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Josh Groban
Josh Groban
One of the stars of the Nelson Mandela birthday concert, Josh is often called "the male Celine Dion" for his flawless vocals (if not his non-diva styl
"Itââ¬â¢s certainly flattering to be compared to someone like Celine but I donââ¬â¢t know "
Yours was an amazingly quick rise to fame, wasn't it?
Very quick and it feels like so much has happened. It’s been difficult because the last few years have been filled with so many mountains to climb but it’s been quick.
What have the highpoints been?
The highpoints have those moments where I felt that something was really accomplished that I was afraid of like doing things in front of huge audiences. Singing for the Pope was a huge highlight. Just to be there was an honour. But other major highlights have been making a debut on Broadway with my parents in the audience. That was the first dream I had as a little kid and to be able to do in such a great show, Chess, which was written by Benny and Bjorn from Abba. They were in the audience too so it was just such a cool experience. Anything where I can do something for my family and my parents are those kinds of ‘I did it’ moments.
You met Celine Dion very early on, didn’t you?
I worked for Celine very early on. It was probably one of the first things I ever did professionally, to sing with her. She was incredible, so inspiring, and ever since that rehearsal I’ve really looked up to her in how I worked and dealt with people. She’s so talented as a singer and as a people person she’s never lost her grounding, her ability to be humble and work with people. So often when you get to that level you just don’t want to deal with people any more.
You just want to be a bitch, don’t you?
Well, it happens, yeah.
When are you going to start being a bitch?
Give me a year! No, the stuff I’m doing has taken a long time to get people to hear so any success that’s happened I’m eternally grateful for. I try to look up to people like Celine, people who’ve really made sure to keep their friends and family extremely important.
How does it feel to be called the male Celine Dion?
Well, it’s certainly flattering to be compared to someone like Celine but I don’t know about this comparison thing. Believe me, I’ve been compared to everyone under the sun and I generally don’t like any of them!
Who’s the worst person you’ve been compared with?
Probably Michael Bolton. I’m like, “C’mon guys! Absolutely not. Listen to my album, I don’t think you’ll find it’s the same thing.” Sometimes people just want to take an idea of what you are and the idea of what they think another artist is and just kind of meld them together so you can’t help but get the comparisons. When it comes down to it, it’s about the singing. The other comparisons have come with classical crossover artists like Sarah Brightman or Charlotte Church.
How was working with Charlotte?
Charlotte Church is very, very nice. We had a great time working together and she’s got a great head on my shoulders and knows what she wants. It was nice to work with someone so young who was so passionate about what she did.
As soon as you got famous did they bring in a bunch of stylists and try to change your look?
At the very beginning, sure that happens – there’s a kind of anxiety to quick-fix and change you but from the very first second I started doing this it was like, “You know what? No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.” I wasn’t going to let them do that and they knew that immediately.
You grew up loving musicals, didn’t you?
I did. My parents were really big on getting me introduced to many different styles. You could have something like The Who’s Tommy which was a rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and Chess which were pretty much pop musicals and then you could have something like Fiddler On The Roof or Sweeney Todd that were huge, big voice, orchestral operas and it was inspiring to me. I like to act and I like to sing. I had a passion for it.
That seems very gay.
Growing up loving musicals? I don’t know, not to me. It was something that was very masculine. I didn’t have dreams of doing 42nd Street and putting on the white gloves and tights. I dreamed of doing the meaty stuff, like the guy that killed people and turned them in meat pies. I was really inspired but those great, scary, deep characters so that was my dream.
Did you get called gay boy by your friends who were listening to Thrash?
No, no, never.
