Idina was born on Long Island, New York, to a Jewish family. Her mother, Helene, is a therapist, and her father, Stuart Mentzel, worked as a pajama salesman. She was raised in Syosset, New York, with her younger sister Cara, and later changed the spelling of her last name (Mentzel) because of constant mispronunciation.
When Menzel was 15 years old, her parents divorced and she began working as a wedding and bar mitzvah singer. A job she continued throughout her time at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Drama at NYU.
In 1995, Menzel auditioned for Rent, which became her first professional theater job and her Broadway debut. Rent opened off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 26, 1996. The show moved to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre due to its popularity. For her performance as Maureen Johnson in the original cast, Menzel received a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Her final performance in the musical was on July 1, 1997.
Following the success of Rent, Menzel released her first solo album entitled "Still I Can't Be Still" on "Hollywood Records," Menzel also originated the role of Dorothy in Summer of ’42 at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, starred as Sheila in the New York City Center Encores! production of Hair, and appeared on Broadway as Amneris in Aida. Menzel earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance as Kate in the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2000 off-Broadway production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. Her other off-Broadway credits include the pre-Broadway run of Rent and The Vagina Monologues.
In 2003, Menzel starred with actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway in Wicked, a musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman loosely based upon the popular 1995 Gregory Maguire novel. Menzel received the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. On her third-to-last performance of Wicked on January 8, 2005, she fell through a trap door and cracked a lower rib. The injury prevented her from performing in the January 9 show. Menzel did, however, make a special out-of-costume appearance at that performance, performed her final song, and received a 5 minute long standing ovation. Menzel was replaced by Elphaba standby Shoshana Bean.
Following Wicked, Menzel appeared off-Broadway in the Public Theater's production of See What I Wanna See, a Michael John LaChiusa-penned musical whose run ended in December 2005, for which she received Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award nominations. She reprised her Tony Award-winning role as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked when it opened at London's Apollo Victoria Theater on September 7, 2006. During the run, she joined the ranks of highest paid female performer in the West End at $30,000 per week. Menzel finished her West End run on December 30, 2006. She was succeeded by Elphaba standby Kerry Ellis.
Menzel played the role of Florence in the 21st Anniversary concert of Chess at the Royal Albert Hall, London from May 12–13, 2008, alongside Kerry Ellis, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban.
In 2008, Menzel headlined the Powerhouse Theatre's reading of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical Nero from July 1–11. She performed the role of Nero’s mistress Poppea.
Menzel's film roles include appearances in Just a Kiss, Kissing Jessica Stein, Tollbooth, Water, Ask the Dust, Enchanted, and Rent, in which she and five other original cast members reprised their stage roles. As a singer Menzel is known for her wide vocal range, and her use of the 'belt' technique.
Menzel performed at the 1998 Lilith Fair summer concert festival and continues to write and perform original music. She has toured extensively and frequently performs in various venues throughout New York City. She produced and released her debut album, Still I Can’t Be Still, for Hollywood Records in 1998. One single from the album, "Minuet," made the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Tracks chart at #48 in October 1998.
Her second album, Here, was released independently by Zel Records in 2004. Menzel has contributed to soundtracks, including those for the film The Other Sister and the ABC television dramedy Desperate Housewives. In 2007, she appeared on the Beowulf soundtrack singing the end credits song, "A Hero Comes Home." Also in 2007, Menzel's powerful singing voice lead her to be asked to accompany the baritone British X-Factor runner-up Rhydian Roberts on his debut album, duetting on the song "What If."
Her third solo album, I Stand, was released on January 29, 2008. The CD includes many new songs, including the lead single, "Brave," the title track "I Stand," and a song released on EP, "Gorgeous." The album debuted at #58 in the Billboard 200 making it the first solo album by Menzel to make the charts. There are five versions of this album: the original version, the special limited edition, the iTunes version, the Barnes & Noble edition, and the Borders edition.
On April 1, 2008, Menzel kicked off her "I Stand" tour in support of her new album.
On November 11, 2008, Menzel released a new single in conjunction with Major League Baseball. The single is entitled "Hope" and all proceeds go to Stand Up 2 Cancer.
On November 27, 2008, Menzel performed "I Stand" on the M&M Candies float as part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
On December 10, 2009, it was confirmed that Menzel was in negotiations to have a recurring role on Glee. In Spring 2010, Menzel began playing the role of Shelby Corcoran, the coach of the opposing Glee club, Vocal Adrenaline. She was also revealed as Rachel Berry's biological mother.
