The opera singer Andrea Bocelli has shared a stage with Luciano Pavarotti, Céline Dion and Barbra Streisand, performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and has sold more than 90 million records worldwide over the course of his 31-year career.
But as a new documentary of his life is released, the Italian tenor remains remarkably humble. "It wasn't something I had dreamed of doing. In fact, whenever I see so much attention placed on me, I can't help but wonder if I deserve it," Andrea exclusively tells HELLO! from his home in Tuscany, where he sits alongside his wife of 11 years, Veronica Berti Bocelli.
"There is no perfect moment to tell one's story, [but] after more than three decades on the world's concert stages, I feel it is the right time to take a deeper, more nuanced look back," he says.
Andrea's undeniable gift has seen him perform across the world (he says New York is his favourite) since his breakthrough in 1992, alongside such stars as Céline – of whom he says any time spent with is "nothing short of a joy".
He has sung for celebrities and royalty alike – including, on occasion, a royal wedding. "It was an event that went beyond its already significant institutional importance," Andrea says of his performance at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's 2018 ceremony. "For many years now, my wife and I have enjoyed a warm friendship with [Eugenie's mother] Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York – a bond strengthened by our shared passion for philanthropic endeavours."
He also speaks fondly of the King and Queen, having performed 'You'll Never Walk Alone' with Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel at Charles's Coronation Concert in May 2023. "King Charles and Queen Camilla have invariably shown me warmth and courtesy,” he remembers. “More than once, we have exchanged a few words about a musical programme or a composer.”
His musical legacy, he says, is his children – his and Veronica's daughter, Virginia, 13, as well as his two sons from his first marriage, Amos, 30, and Matteo, 27 – who have all previously shared the stage with their father. "I take full responsibility for having insisted that my three children study and pursue music," he says. "Matteo has already demonstrated [his talent] abundantly. Amos, a conservatory-trained pianist, thrives as a brilliant aerospace engineer. Virginia, meanwhile, has just begun high school. She is pitch-perfect and naturally gifted in music."
They are, he says, his highest priority. "I have always endeavoured to be a present, loving and attentive father," he says. "I have set firm limits on the length of my tours, and I do my utmost to share my journeys with my children."
Because I Believe is just one of the exciting projects defining Andrea's sixties, a decade he calls a "richly stimulating chapter of life". Next on the agenda? A US tour in October and December, with concerts in Brazil and Argentina in November. "On the recording front, I am developing a particularly distinctive project, which will be unveiled next spring," he teases.
Always a family man above anything else, Andrea highlights the goal he holds dear: "To grow old with my wife by my side, surrounded by our family – and to one day experience the joy of singing for my grandchildren."
Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe is in cinemas across the UK from 21st September. Purchase tickets from https://cinema.andreabocelli.com/
To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google.