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 WICKED GOOD
She may have a Tony, but don’t look for Idina Menzel’s Warner Brothers debut album, I Stand, in the Broadway section.
“It’s hard to describe the genre,” the Rent and Wicked star says. “All I know is that it feels very emotional and personal.”
It should—Menzel co-wrote all nine songs. Even with her incredible vocal range, there was still a challenge when it came to laying down the tracks.
“There’s this dilemma about how people who come from the theater can cross over, and how you can have an emotional album that’s not too theatrical—there’s all these dynamics you negotiate,” she says. “Glen Ballard, the producer, said, ‘Let’s not worry about the rules. Let’s just go for it and be ourselves and see what comes out.’”
What emerges is a portrait of the artist as a young woman finding her way. First single “Brave” speaks to everyone who’s ever looked at their life and realized how much courage it takes to seize the moment. “Gorgeous” is about the beauty of staying true to a love that society might not agree with; the title cut is about appreciating yourself as a complicated work in progress. Each track celebrates individuality—a quality Idina prizes above all others.
“One reason that I am so proud to have been in Rent and Wicked is that they’re two original musicals that speak about the underdog, about unique people struggling not to be ostracized,” the singer says. “My lyrical content connects with all this, too—maybe it’s something about the way I see life and my own insecurities as I try to figure out who I am.”
Ms. Menzel’s come a long way since her start as a 15-year-old wedding singer doing Madonna covers. You may have caught her in last year’s Enchanted or heard about her happy marriage to the zexy that is Taye Diggs. When she’s not performing, she’s catching up on her West Wing DVDs. (“I’m addicted!”)
As she earns comparisons to do-it-all-divas like Bette and Barbra, does “the green girl” know how much of a gay icon she is? “I consider it an honor,” Idina laughs. “I hope that the gay community will continue to embrace me, and in return I will go to them for their feedback and love.”
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I Stand is out now. Visit idinamenzel.com
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Instinct Online 
