Home > Entertainment > The Fort Wayne Reader talks to one of the world’s biggest — and most unlikely — pop stars

The Fort Wayne Reader talks to one of the world’s biggest — and most unlikely — pop stars

Josh Groban tells FWR about his hopes for the future and why he doesn’t sing many “happy” songs

By Michael Summers

michael_summers@fortwaynereader.com

Fort Wayne Reader

2005-03-07


At a glance, you might mistake Josh Groban for another twentysomething waif of the American Idol variety. That’s until he opens his mouth to sing. His massive voice seems as though it should be coming from someone twice his width, while there’s a discipline to his delivery that should be coming from someone twice his age. He seems a natural for Broadway, maybe even opera (though he doesn’t like being compared to an opera singer), but over the last couple of years, Groban has instead become perhaps the least likely pop star around.

Groban’s seemingly meteoric rise to stardom has been well-documented: last minute replacement at the Grammy rehearsals several years ago for ailing tenor Andrea Bocelli, an appearance on Ally McBeal, a debut album that went on to sell over 3 million copies, and a follow-up (Closer) which hit #1 on Billboard’s album chart.

In early 2004, a Rolling Stone profile on Groban quipped “If you don’t know who Josh Groban is, ask your mom” (this from a magazine that puts more movie stars on its cover than rock bands). Maybe, but these days, quite a lot of people of all ages know who Josh Groban is. When we had the chance to talk to Groban, it was a couple weeks before his appearance in Fort Wayne, and just a few days before his duet with Beyonce on the Oscars, where the song “Believe” from the soundtrack to The Polar Express was up for Best Original Song.


Fort Wayne Reader: The story is that you were studying theater at Carnegie Mellon when (producer) David Foster offered to make an album with you. Was that a tough decision to make?
Josh Groban: It wasn’t a hugely tough decision, having known David, and known how brilliant he is, and knowing what an amazing album he would have made for me. I was in theater class, and wondering if I was in the right place, so when David called and said “you can take a leave of absence. Let’s make an album,” there was almost no hesitation, except for the fact that I would miss the college experience, I would miss my friends, obviously. But I knew if I were to go with this, and take this risk, that I would be venturing on a whole other educational endeavor, and I would be learning so many different things. I would essentially be taking a year-long master class, which I really went to with open arms. I knew everyone I would be working with would be top-notch, from David to the musicians to the songwriters, and you just don’t get an opportunity like that everyday. So I think we all kind of looked at each other — my family and my friends and everybody —‘ and said “let’s do this. Let’s take the risk.”

FWR: It doesn’t seem like the kind of offer someone would hesitate over…
JG: Granted the music business is fickle and it could have turned out poorly. They could have decided after I left that they didn’t want to release the album… There’s so many things that could have gone on, and I think in that way, I was kind of blissfully naïve, and I didn’t know of all the horrible, crappy music business stuff that could have happened to me. It didn’t, and that’s because of my manager Brian Avnet and David really stuck up for me. The people who were interested in me fought for me all the way, which I was very, very lucky to have.

FWR: So you haven’t been hit with any of the horrible, crappy music biz stuff?
JG: You know, honestly, when I look back on the last three years, I can’t complain. I think I’m truly blessed, and with the people I’ve encountered these past few years, I’ve met very, very little negativity. Getting a thicker skin is something that any new artist has to deal with. You read your first bad review and you think the world is going to end, but when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter. You can’t make everyone like you. That’s been the only thing. Ignore the critics.

FWR: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Are there other genres of music or entertainment you’d like to explore?
JG: Sure. I’d love to do some theater. I would love to do something on Broadway at some point. I would also love to explore more musically on my next album, take music from different parts of the world, and take the fans on some new journeys.

FWR: Actually, I wanted to ask you about musical theater. It seems a natural choice for a voice like yours, rather than pop music.
JG: That was my first dream. Yeah, when you wake up in the morning with a voice like mine, you don’t immediately say to yourself: “pop star.” To me, that didn’t feel like a realistic dream. I had a huge passion for the theater. My parents were so great in introducing me to the arts. Growing up in Los Angeles, you get to see a lot of shows, a lot of concerts and stage productions. So very early on, I caught the theater bug, and I joined an improv group and joined the theater club in my school. There was something about live performance that I was just so inspired by. I became serious about it, and the fact that I’m sitting right now in the front of a tour bus on my way to play an arena, is a completely new and different, but equally enjoyable thing to me.

FWR: A lot of people have described your voice as operatic, but I’ve heard where you don’t like that…
JG: I would not describe myself as an opera singer, and I think most classical critics would probably say the same thing. I would agree. I’m not singing any songs from actual operas. I sing with classical training, but I would rather say that this is a different type of pop singing, this is a different type of pop music, than say I’m trying to be an opera singer, because I really don’t think that’s what I’m trying to be. This is just the voice that I have, and I would much rather look at what I do as pop.

