Following in the footsteps of
Il Divo and the
Three Tenors,
Il Volo offers soaring opera pop on the group’s self-titled debut. Unlike those acts, however, the three members of
Il Volo were in their teens when they recorded these songs, which include bona fide opera selections like "’O Sole Mio" -- which the trio was discovered singing on the Italian talent show Ti Lascio Une Canzone -- as well as standards such as “Smile” and new pop material, including a pair of songs penned by
Diane Warren, “Painfully Beautiful” and “La Luna Hizo Esto.” It’s no surprise
Il Volo appeared on American Idol and worked with
Josh Groban producer
Humberto Gatica on this album; it’s polished, romantic music from talented young vocalists and perfectly targeted to classical crossover fans.