More Andrea Bocelli Information

In 1992, Italian rocker Zucchero needed a demo to convince Luciano Pavarotti to perform with him on a song he co-wrote with U2's Bono. Zucchero held auditions for a tenor, choosing Andrea. When Pavarotti heard the demo, he said (famously) 'Who's this fellow? You don't need me!' Although Pavarotti did make the recording, neither star forgot the young tenor. Zucchero invited him on tour to sing the Pavarotti part in the duet, and Pavarotti himself invited Andrea to sing at a concert he hosted.

Andrea Bocelli, International Star, was born, and accolades were showered upon him as his star rose. He was 1994's Best New Artist at the prestigious San Remo Classical Festival, and his first album, IL MARE CELMO DELLA SERA, went platinum. In 1996, his duet with Sarah Brightman, 'Time To Say Goodbye' won an Echo Award, Best Single of the Year. At 1998's World Music Awards, he won Best Italian Singer and Best Classical Interpreter. His duet 'The Prayer' with Celine Dion was Oscar-nominated and won a Golden Globe in 1999, while he received a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist. That same year, his album ARIA won an Echo for Classical Album of the Year, and his album SACRED ARIAS became Billboard's #1 classical within weeks of its release (ARIA was #2 and his older album, BIAGGIA ITALIANO, #3). In 2000, he received two Grammy nominations, and his CIELI DI TOCANI became the best-selling classical album in the world. At the 2002 World Music awards, he won as Best Classical Artist.