FWR: On your last full studio album, Closer, there were three songs that were written or co-written by you. Is this something you want to do more of?
JG: Oh, absolutely. It happened very naturally, and it happened in a way where we all looked at each other and said “yeah, these are great, these work.” I’ll be the first one to say if I write anything that I don’t think works. But sure, I think that’s a part of me that I’ve wanted to get out for a long time and I think there’s a lot that I want to say. More and more, when I receive songs that I don’t think are right for me, I’m inspired to sit down and do it myself.

FWR: How do you choose your material?
JG: I get sent lots of songs, and I have to find something that I really feel I can sink my teeth into more than anybody else. I have to find something that’s uniquely me, that I can relate to story-wise, that I can relate to lyrically, and it’s got to be a melody that just catches my ear. Something that I can listen to over and over again. You sift through a lot of things that are only so-so before you find stuff that’s really, really other worldly.

FWR: Is there a certain type of song you find yourself drawn to?
JG: I’ve always found myself drawn to sad songs. I don’t know why. I just, uh… I love sad songs (laughs)

FWR: You don’t seem like a particularly sad guy…
JG: I’m not a sad guy at all, but I like sad songs. You know, for me, and the kind of voice that I have, it’s really hard to find happy or upbeat songs that don’t sound cheesy.

FWR: You’ve done a lot of duets. Is there anyone out there you’d really like to work with?
JG: Well, I’m looking forward to singing with Beyonce on the Oscars. That’ll be fun. We’re doing a duet together. I would love to do a song with someone like Bjork or Peter Gabriel. There’s a lot of people I’ve grown up really loving. It would be the thrill of my life to sing with Paul Simon.

FWR: When I told people I was going to talk to you, one of the questions they wanted me to ask was what music you listened to when you’re just hanging out — assuming you listen to music at all…
JG: Sure I do. My iPOD is stuffed. I’ve been really into a band called Keane lately. They’ve got one of the most beautiful sounds out there that I’ve heard recently. Umm, I’ve got the new Green Day album in there… I love rock music, so I listen to a lot of rock.

FWR: In the last year or so, you’ve moved to playing larger venues. How has this changed your performance, or the way you prepare or warm up for a performance?
JG: It hasn’t changed the way I warm up. I warm up the same way for a thousand people as I do for 10,000. But it has changed the way I react to the audience on stage. I think that when I first started getting into arenas and started playing for 10 or 15,000 people, it was all of a sudden fill the space, reach the back of the house. When there’s that much more space between you and the back row, and when there’s that much more energy and excitement and that many more people you have to reach… there’s no question that when I jump off stage after an arena show I’m dripping, I’m tired, it’s a workout because you really have to reach everyone. But that’s fun. I love taking from the rock groups that would kind of eat that up. The energy they put out there. I watch a lot of concert DVDs and just think “wow, how do they do that? That’s amazing.” I actually feel like I’ve found myself more as we’re playing arenas instead of theaters. It was a much more stiff show in the theaters. I’d start out in a suit and tie (laughs).

FWR: Who do you watch?
JG: Peter Gabriel’s performances are always out of this world. Phil Collins is just an incredible, incredible live performer. Of course, he’s also inspiring to me because he’s a great drummer. I think Freddie Mercury is one of the greatest live performers of all time. There’s a lot of people that just blow your mind. I wish I could have seen some of those people live in concert.

FWR: Speaking of the drums, I’ve heard in your latest show you play the keyboards and drum a little bit. Are you still doing that?
JG: Absolutely. It’s a great moment in the show for me, not only because I can take a break from the singing, but because it’s something that I enjoy as much as singing. The nice thing about a live performance is that you can play around, you can have fun. You have 10,000 people packed into an arena, they’re ready to have fun. I don’t want to be the guy standing in front of a microphone with an orchestra behind me, saying (in a deadened monotone) “and for my next piece…” That’s not what I’m about. When I look at people like Freddie Mercury or Phil Collins and people like Sarah McLachlan or Elton John that have made the piano another part of them, it’s inspiring for me to be able to want to do the same. You don’t have to be trapped by one thing. Maybe I’ll do more of that on the next tour.

FWR: Has there been a particular highlight for you these last three years?
JG: Honestly, the highlights don’t seem to stop. From meeting the Pope, singing for the Pope, to being able to… I don’t know. The Superbowl, the Olympics, being nominated for a Grammy, it’s all been such an amazing ride, and the Oscars are just a new chapter. I can’t wait to perform.

FWR: I thought I read somewhere that the Oscars take place on your birthday. Did I get that wrong?
JG: No, that’s right…

FWR: So you’re going to sing a duet with Beyonce on your birthday?
JG: Yes. That’s exactly what I asked for this year (laughs).

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