Matteo Bocelli
Matteo Bocelli Bio
When your father is the legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli – the voice that has wowed the world for over three decades – stepping into the spotlight isn’t just a career move for his son Matteo – it’s a birthright, a burden, and a generational breakthrough which has taken him from heir to innovator.
With his eagerly-anticipated second album, Falling in Love, Matteo steps confidently into the spotlight as the next generation artist, with the heart of a poet and the reach of a global pop star.
This isn’t just a son riding coattails – it’s a star carving his own path while evolving his rich heritage. Like Enrique Iglesias brought his father Julio’s Latin passion to global pop in the early 2000’s, Matteo is poised to launch his own unique niche of sensual and emotive music that transcends time and trends.
But it hasn’t always been easy. With the Bocelli name carrying an almost mythic weight, it has meant living under a microscope. ‘My biggest critic has always been me,’ 27-year-old Matteo admits.
The pressure to live up to his father’s extraordinary reputation has shaped his journey, fuelling his determination to prove his own extraordinary artistry. ‘Being a Bocelli is both a privilege and a responsibility,’ he says. ‘I’ve never wanted to run from my father’s incredible legacy but I do want people to hear my voice, my emotions and my version of love.’
And they will. Falling In Love is an album rich in romantic yearning and vulnerability, with passionate showpieces like Amnesia d’amore and the cinematic, emotionally-charged pop ballad entitled If I Can’t Have You. Every track combines a power of classical tradition with modern storytelling.
In an age of dopamine loops and disposable love songs, Matteo’s music is about craving, not clicking; desire, not immediacy. It embodies a powerful counter-movement: Bring Back Yearning – a call to revive the emotional depth, longing, and bittersweet anticipation that modern life often eclipses.
Falling in Love is a love letter to that feeling — to the slow burn of desire, the ache of heartbreak, and the beauty found in emotional sensitivity. Original songs like Glimpse of Happiness, inspired by waking up to birdsong in Tuscany, reflect Matteo’s philosophy that happiness is fleeting but found in small, beautiful moments, while the upbeat track Love Like This celebrates joyful intimacy, capturing the lighter, exuberant side of the album’s emotional journey.
Matteo co-wrote all the original songs with acclaimed writers including Amy Wadge (who has worked with Ed Sheeran), Toby Gad (Beyoncé, John Legend), Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, James Morrison), Iain Archer (Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg), and Johan Carlsson (Ariana Grande, Maroon 5). As well as singing, Matteo plays piano, showcasing his musicianship throughout the album.
One of Matteo’s most intimate songs is Loving You, co-written with Martin Terefe and Iain Archer. ‘It’s one of the most personal songs I’ve ever written,’ he shares. ‘I’m sensitive and an acute observer so for me it’s about seeing love from every angle – the joy, the pain, the complexity – and wanting to express that authentically.’
He maybe a global heart-throb but love, for Matteo, isn’t a gimmick – it’s a philosophy. ‘Love is a universal language. There’s not just romantic love,’ he says. ‘There’s heartbreak, family, childhood, love for friends and even animals – even the love that changes as you grow.’
Working closely with Martin helped Matteo embrace imperfection and vulnerability. ‘He challenged me to push myself to the limit, to release everything and to let my personality come through. That was demanding but ultimately freeing,’ admits Matteo who begins his Falling In Love World Tour this autumn.
He also opens up about his parents’ divorce, early heartbreaks, and the pain that’s shaped his voice. ‘Heartbreak gives you depth,’ he says. ‘We all experience it. That’s why when I sing, it’s not about perfection. It’s about emotional honesty.’
No wonder that Matteo’s appeal extends far beyond his voice. His charisma and warmth have won him friendships with global icons like Bella and Gigi Hadid, thanks to their shared family connections. And it was Matteo’s and his father Andrea’s voices that filled the air at Kourtney Kardashian’s wedding with a rendition of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love for the newly weds’ first dance.
While the world sees him as a singer, Matteo’s cross-medium talents have seen him star in a Guess fragrance campaign and make his acting debut alongside Idris Elba in the 2022 romantic fantasy drama Three Thousand Years of Longing, where he also ended up co-writing and performing the film’s soul-stirring soundtrack The Cautionary Tale.
‘It was an incredible experience,’ he admits. ‘One moment I was in a rehearsal space with Oscar-winning director George Miller, the next I was filming a scene with Idris Elba. Acting taught me how to inhabit a feeling, not just express it. That’s changed how I write and sing.’
What’s more, the Bocelli family’s irrepressible charm was immortalised on the festive cameo The Simpsons Meet the Bocellis in “Feliz Navidad,” a playful reminder that this is a dynasty with a sense of humour and a heart. ‘We grew up with The Simpsons so it was surreal but such fun to film,’ Matteo laughs. ‘We’re lucky to be part of an iconic production like that.’
Just as Ferrari embodies Italian excellence on four wheels, the Bocelli name is synonymous with the country’s rich culture. The Bocellis are no ordinary family. Home for them are the rolling Tuscan hills and vineyards, evoking the quintessential Italian dream of sun-soaked afternoons, sipping Aperol Spritz by the pool, driving vintage cars through olive groves – all against the backdrop of stirring soundtracks.
It’s offers an irresistible yet languid escapism which is why Matteo invited every producer and musician working on Falling In Love into his own home where he indulged them with his passion for cooking, making pasta with fresh tomato sauce from ingredients direct from his garden. Simple pleasures like food and friendship help inspire the honesty in his music. ‘We’d record all day, then I’d cook pasta and we’d sit around the table like one big family. It gave the music even more heart,’ he recalls.
And that heart beats strongest in the hauntingly beautiful Caruso, the classic Neapolitan anthem he covers in homage to both his Italian heritage and to David Foster, the legendary producer and family friend. ‘That song is in my blood,’ he says. ‘And it was important to honour it with respect.’
His sound draws from a rich tapestry of influences, not least pop superstar Ed Sheeran. Their collaboration on Chasing Stars– the solo single that launched Matteo into global recognition in 2023 – was born out of a shared connection over fathers, families, and dreams passed down.
‘Ed is my favourite artist and this song was not only a beautiful melody, but lyrically it also matched my story of how my father was my hero when I was younger and about growing up in a family surrounded by music. That was also actually Ed’s own story too, so we connected over that,’ he says.
But behind the star-studded scenes, Matteo’s life is far from the glitz of the stage. He treasures the company of close friends, playing FIFA and even fixing cars together. ‘They don’t care who I sing with or to,’ he laughs. ‘They just want to win the game.’
This is Matteo Bocelli – the multi-skilled artist, the down-to-earth, yet romantic dreamer, the heir to a timeless tradition. Like Shawn Mendes stepping onto a global stage, or Enrique Iglesias re-defining romance for a generation, Matteo is set to become a universal favourite – a modern icon with an old soul, a bridge between old-world passion and new-world sophistication.
Tracklisting
- To Get to Love You
- Falling in Love
- Mi Historia
- Love Like This
- Loving You
- Glimpse of Happiness
- Naive
- If I Can’t Have You
- Amnesia D’Amore
- Angel in Disguise
- Caruso
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