Article about Urs in Swiss Magazine

World fame man from Willisau

Urs Buhler grew up with four siblings and learned early, hard-to-work - on his voice. As a tenor of Opera Quartet Il Divo he is touring around the world. And still finds time to go back to his roots of Lucerne.


Text Gabriela Mile

The news spread at lightning speed through Willisau. He should be back, whisper people. Isn't he the guy on the yellow Harley Davidson? Is this not Urs Buhler? The tenor of the international classic pop Quartet Il Divo? And indeed: A man and a woman recognize the star, who has returned for a few days in this town in the Lucerne hinterland where he grew up. Here he meets family and friends. The locals were waving. “Sali Urs!”, the man says. When Buhler don’t react immediately, the woman laughs and says: “He knows the people from Willisau no longer.”

In fact, he can’t remember no longer everyone and everything. Since fifteen years Urs Buhler, 40, lives no longer in Switzerland. Mid-twenties, he moved to Amsterdam, where he took singing lessons. Later, he travelled to France to complete an opera education. And since 2003, he is a singer with Il Divo, Buhler jets with the classical pop Quartet throughout the world. The seventh CD "Wicked Game" with which Il Divo will go on tour from February, will appear in November. Hardly founded the Group started by: until today, she sold over 25 million CDs and achieved worldwide 50 number 1 positions in the album charts. In England, they already had their first work Super Popstar Robbie Williams from the top. This year the Quartet was awarded the classic Brit Award - for best singer of the Decade. They are the first artists that were honored for a whole decade “because they are the most popular operas Quartet in the world and massively affect the classical genre”, justified the organizers.
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Four strangers from four cultures

The world has completely changed life of Urs Buhler from Willisau. This is why he finds only rarely time to return to his homeland. And when he is in Switzerland, above all he gives concerts and inter-views. In the scarce free time, he visit his mother, three sisters or his brother. He can’t imagine to live itself in the little town again. His Willisau is no longer his Willisau. «The place where I grew up, doesn’t exist any more: Meadows and gardens were now concrete places, old houses were replaced by mod-ern buildings», says Buhler while he push the bike through under the Archway. Since two years even the childhood home does exist no longer, "demolished".

But he is not too sad about this. He is rooted in the region, at home, however, he is in London, where he lives now for seven years. There the British record producer and talent scouts Simon Cowell invited him in 2003 to the audition. A classic pop formation he had in mind. Two years he was looking already for singers in international concert halls and opera houses, until he found his four men: David Miller from the United States, Sébastien Izambard from France, Carlos Marin from Spain - and Urs Buhler from Switzerland.

No one knew at this time what success story the Quartet would write. The members met for the first time two days before the studio recordings. Four completely strangers from four different cultures should sing together harmoniously - without having rehearsed previously. And without musical con-cept. Cowell plan was still on: Meanwhile Il Divo occurred with stars such as Barbra Streisand and has received more than 150 gold and platinum records. "I am really happy," says Urs Buhler, who forget now and then a german word. «In the cross-over music between classical and pop we are today the measure.»

And for the record company a blessing. Therefore she shall ensure that the members of appearances and photo shoots look always good. Buhler is accompanied in Willisau by his personal assistant and stylist Robert irons him the White T-Shirt while Buhler talks about his life. He sits in the restaurant Mohren. Here, his father once played billiards. With the innkeeper’s son, Urs Buhler went to school at the time. His mother has sewn the curtains at the restaurant windows.

Although he is now "well situated” as he says diplomatically, and has become the hobby of Harley of Davidson's and has bought a renovation needed House with twelve hectares of land in France, that he completely new sets up - yet he knows other times: when he was 16, his father left the family. The mother had to provide for their five children alone. «And sewed for other people.» «Such things, for example ", says Urs Buhler and points to the curtains. That she did always wonderful, the learned Milliner.

Also he knows, what work means - not just on the singing voice. “At the age of eight I started to job during the holidays”, tells the second-oldest of the family. Once he refilled the shelves in the super-market of his aunt, another time he stacked bricks in the brick factory. “For my studies I had to make also money.” "Driving forklifts, assembled ventilation systems or screwed at the mechanic on bi-cycles around." Buhler attended the college of music Lucerne, wanted to become a music teacher. "I always enjoyed making music and singing.” “First in the Youth Choir, later at trade fairs in the Church.” And at the age of seventeen by the way in the rock band Conspiracy. “My clear voice had never quit fit to the harsh sound”, says Buhler and laughs uproariously, "but we were not bad for a band with boys from the Lucerne hinterland. “We won even a competition.”

Worked hard and serious

That he might have at some point even more success Buhlers, piano teacher Professor Peter Baur noted. The current deputy head of institution classical music at the college of music Lucerne is proud of his former student. Buhler was always hard working on himself and his voice, whether concentrated and serious. “But Urs was never a usual guy.” Rather an exotic one. “He attracted attention with his cowboy boots and the long Lodenmantel”, says Baur. He supported Buhler and advised him to study in Amsterdam. At that time the young tenor said goodbye to Switzerland for an indefinite period. Per-haps he already dreamed of the world fame. But that he once would be a classic pop star came him not to mind.

Even less, he thought that world's women would idolize to him. Although the compliments flatter him, but every now and then his fans go too far: some call on him at night at three o'clock in the hotel room. “No idea how they figure out where we are staying”, says Urs Buhler. "And who say they are not stalkers." For such reasons, he protects his private life as much as possible. He only reveals that he is currently with Tania Rodney for seven years. He met the makeup artist, working for Il Divo. Almost three years ago, their daughter was born. Buhler keeps secret its name. “My child has changed me.” “Earlier I was focused more on me”, says Buhler. Today as an artist he is still egocentric, “but now I know that it isn’t all about me”.

Two years ago, he was sometimes desperate when he was found with his voice at borders. Also to-day, not everything runs around, but now he look in the mirror and say: “be honest! You have achieved so much.” “Do not complain!” He stressed how grateful he is for his finances. He and his family should not be faced one day with ruin, that’s why “I am careful with this gift”.

Urs Buhler looks out the window of the restaurant Mohren. He doesn’t know when he will return next time to Willisau. February may refer to the third world tour, which lasts until the end of April. After that, he wants to take care of the family and continue to work at his home in France. There, would be the ideal place to settle down after the career. Buhler can also imagine to move back to Switzerland. At some point. However, because he thinks not yet. Perhaps he will stop in ten years, he says. Perhaps but also only when he falls off the stage. Privately, Buhler plans just the bare necessities. "At the moment I am happy." “I didn't know what I lack.” But what he would not say no: to a second child.