They may only be in their early 20s, but Il Volo’s voices transcend well beyond their years. Since becoming a group in 2010, Gianluca Ginoble, Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto have won over not just their native country of Italy but also fans around the globe – including royals Queen Rania, Prince Albert and Prince Carl Philip – with their operatic ballads. “What we are doing is bringing Italian melody and culture all around the world,” Gianluca, who is the baritone of the group, tells HELLO!. “The culture is so strong and nobody sings this kind of music at this age.”
Ignazio, Gianluca and Piero are back in the states on a 35-date tour Photo: FilmMagic
And while there may be plenty of skeptics out there who don’t understand "opera," as soon as Il Volo lets out their first note, rest assured it’s as if a spell is cast. “It’s a music everybody needs to listen to,” tenor Piero says. “There are moments where you can listen to rock, pop, but sometimes you need to relax and listen to classical music.”
In fact, the handsome trio may be the youngest group of kids from Sicily, Bologna and Abruzzo to ever appreciate the sounds of Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli and Placido Domingo. “When our families discovered our voices, they introduced us to this kind of music,” Piero explains of beginning to sing at age 3. “This is something that came up from our grandpas and families.”
The trio are bringing 'Italian melody and culture all around the world' Photo: Il Volo
Twenty years later, they are putting their own twist on classic operatic songs like “O Sole Mio” and “Volare” as well as making their own 'popera' hits “Grande Amore” and “L’amore Si Muove.” Unlike other pop groups their age, these guys are the first to say they are old souls. “I prefer to be on the sofa with my girlfriend and family,” fellow tenor Ignazio shares of spending those far and few days off.
Currently, they are captivating audiences on a 35-date North American tour, and the baby of the group, Gianluca, who just turned 21 somewhere between Massachusetts and Connecticut, admits, “We feel a little different than our friends in our villages. We have the chance to travel the world and sing to so many people.”
This is their first tour in a few years back in the states, and when they were just teenagers in 2012, they opened for the one and only Barbra Streisand, who thought they all had great sets of hair. [EDITOR NOTE: Their coifs had us transfixed about as much as their voices!]
The handsome gents giving HELLO! our own private concert backstage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn
The three heartthrobs allowed us to take a look at their nonstop life on the road when they played a show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on February 17.
Click on the images to get an up-close look at the guys' tour life, and be sure to check out the remaining dates. The Il Volo tour wraps on April 1 in California before heading to South America.
While performing each night, Piero loves seeing 'the people's excitement' Photo: Christopher Logan
