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SINGAPORE : The past five years have been a whirlwind for multinational operatic pop quartet Il Divo but they're not complaining, everything the group touched has turned to gold (or platinum).
Consisting of French singer Sebastien Izambard, Spanish baritone Carlos Marin, Swiss tenor Urs Buhler and American tenor David Miller, Il Divo’s albums have gone multi-platinum all over the world and now the quartet are in the midst of their 32-country world tour. Come September 21, the guys will be in town for a one-night-only concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, as part of the Singapore Grand Prix season.
While Il Divo performed at the same venue in 2007, the upcoming show which is staged and choreographed by creative director William Baker, will be “much bigger”. It will feature a visually impressive light show and a hi-tech stage, offering fans the chance to sit within the staging.
“Fans can expect a reproduction which is actually much bigger... and we are very excited to perform songs from our latest album ‘The Promise’, as well as our previous four studio albums,” said 36-year-old Izambard in an email interview with Channelnewsasia.com.
“We are also working with creative director William Baker... he had helped us with our images on stage as well as the stage design for this tour... It’s going to be amazing!” added Marin.
What’s also amazing is how the group, four guys from four different countries, were pulled together by British music mogul and “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell and thrown into the recording studio just two days after meeting one another. And they didn’t even speak the same language.
"It was fairly difficult in the beginning, because David [Miller from America] is the only native English speaker. For us, it was just communicating in foreign languages all the time, which caused a lot of translational gaps," said Buhler, 37.
“We had to get to know each other over all this time and learn how to blend our voices and our personalities together, and use our differences to make the whole thing stronger. It was a long, long learning process.”
But all four members who already had successful solo careers prior to forming the band - three in opera and Izambard in pop - were willing to take a chance on Cowell, though not all were confident.
40-year-old Marin admitted that wasn’t too keen on being part of Il Divo and was surprised by the group’s initial success. But who could blame him, after all, they were swimming in unchartered waters, and even Cowell did not expect this type of success.
“Well, I believe it is the same feeling for all artistes releasing their first album, we wouldn’t know how well it would be received by the public. Il Divo is a brand new concept, ‘blending in’ pop as well as classical music style,” said Spaniard, adding that he had only expected the group to sell a few thousand albums.
“It was a challenge for my own ego, to be with other very good singers, to share songs. And I am really glad that I did it, because it is an amazing experience. To sing with other people, you learn so much. And to sing together is so powerful; it blows me away every time.”
Added Miller, “I’ve gained many things from my ‘adventures’ with Il Divo. My voice is four years stronger, I continue to think outside the musical box, I now have much greater control over my instrument, and I look ahead with confidence at a schedule that four years ago might have made me think twice.”
And this, Miller said, is reflected in their latest album “The Promise”, their richest and most diverse to date.
Released last year, the album which consists of songs like ABBA's “The Winner Takes It All” and Frankie Goes To Hollywood's “The Power Of Love”, reveals a courageous new direction for the group.
“People might be surprised by this album. Our goal was to approach it with fresh ears and fresh spirits, and try some different things. We’ve still got all the cannons and fireworks, but there is more range, different dynamics, more light and shade, more colour. It’s a more complete album,” he said.
Prior to releasing “The Promise”, the fab four had a year off and took the opportunity to catch up with friends and family.
“We're just normal people. We have a performing life and we have our private life, which is good to have. You kind of need that if you constantly in the public eye, you need that balance,” said Izambard, who welcomed twins, son Luca and daughter Rose, with partner Renee Murphy in March last year.
And though Il Divo always appear well-groomed and impeccable in their smart spiffy Armani suits, their clothing of choice in their “private lives” is jeans and T-shirts.
“I’m so unfashionable!” said Buhler.
“Fans don’t recognise us off stage, so it’s fine when we are wearing our ‘normal’ daily clothings,” added Izambard.
Enjoy "An Evening With Il Divo" at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on September 21. Tickets are available at all SISTIC outlets.
- CNA/il
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