Matteo is still only 24 but has become a global star. Most recently this week, he has been at the Cannes Film Festival, helping promote the George Miller film 3000 Years of Longing, in which he voices Prince Mustafa. The Italian singer has also been busy over the past few months releasing the advance singles for his debut solo album, including Tempo, Solo and Close. His new video for the song (in three languages) Until She’s Gone – Tu Luz Quedò – Un Attimo di Te is out now. But not so long ago, he was too shy to accept an offer to sing alongside his famous father and had to be a little railroaded into making his stage debut.
Matteo hit the spotlight in 2018 when he duetted with Andrea on the sweeping ballad Fall On Me, the theme tune to the Disney movie The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. It didn’t hurt that Matteo looks like a cartoon prince, himself.
Yet, just two years earlier when he was sitting in the audience at a special Celebrity Fight Night gala, he had to be coaxed onto the stage and overcome his nerves to perform a stunning opera aria. Incredibly, they even switched off the microphone because his voice was so powerful. SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH HIM PERFORM AND THE BOCELLI FAMILY TALK ABOUT HIS DEBUT
On stage, David told the crowd: “I was at Andrea and Veronica’s house last night and Andrea’s son Matteo, who is 18, sang so unbelievably great and I just asked Andrea if he would get Matteo to sing tonight and Andrea said ‘no’. So I don’t know, I’m gonna go ask him. OK?”
Andrea added; “David is crazy, absolutely crazy, everyone knows it. OK, Matteo, you have two minutes… to think if you want to sing or not.”
In the documentary, which you can watch in full below, David also says: “I’ve watched this child grow up since he was a baby and I’ve seen the influence his father Andrea has had on him. And what a good student he is and how much he absorbed just by being in the house of Andrea Bocelli.
“Plus his own work ethic and the way he was raised by his mum, and by Andrea and Veronica. Three parents that have done such a great job.”
Of course, Matteo agreed to sing but what is even more extraordinary is that his father sets him one last incredible challenge.
Andrea told the delighted crowd: “If he sings without the microphone it is more interesting, believe me.”
Afterwards, Matteo reflected on how frightening that was: “Without a microphone? Out in the open, after all the singers that have sung with the microphone? Then I said (to my father), ‘you will be able to hear the difference (from them). And then, instead, dad just attacked the piano!”
What Matteo’s family already knew but many didn’t realise is that Matteo has an incredibly powerful natural voice.
Veronica said: “He (Andrea) called him on stage by surprise, but truly by surprise. I was so touched by the fact that he had accepted because he had to overcome his extreme shyness.
“He put his all in it and took the stage. He did an incredible job and our guests were happy. His father had decided to turn off the microphone because his voice is famous for its strength – and then he did it!”
Apart from witnessing Matteo’s birth as a performer what is interesting is that his original plans for his future seemed to be more focussed back then on classical music.
He said; “My greatest passion is opera. And for a year, I’d say, I began studying a bit at home with my dad and we’ll see when we get there because inevitably I would love to try to sing (as a career).”
He’s well on the way to that, but these days he is busy launching his pop career. Popera and even opera will have to wait…
