To sing opera, one needs two things: the voice and the passion - and above all, the passion.

I've always known that I was born to sing, ever since I was a child.

To sing a song is like whispering to a child's ear. It is an art heavily relying on improvisation.

I always knew I would sing. I just didn't know if I would be successful or not. But I sang at school, I sang at parties, I sang at church. Everyone always asked me to sing. I'd be playing football with my friends and my parents would ask me to sing for their guests. I was never very happy about that because I wanted to play football.

You can be great only if it is your destiny.

When you sing opera you are very far from the people, you are onstage, and between you and the people there is the orchestra. So you have to launch your emotions very, very far. When you sing pop, you are singing very close - the microphone is very close to your mouth. You can whisper your emotions into the microphone.

I am a product of my native land, Tuscany, Italy.