Il Divo
Il Divo (Italian pronunciation: [il ˈdiːvo]; transl. "The Star") are a multi-national classical crossover vocal group. Formed in the United Kingdom in 2003,[1] Il Divo is a male quartet consisting of Swiss tenor Urs Bühler, American tenor David Miller, French baritone Sébastien Izambard, and American baritone Steven LaBrie. The group previously included Spanish baritone Carlos Marín until his death in 2021 from COVID-19 and replacement by LaBrie in 2023. Il Divo was created and promoted by Simon Cowell for the label Syco Music (a subsidiary of Sony Music).
For other uses, see Il Divo (disambiguation).
Il Divo
Multi-national (tenors from France, Switzerland, Spain until 2021 and the United States)
2004–present
As of 2021, the group released ten studio albums: Il Divo (2004), The Christmas Collection (2005), Ancora (2005), Siempre (2006), The Promise (2008), Wicked Game (2011), A Musical Affair (2013), Amor & Pasión (2015), Timeless (2018), and For Once in My Life: A Celebration of Motown (2021); as well as a compilation album, The Greatest Hits (2012). Two other albums – An Evening with Il Divo: Live in Barcelona (2009) and Live in Japan (2014) – presented recordings of live concerts. The group has also collaborated with other artists.
Since its inception, Il Divo has enjoyed success worldwide, selling over 30 million copies of their albums worldwide.[2] With 160 certified gold and platinum hits in 35 countries, the group has pioneered the genre of operatic pop, or "popera", in classical crossover music.
Il Divo's live concerts sold over two million concert tickets worldwide just from the group's first four albums. In its first world tour, concerts in 69 cities in 18 countries were sold out.[3]
Members[edit]
Il Divo was composed of four singers:[4] former child performer, television and recording artist, and classical baritone Carlos Marin, born in Germany but raised in Spain; two classically trained tenors, Urs Bühler from Switzerland, and David Miller from the USA; and pop singer-songwriter Sébastien Izambard, from France. After Marín's death in late 2021, fellow baritone Steven LaBrie, from the USA, joined the band as a special guest on tour before being announced as a full-time member of the group on 17 August 2023.
Conception and name[edit]
The idea behind Il Divo came when Simon Cowell, inspired after listening to the Three Tenors, decided to form a multinational quartet of talented young singers to recreate the quality of Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, and Placido Domingo. Cowell searched worldwide for young singers who were willing to embark on the project from 21 January 2001, to 16 December 2003, when Miller was signed.[5] Prior to Il Divo, each member enjoyed moderate success individually.[6]
Artistry[edit]
Styling[edit]
Besides music, the members of Il Divo are also known for their refined and elegant appearance, wearing almost exclusively suits by Giorgio Armani[77] (Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani and Armani Collezioni).[78]
Other activities[edit]
Philanthropy[edit]
On 25 April 2007, Il Divo performed on American Idol in one of the "Idol Gives Back" episodes, which raised money for children in the US and Africa. For every vote cast during that show, Idol sponsors Coca-Cola, AT&T, and others donated money to the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund and other groups such as Save the Children and America's Second Harvest.[85]
In 2011, they recorded "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to raise money for the organisation Save the Children.[86]
Il Divo is related indirectly in terms of sponsorship and help with the French NGO SMTA Assistance Médicale Toit du Monde since 2005, of which Izambard is the international official sponsor, and with Sanfilippo Children's Foundation, for which Izambard is the global ambassador.[87][88]
Between 20 and 30 September 2015, Miller and Bühler participated in a motorbike ride from Miami to Los Angeles to raise funds for the Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity.[89]
