Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli was born on September 22, 1958, in Lajatico, Tuscany, Italy. His sight was impaired from birth due to congenital glaucoma, and he became completely blind at age 12 following a football accident. Undeterred, he began piano lessons at age 6 and later learned to play several other instruments. He pursued a law degree from the University of Pisa and worked as a court-appointed lawyer for a year, funding his education by performing in piano bars. His journey to musical prominence began in 1992 when Italian rock star Zucchero asked him to record a demo of “Miserere” for Luciano Pavarotti. Pavarotti was impressed, and this led to Bocelli signing with Sugar Music and winning the newcomers’ section of the 44th Sanremo Music Festival in 1994 with “Il mare calmo della sera.” His debut album of the same name quickly achieved platinum status.

Bocelli’s career progressed rapidly. In 1995, his album “Bocelli” featured “Con te partirò,” which he later re-recorded as “Time to Say Goodbye” with Sarah Brightman. This duet became a best-selling single globally. His 1997 compilation album, “Romanza,” sold over 15 million copies worldwide. He made his U.S. debut in 1998 with a concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and performed for President Bill Clinton at the White House. That same year, he earned two World Music Awards and was named one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People. In 1999, his duet “The Prayer” with Celine Dion won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award. His album “Sacred Arias” set a Guinness World Record by holding the top three positions on the U.S. Classical Albums charts.

Throughout the 2000s, Bocelli continued to release successful albums, including “Verdi” (2000), “Cieli di Toscana” (2001), “Sentimento” (2002), and “Amore” (2006). He performed at major events such as the 2006 Winter Olympics closing ceremony and numerous charity concerts. In 2010, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and performed at the opening ceremony of the Expo 2010 in Shanghai and the FIFA World Cup festivities in South Africa. In 2011, he gave a free concert in Central Park, New York City, accompanied by the New York Philharmonic. His 2018 album “Sì” debuted at number one on both the UK Albums Chart and U.S. Billboard 200. In 2020, he performed an Easter Sunday concert from an empty Milan Cathedral, which became a global streaming event for “Music For Hope – Live From Duomo di Milano.” His most recent projects include “A Family Christmas” (2022) with his children and performing at the Coronation Concert for King Charles III in 2023.