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NEW YORK – Il Divo first swept onto the music scene in 2005. Fast-forward three years and the pop-operatic quartet – Carlos Marin, David Miller, Sebastien Izambard and Urs Buhler – has sold more than 22 million albums. Their latest, “The Promise,” is No. 5 on Billboard’s U.S. album charts. Il Divo, formed by Simon Cowell, is planning a tour in 2009 (including Chicago on May 19 and 20).
The Associated Press: What was your hope for this album?
Marin: We were trying to look for songs that weren’t really the obvious Il Divo format. We chose songs like the Jeff Buckley version of “Hallelujah,” “Power Of Love” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood and “The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA.
AP: You each sang on your own before coming together as a group. Was it hard to go from solo singers to a foursome?
Miller: We had a lot of things that we had to overcome. Besides having solo careers and solo egos ... we had language barriers, culture barriers (the members hail from Spain, Switzerland, France and the United States), different musical tastes, different ideas of what would make a good album and over the course of these five albums – if you count the Christmas album – we’ve really grown together as friends.
AP: Do you spend time together outside of performing?
Izambard: On the previous tour we went on a safari together in South Africa. We’ve played tennis together ... but it’s really important and healthy to make some space. When you spend 12 to 15 hours all together between the traveling and the performing and the interviews then you feel a bit stuffy.
AP: You’re going on another tour next year. What do you have to take with you on the road?
Marin: My phone! I am a phone addict, so it’s like always on the phone speaking back home to my parents or my wife to whatever.
Buhler: At considerable volume.
Miller: I need my computer with me. I’m an Internet addict.
Izambard: I love to go to the gym. It balances me well against the touring and the stress. It’s a good stress relief so I will always have my gym equipment with me.
AP: Your known for your ballads. What other kinds of music do you listen to?
Izambard: I like opera and I like heavy metal.
Miller: I like techno.
Izambard: I like all sorts of music, but I definitely like more pop rock like Coldplay, Radio Head, Kings of Leon ...
Marin: I like Tom Jones!
