“THE MAN WHO MADE JOSÉ JOSÉ CRY?” ❤️🎤 Three young Italians stepped onto one of Latin music’s biggest stages and dared to sing one of its most untouchable classics. What happened next left an entire arena on its feet—and moved the legendary José José himself to tears. At the 2013 Latin Billboard Music Awards, Il Volo delivered a breathtaking rendition of “El Triste” that became one of the defining moments of their career. With Gianluca’s heartfelt opening, Ignazio’s soaring emotion, and Piero’s thunderous final notes, the trio transformed an iconic song into an unforgettable tribute. When the cameras captured José José wiping away tears during the standing ovation, fans knew they were witnessing history. ❤️👇

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The Night Il Volo Conquered Latin America: A Legendary Tribute to José José

If there is a single performance that firmly cemented Il Volo’s status as icons in Latin America, it was their breathtaking appearance at the 2013 Latin Billboard Music Awards. Taking the stage as teenagers, Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto, and Gianluca Ginoble faced the ultimate vocal test: delivering a live tribute performance of “El Triste” right in front of the legendary “Prince of Song” himself, José José.

The performance became a viral phenomenon, amassing over 41 million views on YouTube, and remains widely regarded as one of the finest covers of the notoriously difficult Mexican masterpiece ever attempted.

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The Ultimate Vocal Everest

Written by Roberto Cantoral, “El Triste” is legendary for its long, sustained phrases, massive vocal leaps, and intense emotional desperation. It is a song that can easily break a lesser singer. For three young Italian guys to tackle it at a major Latin awards show was an incredibly bold gamble.

[The Anatomy of the 2013 "El Triste" Tribute]
  ├── The Opening: Gianluca's rich, deep baritone infuses the verses with a heavy, respectful melancholy.
  ├── The Setup: Ignazio takes over, stepping up the emotional register with effortless vocal control.
  ├── The Climax: Piero lets loose his signature, thunderous dramatic tenor, holding the song's massive final notes.

As the orchestration swelled, the boys matched the song’s signature, sweeping sadness note for note. The absolute pinnacle of the night arrived during the iconic chorus: “Qué triste todos dicen que soy, que siempre estoy hablando de ti…” The sheer power and emotional conviction coming from the trio filled the entire venue, leaving the star-studded audience completely mesmerized.

Tears from the Prince of Song

Il Volo - El Triste (Latin Billboard Awards 2013) - YouTube

The true emotional anchor of the evening wasn’t just the vocals—it was the reaction of José José himself, who was seated in the front row.

As the camera cut to the legendary crooner, he was visibly moved to tears, watching the young trio treat his signature song with such profound respect, technical perfection, and soul. When the final, seemingly endless note was struck by Piero, the entire auditorium erupted into a thunderous standing ovation, led by a deeply touched José José.

A Legacy Forged in Spanish: The massive success of this live tribute directly fueled the triumph of their album Más Que Amor (the Spanish version of We Are Love), which debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart. It proved that Il Volo’s talent crossed all linguistic barriers, establishing a deep, lifelong romance between the Italian trio and their devoted Latin American fans.