Andrea Bocelli has recruited Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Josh Groban and his son Matteo for his new LP ‘Si’.
The Italian singer – who received the Classic BRIT Icon Award this year – wanted to start a new chapter and channel his youth on his first record in 14 years, and so he’s teamed up with some of the hottest pop stars in the world – plus his own blood and singer/actor Josh Groban.
He said: "I wanted to go back to my memories of being a young man, playing at a piano bar. Obviously since then, I’ve produced lots of albums, sung lots of covers, performed many other things.
"But at a certain point I said to myself: ‘Maybe the time has come to put my effort into finding new songs.’
"Like starting all over again, as it were, in my career."
‘New Rules’ hitmaker Dua, 23, features on the crossover track ‘If Only’, whilst Ed – who previously teamed up with Andrea on ‘Perfect Symphony’ – co-wrote ‘Amo Soltanto Te’ with lyrics by Tiziano Ferro.
Andrea duets with Matteo, 20, on ‘Fall On Me’ from the forthcoming Disney film ‘The Nutcracker and The Four Realms’.
The 59-year-old star – who also has six-year-old Virginia with current wife Veronica and 23-year-old Amos with Matteo’s mother Enrica – says whilst his son’s voice sounds nothing like his, the "attitude" and the way he expresses himself is exactly the same.
He said: "Technically they are very different, but there is one thing that makes them most similar: the attitude. That characteristic way of expressing yourself through your voice.
"This makes Matteo and I very similar. But that is something that you cannot learn, that cannot be taught. That is something you are born with."
‘Si’ is released on October 26.
The tracklisting for ‘Si’ is as follows:
1. Ali di Libertà
2. Amo Soltanto Te – feat. Ed Sheeran
3. Un’Anima
4. If Only – feat. Dua Lipa
5. Gloria The Gift Of Life
6. Fall On Me – feat. Matteo Bocelli
7. We Will Meet Once Again – feat. Josh Groban
8. I Am Here
9. Vertigo – with Raphael Gualazzi at the piano
10. Vivo
11. Dormi Dormi
12. Ave Maria Pietas – feat. Aida Garifullina
13. Meditation
14. Miele Impuro
15. Sono Qui (acoustic version)