Josh Groban and Lucie Silvas Interview
OK Magazine, UK
March 6, 2007
By Rob Driscoll
(Below are just the Josh parts of the interview.)
Meanwhile, Los Angeles-born Josh Groban - the original voice behind the power ballad 'You Raise Me Up' - is one of the most revered classically trained male singers, lending his unique, operatic talent to the pop arena. Josh may be (by his own admission) more fogey than funky, but the 25-year old's dreamy voice makes women swoon the world over, and his third album, 'Awake' - which debuted at number two in the States - is now selling well over here.
Josh, you're so popular in America that you even have special fans called Grobanites...
That's right. When it all started, it was a hundred fans on the internet, and after I appeared singing on Ally McBeal, it started really buzzing, and they came up with this name. They're great, the term Grobanite probably describes the most hardcore fan. They're the ones who have the light sticks in the audience, or will be outside every tv show. I recognise many of them - I see them more than I see my family sometimes.
You've got an amazing voice, so why don't you want to sing opera?
I have a classically-trained voice, and I love opera, but I have such a great respect for it that I want to wait. I don't want to dumb down opera. If I'm going to sing an aria from one of the great operas, I'm going to do it in the way it's supposed to be done. I'm not going to put a techno beat to 'Nessun Dorma'! I view myself most definately as a pop artist, and I love using my voice for new music.
You sing in Italian and Spanish as well as English - won't people start comparing you with Il Divo?
Comparisions will always be there, because the idea of singing with an orchestra today is so new to the public, too new to differentiate. Right now, with this genre, the immediate reaction is: "How are we going to lump them all together?" I think what I'm doing is pretty genre-less.
Josh, do you have a girlfriend?
I am dating, but no details - it's too new. It's hard because I'm on tour, I'll be living out a suitcase for about two years, so as far as the relationship things to it's a very difficult place to be in. And on Valentine's Day I was in New York rehearsing for my US tour. Whenever I'm on the road and have to leave my loved ones behind, thank God for the internet.
You've done duets with some amazing names - what was Barbra Streisand like?
That was one of the earlier ones I did, and it doesn't get any scarier than that! She was so cool to do it, she didn't have to do it at all. Being in the studio with her was amazing. She wasn't a diva.
Can you be a male diva?
I did a charity event in New York once, and I asked for five or ten little bottles of water, just because when I'm nervous I drink water. Everyone else asks for brown M&Ms - me, it's water.
You've also sung with Charlotte Church; is there any danger of you doing a Charlotte, and going off the rails?
I don't think so. Sure, I've got a very clean-cut image, but at the same time I'm a 25-year-old guy. I love to go out and have a drink with the guys, I love to go to parties - but I'm never going to be one of those people who has a hugely rebellious period. I've never been interested in drugs, I've been too much of a control freak to feel like I wanted to let myself go in a way that I'd be out of control.
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