Bringing Operatic Chops to Pop Music
Mercury News
August 24, 2004
By Marian Liu
Josh Groban wants to emphasize that he sings pop music, not opera.
But it's difficult to picture the 23-year-old -- with his long, curly locks and dapper suits, and, yes, operatic baritone -- as a typical pop star. The bulk of his music is not in English, and he displays a classical singing background with more range than J.Lo could ever dream of. His audience is generally ``older,'' and he filled in for operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli at the 1999 Grammy rehearsals.
Still, the singer, who has sold more than 9 million albums worldwide with little exposure on mainstream radio, says he's not so different from many his age: He plays video games and listens to Usher.
We caught up with Groban -- who plays Shoreline tonight -- over the phone, as the crooner relaxed in Denver a day before a show.
Q Why opera?
A I'm actually not doing opera, but, but . . .
Q Then how would you describe it?
A It's very easy for people to assume what I'm doing is opera, because there's songs in other languages, and there's large orchestras and the vocal training that I have is classical. . . . I would like to challenge pop music, and just say that this is much more of a different kind of pop music, and widen that a little bit.
Q What pop artists do you listen to?
A Paul Simon was somebody that I thought was an incredible influence. . . . Peter Gabriel is somebody who has been incredible. Björk is somebody who has pushed the boundary of what people think of as music. . . . There's a lot of incredible artists out there, from Norah Jones to Usher, that are just really extremely talented, that go out there and kick butt every day and move people.
Q Many critics have called you a tribute to a bygone era, and have complimented the fact that you wear suits at your concerts. Your thoughts on that?
A It honestly depends on my mood. This whole concert tour has been outdoor shows, so I've mostly been in jeans and T-shirts the whole time. But, I think there is a ton of traditional elements in the music that I do. I love exploring new sounds, I love exploring computer music, I love exploring the sounds of today, but I feel like I owe it to the artists and the music of the past to continue to pay tribute to that.
Q Many in your audience are older than you. How does that make you feel?
A At first it was the older audience, the classical crossover audience, then slowly and surely, kids got involved, through things like the Super Bowl and the ``All Access'' special on VH1. . . . At the end of my shows, I really enjoy running down the stage, slapping the hands of young kids. . . . It's been fun to see high school, college students, saying yeah, I like Eminem, I like Britney, . . . but this is something that I like, too.
Q Can you speak the languages, like Italian and Spanish, that you sing in?
A I'm not fluent yet. I've got a lot of training to do if I want to pick up the language and be fluent. When I pick a song in another language, it's because the language is as musical as the music itself.
Q In your travels, what has been your favorite place?
A Paris is one. Sydney, Australia, is another one I would visit in a heartbeat. And, I love Oslo, Norway. I love all of Norway. I have ancestry in Norway. I'm half Norwegian. So whenever I visit Oslo -- cold, cold, snowy Oslo -- it just feels like home for some reason.
Q And the other half?
A The other half is Russian, actually. (In a Russian accent) Grobán.
Q The question that all female fans want to know the answer to: Are you still dating?
A I've been happily dating January Jones. . . . A year on Aug. 22.
Q Describe your personality.
A I can be extraordinarily serious, almost too serious sometimes when it comes to work and everything like that. I can also be just the most off the wall, childish, goofiest, stupidest person on the planet. I'm pretty bipolar when it comes to that.
Q Any hobbies, besides music?
A Besides music, no. No, I'm just kidding. Video games, sports. I love baseball, tennis. The Olympics has been fun to watch.
Q Any favorite events?
A Yeah, badminton.
Q Do you play?
A No, I don't, but it's just funny to watch.
Q Your favorite video games?
A I'm playing a baseball game (``EA Sports MVP Baseball 2004''). It's a lot of fun. It allows me to live my baseball dreams without actually touching the field. There's a game called ``Red Dead Revolver'' that allows me get all my cowboy dreams out of the way, too.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
To hear tracks from Josh Groban's albums, go to www.mercurynews.com/entertainment.
Josh Groban
With special guest pianist William Joseph
Where: Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Tickets: $29.50-$85.50
Also: Chronicle Pavilion at Concord, 2000 Kirker Pass Road, Concord
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Tickets: $28.75-$81.75
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