ginoble bring “Capolavoro” to the Ariston stage.
The song was written by Edwyn Roberts, Stefano Marletta and Michael Tenisci.
“Corriere della Sera” gives a score of 4.5: “The three try to modernize themselves, the direction is that of pop but they remain harnessed by the rhetoric of opera and bel canto. The text gets lost in the banality of clichés, from the “sailing on the open sea” to “flowers in the desert”.
However, there are those who recognize that this is a style they like in Sanremo, and therefore it is likely that they will finish in the top three.
For Rock.it the song is “a little better than what one might have feared. But the disaster remains”.
For Oggi “they return with a majestic pop, but without exceeding the bel canto. They no longer sing all together, each one enhances his own vocality. It works”.
I remind you that the journalists of the Sanremo Press Room have to vote on the songs during an evening and their vote can be really heavy for the ranking.
I also remind you that in 2019 Il Volo suffered this vote which was absolutely exploited by the journalists so as not to let Il Volo win (which still came third even after their negative vote).
To help you remember better, watch this video, which has English subtitles. 😩
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
For my part, I think exactly like my friend Mara who yesterday, after reading the report cards of the songs, published this comment:
“The journalists listened to the 30 songs competing at the next Sanremo festival, and reading several of these reviews I remain firmly convinced of one thing: the press room should not vote!
Among several reviews there is not one that is coherent, because on the same artist and related song there are those who exalt it and those who undermine it… the majority are not technical judgments but personal opinions evidently based on one’s own tastes musical (or perhaps based on the artist who is the most popular at the moment or the team that has “pushed” the most… who knows)…
I could easily have written those reviews even if I who am not in the profession because they don’t have anything objective or technical… which is why, I repeat, the press room should limit itself to making reviews or giving report cards at most but not voting… they are not capable of being objective and not biased, but unfortunately they are also given too much importance in this area…
I hope at least that this year they avoid unworthy sideshows, that they have the decency not to shamelessly express their preferences… because then if someone comes out who doesn’t mince his words and defines them for what they are, they get offended, poor things… !”
P.S: The orchestra, which is made up of people who understand a little about music (certainly something more than the newsagent vendors), doesn’t really applaud anyone after the rehearsals… the pen sellers must understand it.😉
My dear friend grandmother Maura, on the other hand, gives great advice to Italian fans: VOTE, VOTE, VOTE as much as possible (max 5 votes per person).
However, they must be the most voted by the PEOPLE. This will however be a moral slap for the juries, and a title of pride for them, who will thus “measure” our Great Love.
For those who want to know in depth the jury system that will be able to vote for Sanremo, I attach this very exhaustive article.
Unfortunately, as you will read, the first evening will be worth the vote of the Press Room (therefore Il Volo will certainly be penalized)
On the second and third evening they can vote from home and it is worth 50%, the other 50% comes from the radio vote (another penalty for Il Volo).
On the fourth and fifth evening all three juries vote, Press Office, Home and Radio with 33.5% each. I see the very tough competition for our beloved boys.
Click on the article below to read the Sanremo rules:
And here’s my opinion, Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio, certainly don’t start with an advantage, but I have a lot of trust in their fan base.
Italian journalists and radio stations must understand that there is not only rap or trap or urban, we are really tired of these repetitive songs, spoken more than sung because so many people have no voice and really don’t know how to sing. But why do we have to listen to these bad songs whose words we don’t understand or listen to vulgar and rude words?
Why is it fashionable?
But we are the ones who can decree fashion, let’s stop following what is shown to us as good if it isn’t.
We must accustom our children and grandchildren to objectivity, you can listen to a song because it has a nice rhythm, also because it is new, sometimes even a catchphrase, but then there is also room for those who know how to sing, for beautiful melodies. Not all of us have the same tastes, but every taste must be respected.
Il Volo doesn’t expect to win Sanremo, otherwise they wouldn’t have scheduled the concert in Verona on the same day as Eurovision, not even the bookmakers say they are winners, but for us, for the courage they show in showing up again at Sanremo, they have already won!!!
Daniela 🤗
P:S: = If you’re feeling down, I want to lift your spirits with this little video clip that just arrived in which Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero talk about the new song : “Capolavoro” .
I admire their way of being calm and playful in this situation. ☺️
Enjoy it.😉
PIERO= We will return to the Sanremo Festival to celebrate this great milestone with music, 15 years of career, 15 incredible years of friendship, of pure esteem and of this common passion for music.
IGNAZIO= Pure esteem you say, though!
GIANLUCA= (To Piero) Don’t exaggerate, he always exaggerates, I don’t know why he does this.
PIERO= I also wanted to be a little serious.
GIANLUCA= How romantic is this boy here. (Piero)
Let’s say it’s emotional pop, at times…how can I say…
PIERO= Not very emotional…not very emotional…
GIANLUCA= Yes, very emotional, where our voices in harmony, reach that epic quality but with some contemporary features that we needed.
