“Did you go to their concert? I really like them,” Gianluca asks me when he spots my Fontaines D.C. tote bag on the set of the cover shoot. The Irish band’s concert in Bologna took place just a week earlier, and it is in the same city that we meet Il Volo for this interview, shortly before the release of the album Our Christmas and ahead of their upcoming tour, which will take them across the United States and to some of Italy’s biggest arenas.
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The fact that one of the members of the world’s most famous Italian trio is a fan of one of the world’s most popular rock bands is just the first of many surprises we encounter while spending an afternoon with Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio. On stages around the globe, we are used to seeing them as impeccably elegant ambassadors of classical singing. Away from the spotlight, however, they are perfectly ordinary guys in their early thirties, with passions, a sense of humor and a desire to have fun that make them far more relatable to their peers than one might imagine.
What really strikes you when watching them in action – whether in front of a video camera or a photographer – is just how well-oiled a machine they have become after 18 years together. Every movement is perfectly rehearsed, and their chemistry is so natural that each seems to instinctively complete the other’s thoughts.
After a photoshoot in which we asked them to pose in some rather unconventional outfits (at least in terms of their public image), they say that the real secret to staying together for so long is trust. “If one of us speaks on behalf of all three, the others have to trust him completely. That kind of trust is essential when you’re a single entity, as we are – even if we’re completely different from one another.”
What is the biggest difference between who you are on stage and who you are in everyday life?
Ignazio: Clothes! On stage, we’re completely ourselves. There’s nothing artificial about it. Everything we do is consistent with our outlook on life. In fact, we have far fewer worries on stage than we do away from it. Outside, there are so many responsibilities and thoughts that go beyond music, things that constantly keep your mind busy. When we’re on stage singing, we’re free, carefree and more ourselves than ever.
Do you ever feel the pressure to prove something in private settings too, as though people expect you to behave in a certain way?
Ignazio: No. There are situations in which you shouldn’t change who you are, but you do need to adapt your attitude to the environment you’re in. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why success and fame can lead to depression. People always think they have to change. We were born on stage: we were 14 when we started, and this is our normality. We’ve never felt pressured by fame. If it becomes a problem, it means something isn’t right.
Gianluca: An artist is free when they’re not dependent on anyone else’s expectations and can remain authentic, whether people like it or not.
Was there ever a time, perhaps when you were younger, when you risked losing that freedom?
Piero: No, because from day one we’ve had the opportunity to work with record labels, producers and managers – the same manager we’ve had since the very beginning – who have always respected our position. We’ve never compromised, and we never will, because we’re three guys who are very true to our identity and our integrity.
Ignazio: We’ve also always tried to keep ourselves in check. We’ve always kept one another on track. The most important thing is to maintain enthusiasm for what we do, because when that disappears, things become difficult to manage.
Is there any part of your teenage years that success took away from you?
Gianluca: At that age, it can happen that someone approaches you because of your image rather than who you really are. There was a period when we identified ourselves with our success, and gradually we discovered who we actually were. When you step onto a stage at 14, there’s always the doubt that someone might approach you for what they can get out of you. It’s nice to introduce yourself to someone who has no idea who you are and start getting to know each other on equal terms.
What do you think the public still hasn’t understood about Il Volo?
Piero: That we’ve never claimed to be everyone’s cup of tea. Once you become aware of that and come to terms with it, you can live quite happily.
Ignazio: For me, the only thing we ask for is respect for what each person feels they want to do. I’m against people who say, “Oh, today’s music, today’s lyrics…” Everyone expresses themselves however they want. We’re all free, and this is how we choose to express ourselves. Judgment is a huge limitation.
Gianluca: Just because we don’t show our contradictions doesn’t mean we don’t have any. We’ve always been a little bit the opposite of rebellious, yet we’ve loved Jim Morrison, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson. And when you’re part of a group, you never really get to show your true individuality. We’re one single entity, but we’re completely different from one another. When I speak, I know I’m speaking on behalf of all three of us and vice versa.
Piero: Being in a group creates such a high level of trust that you can almost touch it. If one of us speaks on behalf of everyone, the others have to trust completely in what he’s saying. Trust is one of the reasons why, after 18 years, we’re still here, still together. For us, every day feels like the first day.
You now perform on some of the biggest and most prestigious stages in the world, but is there anything that still gives you the feeling of experiencing it for the first time?
Ignazio: We’ll never get used to the sight of a standing ovation. We’re lucky to have a wonderful audience that shows us so much affection during our concerts. One memory that is still very vivid for me is when, in Buenos Aires, we announced that we’d be coming back four months later to perform an additional show and everyone stood up, erupting into an incredible roar.
Piero: You know, I’d actually forgotten about that! But it’s true, it was wonderful.
Ignazio: We also know that nothing can ever be taken for granted. Just because you’re an artist who has made it abroad doesn’t mean everything will always go smoothly. We’ve had to work incredibly hard, and we’re still working to grow and maintain what we’ve achieved. You should never rest on your laurels or assume things will always stay the same. We’ve experienced exponential growth in Latin America, and those are the kinds of rewards that come from a consistent journey we’ve built together, the three of us and our team.
Is there a memory from your early days that you hold particularly dear and that reminds you of just how far you’ve come?
Gianluca: “We Are the World 25 for Haiti.” All the greats were there: Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Justin Bieber. Incredible.
Piero: Do you remember when Quincy Jones came to see our show in Los Angeles and we explained to him what “in culo alla balena” means? [“Into the whale’s butt,” a colorful way to wish good luck in Italian, ed.] He laughed so much. Every time someone says it to us before a performance, I think of him.
Your new album, Our Christmas, is out now and once again you’ll be the stars of the concert broadcast on live TV on Christmas Eve. How does it feel to have become a constant part of Christmas for Italians?
Piero: Actually, it’s a slightly strange feeling because Christmas has always been something very intimate for me. But on Christmas Eve, my WhatsApp is flooded with messages from people telling me they’re watching me!
Well, that means you’ve become part of people’s family traditions!
Ignazio: Absolutely, and we’re happy that people somehow welcome us into their homes on such a special occasion. For us, the Christmas concert is always a lot of fun – and we’ve filmed it in Jerusalem, Sicily, Sofia and now Milan – but it’s also stimulating. It’s not easy, because when you think about it, there are only so many Christmas songs. The traditional ones are so beautiful that nobody really writes new ones, not even Mariah Carey. And there’s an enormous amount of work behind it: months of preparation, choosing the location and in some places you might even have to film in the middle of summer.
That story about wearing winter coats in August was hilarious.
Piero: Just think of the people who bought them at the time. Now they’ve got a coat they paid half price for!
Is there a song on this album that you associate with a personal memory?
Ignazio: “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” The first time the three of us sang it together was during a period when we were really missing home and were traveling back from Los Angeles for Christmas. We were 17, and we arrived home on Christmas Eve afternoon.
Gianluca: I chose to sing “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” because it reminds me of 2011, when we were in the U.S. promoting our first album and met Michael Bublé, who was promoting that very song. We were at Rockefeller Center and took a picture together. That track is deeply connected to our early days.
Piero: For me, one of the most beautiful Christmas songs is “Angels We Have Heard on High.” One of my fondest Christmas memories is our first holiday season in New York. It feels like being on a movie set.
Can you tell me something unexpected that’s been on your playlists lately?
Gianluca: Fontaines D.C. I really loved their latest album.
Ignazio: Sampha. Absolutely brilliant.
Piero: I’ve been obsessed with Cesare Cremonini’s latest album. He’s really hit the mark. It would be wonderful to do something with him; we love his songwriting. As rappers would say, he’s got a real way with words.