Il Volo

Il Volo

Il Volo is an Italian operatic pop trio from Sicilia, Italy, active since 2009. The group consists of Gianluca Ginoble, Ignazio Boschetto and Piero Barone, and records on Il Volo srl.

Formation and early profile

The trio emerges in 2009 after appearing on the Italian television talent show Ti Lascio Una Canzone, where it performs a version of the Neapolitan standard “O Sole Mio” and wins the competition. The name Il Volo means “flight” and reflects the idea of the group beginning its career and “taking off” together.

Recording career

The group signs a worldwide recording deal with Universal Music Group, and its self-titled debut album is released in Italy in 2010. The album is recorded in Los Angeles, Rome and at Abbey Road Studios in London, with Tony Renis and Humberto Gatica producing. It includes 12 tracks combining established songs and newer material, among them “O Sole Mio,” “Il Mondo,” “E Più Ti Penso,” “El Reloj,” “Smile,” “Notte Stellata/The Swan,” “La Luna Hizo Esto,” “Painfully Beautiful,” “Per Te,” “This Time” and “Un Amore Così Grande.” The set includes songs written for the trio by Diane Warren, Walter Afanasieff and Michelle Lewis.

International appearances

In 2010, Quincy Jones invites the group to take part in the charity single “We Are The World: 25 for Haiti,” where it records alongside major international singers. The trio also performs at the 60th Sanremo Music Festival in Italy and later represents Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, where it places third with “Grande Amore.”

Style and context

Il Volo is identified as an operatic pop trio, and its music combines classical vocal presentation with pop material. The group is also associated with pop as a genre.