Matteo Bocelli at the Fillmore Detroit, 5 things to know

Matteo Bocelli was born with music in his DNA and a surname that sets a very high bar.

The 27-year-old singer and actor is the son of famed tenor Andrea Bocelli and was, in fact, introduced to the world by his father, famously dueting with him on “Fall On Me” in 2018. He was also part of a family holiday album with his younger sister, Virginia, and was part of “Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration,” which was in theaters this fall. The younger Bocelli has appeared in the films “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” and “Three Thousand Years of Longing” and sang “Time to Say Goodbye” with his father at the 96th Academy Awards earlier this year.

He stepped out on his own, musically, with his solo album “Matteo,” released during September of 2013, blending pop and classical styles as well as English and Italian languages. The set has put him on stage as well, with the latest leg of his “A Night With Matteo” tour, which is currently in the U.S. and coming to the Fillmore Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 10…

* Bocelli says via Zoom from Tuscany that he’s growing more accustomed to performing on his own. “Obviously the years spent with my father touring all over the world has been super, super exciting. But at the same time it’s hard to describe how more satisfying it is, obviously, to be on tour with your own team, making your own shows the way you want, with your own fans. It definitely gives out a whole different view of being on stage, a different feeling.

* He stays connected to his roots in one regard, however. “I’m still in a tuxedo, but at least I don’t wear my bowtie. I keep my shirt open. It’s definitely a little step…but in the end I’m Italian, and Italians are associated with classy stuff, elegant, and I love it because I love to be elegant. At the same time Matteo every day always puts on a jean and a white T-shirt. It’s beautiful when you find the right balance.”

* Bocelli credits his older brother Amos with helping expand his musical tastes beyond the opera and classical associated with their father. “My brother is the one who actually helped me approach different types of music. It’s always been my thing to listen to pop. We were playing pop, rap. Sometimes my brother was into…kind of like hard metal, which my father was like, ‘Remove this! I don’t want to hear this stuff!’ (laughs) But I’ve been listening to, and still do, rap music, Eminem, some rock — all the greats from Queen, Elton John, Lionel Richie, Supertramp. For me that was real music.”

* On “Matteo” Bocelli worked with another of his favorites, Ed Sheeran. “He sent me this song that was written by him and his brother, Matthew, but I found an authenticity in it. We have a few things in common, even though that might sound weird. But both of us had fathers that always have been in love with music and they passed this passion onto their kids. The song basically speaks about chasing your dreams and never stopping, and most of all always trying to be yourself. I feel very privileged because I’ve been able to do what I always loved and always chased it, and now here I am.”

* Bocelli says he is “far” into the process of record his next album and is “excited” to have more of his own music out in the world. “The first one was the result of years of writing that had been done during Covid, and not always could we spend the time in the studio together. I feel like this album’s going to be way more worded in detail, way more time in the studio sharing thoughts and ideas in-person with the producers and the writers. I think it’s going to be a very different thing.”