Andrea Bocelli is an Italian tenor. After performing evenings in piano bars and competing in local singing contests, Bocelli signed his first recording contract with Sugar Music. He rose to fame in 1994 after winning the newcomers' section of the 44th Sanremo Music Festival performing "Il mare calmo della sera".
Some of the key events about Andrea Bocelli
1970
Lost remaining eyesight due to a soccer accident at age 12, becoming fully blind
1982
Recorded first demo tape and began performing in piano bars
1992
Recorded a demo tape of "Miserere" with Zucchero, which caught the attention of Luciano Pavarotti
1992
Faced rejection from record companies early in career due to blindness
1994
Released debut album "Il Mare Calmo della Sera", which went platinum within weeks
1995
Released sophomore album "Bocelli", which became one of the best-selling albums in Italian history
1998
Duet "The Prayer" with Celine Dion won Golden Globe for Best Original Song
1998
Experienced controversy over lip-syncing allegations during a performance in New Jersey
1999
Nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, a first for a classical artist
2002
Faced criticism for perceived overexposure in the media
2006
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to Live Theater
2010
Performed for Pope Benedict XVI at the Catholic Jubilee celebration in Rome
2010
Underwent emergency surgery for a brain hemorrhage
2013
Canceled several concert dates due to health issues
2014
Faced backlash for performing at a fundraiser for controversial former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
2015
Released cinema-themed album "Cinema", which became his first UK No. 1 album
2017
Suffered injuries after falling from a horse, requiring hospitalization
2018
Released "Sì", his first album of new material in 14 years, which topped charts in UK and US
2019
Faced criticism for agreeing to perform at the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump
2020
Contracted COVID-19 and had to cancel performances during the pandemic
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