For the most part, teen singersget a bad rap, especially if they perform pop music. But I have a feeling the new teenItalian classical trio Il Volo won't have this problem.
Thursday night, the powerfulyoung, opera singers amazed the "American Idol" audience when they performed onthe U.S.singing competition. Though they were there to promote the American release oftheir self-titled debut -- out this week -- they can actually relate to thecontestants.
Seventeen-year-old Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto,16, and GianlucaGinoble,16, started singing in school and church when they were toddlers. In 2009, theyended up on "Ti Lascio Una Canzone," a televised Italian talent show for kids 7to 15.
"The producers decided to put our voices together," Gianlucasaid when the group recently visited Yahoo! Music.
Tony Renis, one of their current producers, actuallydiscovered the group after seeing them on the program. After assembling a team of managers and producers, andmaking contact with the group, he presented them to Interscope Geffen A&Mhead Jimmy Iovine, and they were immediately offered a record deal.
The talented tenors, who beganlearning to speak English last summer, also impressed Quincy Jones, whofeatured them last year on the single "We Are The World: 25 To Haiti."
While their mature voices havegarnered comparisons to one of their idols, Andrea Bocelli, they are still-funloving teens at heart. They dress like normal kids and joke around like theirpeers. When they sang a capella for the Yahoo! Music staff, they needed to doseveral takes because they kept laughing at each other. When they were asked ifthey use their vocal skills to impress girls, they erupted in more laughter.
When they met some of their label mates at a Grammy afterparty in February they were just as ecstatic as anyone their age would be. "Wewere so nervous," said Piero. "We did a party after the Grammys. We were in there with Eminem, Lady Gaga, BlackEyed Peas, Puff Daddy, and Rihanna. ... When we met them, everybody said, 'Hi.Welcome to our family.' "
The members of Il Volo, which means flight inItalian, seem no different than Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus. They just sohappen to sing classical music.
But they made sure their albumshowcases multiple musical styles. "On our album, there are some romantic songs,love songs," Ignazio said. "If you want to listen to pop music, you can listenthis time to 'Painfully Beautiful' -- something classical, 'O Sole Mio.' "
Watch our Il Volo: The New Now Interview below:
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