Il Volo is growing up

Little boys grow up and Piero Barone, 19; Ignazio Boschetto, 18; and Gianluca Ginoble, 17 of Il Volo are no different. Some two or three years ago, they were literally choirboys from small towns in Southern Italy with dreams of singing stardom. Nowadays, they have albums in the hit charts and have recently gone on tour with Barbra Streisand. To the delight of their female fans, they have also grown taller, discarded the baby fat and are looking cuter than eve

You know that it happens. Kids inevitably grow up. Still it was something of a shock to play the new Il Volo CD, We Are Love and hear not choirboys but three young tenors. I felt sad at first. We have lost the boys. On the other hand though, we now have three heartthrobs with fantastic voices. Most important of all, they are now giving the moribund music industry a high-octane booster. 

Remember that time in the ’90s when the powerhouse trio of tenors Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti brought classical singing to the hit charts of the world? Well, doubtless inspired by those legends, Il Volo is doing the same thing again. And given their good looks and Latin charm, this is with special emphasis on the lucrative teen girls market. Start swooning now.

It all started in 2009 when the boys joined the RAI-TV contest, Ti Lascio Una Canzone as soloists. Gianluca won the grand prize but some genius in production had the bright idea of making them sing the Italian standard O Sole Mio as a trio. The number was a showstopper and it was decided then that Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca would henceforth be a trio, that later was named Il Volo which means in flight. 

We Are Love is the boys’ second studio album. It is formulaic but there is no question that the songs are all beautiful. Some old songs, the Spanish classic Historia De Un Amor; a big pop hit translated into Italian, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing as Questo Amore, something in French, Charles Aznavour’s She with the original lyrics Tous Les Visages De L’Amour; and big named guest artists, Placido Domingo in Il Canto and Eros Ramazzotti in Cosi.

Then because it was released late last year, several Christmas songs are included as bonus tracks. Two versions of Silent Night, English and German, Panis Angelicus, The Christmas Song and a medley of pop carols, Jingle Bell Rock, Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow and It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year. These boys were born to sing Christmas carols. In a way, I am sad I got the CD too late for the Holidays but I will make sure that it will be in my Christmas playlist later this year.

Now it is not just the songs and the singing that makes We Are Love special. What makes this an important release is that the individual song stylings and personalities of the boys are now beginning to surface.  Piero is the powerful singer. Ignazio’s tones are rich and full. And Gianluca is the most soulful. They get together and they are dynamite. I can’t wait to find out what they will do in their third album.

Speaking of great singing, Il Divo, the pop classical quartet that was doubtless an inspiration for Il Volo, has released its first Greatest Hits collection. The cover blurb makes quite a claim. Four of the greatest voices in the world, singing the greatest love songs of all time. It is in a way, true, but I would really love for the members of Il Divo to have more chances to show off their solo voices in their future releases just like what Il Volo did in We Are Love.

Il Divo is made up of Carlos Marin, the baritone from Spain; David Miller, tenor from the US; Sebastien Izambard, the pop singer from France; and Urs Buhler, tenor from Switzerland. Here they are with 31 love songs including four brand-new classics. My Heart Will Go On, I Will Always Love You, Can’t Help Falling In Love and Alone.  Plus the hits that first endeared them to their fans. Unchained Melody, Amazing Grace, Heroe, Unbreak My Heart, Somewhere, All By Myself, Mama, Without You, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, My Way, Time To Say Goodbye, Everytime I Look At You, The Power Of Love, Crying, She, The Impossible Dream and others.