In a quiet room with only a piano for company, Il Volo’s Ignazio Boschetto took on one of the most demanding songs in pop music — Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” — and delivered a performance that left viewers around the world in awe.
Dressed simply in a comfortable hoodie, Boschetto stepped away from the grand stages he is known for and embraced a stripped-down setting. Yet there was nothing small about the sound. With his rich tone and signature vibrato, he moved effortlessly through the soaring power ballad first recorded by Houston for the 1992 hit film The Bodyguard. The song, famous for its vocal range and emotional intensity, is widely considered one of the hardest to cover.
“Very, very few people should cover Whitney Houston, but he did it great,” one viewer wrote, echoing a sentiment shared across hundreds of comments.
Fans from Italy, Spain, Brazil, Greece, Switzerland, Mexico, Poland, and beyond flooded the comment section with praise. “Ignazio is pure feeling,” one admirer shared in Spanish. “He gives me chills with the emotion in his voice.” Another wrote in Italian, “Sei unico al mondo” — you are unique in the world. A Greek fan called his voice “divine,” while others described it as “a diamond voice” and “one of the most beautiful voices on Earth.”
Many listeners noted how full the performance felt despite its simplicity. “Singing with only piano accompaniment, yet there is no empty space. Perfect,” one comment read. Others said his voice brought calm during difficult times, with one fan writing, “In so much chaos, his voice gives us peace.”
Beyond the technique, it was the emotion that stood out. Viewers described feeling deeply moved, some saying the performance gave them goosebumps. “He sings always with his heart,” one fan wrote. Another added, “You have not only brightened my day, but my life.”
What to know about “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston
The song was written by then-married-couple Linda Thompson and David Foster for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, the 1993 romantic drama co-starring Houston and Kevin Costner. Though the film is now mostly associated with Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You,” that song is actually a Dolly Parton cover. “I Have Nothing” was original to the soundtrack, and was nominated for an Academy Award alongside Houston’s “Run to You,” also from The Bodyguard.
In the film, Houston plays a diva megastar, and to tap into that character’s perspective, Thompson thought back to her relationship with one of the biggest stars of all time: Elvis Presley.
“That song was definitely inspired by [my relationship with Elvis] because I knew what it was like to live with the biggest [rock star] of all time,” Thompson later revealed, per American Songwriter. “It was centered around this gorgeous megastar…She’s petulant. She’s a diva. And she has this bodyguard, he’s protecting her, but she’s difficult. And then she starts to fall in love with him. And the song has to be called ‘I Have Nothing.’”
