Matteo Bocelli is one of the most interesting stories in music, with obvious parallels always drawn to his father Andrea whenever he performs. When we reviewed Matteo’s show at the Sydney Opera House two years ago, he was very much still performing in the style of his father and trying to emulate that iconic sound. However, as Matteo returned to Australia for a new concert series with a stop at the State Theatre in Sydney, it became very clear that his sound has developed significantly to the point where he has his very own distinctive style which suits him perfectly.

From the moment he took to the stage in front of a packed crowd, he started with some more brisk and upbeat songs such as his English pop song “Love Like This” and his new Italian pop number “Naïve” which displayed a different tone and dexterity to Matteo’s voice, one that suited his youthfulness a lot more. It was a very energetic start and one that definitely impressed the audience despite their obvious surprise. It was very clear that this was Matteo’s sound and it worked extremely well. After he set the tone with these two upbeat songs and the balladic “Dimmi” (for which his voice sounded much richer than the record), he then did return to one of the covers that his dad performs so well in “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. This was perhaps not his most comfortable number as his upper register was much stronger than the lower register that this number required but he still performed it admirably and received a wonderful ovation from the audience.

Then displaying all the suave of a seasoned performer, he came down into the audience to perform “Quando, Quando, Quando” dancing with many members of the crowd, who looked like they had won the lottery when Matteo stopped to perform with them. Matteo demonstrated that he is a very considered performer, showing a great deal of humility and engagement as he explained the songs and thanked the audience for being there. It felt very genuine and it connected well with everyone in the crowd. At times, it seemed like Matteo was still a little bit shy, often avoiding eye contact with the audience when performing but when he did look up, there was just that spark of connection as his voice sifted through the State Theatre which just felt like the perfect venue for his style and his vocals.

After a beautiful performance of “Amnesia d’amore” which Matteo cheekily explained was meant for his father before he poached it, he performed “Loving You” which sounded very similar to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Falling in Love” which  very much evoked Ed Sheeran. Through this, it was clear that Matteo has used some of his father’s and friends’ influences to create a really cohesive sound and build a style that is his own which worked very well.

At the end of the night, it was time for Matteo to perform some of his dad’s biggest songs with his duet with Andrea of “Fall On Me” being a real highlight for the crowd as Matteo performed the solo version that he initially intended it to be. For his encore, he performed “Perfect Symphony” singing both the English and Italian parts of his dad’s and Ed Sheeran’s hit which was a really beautiful moment and one that connected with everyone in the crowd. He then played “Angel in Disguise” which showed off his improving guitar playing with another beautiful number before he ended with the stunning “Caruso” which he performed exceptionally well.

A shout out must also go to Matteo’s band with two incredible guitarists, a fantastic drummer and a top notch musical director who played everything from piano to acoustic guitar to backing vocals and did a superb job.

Overall, this really felt like a development in the style of Matteo Bocelli as he came out of his dad’s shell and performed a style of music that, while showing his influences, was uniquely his and one that he seemed exceedingly comfortable in. The upbeat Italian numbers at the start really felt like the place where Matteo had found his niche and the classics also gave the audience the warmth and joy that they were looking for. A great night at the State Theatre and a huge step in the promising career of Matteo Bocelli.

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Matteo Bocelli – State Theatre – 5 May 2026

Photo: Supplied