The Life and Career of Andrea Bocelli

Bocelli Andrea’s Early Life and Passion for Music

Bocelli Andrea was born in 1958, in Italy, Lajatico and grew up to be one of the greatest singers despite being blind. Bocelli was rendered blind at the age of twelve years after suffering from congenital glaucoma as well as a blow he received on his head while playing soccer. His did not get into a career of singing until when he started performing in bars playing pianos across Italy. Before then, he has started taking piano lessons at the age of six years after which he took the initiative to learn how to play the flute and saxophone. He also later learned how to play trombone, drums, guitar and trombone (Bocelli 34).

Bocelli’s Passion and Challenges

Bocelli was encouraged by his family to sing but he always insisted that it was not his choice to sing but the reactions of other people who thought that he could sing. He however showed a lot of passion for singing and music as a young boy growing up regardless of the challenges he was facing (Bocelli 35). Doctors had advised the parents to abort Bocelli after predicting that he was likely to be born with a disability. Her mother was against the idea and after giving birth to Bocelli, it was evident that he had several problems especially with his sight and it was later determined that he had congenital glaucoma.

Bocelli’s Pursuit of a Tenor Career

Bocelli then grew up in the farm of his family where the only source of income was selling farm machinery and wine which the parents sold to the small village. The mother insisted that it was only music that could comfort him following his early child challenges. His nanny, by the name Orian, offered him the first Franco Corelli record and at this point, Bocelli started showing more interest in chasing a tenor career (Bocelli 40).

Early Singing Experience and Success

As early as seven years, Bocelli was in a position to recognize the famous voice and hit songs during that period and made efforts to emulate some of the great singers. He also spent some of his childhood time singing. His first concert came in a small village near his village. However, he had to wait until the age of fourteen years before winning his first competitive song titled “O sole mio” while performing in Viareggio. (The Biography.com website)

Career Transition and Fame

Bocelli completed his secondary education in the year 1980, after which he went ahead to study a law degree at the University of Pisa. In an effort to make money for his upkeep, he had to perform in piano bars after classes and it was during such performances that he met Enrica who later became his wife. (The Biography.com website) Although he was known around for his soaring and angelic opera tenor, he did not manage to find a music career until the later stages in his life.

Discovery and Recording Deal

Bocelli worked as a lawyer for years and kept on practicing singing as a hobby in parties and piano bars over the weekends. It was during one of these performances that a talent scout heard him perform at a party the scout had attended and went ahead to sign a recording deal with him in 1993. This was the beginning of what became a spectacular career in which he happened to team up with some of the best singers in the music industry during his era.

Collaborations and Hit Songs

Bocelli has worked with or shared platforms with some famous artists including Sarah Brighton and Pavarotti Luciana. He also had to sing in the World Cup and perform for the Pope. The song “Time To Say Goodbye” is considered to be a hit song, best-known across the world which is a duet he did with Brigtman (The Biography.com website). He has also done several songs that are regarded as hit songs including “I Live For Her”.

Variations and Collaborations in Music

This song has been translated by other singers several times and he has teamed up with a number of different singers during these translations. Bocelli performs the same song in Spanish and Italian versions as well as German and French versions of the same song. The famous artists he has teamed up with while performing the different versions of the songs include Marta Sanchez, Judy Weiss, and Sandy (Bocelli 42). He also teamed up with Celine Dion performing the song “The Prayer”.

Awards and Achievements

In his career, Bocelli has managed to record fifteen solo albums of both classical and pop music, with three albums that emerged as his greatest hits, and nine complete operas fetching more than eighty million records across the globe. His career as a crossover performer has been successful making classical music to be on top of pop chart on the international level. He has received several awards and recognitions in his career including being named among the 50 Most Beautiful People by the Peoples magazine in 1998 and nominated at the Grammy Awards in the Best New Artist category. In 2006, Bocelli became the Order of Merit of Italian Republic Grand Officer and in 2010 honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame following his Live Theater contribution (Bocelli 123).

Works Cited

Bocelli, Andrea. The music of silence: a memoir by Andrea Bocelli. New York: HarperCollins, 2002

.https://www.biography.com/people/andrea-bocelli-9216943. Accessed on 9th May 9, 2018

Bocelli, Andrea. Andrea Bocelli – Amore. Milwaukee. WI: Hal Leonard Corp, 2007

The Biography.com website. Andrea Bocelli Biography. January 4, 2017