“I always knew I would sing. I just didn't know if I would be successful or not. But I sang at school, I sang at parties, I sang at church. Everyone always asked me to sing. I'd be playing football with my friends, and my parents would ask me to sing for their guests. I was never very happy about that because I wanted to play football.”

Italian tenor

Andrea Bocelli is an Italian tenor who rose to fame in 1994. He is known for winning the newcomers' section of the 44th Sanremo Music Festival with his performance of "Il mare calmo della sera". That breakthrough brought him wide attention and established him as a major voice in popular classical and crossover music. His public image is tied to his singing voice and the song that first brought him to prominence.