Singer is Italian city character (8)
I believe the answer is:
baritone
'singer' is the definition.
(baritone is a kind of singer)
'italian city character' is the wordplay.
'italian city' becomes 'Bari' (Bari is a city in Italy).
'character' becomes 'tone' (tone can mean a character or mood).
'bari'+'tone'='BARITONE'
'is' is the link.
(Other definitions for baritone that I've seen before include "Second lowest male singing voice" , "solo voice" , "Male singer in boater, strangely" , "One who can sing" , "Adult male singing voice" .)