Part 3 of Il Divo with Amaru Don TV

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Caroline Angus Baker

And if you missed the other parts -

Interview with Sebastien Izambard from Il Divo

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Caroline Angus Baker

Interview with Il Divo 28/12/2011

Following the album “Wicked Game” which is now in the stores, Showbizz-Site speaks with Sebastien Izambard of Il Divo

At their concert at Sportpaleis Antwerp is not until March 29, but Il Divo’s “Wicked Game” is already a brand new album in the shops. The international singing quartet has been bringing opera since 2004 in an accessible way and gives everyone’s favorite pop songs a classic touch. Spanish baritone Carlos, Swiss tenor Urs, American tenor David and French pop singer Sebastien take songs like “Do not Cry For Me Argentina” and “Con Te Partiro ‘ further and provide again a vocal tour de force to them.

Sébastien: “This album is for me the best ever for Il Divo. When we were eighteen months ago started, we hadn’t got all the songs yet. We went into the studio and were not satisfied with what we did. We convinced the record company not to release it. Fortunately, they supported us and understood that it was useless to make an album that was not on point. Then we went to Sweden, where we have the song “Wicked Game” and have included that, which has given the project is a new musical direction. It’s all darker, deeper, more masculine, more charismatic … I love it that extra dimension that darkness that we have not had in our music. Consequently than the other songs arisen: “Stay” of Shakespeare’s Sister, “Falling Slowly” from the movie “Once”, “Come What May” from “Moulin Rouge” … “

Showbizzsite: ”How are the covers chosen?”

Sebastien: ”That we choose them in agreement with the record company. “Crying (Llorando)” was such a suggestion from my wife. In the series “Prison Break” she heard the version of Rebekah Del Rio and she came up with the idea to the singer as a duet to be included. When we suggested the record company, they were immediately enthusiastic. As for the other numbers, “Falling Slowly” was an idea from us, “Wicked Game” from the record company … The point is that we are trying for the best album, who chose what songs does not matter. It’s teamwork to ensure the best result. “

Showbizzsite: ”Are there any songs that you like to be recording and we do not immediately you would expect?”

Sebastien: ”We would love collaborate with Eminem! or P!nk, Lady Gaga … Collaborations that are completely out of the box. People expect us to hope for a duet with Bocelli, but it would be fun to work with someone unrelated to our world.”

Showbizzsite: ”In addition to covers, do you also own original material. When created, what makes a song a Il Divo song?”

Sebastien: ”Just a great song, that’s the important thing. We are not looking for something that we think “That sounds typical of Il Divo.” There is no set recipe but we always choose songs whose melody strikes, the lyrics … It is thought that sometimes we do not understand what we are singing, but invariably we translate our songs so we know where they are about. A perfect example is “Senza Parole”, an original song based on the “Moonlight Sonata”. It’s really magical and funny enough people think it will be a cover. No, is a brand new song made just for us!

Showbizzsite: ”You have a lot of big names worked: Celine Dion, Toni Braxton …”

Sebastien: ”And Barbra Streisand!”

Showbizzsite: ”What was it like working with them closely? “

Sebastien: ”Something like that is never obvious. It’s great! You need to just pinch in the arm and then we realize how lucky we are. We’ve been with so many talented artists to act … So we did a while ago, a TV show in Britain, The Royal Variety Performance, and there we met a lot of people. Hayley Westenra who is a friend of mine, Pixie Lott, Cee-Lo Green, Nicole Scherzinger … It’s great backstage talented people with the same passion to meet you! “

Showbizzsite: ”You belong themselves to the A-list …”

Sébastien: ” I can not think of ourselves as A-list, but our music really seems to bring in those circles. I told you, I must convince myself sometimes just that this is real, because I never feel that we have already made. It’s a bit like Coldplay, Chris Martin ever I hear say that very careful and are not obviously going to find success. I have the same setting. I do not think that this day can rest on your laurels and think that you have made. Then you are not motivated? Everything is still just surreal to me and I enjoy every moment.”

Showbizzsite: ”You surely know that you have very loyal fans.”

Sebastien: ”Absolutely, there we have it so lucky! We had a few days ago in the Netherlands and people hung posters of all Il Divo. We have such dedicated fans and I’ve heard that here in Belgium, just the same! It is unbelievable, there are so many other artists and then people have not forgotten you … It’s a cliché, but they are the people that make anything possible, because no fans, no music, no Il Divo! Especially now with the illegal downloading. It is a disease that make all music disappear, first the smaller artists, but also large. It’s great that our fans have respect for our work and support us by buying our music. That’s the best gift you can get as an artist! “

Original article in Dutch - Naar aanleiding van het album “Wicked Game” dat nu in de winkel ligt, sprak de Showbizz-Site met Sébastien Izambard van Il Divo.

Il Divo on BBC Radio Devon 28.12.11

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Caroline Angus Baker

Il Divo in Womans Own UK 31.12.11

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Caroline Angus Baker

The Global Operatic Star’s tell Woman’s Own about the people that make them tick….

The Classically trained band Il Divo were put together by Simon Cowell in 2004. Since then, they have had No1 Albums around the world and won the Artist of the Decade prize at the 2011 Classic BRIT awards.Clearly Simon knew what he was doing, and the band say their latest album, Wicked Game ,is their best work to date.Here,they talk exclusively to Woman’s Own about Break-ups and Babies.

Baritone Carlos Marin is a twinkly-eyed spaniard, age 43. ‘I’m passionate. I’m loud’,he says. ‘When we’re all together in the car, I’m on the phone and they’re all telling me to shut up. But I just can’t stop myself. It’s how I am.’

Divorced from his Spanish wife,Geraldine, they are still friends. Does he blame Il Divo’s success for the breakdown of his marriage? ‘To some extent ,Yes,’ he replies.’It’s difficult when you spend so much time apart. On the other hand I could have left the band.’

Urs Buhler,40, is the polar opposite of Carlos.’I like everything to run on time. I’m Swiss!’ he laughs. ‘It irritates the hell out of me when people are late. It’s disrespectful.’

He and the bands former make-up artist, Tania Rodney, and their three year old daughter, Billie, divide their time between London and the South of France. ‘I’ll miss putting the little one to bed when we tour the world. But as much as that’s painful , it’s beautiful to, because it’s a reminder of the love I feel for her and her mother.’

Meanwhile, American David Miller,38, is married to Opera singer Sarah Joy Kabanuck,’We support each other’s career 100 percent. We go to each other’s voice lessons at home in New York.We dont have a nine-to-five excistence and it keeps the relationship fresh.

Frenchman Sebastien Izambard 38, was a successful pop singer in France before joining Il Divo.While on Tour in Australia, he met and fell in love with Renee Murphy, a publicist for Sony Music. They married in France in August 2008, combining the ceremony with the baptism of their twins Luca and Rose, born five months earlier. Renee had needed hormone treatment and initially conceived quads, but at three and a half months, the couple faced the agonising decision to terminate two of their babies to save the remaining two.

‘It has left us with emotional scars for the rest of our lives.’ says Sebastien.

Then , last May, Renee gave birth to a boy Jude, conceived naturally. ‘He’s like a gift from God,’ says Sebastien. But after another difficult pregnancy, he’s taking no more chances. ‘We can’t do that again-I’m having the snip!’ he laughs.