Mario Biondi

Possessing an exceptionally deep, smooth yet grainy baritone voice, the charting Italian vocalist Mario Biondi delivers soul, R&B, and jazz with remarkable intensity and profound emotion. His affinity for the first of these genres informed his distinctive approach, drawing inspiration from legendary singers such as Lou Rawls, Al Jarreau, and Isacc Hayes. Working professionally since his teens, Biondi spent years as a session singer, including a 1988 chance to support Ray Charles. His initial major opportunity arrived in 2004, when the jazz-pop single "This Is What You Are," backed by the High Five Quintet, emerged as an international hit and dancefloor anthem that spawned countless remixes. From that point forward, Biondi has delved into a wide array of sounds and traditions, encompassing contemporary European jazz on Handful of Soul in 2006, adult contemporary R&B on Beyond in 2015, and global pop stylings on Brasil in 2018.

Born into an artistic family in the Sicilian city of Catania, Biondi counts a respected painter among his great-grandfathers, a singer among his grandmothers, and a popular songwriter among his fathers. He sang throughout childhood, making his first public appearance at age 12 in church and soon performing in public squares before hundreds of listeners. These experiences led to a third-place finish in the Festival della Canzone Siciliana. His musical endeavors then opened doors to performances alongside Italian vocal greats such as Califano, Bongusto, and Fiorello, as well as American legend Ray Charles.

As awareness of his talent spread, Biondi began collaborating with groups including the Change, Mario Brothers, and Funky Company on recordings and tours. His powerful and unique voice soon prompted encouragement to launch a solo career. Drawing on material inspired by American R&B artists like Lou Rawls, Luther Vandross, and Donny Hathaway, Biondi released his debut record in 2006 on the boutique label Family Affair. Handful of Soul included the single "This Is What You Are," which quickly entered heavy rotation across Italy and, thanks to British DJ Norman Jay, the U.K. A year later, Biondi performed the song at the Sanremo Festival in Italy, elevating the record's profile and propelling it onto Billboard's European Top 100 chart. His material maintained strong popularity; the 2009 album If achieved major success in Italy, reaching number two and attaining three-times platinum status.

Throughout the 2010s, his acclaim peaked with the 2013 release of Sun, his first number one album. Produced by Biondi together with Jean Paul Maunick of Incognito, the project featured prominent guests and influences including Leon Ware, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, and James Taylor. It remained on the Italian charts for over a year, and the holiday album Mario Christmas, issued at the end of 2013, likewise ascended to the top position. Biondi's seventh proper album, Beyond, appeared in 2015 and was followed by the European smash single "Love Is a Temple."

Over the ensuing years, Biondi toured, performed at festivals, and composed new work while contributing tracks to various compilations, such as a version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" on the tribute 100% Frank (1915-2015 Tribute to Sinatra), "Stay with Me" on DMC Pro Latino 99, and "Metà Amore Metà Dolore" on DMC Pro Latino 106. He also supplied the single "Rivederti" to Sanremo 2018 for RCA and "Devotion" to DMC Pro Latino 111. Long fascinated by Brazilian music, Biondi released the full-length Brasil in the spring. The collection featured numerous covers along with guest appearances by Ivan Lins and Claudya on two tracks, Daniel Jobim and Ana Carolina on "Rivederti," and Till Bronner on a pair, including a bossa cover of Sade's "Smooth Operator."