Il Divo, Italian for "divine male performer," is an international operatic … Read Full Bio ↴Il Divo, Italian for "divine male performer," is an international operatic pop vocal group under the Sony BMG music label from United Kingdom. Il Divo is formed by singers David Miller, Sébastien Izambard, Urs Bühler, and Carlos Marín.

The idea behind this quartet's creation came to Simon Cowell after listening to Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's rendition of "Con Te Partirò." He realized he loved lyrical voices but not opera, so he decided to form a multinational quartet (France, Switzerland, Spain, and United States) that sounded like The Three Tenors but sang pop songs and looked like handsome Armani models.

With this idea, Cowell commenced a worldwide search for young singers who were willing to embark on the Il Divo project. His search lasted two years, from 2001 until December 2003, when the fourth member of Il Divo, American tenor David Miller, was signed. The well-established formation of Il Divo comprises a renowned Spanish opera and zarzuela baritone, Carlos Marín, a French pop singer, Sébastien Izambard, and two classically trained tenors, Swiss Urs Bühler and American David Miller. Recording of their first album started in the first half of 2004 in Sweden.

The group's debut album, the self-named Il Divo, contains renditions of Frank Sinatra's hit "My Way (A Mi Manera)," Toni Braxton's hit "Unbreak My Heart (Regresa a Mi)," an adaptation of Ennio Morricone's soundtrack titled "Gabriel's Oboe" from the movie La Misión titled "Nella Fantasia" and several songs sung in Spanish, English, Italian, and Portuguese ("Volta Pra Mim"), including 1994's San Remo Festival winner "Passerà."

Il Divo hit the #1 slot on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com after a breakout career-defining appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 5, 2005, where the quartet performed its interpretation of "Unbreak My Heart."

In the United Kingdom, the Il Divo album topped Robbie Williams as number 1 in the UK charts (allegedly Williams said to them during the Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason film premiere, "Oi, you're the bastards that knocked me off!"). This multiplatinum-selling CD became number one in the charts in a total of 13 countries around the world, and achieved top 5 placing in 25 countries.

Il Divo's second album, Ancora, was recorded in both Sweden and London with world-renowned recording giants Per Magnusson and David Kreuger and producer Steve Mac, who was also the producer of their first album. Released on November 7, 2005 in the UK, it hit number one both in the UK and Australia within one week. Ancora was released in the US on January 24, 2006. It entered the Billboard albums chart at number 1, selling more than 150,000 copies during its first week of sales.

Highlights on Ancora include "Isabel," "I Believe In You," a duet with Céline Dion, and Il Divo's cover of Eric Carmen's "All By Myself (Solo Otra Vez)." Two of the tracks on this CD, "O Holy Night" and "Ave Maria," appear on the 2005 US-only release, Christmas Collection.

Il Divo was the perfomer of the 2006 FIFA World Cup official song "A Time of Our Lives."

La Promessa
Il Divo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Se non ci sei un'ombra io diventerò
Se non ci sei, ti sentirò
Come vorrei momenti che si sfogliano

Tu sola con me sarai
Persa in questa forza che ormai si avvicina

Nel cielo, nel sole

Ti offro questa vita e questo cuore
Sincera la promessa resterà
Qui ti aspetterà

Se non ci sei la luce delle stelle seguirò
Dove ci sei, un mare lì attraverserò
C'è ogni movimento che
Soffia quella tua fragilità sul mio destino

Nel cielo, nel sole
Ti porto questa vita e questo cuore
Sincera la promessa resterà
E qui ti aspetterà

Non mi fermerò, per sempre cercherò
Non respirerò
Musica che ho
Un canto ti darò
Una melodia, sei, sei mia

Nel cielo, nel sole
Ho vinto finalemnte un vero amore
Insieme un sogno

Sereni i nostri giorni in questo mondo

Sincera la promessa resterà
Per l'eternità

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song La Promessa are filled with powerful emotions that reveal the singer's desperation to be with their loved one. The first line, "Se non ci sei un'ombra io diventerò" can be translated to mean, "if you're not here, I'll become a shadow". This line suggests that the singer is almost nothing without their loved one's presence. The next line, "Se non ci sei, ti sentirò", presents a similar sentiment; the singer will feel their loved one's presence even when they're not around. This line is a testament to the depth of their connection, and how it transcends physical distance.

As the song continues, the singer becomes even more passionate in their plea for their loved one to be with them. They express a desire for moments that "unfold" between them, which suggests a longing for time together. The line "Tu sola con me sarai" means "you will be alone with me", which emphasizes the intimacy of their relationship. They describe being lost in a force that is rapidly approaching, and this force can be interpreted as their love for their partner. The chorus of the song declares the sincerity of their promise to remain true to their love, and that they will wait for their partner no matter the circumstances.

Overall, the song La Promessa tells a story of a love that is powerful, authentic, and unbreakable. The singer's descriptions of their feelings reveal the depth of their connection, and they are willing to wait for their love to return, no matter how long it takes. The song is a reminder of how love can be all-consuming, and it can drive us to great heights of passion and commitment.

Line by Line Meaning

Se non ci sei un'ombra io diventerò
If you're not here, I'll become a shadow

Se non ci sei, ti sentirò
If you're not here, I'll feel you

Come vorrei momenti che si sfogliano
I wish for moments that unfold

Tu sola con me sarai
You'll be alone with me

Persa in questa forza che ormai si avvicina
Lost in this force that's approaching

Nel cielo, nel sole
In the sky, in the sun

Ti offro questa vita e questo cuore
I offer you this life and this heart

Sincera la promessa resterà
The promise will remain sincere

Qui ti aspetterà
I'll wait for you here

Se non ci sei la luce delle stelle seguirò
If you're not here, I'll follow the light of the stars

Dove ci sei, un mare lì attraverserò
Wherever you are, I'll cross a sea