Children of famous musicians who attempt to follow in the family trade are a bit hit and miss in terms of talent, success and longevity. From Frank Sinatra Jr. to Miley Cyrus, results vary wildly, but what can’t hurt is doing a different kind of music altogether.
Take Matteo Bocelli for instance.
The 26-year-old son of superstar Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will be performing Tuesday night (December 12) at Medford’s Chevalier Theatre. Yet while he has taken part in his father’s shows since he was a late teen, when it came time to spread his own musical wings, opera wasn’t quite the direction Matteo wanted to go. His first solo record, released this past September, is decidedly pop, full of lush arrangements and swells of piano.
Titled Matteo, the LP features songs in Italian and English and sees a key songwriting contribution from Ed Sheeran and his brother Matthew titled “Chasing Stars.” Sheeran was long a musical inspiration for Matteo, as well as someone he always looked to from a fan’s point of view.
“I kind of always chased him in the sense that I’ve always listened to his music,” he says of the English singer/songwriter. “I’ve been to three of his concerts – actually four – if we count the very first one where it was opening for Taylor Swift in Toronto probably more than 10 years ago.”
It takes more than bringing in a wildly successful ringer to pen a song or having a heavyweight surname though, so it’s a good thing Matteo has those intangibles like star power, sincerity in his singing and a deep appreciation for those who venture a listen.
In fact, when sitting down for a Vanyaland 617 Q&A (Six Questions; One Recommendation; Seven Somethings), one word that came up a few times was “authenticity.” Whether surrounding oneself with it or possessing it, being true to the music and the creation process are perhaps reasons his debut is in two languages and why Matteo freely discusses his pedigree. It’s also good for carrying on a confident and candid conversation where he talked about staying close with his father while on the road, his favorite holiday songs and what he’s most looking forward to about celebrating the season.
:: SIX QUESTIONS
Michael Christopher: Let’s start with your first record as a solo artist. How does it feel for it to finally be out?
Matteo Bocelli: It feels very good because it’s been a very long process. I’ve been waiting a long time for many reasons. And finally, I mean, to see the record out available for everybody, but especially to be performing those songs on stages is the most beautiful thing.
Do you feel a sense of relief, or is it more a sense of, “Okay, now the hard work begins? I have to go out and do all the promotion…” and do interviews like this?
It’s a mix in the sense that it’s a relief because from one side, you’ve been working a lot on the songs on that album in general, and you also feel this need to share the music with everybody. So, from that side it is a relief. But, at the same time, after an album, there’s a lot of work. And so that is an intense journey, let’s say, every time you release new music, but it’s beautiful.
One of the things I find most interesting about Matteo is some of the songs are in Italian, some of them are in English. How did you go about making that decision as opposed to making an album of just one or the other?
Being Italian, I feel the need to make music also in Italian; that’s my first language, even if, you know, I’ve been singing in English since I was a kid. So, when I perform in English, it totally feels natural. And also, English is a language that helps you in getting, I would say, probably a larger audience in the sense that it’s an international language… and I enjoy it. Overall, English, is a super musical language, and I think it’s cool to make music also in English. Italian, yes, obviously it’s my language, but I do enjoy very much to perform in both languages.
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This time last year you were on tour with your father. Now the two of you were on the road again, but separately. How often are you connecting, and is it strange to be in a different city than him, sometimes just a few nights apart?
No, it’s fun. Honestly, when I think of it, it’s very fun, but also it makes you feel even better because you feel like you have someone of the family that is closer to you, and it’s not on the other side of the ocean. From one side it’s strange, but at the same time, it’s very fun — it’s fun. I used to call him in a different time of the day when I was in Italy [and Andrea] was in America, and same thing for me. It happened that I was in America and he was in Italy. To be both touring and to be able to reach out to him with no problem of time zone, it’s fun. It’s even better. It makes you feel this closer.
Anytime that you are the son or daughter of someone who’s a musical superstar, not only are there certain pressures, but there’s often very vocal expectations from their fan base. Some might openly wonder why you chose to go the pop music route, others might meet you and only want to talk about your father. How do you handle those sorts of things, both retaining your integrity but also appreciating that they mean well, at the end of the day.
The thing that kind of helps you, it’s the fact that every time you’re able to make things that are you, that are authentic to yourself, that makes you happy, everything else – obviously it doesn’t disappear because it still exists – but you approach it in a very positive way. And I think that’s the secret – no? The secret is to always do what you love, do something that satisfies you and makes you happy. And then obviously, I knew even before that I would’ve had a lot of expectation, but it’s part of the game.
I had many other helps from one side, from the [business side of the music industry]. This is what I always try to let people understand. People sometimes think that my journey, it’s way easier compared to someone that starts from nothing. It depends, [and] has its own positive and negative aspects. Definitely the first step might be easier, but everything that comes later, I think it’s way tougher than someone that starts from nothing.