IGNAZIO= We worked alongside some authors with whom we shared our ideas, and this song, ironically, was born two years ago. It’s been two years of work looking for the right message, because we wanted to come back “in a big way” making it clear that even within our group there has been an evolution, there has been personal and also artistic growth.
GIANLUCA= How important it is in our career to work on ourselves, and how important connections are, how important feelings are, and people arrive who out of the blue, as if falling from the sky, can really enrich your life and make it better.
PIERO= And maybe you didn’t realize until the day before that you had experienced a great void.
Lots of news these days, but let’s get straight to the most recent news.
During the television broadcast on Rai 1, all the singers admitted to Sanremo were invited to say the title of the song they will present at the festival.
The broadcast was live from the Sanremo Casino, where the Sanremo Festival was born.
The arrival of Il Volo at the Sanremo Casino.
Here is the title of the song that Il Volo will present in Sanremo and here is the moment in which they gave this news.
C A P O L A V O R O
AMADEUS= The next competing singers are other winners, they represent a 15-year history, a history of music, of friendship, of success all over the world.
After the victory in 2015 and third place in 2019, it is a great pleasure to announce Il Volo’s return to competition at the Sanremo Festival (applause)
G+P+I= Hello, hello everyone.
PIERO = (to Amadeus) You’re in great shape.
AMADEUS= Just don’t eat! You know, the energy!
IGNAZIO= Like dismantling the kitchen and assembling the gym!
AMADEUS= Good, more or less!
GIANLUCA= Fiore, (Fiorello, TV presenter), steals your job!
AMADEUS= I must say that the fact that someone says: “They won Sanremo….” but how many things have happened for you, we’re talking about a worldwide success, which continues to be worldwide, therefore also a notable commitment, because you really travel the world.
GIANLUCA= Yes, I truly believe that the secret, and it is a message that we also want to send to those who have followed us over all these years, is to always remain cohesive, cultivate friendships, even if we have not chosen each other, learn to know each other, not to clash the sensitivity of the other, I think this is really important, because being cohesive makes us stronger. Individuality is important, cultivating it, but I believe being a cohesive group is the key that has allowed us to reach 15 years of career.
AMADEUS= Absolutely. We talked about the victory at the Sanremo Festival, who doesn’t remember that 2015 with Grande Amore. (the video of the victory starts).
This is one of those songs that the public has taken over (it means that everyone knows it)
PIERO= But our expression makes you understand the emotion and adrenaline that the Ariston stage gives you, because many of you will know that we met on the Ariston stage, in the television program 15 years ago. It’s not the first time, in some way we were baptized on that stage, but every time it’s a new emotion, even though it’s the umpteenth time.
IGNAZIO= If I can spoil one thing, I’ll see you in 5 years because every 5 years we come to celebrate the anniversary, in 2019 10 years, this year 15 years, we’ll see each other again for the 20th.
AMADEUS= It’s true! I’m happy that it coincides with 2024 (it will be Amadeus’ last presence in Sanremo as host), which is why I extended it by one year.
And what do you bring to Sanremo?
GIANLUCA= Wait, let’s say it together?
AMADEUS= As you wish: one two three….
I+P+G= CAPOLAVORO (Masterpiece)
How exciting, and how beautiful they are, as you will have noticed they are also dressed in an elegant but informal way, in fact Amadeus’ wife, Giovanna, does not miss the opportunity to point this out in a nice way. 😁
GIANLUCA= How are you?
GIOVANNA= I’ve never seen you in a tank top…
PIERO= I’m not in a tank top.
GIOVANNA= Yes, you are in a tank top (and shows Piero’s tank top and then Ignazio’s), look, Il Volo in a tank top, a little transgressive! 😁
In fact, you will notice that the new image of Il Volo is certainly different from what we are used to seeing. They are followed by a designer (the most fashionable currently in Italy) Nick Cerioni, who is famous for giving a different imprint and has relaunched the image of several Italian singers.
Nick Cerioni himself published these words on his page:
“A project that I have always cared about, not only for the immense artistic luster that these three guys give to Italy but because they are three unique people.
I worked with Il Volo on the creative direction of the visual part of their new project and together we created a world (or rather a universe) that speaks of this new beginning.
The videos and photos are by the best of the good (yes, I’m biased) Leandro Emede (Nick’s husband)✨”
Here are some shots from Leandro Emede.
And I think this will be the cover of the new single:
For this evening, Il Volo wore Armani suits, as VANITY FAIR tells us.
Il Volo in Giorgio Armani
Black in three look variations, which demonstrate the desire to bring the three different personalities of the trio onto the stage. Ignazio Boschetto’s outfit is the most linear, Piero Barone wears a tuxedo with a t-shirt instead of a shirt while Gianluca Ginoble sports a softer outfit with an open shirt.
