Il divo group biography

Operatic pop singing group

The operatic pop group Il Divo is known for singing popular songs in a classically inspired, operatic manner; by 2006, two years after their formation, they had sold over 13 million albums.

"Using an Opera Voice, Not Opera Music"

Il Divo was formed in 2004 after promoter Simon Cowell, best known as a judge on the television talent show American Idol, heard operatic singers Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman singing the duet "Con te partiro," and noted their popularity with the audience.

Cowell saw that audiences were eager to hear this style of popular operatic singing, and he decided to create a multinational quartet of male singers who combined a powerful operatic singing style with handsome good looks, a combination he felt was sure to succeed.

Cowell held auditions of singers throughout the world from 2001 through 2003, and finally chose four men.

Urs Bühler, a tenor, began singing as a teenager with a hard rock band called Conspiracy