The music that you grew up on, obviously opera, but your older brother was into some much different music, and you’ve been very open about being influenced by pop greats like Lionel Richie and Queen. But who are some artists that people might be surprised that you listen to?
Sometimes I tell the story even during live shows that, I mean, I also listen sometimes to rap. I listen to Eminem. I listen to Kanye West. I listen to, I don’t know, Imagine Dragons. Because I think that every type of music that is well done and that it’s done with a good purpose, I like it. And that’s the main thing for me, and that’s the reason why I love so much Ed Sheeran. It’s that I find an amazing talent, an amazing human being that is capable of reaching such a big audiences, bringing a message that it’s basically always a message with a good purpose. And that’s what I like about him.
You talked about being authentic earlier, and Ed Sheeran comes across as one of the more authentic artists out there right now. How much of a joy was it to have him be involved with the creation of your first album?
It was a lot. It was a lot. Because you can’t imagine how it is for an artist to have in his first record a song written by his biggest idol. But maybe sometimes I believe in the fact that sometimes when you shout things out loud, sometimes they come back.
I simply always loved his work and when I had these couple of ideas, musical ideas that he sent me, I’ve been totally [captured], not only from the music part, but also from the lyrics, the messaging inside the lyrics. I mean, it was a song written by him, but it really seems like it was kind of written for me because it really tells about the story of a little boy that grew up having his father as a hero. [He] always wanted to chase his dream, [which was] music. And this passion for music comes from his parents – his father – basically. We had this kind of connections and I was like, “This is the perfect song.”
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You’re coming up toward the end of the tour and the holidays are here. What are you most looking forward to once you get off the road and you get to head home?
I’m looking forward to really stop, relax, and be with my friends. The thing that I enjoy the most just be with the people that I love and people I have fun with. That’s the most important thing for me, honestly. But right after, obviously, comes music and honestly thinking already of the next project. So, I can’t wait to start writing more and develop ideas, music ideas that I already saved on my laptop. And to see if we can get some more good quality songs.
:: ONE RECOMMENDATION
Matteo Bocelli: I would say Teatro del Silencio, probably. Why I chose this place, the translation is “The Theater of Silence,” it’s a place where once a year we make a concert – and it’s basically a hill – but that is surrounded by, I don’t know, a beautiful, enchanting view that it’s the typical Tuscan view with all the hills. But to me, it’s a magical place where everyone should visit at once because it’s special, because once a year… it’s called Theater of Silence because 364 days a year, it’s empty. There’s nothing, there’s no cement, there’s no steel – it’s totally natural. But just for that one time a year, they build everything to make the concert happen. The silence, it is broken just from music that day of the year, that is in summer in July. And so it’s a place for music for people to visit and to look around. There’s also a place where you can have a glass of wine. To me, it’s where I go. It’s where I spend my time, and it’s where I refill all my energies.
:: SEVEN OF SOMETHING
Your family is so closely associated with the holiday season, and I’d like you to give me seven of your all-time favorite Christmas or holiday songs in general.
Okay, okay. Let me be a little bit egocentric.
Which is totally fine. Because I know The Family Christmas (last year’s Bocelli family holiday album on which Matteo appears) just got re-released as a deluxe edition too.
Yeah, yeah exactly. So, I mean, egocentric, [but] it truly is a bit of an excuse. It’s just that, thanks to the album, I can tell you some titles. [laughs] The single of the album was “The Greatest Gift.” It’s an original song. I like it very much. And the rest of the songs are mostly covers, but there’s some beautiful covers in the album that everybody knows.
“Happy Xmas (War is Over)”…
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”…
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” That is, I think, one of the times where I went to the studio and I’ve been able truly to… I don’t know, there are some moments that if you’re able to capture them, it’s gold in which you particularly feel inspired. And I think that those vocal takes in the track are particularly beautiful.
I always know I’m a bit repetitive, but just the beautiful song of Ed Sheeran and Elton John, the one they made for Christmas. “Merry Christmas.”
In this repack, the deluxe edition of The Family Christmas, I did with my father a beautiful song. It’s called “Cantique De Noel.” In English, “O Holy Night.” It’s very beautiful. It’s also a different vocal texture. It’s a more operatic one.
One of the most beautiful records that my father did, I think, in the Christmas world, it was the very first one. My Christmas. And in that record is a track that I love so much. It’s probably my favorite one [and] is “What Child Is This?” I think it’s so beautiful.
MATTEO BOCELLI :: Tuesday, December 12 at Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest St. in Medford, MA :: 8 p.m., all ages, $57 to $197 :: Event info :: Advance tickets