When asked about 'Defying Gravity' being sung on Glee, Idina was asked about her musical future. She said that the long-rumored movie version of 'Wicked' would probably not be green-lit until there's a dip in its Broadway grosses.
Idina also said that she had met with Andrew Lloyd Webber about taking the role of Betty Schaefer in his much delayed Sunset Boulevard film adaptation. As of February 2010, it is widely believed that Idina is no longer part of Sunset Boulevard as she wanted the role enlarged, to the refusal of Lloyd-Webber.
Menzel married actor Taye Diggs, her co-star from the original Broadway production of Rent, on January 11, 2003 after 7 years of dating. They have a Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy Davis Jr. and two cats named Ella and Coltrane, whom they call their "Jazz Cats" because they were named after famous jazz performers. On December 6, 2004, it was reported by the New York Post that Menzel and Diggs were threatened with harm in a series of letters because of their interracial marriage. Their son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, was born on September 2, 2009.
Menzel was an Honorary Chair of the Imperial Court of New York's Annual Charity Coronation Ball, Night of A Thousand Gowns on March 21, 2009. Other Honorary Chairs for the evening's charity event included Sir Elton John CBE, Patti LuPone, John Cameron Mitchell, Joan Rivers and Dame Robin Strasser.
Here
Idina Menzel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet revelation got me
Levitating over ground
Life know it's vibration
No I'm never coming down
Oh you're my own superhero
Keeps watching over me
I like it when you sing
To some light house in the sea
If your car stalls in the middle of the road in snow, I know
I know you'll be here
Lights out, in all of the city, black out no doubt
I know you'll be here
River flows through the streets, and my homes afloat
I know you'll be here
Stranded in the middle of China, they'll find ya
I know you'll be here
I'll be
Waiting by the window
With a view of the parking light
No matter
how long it takes ya
Never fails to come through every night
If your car stalls in the middle of the road in snow, I know
I know you'll be here
Lights out, in all of the city, black out no doubt
I know you'll be here
River flows through the streets, and my homes afloat
I know you'll be here
Stranded in the middle of China, they'll find ya
I know you'll be here
Here
At the speed of lightning
Here
With the stars aligning
Here
Oh, Here
The lyrics of Idina Menzel's "Here" start off with describing a "sweet revelation" that the singer experiences, which causes them to feel like they are "levitating over ground" and that they will never come down. The mention of "life know[ing] its vibration" adds to this feeling of being lifted up by some greater force. The next part of the song shifts focus to a person who is like a superhero to the singer, watching over them and singing to them. From there, the lyrics switch into a series of scenarios in which the singer knows that this person will be there for them no matter what, whether they are stuck in the snow, experiencing a power outage in the city, or stranded in China. The song ends with the repetition of the word "Here," emphasizing that this person is always present and reliable.
Overall, the lyrics of "Here" paint a picture of a strong and dependable bond between two people. The singer seems to have a lot of faith in the person they're singing about, to the point where they believe that this person has the power to lift them up and keep them safe in any situation. The superhero imagery and references to cosmic alignment further emphasize the idea of a powerful, almost mystical connection between the two.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo
Expressing excitement or enthusiasm.
Sweet revelation got me
I had a wonderful realization that has amazed me.
Levitating over ground
I feel like I am floating above the surface.
Life know it's vibration
Life has a rhythm that can be felt.
No I'm never coming down
I will stay in this elevated state of mind forever.
Oh you're my own superhero
You are someone I admire and look up to for your incredible strength and abilities.
Keeps watching over me
You are always by my side, making sure I am safe and protected.
I like it when you sing
Your voice is music to my ears and brings me joy.
My green eyes saw your constellation
I saw the unique qualities that make you who you are.
To some light house in the sea
You are like a beacon guiding me towards safety and happiness.
If your car stalls in the middle of the road in snow, I know
Even in the most dire of situations, I have faith that you will be there for me.
I'll be waiting by the window
I will be patiently waiting for you to arrive, keeping an eye out for any sign of your presence.
With a view of the parking light
I will be able to see your approach from afar, thanks to the light of your car's headlights.
No matter how long it takes ya
It doesn't matter how much time passes, I know you will eventually come to my side.
Never fails to come through every night
You have always been there for me and I trust that you will continue to be.
At the speed of lightning
You will arrive quickly, like a bolt of lightning.
With the stars aligning
The universe seems to be working in our favor, bringing us closer together.
Oh, Here
I am certain that you will always be there for me, no matter what.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Millan Gullehag
Love this album
A Zimmerly
This song is such a sweet old friend. Thank you!
Kimberly
Thank you! I wonder what happened to the music video