Other shots of the evening.
Greetings to Caterina Balivo (the one who presents another Rai program)
And in this video Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio tell us that this video is on Sanremo RAI’s Instagram and they ask us to let them know if we like the title of the new song and Gianluca specifies that it is not self-referential.
Many newspapers and broadcasts talked about the evening and this is just the evening in which the titles of the songs were discovered. As you can understand, there is a lot of visibility that revolves around the Festival and this is certainly what Il Volo was looking for when launching a new work.
It is absolutely forbidden to listen to the song before the Sanremo evening, under penalty of disqualification. Furthermore, as I have already told you, all the singers competing cannot appear on any television network other than RAI, the regulations are very restrictive on this.
And in this video, Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero jokingly communicate on the web the title of the song they will sing in Sanremo in 2024.
Instead, in this other video, Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero communicate that they have a Whatsapp channel and say to subscribe to their channel to be updated on the news. To sign up just open this link.
Robbie Williams, of whom Gianluca is a fan, was also invited to perform at the same private event and in fact there are several videos in which Gianluca and also Piero can be seen listening to Robbie sing, with Gianluca’s evident enthusiasm.
……and what you don’t expect is that Robbie, while he is singing Angels (the song that Gianluca sang with the soprano in the Arena), invites Gianluca to sing and gives him the microphone.
Gianluca was very excited and wrote on his page: “Last night was crazy with @robbiewilliams 🔥 and now who sleeps anymore.”
Shortly before the Monte Carlo event, the staff announced that Il Volo would return to concert at the Verona Arena in May, on 9-11-12.
There was an immediate rush for tickets, because advance sales began the same day as the announcement.
I already have my ticket and even if I didn’t manage to get the best seats, I will be in row no. 5 side, I can’t wait and I will definitely meet lots of friends.
Who of you will be there?
Meanwhile, my beautiful Christmas EP has also arrived. What a beautiful gift!!
On 15 December in Bologna the Donatello Restaurant (where Il Volo often goes) celebrated 120 years of activity and among the various guests at dinner there were also Piero Barone and Michele Torpedine.
At a certain point in the evening a beautiful duet was born between Piero and a soprano to the tune of the song “Non ti scordar di me.”
But let’s take a look at the new sweet engaged couple, here are some beautiful photos of them together in Milan, Ignazio and Michelle, but how beautiful they are!! ❤️❤️
For now there is nothing else, but soon it will be Christmas and therefore I take this opportunity to wish you my personal wishes for a beautiful Christmas, which will bring joy, health, happiness and above all in this moment, PEACE. ❤️
Best wishes to all of you!!
Daniela 😍❤️
Best wishes for a peaceful Christmas from all the Flight Crew staff:
Jana, Kelly, Daniela, Pat and Susan
🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄
And to celebrate Christmas we propose again the beautiful concert recorded in Jerusalem a year ago, when there was no war yet.
After six years the guys returned to the Ariston stage. They traveled around the world and stole the hearts of the people of the United States, South America, every corner of the earth. All the fame that any one person could want they had achieved. In six years, they did what most people cannot do in a lifetime! But all of this, which meant so much to them, at times, seemed lost because of what was missing. The joy was always lost in the pain which they felt in their hearts. They wanted to share it with their people, the Italian people. So, they decided to do something about it!
Off to Sanremo!
The pressure was tremendous. The doubts were there. Always there! Ignazio says, “No, we can’t win!” Gianluca says, “We win!” And Piero trying to keep the balance, “We were not anyone here in Italy, at most we would not be anyone even afterwards.”
So how do you begin to approach Sanremo when there is so much on the line! How do you get past the stress and the pressure?
The Video Diary!
TV Sorrisi e Canzoni asked the guys to do a diary of their days at Sanremo.
Since some people were having problems viewing all the separate videos below so we are posting the entire video here.
Day 1: February 9th, 2015
As Ignazio explains in the video, it was just a few minutes a day but, it was a “sort of pill.” It was the thing that kept them going when the pressure was on. “It was fun!” So much so that the guys said they would do it again! And it gave them the opportunity to talk directly to the Italian people and let them know how they felt about being home, experiencing Sanremo and sharing it with them!
So, let’s join the guys on their Sanremo journey.
Before General Soundcheck!
(The videos have English subtitles!) (Please click on each day’s photo to view the video diary.)
Day 2: February 10th, 2015
On day two Ignazio begins by telling us how the general soundcheck went and how it gave them the first beautiful emotions of singing at Sanremo! He also expresses how much he loves sharing these emotions with the other artist!
Piero tells us that he’s getting used to the video diary and he’s starting to like it! “It’s like writing in your diary at night!” He also tells us about his experience on the Red Carpet and experiencing the audience reaction to Il Volo.
