I’ve been a fan of Josh Groban since I was 13, obsessively replaying “You Raise Me Up” any chance I could get, while also attempting to join in the choir like I was born to sing. It’s suffice to say that if I ever had to put together a soundtrack of my life, a good number of songs would come from this multi-talented man.
Needless to say, when NYLON Singapore was approached with the opportunity to speak with Josh, ahead of his upcoming Singapore stop on the Gems World Tour, I leapt at the chance to speak with the man that had accompanied my growing years. Here is our interview in full.
Hi Josh! How are you feeling to be going back on tour again, and what does it mean for you to be coming back to Singapore as part of the Gems World Tour?
Josh Groban: “I can’t believe so many years have passed. I have such incredibly fond memories of my last trip to Singapore, where I went out and just explored the beautiful architecture, the traditions and, ate my way through some wonderful restaurants and some wonderful street food as well; and just the people were so welcoming, so friendly — I made friends there that I carried with me.
To add on to that, my audience the last time at The Star Theatre were so energised, so ready; they were there for me as if I’ve been performing there for 20 years. So, to have my opportunity again to get my circus together and to travel the world again, is a very lucky thing and to revisit Singapore again is something that I’ve been looking forward to since I left.”
Are there any food that you’ve been waiting to eat again?
Josh: “I just remember walking along every food stall and just enjoying every tidbit. There was one though, the durian? That was one that was an acquired taste, for sure. I didn’t hate it as much as I was told I would hate it, I actually kinda liked it. It’s not my favourite but one that had the biggest impression on me.”
Off the set list, what songs are you excited to perform and are there any that might come as a surprise for fans here? Might we hear you sing as Sweeney Todd too?
Josh: Well, a lot’s happened since I performed there last. I’ve got a lot more songs to choose from. Obviously I’m going to sing the songs that are best known to my fans in Singapore. We’re just still gathering songs for the set list right now— we just started rehearsals.
It will be a combination of old and new, some surprises, maybe some Sweeney Todd, and also, I’m currently working on a brand new album that’s songs from the world of cinema; it’s a cinema song album produced by the wonderful Greg Wells, who just did all the music for the Wicked movie and so, we’ve been recording in London cause these are fully orchestrated, gorgeous songs. That album will be coming out after I play Singapore but I have to preview some of the songs from that album in Singapore because they are so beautiful.
So, yeah, I’d love for it to be an encapsulation of 25 years of this incredible ride I’ve been on.”
You’ve done it all — acting, performing on Broadway and touring the world. Which would you say has been the toughest for you to prepare for?
Josh: “Hmm… I would say the hardest to prepare for was Broadway because the shows that I chose to do were very, very challenging, especially this last one. To play Sweeney Todd, is one of the great roles in all of theatre and it is great because it is so demanding. It is demanding vocally, emotionally, physically, to transform into this real monster, which is so different from who I am.
To transform into this extremely angry, vengeful kind of beast of a human being; it takes a lot out of you. So, little by little, rehearsal day by rehearsal day, I found what my Sweeney was and not only that, the stamina of then doing that seven times a week had to go into it because its notorious for giving vocal damage and fatigue for male singers.
I really wanted to make sure that I did it right. I worked with a vocal coach and a vocal doctor to make sure my scales were the right scales everyday and I did cooldowns after every show… I was really, really very disciplined cause the role meant so much to me. It’s been a favourite show for me since I was a kid and I didn’t want to mess it up.
So, all the work paid off! We got rave reviews and I was able to stick through it through 300 shows so that work was worth it, but it was by far the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life.”
Are there any other Broadway roles that you are hoping to tackle?
Josh: “Gosh… I would love to do something new again? To take on a brand new role. I love Sondheim, of course; I’d love to do something like George in Sunday in the Park with George — that would be a lot of fun. I think one day I’d be a pretty good Teyve (from Fiddler on the Roof) as well; I’ve got the beard now.
But, you know, my first Broadway show was something called Great Comet of 1812. It was a very avant garde, experimental show, and to be able to bring something so wild, and experimental to Broadway was something I felt very privileged to do.
I did the revival for me to end all revivals, and I feel like the next thing I want to do maybe is even off Broadway, maybe not even something big but something intimate, and something kind of surprising would be something next.”
In addition to your own music, you’ve been a part of several soundtracks that still resonate with your fans till this day.
If we looked at the Gems World Tour as a blockbuster of your music thus far, what song would you pick to represent this moment in your life, and why?
Josh: “Oh my goodness… that’s a really good question. I mean, my easiest right down the middle answer would be ‘You Raise Me Up’ because of what my fans have meant to, but I feel like that’s kinda an expected and cheesy answer.
So, I wrote a song called ‘Granted’ that was really about taking your story that you have and not being afraid to tell it; and looking at every moment of your life with gratitude, because blink, and time moves so fast. I wrote that song to be a song of gratitude and always be a reminder to myself to live in the present, to live in the now, to be thankful for the past but also to really see the now for what it is and that prepares you for the right future.
I think that that song for me right now, in the place where I’m at with 25 years behind me, and 25 years ahead of me hopefully; that is a song that I think that allows me to flex all the things that I want to feel right now about where I’m at, and I can’t wait to sing it in Singapore.”
Lastly, do you have any message for your fans in Singapore?
Josh: “Well, just endless thank you. To be back again for the second time, I feel like it’s my opportunity to say thank you to these extraordinary listeners from across the world. I mean, you can’t believe how wonderful it feels to know that all the way across the ocean, are a group of people who really know you, who get you, who connect with you through your art.
And so, it makes me feel so happy even from afar but to be in the same room with everybody and to share that connection, it’s something I felt the last time I was there and I can’t wait to go out and greet my audience there again.
So, my biggest message is I promise not to let them down and thank you, thank you, thank you.”
