Matteo Bocelli on going solo, the pressures of a name and Ed Sheeran

Children of famous musicians who attempt to follow in the family trade are a bit hit and miss in terms of talent, success and longevity. From Frank Sinatra Jr. to Miley Cyrus, results vary wildly, but what can’t hurt is doing a different kind of music altogether.

Take Matteo Bocelli for instance.

The 26-year-old son of superstar Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has taken part in his father’s shows since he was a late teen, when it came time to spread his own musical wings, opera wasn’t quite the direction Matteo wanted to go. His first solo record, released this past September, is decidedly pop, full of lush arrangements and swells of piano.

I sat down with Matteo to conduct a Vanyaland 617 Q&A where we talked a bit about the process behind making the LP, the lengthy affinity he’s had for Ed Sheeran and his favorite holidays songs. Check out the interview and below is a video for the song “Chasing Stars,” which he wrote with Ed Sheeran.