Josh Groban

joshgroban.com

Stages is out april 28

All answers will be typed by my dog Sweeney

https://twitter.com/joshgroban/status/588721715741597696

Hey that was fun wish I could stay on Reddit forever. Thanks for the numerous great questions I’ll do this again soon. Cheers!

How are you recovering from your divorce from Dee Reynolds?

Slowly the healing begins. She pops. And she has her pick of any man. She moved on and now so must I. <plays Someone Like You>

Why should i get your album?

Because you’re willy wonka and i sang one of your songs so you probably will make a royalty.

I fell in love with your voice when you were on Ally McBeal. How did you end up on that show? It was quite a big deal at the time.

It was insane how it all went down. I was only supposed to have a 30 second part. We were 3 days from shooting. Downey Jr. was having, shall we say, a rough personal time in his life and was arrested. David E Kelly (who created the show) asked me if I could act and spent the next 24 hours writing me into the entire episode. It changed my life. They say luck is preparation meets opportunity and that was certainly one of those lucky moments. And Robert got clean and has gone on to be one of the greatest we have ever seen. And the nicest guy ever.

What kind of talking do you do in your sleep? You said recently that you’re recording some of your dreams.

Yeah I downloaded this sleep talking app and I listen when I wake up. I usually just laugh and say something like “hehehe you guyssss” or I go “OMG OMG OMG OMG”. I think I smoke weed in my dreams.

What inspired you to cover Bring Him Home? Have you seen Ramin Karimloo do it in Les Mis on Broadway? If not, you should!

To me Bring Him Home (unfortunately) has significant meaning to me today with so many men and women still awaiting a homecoming from the grips of war. It was one of the most emotional sessions I’ve ever had in the studio and it was done in one take at the end of a long day. An unexpected addition to the album. I adore Ramin’s voice and love his version so much. Everyone should see him on stage whenever they can!

When will you make your Broadway debut? And what would your dream broadway role be?

I hope within the next couple of years. I really want to take the time to do it the right way. I have a bucket list for sure. Phantom, sunday in the park, sweeney, Chess….but truly the dream is to find new work. great inspiring new composers. and start from scratch. easier said than done but its an exciting time for broadway in that regard. one day!

OK, Reddit wants to know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN5-IbjoGLs
Staged or not? What is the story behind this?

Not staged! There are a few links out there of people who’ve written in to sing with me on tour. All of them have been a complete surprise to me. Its always fun when that happens. Its great for the show and if it gets online like this clip its great to get a new singer’s pipes out to the public.

Absolutely loved your work with Tim and Eric…singing Casey?! Hilarious! And you were also super funny on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. What do you like most about getting to do that kind of work? And how did you get into doing it, considering your musical background?

Thanks! Love tim and eric and was really honored when Simon Amstel asked me to be on buzzcocks. My background while I was taking super serious singing lessons was improv and comedy and its always a thrill to be around super funny people and I guess show a different side from the music. I think i had to just say to myself that I was ok showing both sides after a few years in the beginning of being kind of protective of “the brand”. None of us are one thing. Thanks again!

What video games are you currently playing?

I’ve been kind of replaying GTA V in first person which is interesting and doubly disturbing. I’m loving Shadow Of Mordor too…amazing game play and endless Orc killing. Also solitaire.

Where are you?

London. U?

Would you color your hair when you turn grey?

I want to be the first blue haired baritone. Gotta have a gimmick.

Do you ever get tired of singing the same songs, over and over again?

Its always easy to get jaded or a little song fatigue if its a song you’ve sung over and over but honestly the performer in me always gets SO STOKED when a new audience goes bananas that you realize it isn’t vocal masturbation. Its for the audience. And if it moves them, it continues to move me.

Do you poop when women are visiting your place?

For the right price.

Is there anything (Any dream) that you have not gotten to accomplish or do yet?

Tons! I’d love to be a member of the magic castle and I’d love to compose a film score some day.

I’ve been a fan since childhood, listening to some of your music with my mom in the early mornings before school and whenever I got her to turn it on throughout a car ride. You highly influenced my choices in auditioning for competition choirs and vocal ensembles through my school years and was wondering two things, who influenced you in making your vocal choices in your younger, and even your not-so-younger years, and were you ever a part of a choir, or 8 part ensemble that you remember very fondly?

Thats AWESOME thanks for sharing. It means so much that you went into music and singing after being inspired by my stuff. I was part of a choir and it was the best thing I could do as a future solo artist. It teaches you to LISTEN and learn about relative pitch. I was pulled out to the front by a teacher during a choir rehearsal for my first solo and it was the first moment I ever realized I could break out of the blend. But I miss it and I hope you continue to kick ass. Thanks again!

Which of Kanye West’s tweets is your favourite to perform live?

Which ever one the lone drunk husband yells from the back row

Would you ever drink the water from the “its a small world” ride at disney world?

Only when I want it to turn into the boat tunnel from willy wonka

Your foundation helps enrich the lives of young people through the arts, education, and cultural awareness. Is there a specific event that sparked this cause into action?