Gianluca talks about the following evening when they will perform “Grande Amore” for the first time and certainly combine that with the fact that it’s his birthday!
After general soundcheck
Day 3: February 11th, 2015
Today Piero begins by telling us how he and millions of Italians enjoyed the opening of Sanremo. And the anticipation of singing for the Italian people this evening!
Gianluca tells us about the emotions, nervousness, and anxiety they are feeling. He anticipates something beautiful! And let’s not forget, it’s Gianluca’s birthday!
Ignazio is feeling all the excitement of the day. He says, “Today is our day.” He goes on to say, “Tonight is our turn!” He lightens things up by telling us about how the guys warm up before a show.
And then the final surprise of the video!
Singing for the Italian people!
Hey guys, why so serious?
I know the guys said we are all friends here but, it seems there were other forces at work! The Competition was fierce!
Exactly who is it they’re worried about?
Day 4: February 12th, 2015
The guys touch on so many facts and emotions in this video on Day 4. They are really into the Video Diary at this point and, they are learning how best to share it with everyone! They pack so much into such a short video.
Piero begins today by telling us that their desire last night was to smash on stage. (Smash meaning to be a hit!) And to give it their all!
Gianluca jokes that he wants to smash the peoples’ house. (Be a hit at Sanremo.)
Piero continues that the standing ovation and the applause was unexpected.
Ignazio jokes about a picture he saw, of Piero, on FaceBook. And asks, “Did you see it?”
Piero says no because I was too busy doing what we do before we go on stage. He explains their routine!
Ignazio picks up on it and explains other things they may do before a performance including the use of breadcrumbs. Interesting!
Piero tells Ignazio to explain about the song they will sing on this evening ~ “Ancora.”
Ignazio explains the difficulty of singing this song. He says this is one of the hardest songs to sing in the Italian repertoire.
Gianluca speaks about the new CD which will include “Ancora.” And they joke about the song.
Piero and Gianluca talk about how much they like the Video Diaries and how they will miss them when Sanremo is over.
A Standing Ovation!
Day 5: February 13th, 2015
Gianluca begins by telling us how beautiful it was to perform “Ancora” last night. He said it was a challenge but, it was very exciting.
They sang it with such ease I would never expect it was so hard to sing.
I tried to find a video with the full song, “Ancora,” at Sanremo. As far as I know, it doesn’t exist. So, I am including the one-minute video. This one-minute video took my breath away. Just amazing! Notice their expressions, their emotions, their passion! Look at how they share with one another! Their voices reach out to one another! Such joy in those voices! All of their performances are amazing but some of them bring you to tears! You can feel their emotions!
(Please click the photo below to view “Ancora”)
Piero says he thought, when he woke up this morning, he had some free time to walk but found out, there are no vacations in Sanremo. He directs his attention to Ignazio. He says Ignazio is angry because Gianluca wore his shoes. Ignazio ignores him.
Gianluca implies he’s not ignoring Piero, he’s just busy taking the sun. To which Ignazio replies, “I am letting the sun kiss me because the sun kisses good.” Gianluca asks Ignazio to let the people know what will happen tonight.
Ignazio says, tonight, we will again sing “Grande Amore.” But what follows is funny! I think at this point Ignazio doesn’t want to admit that he thinks they will win. We know till the end he said, “No we can’t win.”
Piero closes by saying “Guys, the last days of these diaries.”
Why did you put your shoes like mine?
Day 6: February 14th, 2015
Ignazio begins by saying how sad he is that the video diaries are coming to an end. The guys decided they would do the diary when they are working in the studio or on tour so they can share their day with the fans. He joked with Gianluca about how he tripped on stage. And Piero reminded him that his legs were trembling!
Gianluca talks about how unusual it was to have a standing ovation. It’s something you don’t see often in Italy. Of course, in America, they get a standing ovation for every song they sing.
Piero talks about how happy they were with the response of the Italian audience. He says again they will sing “Grande Amore” and he asks for the support of the people. He tells the people they will always be there for them.
Gianluca wishes everyone a Grande Amore (Great Love) for Valentine’s day.
Piero interrupts saying, after all the discussion about the shoes yesterday, today they dress with the same shoes, as yesterday.
Gianluca reminds him, every morning we dress the same, don’t we?
Piero reminds the guys that they forgot to thank Giorgio Armani for dressing them for the Sanremo Festival.
The guys close by sending a kiss to everyone!
Farewell to the Video Diaries!
So ends our journey to Sanremo. The guys won and now we must move on to our next adventure that can only be reached Through the Fields of My Mind….
There are a few people I need to thank for making this article possible. Daniela from Il Volo Traduzioni for the English subtitles. Daniela Ci from Il Volo Flight Crew for splitting the video. As always, I thank Daniela Perani and Pat Farley Ward for the Photos, Video’s and the wonderful layout of the articles. To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
