The pop playlist of Il volo
“Ad astra” is the first album of unreleased songs by Il Volo: it contains only one cover, “Who wants to live forever” by Queen and 10 new songs signed by authors such as Edwyn Roberts, Cheope, Michelangelo, Stefano Marletta, Bungaro, Federico Nardelli, Federica Abbate, Enrico Brun, Irama – with whom they duet in “Saturno e venere”. It's not a “pop turning point”, because the trio still remains very tied to the world of bel canto that launched it – but it's a step towards that world. So we asked Piero Barone, Gianluca Ginoble and Ignazio Boschetto to tell us 5 songs each, their pop “references”. An interesting playlist emerged, from Imagine Dragons to Sakamoto, from Diodato to Stevie Wonder. Here are their choices, told firsthand.
PIERO BARONE
“Believer” – Imagine Dragons:“
Believer” by Imagine Dragons is a song that inspired me for its powerful mix of emptiness and musical explosions. I like the dynamism that is created when the music suddenly stops and then rises again with extraordinary strength. This song embodies that concept perfectly of explosive vocality that fascinates me, combining the spontaneity of pop with darker and more refined sounds. His energy led us to try to capture the same intensity in our songs on “Ad Astra”.
“Music is” – Eros Ramazzotti:
“Musica è” by Eros Ramazzotti is a song that I consider absolutely unique, and above all “without rules”. It's a rebellious song, which challenges conventions: it starts with a seemingly common melody and lyrics, but then drags you into a totally different universe, an unimaginable journey. This ability to transport the listener into completely new worlds is what surprises me most about “Musica è” and I believe it is precisely this characteristic that makes it a timeless song, capable of continuing to excite and inspire across generations.
“Bohemian Raphsody” – Queen:
Queen's “Bohemian Rhapsody” is another perfect example of “no rules” music. It is rebellious, challenges conventional patterns and ventures into totally unexplored sonic territories, starting in one way and ending in a completely different one. When an artist dares to roam freely and without restrictions, always maintaining respect for the music and its limits, this fascinates me greatly. We thought of this song when we wrote the song “Ad Astra”, which with its five minutes becomes a sort of “progressive suite” which constitutes the outro of the album, and which at the same time suggests that it is not the end, but rather a new beginning.
“Daylight” – David Kushner:
David Kushner's “Daylight” struck me with its innovative and experimental sound. I love how the song takes full advantage of the tools and possibilities that modern technology offers. It is clear how sound has become a fundamental component of contemporary music, and “Daylight” is a perfect example of this: a mix of innovative sounds that give the song a strong contemporary imprint. This ability to explore and experiment with sound encouraged me to seek new sonic avenues to express our music.
“Take me to church” – Hozier: it's a piece that has always been present in my playlists and that I love very much. It's a powerful song, which has the strength to touch deep chords every time I listen to it. Over time, it has become a constant presence in my listening sessions, yet it never loses its ability to move me.
GIANLUCA GINOBLE
“Make noise” – Diodato:
“Fai Rumore” by Diodato has always struck me for its delicacy and intensity, enriched by the pen of Edwyn Roberts, also author of our “Masterpiece”. Personally, I consider “Fai Rumore” one of the masterpieces of Italian music of recent years, a piece that starts slowly and transforms into a powerful crescendo, amplified by the accompaniment of the orchestra.
“Alive” – Let it be:
“Alive” by Sia is a song that I have loved since the first time I heard it, becoming a source of inspiration for the creation of our songs. Sia's extraordinary vocal strength has always fascinated me, pushing me to try to capture a similar intensity in our productions. “Alive” represents for me a real artistic reference, an example of how music can convey deep and universal emotions through its purity.
“Too good at goodbyes” – Sam Smith:
Sam Smith's “Too Good at Goodbyes” was a key source of inspiration for our song “Saturn and Venus.” It's an almost gospel song, with a wonderful arrangement that caught our attention, and from which we drew influences revisited in a more pop key. The elegance of “Too Good at Goodbyes” guided us in trying to convey similar emotions through our music, while maintaining our distinctive artistic identity.
“Golden hour” – Jvke:
“Golden Hour” by Jvke is a song that manages to capture the essence of those magical moments when time seems to stop and you feel completely in tune with the world around you.
“Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” – Ryūichi Sakamoto:
“Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” by Ryūichi Sakamoto is a melancholic and nuanced piece, which also left a profound imprint on the creation of “Masterpiece”, especially in the piano attack.
IGNAZIO BOSCHETTO
“Superstition” – Stevie Wonder:
“Superstition” was one of the first songs I discovered by Stewie Wonder. It is an iconic song that I have listened to countless times, and which represents for me one of the fundamental points of reference in making music, with its contagious energy.
“One last cry” – Brian Mcknigt:
In 2012 I discovered R&B music and “One Last Cry” by Brian McKnight was one of the songs that struck me the most: McKnight's extraordinary voice captivated me, his energy pushed me to delve further into the R&B genre and to explore its various nuances.
“What was I made for” – Billie Eilish:
an incredible song, by one of the most promising artists of the moment in my opinion, with an extraordinary vocal gift. A combination of emotion, vocal technique and great writing that represents a real jewel in today's musical panorama.
“Sally” – Vasco Rossi:
“Sally” simply embodies the great magic of Vasco, a singer who manages to win the hearts of the public through direct and simple concepts. Vasco Rossi is a constant inspiration and a true master of Italian music, an artist from whom everyone can always learn something new. In Sanremo we were lucky enough to duet with his historic guitarist Stef Burns on the notes of “Who wants to live forever”. An incredible, very powerful experience that we will never forget.
“September” – Earth Wind and Fire:
“September” is a song that transmits madness and carefreeness to me because it reminds me of the first moments together with Piero and Gianluca. We always played it on car rides and sang it at the top of our lungs. When I listen to it it makes me remember those moments and brings me great joy.
