Il Volo is comprised of Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto, and Gianluca Ginoble.
In 2011, Il Volo played The Wiltern; in 2012, it was the Hollywood Bowl, alongside Barbara Streisand and in 2013, they performed at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk. So what’s next? The Greek Theatre this Saturday, June 7th.
Over the years, Il Volo has followed one principle: “Three voices, one soul.” And it’s worked out quite well for them so far.
It’s no secret that this soothingly thunderous operatic trio – composed of Piero Barone (19), Ignazio Boschetto (18) and Gianluca Ginoble (17) – has already reached stardom level. Il Volo, We Are Love and Buon Natale: The Christmas Album have all received solid responses worldwide, especially in the United States. Their live albums (Il Volo… Takes Flight: Live from the Detroit Opera House and We Are Love: Live), as well as their Spanish releases, Il Volo (Spanish Version) and Mas Que Amor, are also rather popular.
Il Volo’s U.S. tour starts this evening at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, Calif. and ends June 25 at the Theatre at Westbury in New York. In an exclusive phone interview directly from his home in Italy, Ginoble speaks with Living Out Loud about this tour, a possible move back to Los Angeles and much more.
Living Out Loud: How excited are you to come back to the United States and tour?
Gianluca Ginoble: It’s my favorite thing to do because you can stay in touch with the people, and we get to show thousands of people that [we are] there just for them. It’s the best moment of the year.
LOL: You played in Los Angeles last year. How was that experience?
GG: We performed at the Gibson Amphitheatre for sold-out shows with other artists such as Priscilla Presley and Quincy Jones. It was beautiful. We also performed with Barbra Streisand at the Hollywood Bowl in 2012. L.A. is in my heart.
LOL: What can Angelenos expect from Il Volo’s upcoming show at the Greek Theatre?
GG: For the first time, we will have a 60-person orchestra on stage, and we’ll also have a new repertoire and new solo material, as well. It’ll be a beautiful show. We made these changes because we don’t want to perform the same show every time we’re there. There will also be a lot of surprises.
LOL: How is the chemistry between you, Piero and Ignazio?
GG: We started out as three friends, and we’re now like three brothers. We met five years ago, and we’ve become close as family. The most important thing is that even in the bad moments, we’re always there for each other.
LOL: What are some of your musical influences?
GG: I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and I also like Michael Bublé. Piero has a lot of opera influences. Ignazio likes Stevie Wonder and Brian McKnight. It’s great because we’re three different voices singing in harmony, yet we all have different personalities.
LOL: How have you evolve musically as a group?
GG: We’ve learned a lot from Barbra Streisand, she’s a legend … and Plácido Domingo. We’re growing up very fast, but I’m always around people who are older than me. I’ve met a lot of producers and managers that we’ve learned from as well.
LOL: Do you feel a bit intimidated by being the youngest yet being so mature?
GG: No. Age is just a number, even if you’re talking about love. I’m happy. I’m living my life doing what I like doing. I can’t even believe it sometimes. We’ve been all over the world. I’m afraid sometimes, because it’s not easy to maintain this style of life, away from your family. But my family is very supportive. They’re my everything.
LOL: Il Volo reached stardom at a very young age and still continue to grow. Did you ever think that it would be like this?
GG: Yeah, we’ve been working very hard on the new album. The goal is to gain more notoriety and reach the younger generation in the U.S. We’re young, and it’s the first time people our age are doing this music. Andrea Bocelli is almost 60, we’re only 19. So that’s our goal. We’ve done that in South America, and we hope to do it in the U.S. as well.
LOL: The trio has worked with several artists in the past. Are there any artists Il Volo would like to collaborate with in the future?
GG: I love Celine Dion. I hope I can sing with her someday. We also performed with Anastacia in Verona, and that was a great experience.
LOL: How does Il Volo find its inspiration?
GG: Well, we think about love. I also think about my grandpa, he was the one who discovered my voice. I think about my brother and also about a girl, but I cannot tell you her name (laughs).
LOL: What’s your take on social media?
GG: I love it. I love posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram. Right now, that’s essential to staying in touch with the fans. They love it when you share aspects about your personal life.
LOL: Why did you guys decide to call yourselves “Il Volo”?
GG: It means “the flight,” and it’s easy to pronounce. Everywhere you go, people can say it. Also, music makes us fly. We fly around the world (laughs).
LOL: What do you guys like about Los Angeles?
GG: We lived in L.A. a couple years ago, in Marina del Rey and Venice Beach. Our producers, who also work with Andrea Bocelli, live in L.A. as well. It’s my favorite city, and I’ll move there when I’m 21. I have so many friends there, and I love acting. So, I want to study in Hollywood somewhere. I also want to speak English perfectly.
LOL: You guys dress very well. Do you have a stylist?
GG: Yes, we have a stylist. His name is Brioni. Italians do it better (laughs). Dolce & Gabbana also help sometimes.
LOL: What are some of your hobbies?
GG: I love playing soccer, playing PlayStation, being with my friends and listening to music. Music is the soundtrack of life, and it’s my life. I listen to music every single day.
LOL: Any advice for youngsters who might want to follow in your footsteps?
GG: You must believe in yourself. That’s the most important thing. Never give up.
LOL: Anything else you want to add?
GG: We’re just very excited about going on tour. There will a lot of surprises, and people will have fun at our shows. We’re funny (laughs).
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What: Il Volo
Where: The Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
When: Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $45-$75
Contact: (323) 665-5857 or Ticketmaster.com
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