Meet the four members of Il Divo, Simon Cowell's classical crossover group
It's been more than 20 years since Simon Cowell brought together the voices of Il Divo. Back in 2003, Cowell's Syco Music team scoured the globe to find the perfect blend for a crossover classical boy band and discovered David Miller from California, Sébastien Izambard from France, Swiss singer Urs Bühler and Spain's Carlos Marín. A starry night on tour for the stars of Il Divo. Photo: @ildivo/Instagram
Since their 2004 debut, Il Divo have released 11 albums and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, according to their website. 'The whole thing in 2004 was just an experiment,' David Miller told The Standard. 'Simon wanted to find a way to blend classical voices with his favourite music – pop – and songs that he loved.'
Now, more than two decades later, Il Divo are a multiplatinum act and a staple of the classical crossover genre. Down the years, Il Divo have packed venues across the globe, enjoying stand-out moments such as their performances with Toni Braxton at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Il Divo as they prepared to wrap up their 2024 American tour. Photo: @ildivo/Instagram
Despite Carlos Marín's death in December 2021 from Covid-19 complications, the group kicked off a 20th anniversary tour in October last year, featuring a line-up including original members Bühler, Izambard, Miller – and new boy Steven LaBrie.
Curious about the men behind Il Divo? Here's everything we know about them. Urs Bühler Swiss-born Urs Bühler initially pursued heavy metal before making the switch to classical music. Photo: @ildivo/Instagram
Urs Toni Bühler, 53, was born in Lucerne, Switzerland. His musical journey began when he mastered several instruments, from the violin to the drums, then explored heavy metal with the band Conspiracy. But fate had other plans and in 2003 he found his true calling with Il Divo, per UK Music Reviews. 'I think that came purely because classical is what my voice is really best suited for,' he told the outlet.
When he's not performing with Il Divo, the tenor spends time with his family. He married Leticia Martín Crespo in 2016 and has a daughter, Wilhelmina (nicknamed Billie), with a former partner.
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