Andrea Bocelli is among the most well-known singers in the world and may be the most famous tenor living today. The opera star, 64, attributes his success to the several people who nurtured his career early and continued to encourage and support him along the way.

“I have been blessed to have had great help and have tried to help others in the same way,” Bocelli tells Penta in an interview at his hotel suite in New York, which was partially translated by his wife, Veronica Berti. In 2011, the singer established the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, which aims to create opportunities for disadvantaged people globally, with a focus on education.