Andrea Bocelli and Son Matteo Treat Fans to a Powerful Duet at ‘Dancing With the Stars’

(Getty Images | Rachel Murray)

After over 30 years of performance, Andrea Bocelli is no stranger to stardom. From his early days singing the great arias of Italian opera to his unforgettable duet with Sarah Brightman, “Time to Say Goodbye,” this courageous performer has never let anything slow him down in his pursuit of musical perfection, not even an eye condition that left him almost completely blind at the age of 12.

Since his debut in the early 1990s, Bocelli has sold millions of albums and seen his versions of classical and pop songs rise to the top of the charts around the world. After a lifetime, Bocelli can also congratulate himself on working with the world’s greatest musicians, including pop superstar Céline Dion, classical singer Josh Groban, and most recently, next-generation stars Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran.

But after all this, what the great singer wanted most for his 2018 album Sì was to reflect on the importance of those closest to him.

Andrea Bocelli got both of his sons, Amos Bocelli, 24, and Matteo Bocelli, 21, involved on the album, his first with all new material for 14 years. Amos contributed piano to several tracks, and Matteo joined his illustrious father for unforgettable duets on the Ed Sheeran cover “Perfect Symphony” and the album’s hit single “Fall on Me.”

Bocelli expressed his admiration for his son’s performance in an interview about the new album with Parade. “The song that I sing with Matteo is a very contemporary song. It is closer, I would say, to Matteo’s world than it is to mine. That was a good thing because he sang it in a great way. I’m very proud of him.”

The song “Fall on Me” is a tribute to the relationship between Bocelli and his children. It’s a mature reflection on the joys and challenges of fatherhood and the gratitude he feels for the opportunity to watch his boys grow up into men. The song’s chorus emphasizes this, as do the pictures of Amos and Matteo as children with their father.

“Fall on me With open arms Fall on me From where you are Fall on me With all your light.”

While the version on the album and the music video already convey the power of this special father-son relationship, they are incomplete without watching the song come to life onstage.

That’s why when Dancing with Stars invited the father-son duo to perform, it was a truly magical evening. The song “Fall on Me” was selected by Disney for its heartwarming version of the holiday classic The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and as the Bocellis performed, dancers with costumes from the film came out onstage.

Father and son sat back to back, each at the piano, singing the simple and moving lyrics together in English and Italian. Andrea sang “I close my eyes and I am seeing you everywhere,” to which Matteo responded, “I step outside. It’s like I’m breathing you in the air.” Then together, “I can feel that you’re there.”

The lucky fans roared with delight at the end of the song, giving the Bocellis a massive standing ovation. A few more fortunate concert-goers go to experience the joy of this perfect-for-Christmas duet on ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney Magical Holiday Celebration.”

For the rest, they will have hope that this first collaboration between these musical geniuses won’t be the last!