That's how Steve Leber describes Italian pop/opera sensation Il Volo. Managed by the Lebers, Steve and Jordan, as well as Michele Torpedine and Tony Renis, the trio of teens is having the kind of year most pop groups only dream of. After breakthrough performances on American Idol and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the boys' self-titled debut album bowed at number one on Amazon.com and number ten on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.
It’s an auspicious start for any band, but especially one with reality-TV origins.
From Italy to America
Part variety show, part singing contest, Ti Lascio Una Canzone, a youth-oriented version of America’s Got Talent, is wildly popular in Italy. Piero Barone, Gianluca Ginoble, and Ignazio Boschetto – all tenors – performed together for the first time on the show in May 2009, singing "O Sole Mio." Barely out of adolescence, the boys sounded mature and confident, and their talent was obvious. The performance carried them to victory on the show, and instant stardom in Italy.
Buoyed by their triumph, the trio named themselves Il Volo (Italian for in flight), and took to the studio with Renis and Humberto Gatica, two of the most successful producers in the business. Their 12-song debut, a mix of traditional tunes and soaring new material, quickly went gold in their homeland. From there, Interscope Records President Jimmy Iovine, a huge fan, signed the boys to his label, and got them on American Idol. When their album finally reached the U.S. in May 2011, it bridged generations, becoming a hit with kids and adults alike.
Il Volo’s American success has been boosted by working with Steve Leber, a veteran rock manager and producer who is also the Managing Director of Grandparents.com. Leber, a grandfather of seven, is best known as the former manager of Aerosmith, but has also worked with a who’s who of stars over his career, including the Rolling Stones, U2, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Michael Bolton, Simon and Garfunkel, Diana Ross, the Jackson Five, the Beach Boys, and Dionne Warwick.
Il Volo is Leber’s first opera act, and he looks forward to unleashing what he calls their "new and different kind of music for teens and tweens." With a fall tour of the U.S. and Canada lined up, the group seems poised to take over the world, one blossoming opera fan at a time.
Opera for all Ages
That crossover potential – and Il Volo’s pull with kids – isn’t to be underestimated. Classical and opera voices seldom break into the pop charts. In the last decade, only Andrea Bocelli, Charlotte Church, and Josh Groban have crossed over and attracted young American listeners.
Il Volo's success puts them in an exclusive club, and gives grandparents a perfect opportunity to expose grandchildren to a world of music beyond Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. As Leber says, the trio could "bring a little culture to America." And that's something we know every grandparent can get behind.
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