was in 1973 that American singer and songwriter Dolly Parton wrote ad recorded the classic hit, “I will always love you“. The song was a farewell to her former partner, Porter Wagoner, who was also her mentor when she decided to embark on a solo career.
A sweet story to be sure, but it was the late great Whitney Houston who took the song to new heights when she recorded it for her film debut, The Bodyguard. It was non other than her co-star Kevin Costner who suggested the song. Houston worked with producer David Foster, turning the song into a soul ballad known for its display of Whitney’s vocal prowess.
Until this version by Il Divo.
The group debuted in 2004 with a peculiar mix of pop and opera across different genres taking the world by storm with their stunning performances selling over 30 million records to date. They are composed of four international male singers all truly gifted with amazing voices. American David Miller (tenor), Spanish Carlos Marin (baritone), Swiss Urs Buhler (tenor), and Frenchman Sebastien Izambard (tenor) have traveled all over the globe even performing for US Presidents and the Queen of England.
This version is signature Il Divo. A bit of classical here, a touch of soul there, and a dash of theater for good measure.
Il Divo starts off with a gentle intro,
“Si yo, me quedó aquí
Seguiría siempre igual
Tu amor por mí
Por eso me voy
No te olvidaré
Lo sé mi amor
Tu recuerdo, yo guardaré”
In very sexy Spanish. Makes the lyrics sound more meaningful, doesn’t it?
The instruments come in on the first chorus. A melancholic, steady rhythm of strings play along to the four well dressed men who by now have captured the audience’s attention. The fans are all seated, just taking it all in. The Il Divo experience.
They have Simon Cowell to thank.
He discovered and mentored this group. The man has an eye for potential stars. Simon knows talent when he sees it.
The second verse brings in the drums. A steady, relaxing beat that just thumps along as Carlos takes over a few lines, eventually having his friends join in. The performance seems to build in passion, each part getting more intense as they go along.
Adoring viewers are all praises too,
“This is wonderful, the harmony is perfect and Carlos never puts a note wrong, his beautiful baritone gives wonderful depth to the sound , thank you Il Divo.”
When the second chorus comes, all four join and in and bring together an intoxicating blend of voices. No one is drowned out since they know how to harmonize and play off each other’s tone. The result is a blisteringly stunning vocal blend of power and range which suits the song’s chorus.
Remember how Whitney used to do it?
This is Il Divo at their finest. Not a single note is out of place. The last part is the best. If you were enjoying the song up to the 3:10 mark, then surely you were shocked at the climax of the performance. Very operatic and theatrical without overdoing it, these four magnificent singers let their voices reach to the heavens, drawing a few tears from the angels above.
Bet you that was a standing ovation in the end. Bravo!