lose my dignity©
About Idina
Idina Menzel's Warner Bros. Records debut album, "I Stand" is a powerful collection of exquisite new songs written by the Tony Award winning actress/singer/songwriter. With Idina’s one-of-a-kind soaring voice and the talent of legendary Grammy winning producer Glen Ballard, the final outcome is an album filled with pop tunes and heartfelt ballads—intimate yet universal stories of life, its challenges, relationships and of course - the subject of love."For the first time in my life, I had a feeling of complete artistic freedom. I've wanted to work with Glen forever. He really understands musicians and provides the perfect environment for creativity. Not only did he have a deep understanding of the complexities and timbre of my voice but he celebrated my talent as a songwriter," said Menzel.Returning the compliment, Ballard (who has worked with Alanis Morrisette, Annie Lennox, Dave Matthews, No Doubt and Celine Dion amongst others) added, "it's very rare when you have somebody with Idina's vocal skills who also writes so eloquently about what's important to her. I knew I was working with a first-rate writer. She has stories to tell and they're really worth hearing."Idina who reached superstardom on Broadway in two career-defining roles—her Tony Award winning performance in the musical blockbuster "Wicked" and in the revolutionary "Rent" didn't get to "stand behind a character, costumes and makeup" when she went to work on her new album. As Idina put it, "I love being an actress but the hardest thing to do is totally be yourself, singing your own songs with nothing to hide behind. It's exhilarating, exciting and terrifying—but ultimately rewarding."The nine Idina-penned tunes on "I Stand" are open to various interpretations—personal and otherwise. "Sometimes when people hear my new songs they take a completely different meaning from them than what I originally intended. I just love that. As a songwriter, it means I've accomplished something bigger than myself."With album highlights such as the unforgettable anthemic new single "Brave", Idina was able to write about intimate day-to-day experiences and emotions while creating strong melodies that reflected the most expressive parts of her voice. Another stand out cut is the celebratory "Gorgeous" co-written with Dave Basset and already dubbed by earlier listeners as the song to play on your ipod before a night out. "Gorgeous" sends “a hopeful and uplifting message for anyone who has been alienated in some way for loving someone in the face of judgment or non-acceptance,†says Idina. In the emotional "Better To Have Loved" she reveals "that no matter what may happen – even if it’s heartbreak and pain, at least I'm living life in a rich and passionate way."The title song "I Stand" is about trying to understand who I am, what I believe in and what I contribute to the world though I appreciate that I'm still a work in progress. I think "I Stand" is a song that my fans will especially appreciate. So many people struggle with that feeling of being different from those around you but I want to encourage people to think that it's more than okay to be fierce and to let it all shine.Idina's career began as a teenager in her native Long Island, New York where she sang at weddings and bar mitzvahs which required learning a huge repertoire of songs from classic rock to Motown to jazz to the latest hit single from Madonna. "When you're a wedding singer, people are usually talking and eating so when they stopped and even applauded, I knew I was on to something good," laughed Idina.While working toward her bachelor's degree in drama from New York University, Idina performed with rock bands in downtown clubs in New York City during the week and continued her wedding gigs on the weekend. In the winter of l995, Idina auditioned for the Broadway bound "Rent" and won the part of Maureen, an outspoken bi-sexual performance artist. The role earned Menzel her first Tony nomination and the musical went on to win four Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize.In 2003, Idina originated the role of "the green girl," the misunderstood witch in the hit musical "Wicked" which included her show-stopping performance of the song "Defying Gravity". In 2007, she re-recorded and remixed “Gravity†and the song went on to become a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Dance Chart. Her star turn in "Wicked" won her a Tony Award and huge critical acclaim. The Boston Herald raved, "Menzel need only plant her feet on the ground and sing to make the back of the theatre vibrate with the power of her voice." Other credits include two Drama Desk nominations for her roles in "The Wild Party" and "See What I Wanna See" at the Public Theatre. Last year, she opened and reprised her starring role in "Wicked" on the London stage. Film credits include starring roles in the Disney romantic fable, "Enchanted", "Rent" and Robert Towne's "Ask The Dust". The Robert Zemekis film and soundtrack album "Beowulf" includes a performance of the song "A Hero Comes Home" by Idina.Inspired by artists like Bette Midler and Barbra Streisand - triple threats who have conquered stage, film and success as recording artists, Idina Menzel stands poised to embark on her ultimate challenge—a solo artist singing her very own songs.
credit: myspace.com/idinamenzel
About Adam
Adam Pascal was born on October 25, 1970, in the Bronx and raised in Syosset, New York. He started singing in various heavy metal and hard rock bands when he was 12, and has been singing in bands, as a solo artist, in movies or on the Broadway stage ever since. In high school, Adam’s bands played at local clubs and parties on Long Island, and performed in various Battle of the Bands competitions. In later years, the band name changed and the music evolved, and the band moved on to play in New York City clubs like CBGB and China Club. In 1995, the band, then called Mute, recorded a self-titled album that was released in Japan by Zero Corporation. Through the various phases of the band, Adam continued to write his own music. In 1995, Adam tried out for the then unknown, off-Broadway production of Rent. He landed the role of Roger Davis – one which he would reprise a few years later in London, in the 2005 movie version of Rent, and again 11 years later for a limited run on Broadway during the summer of 2007. He was nominated for a 1996 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for his role as Roger. While in New York, Adam also played gigs with The Adam Pascal Band. In 1998, Adam’s career expanded to the big screen in SLC Punk! Then in 2000, Adam was cast in the lead role of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida as Radames. In May of that year, his debut solo album, Model Prisoner, was released on Sh-K-Boom Records. Also in 2000, Adam co-produced the hit off-Broadway play Fully Committed with fellow former Rent cast member, Jesse L. Martin. In October 2003, Adam once again visited the Broadway stage, this time as the Emcee in Cabaret, as part of the closing cast. He played the lead singer of a rock band in 2003’s School of Rock and is on the movie’s soundtrack. Adam’s second CD, Civilian, was released in November 2004. After 2004’s musical Temptation, his reprisal of the role of Roger in the movie version of Rent in 2005 brought a new generation of fans not only to the Broadway show and its music, but to the original cast as well. Since 2005’s Rent, Adam has appeared in a 2006 episode of Cold Case and he has worked on two films Goyband and American Primitive. When Adam returned to the Rent stage in July of 2007, he helped the show regain the excitement and buzz it hadn’t seen in many years. Adam’s latest project, a CD entitled Blinding Light to be released in early 2008, is a collaboration with writing partner Larry Edoff. In the last year, the new band Me and Larry have been writing and touring and recording all in preparation for the new CD and the 2008 tour. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.
credit: myspace.com/adampascal
Idina Menzel - Live with Regis & Kelly
The RENT Tribute/Performance on The Tony Awards 2008
Adam and Idina in "Chess"
"Single Drop Of You" with Adam Pascal and Larry Edoff