I was so fortunate to have had a solid arts education growing up and without it I would be so lost today. I’ve seen it change lives not to mention the fact that studies are continually proving that it increases grades in other subjects. It was the combination of great teachers and supportive parents that introduced me to those programs. Many kids aren’t as lucky so my foundation is out there to hopefully reverse the trend of these programs getting taken away. I want every kid in America to have a solid arts education. www.findyourlightfoundation.org

In addition to bring a great singer, I love your acting work!! I really love you on The Crazy Ones! You’re definitely way better than other musicians who try to act. Are you planning on doing more acting stuff in the future?

thank you! Was such a thrill and honor to spend time with Robin. What a generous soul he was. Deeply missed. Couple fun things on the horizon. In Krazinski’s directorial debut The Hollars…should be out soon!

Will Lucia be joining you on this tour? I missed her on last tour! How do you find and select the band members who tour with you? Also, … I’m the chick who gave you the Hot Wheels Weinermobile in Phoenix a few years back!

Hey! I treasure that weinermobile. Thanks again for it. Lucia is a busy busy bee and I am her biggest fan and hopefully we can perform again one day but she’s off on her own adventures and doing brilliantly. My band is incredible and I am so lucky to have them on stage with me. They are chosen through rigorous hazing. First rule of JG band is nobody talks about JG band.

when was the first time you realized you had “made it?”

When Aretha Franklin said “honey lets go to my dressing room and sing”

Would you consider yourself a Christian artist? Not necessarily your personal beliefs, but purely musically. I’ve debated that your music is certainly spiritual, but not religious.

I wouldn’t! I have recorded a christmas album which was wonderful to do and has gorgeous music but generally I’m pretty open spiritually and I invite people to listen to the songs and bring their own meaning to them as it relates to them. That’s my favorite thing about the universality of music.

What song do you usually sing while in the shower?

totally…to this day the best reverb around

I saw your episode of Who Do You Think You Are on TLC which was fascinating! I was wondering how your mom felt when you told her what you learned about her lineage? You had such amazing questions about Johann Zimmerman and you were even able to figure out about some of his life by making your own conclusions which turned out to be correct (if I understood correctly) were you guided or did these questions just come to you on your journey? What happened in Rotterdam that was left out of the show?

Thanks for watching. That was such an incredible trip for me and my brother. Had NO idea I had German heritage. My favorite part was off camera when I was able to tell my mom all I had learned. She was floored. In Rotterdam I visited where he would have been buried and the port that my family would have left from to come to America in 1694. Powerful stuff.

How do you stay so upbeat, kind and postive to your fans? Doesn’t it get to be intrusive as a super celeb?

It goes both ways! When you have a fan base who has allowed you to take them on a ride for all these years and buck trends…who gives generously to charity and cares about others…who loves all the same weird shit I do…its hard not to stay upbeat. so thanks for that

I feel like I’m a rare breed of Fall Out Boy/Grobanite fan. Hypothetically, if you had the opportunity to make music with Patrick Stump, would you? Would you fight about who gets to play the drums?

Thanks!! I’m a fan of theirs as well! Met them at Kimmel and they’re great guys. Stump has a unique awesome voice and hell yes I would jump on the drums in a heartbeat.

What advice could you give to an aspiring musician who hasn’t quite found their “niche” yet? Your music is somewhat unique, how do you decide to keep doing YOUR music instead of what everyone else wants?

I think it all comes down to the goosebump test. Deep down you really start to realize what makes you unique and what the best lane is for your gift. Sometimes ego or outside forces try to push you into places that aren’t right…or sometimes you just want to explore because its always important to push beyond the comfort zone…but I think the key is that when you find your center lane, the sweet spot, ignore the fads…ignore the fickle hype machines…do you. I was lucky that I was able to.

What advice do you have for a 19 yr old who would like to have some type of music career but is still undecided and afraid to go for it?

I think its ok at 19 to not know precisely where you want to go artistically. I was a rare case at 17 to be signed but even then I felt like I had to be a student and open to discovery while going out and looking “pro”. Work super hard on the kind of technique that can allow you to sing anything and LISTEN to tons of stuff. It’ll come to you. good luck!

Does Danny Chase still exist somewhere writing ballads about Sydney?

I’d like to believe he is. Still rolling out that desk piano and plunking out the greatest corporate ballads this side of Duluth.

If you could eat dinner with anyone dead or alive who would you pick to sit down with you?

bob marley

I’m big into barbershop, has barbershop ever interested you? if so, have you ever sung it in the past?

I LOVE barbershop music…honestly its such a talent to blend that way. I’d love to give it a go. Also I desperately need a haircut.

I am a big fan of yours, but I don’t like the musical songs. How long do I have to wait for your next album?

My hip hop country spoken word Raffi tribute album will drop on valentines day. Please enjoy.

Where’s your favorite vacation spot?

I like driving up the california coast up north. I love long drives it clears my head and also there’s delicious delicious wine at the end of it.

Why was the reason of choosing Le Temps des Cathédrales?

Always loved this song and for an album of great musical theater songs, its great to represent a song from that world that was an international hit. Have had fun this week singing it in France.

Are you planning on a UK tour soon?

Maybe 😉

As a teacher I can time when I have to go pee when I have prep or lunch. Can you do the same during a concert?

What’s your favorite pizza topping?

BBQ Chicken!