Groban originally studied acting, but moved to singing as his voice developed. Groban attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, a free public school on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles, where students receive a conservatory-style education. David Foster called Groban to stand in for an ailing Andrea Bocelli to rehearse a duet, "The Prayer", with Celine Dion at the rehearsal for the 1998 Grammy Awards. Rosie O'Donnell immediately invited him to appear on her talk show. Foster asked him to sing at the California Governor's Gray Davis' 1999 inauguration. He was cast on Ally McBeal by the show's creator, David E. Kelley, performing "You're Still You" for the 2001 season four finale.
In 2016, he made his Broadway debut as Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, to critical acclaim and nomination for a 2017 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. His performance at the 72nd Tony Awards earned him two Primetime Emmy nominations, one for Outstanding Live Variety Special and one for Original Music and Lyrics for the song "This One's for You". Groban co-starred as Tony Caruso Jr. in the Netflix original series, The Good Cop. Groban was also the host of Rising Star, he also appeared in the films, Coffee Town, Muppets Most Wanted, The Hollars and Crazy, Stupid, Love. He also appeared on TV such as Danny Chase in The Crazy Ones, as well as Walter Bernard Jr in The Office.
Career
1997–2001: Debut
In late 1997, the 16-year-old Groban was introduced by his vocal coach, Seth Riggs, to Grammy-winning producer and arranger David Foster and future manager Brian Avnet.[18][failed verification] At the time, Groban had no recording experience and was preparing for his studies at Carnegie Mellon.[18] Groban worked for David Foster as a rehearsal singer on a series of high-profile events, including the January 1999 California gubernatorial inauguration of Gray Davis and the 1999 Grammy Awards where—as a stand-in for Andrea Bocelli—he rehearsed Foster's "The Prayer" with Céline Dion. According to Avnet, Groban was very nervous about standing in for Bocelli and had to be talked into it; his performance prompted the show hostess, Rosie O'Donnell, to ask him to appear on her show the following week, which in turn led to an appearance on Ally McBeal.[18] Creator David E. Kelley wrote the character Malcolm Wyatt for Groban in the season finale, aired in May 2001. Groban as Malcolm Wyatt was so popular that the show received upwards of 8,000 emails from viewers;[19] thereafter, Groban was asked to return the next season to reprise his role as Wyatt and to perform "To Where You Are". Avnet claims this sequence of events effectively got Groban's career off the ground.[18]
Groban was offered a recording contract at Warner Bros. Records through Foster's 143 Records imprint. Avnet told HitQuarters that Warner Bros. initially proved resistant to the deal because "They were afraid they wouldn't be able to get a voice like that on radio."[18] Explaining his reasons for signing the artist, Foster said: "I love his natural ability in the pop and rock arena, but I love his sense of classics even more. He's a true musical force to be reckoned with."[19] Under Foster's influence, Groban's first album focused more on classics such as "Gira Con Me Questa Notte" and "Alla Luce Del Sole".
Groban performed "There For Me" with Sarah Brightman on her 2000–01 La Luna World Tour, and was featured on her "La Luna" concert DVD. He recorded "For Always" with Lara Fabian for the movie soundtrack of A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). Groban performed in many benefit shows, including "The Andre Agassi Grand Slam Event For Children," alongside Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley, and Robin Williams; "Muhammad Ali's Fight Night Foundation" which honored Michael J. Fox and others; "The Family Celebration" (2001), which was co-hosted by President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, and David E. Kelley and Michelle Pfeiffer; and Michael Milken's CapCure event, which raised funds for cancer research.
His self-titled debut album Josh Groban was released on November 20, 2001. Over the next year it went from gold to double-platinum.[20]
2002–2005: Closer
Groban in concert at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2007
On February 24, 2002, Groban performed "The Prayer" with Charlotte Church at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and by November, he had his own PBS special titled "Josh Groban In Concert" (2002). In December 2002, he performed "To Where You Are" and sang "The Prayer" in a duet with Sissel Kyrkjebø at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. He joined The Corrs, Ronan Keating, Sting, Lionel Richie, and others for a Christmas performance at the Vatican. In 2003, Groban performed at the David Foster concert for World Children's Day, singing "The Prayer" with Celine Dion and the finale song, "Aren't They All Our Children?" with artists including Yolanda Adams, Nick Carter, Enrique Iglesias, and Celine Dion.
Groban's second album Closer, produced and written by Foster, was released on November 11, 2003. Groban said he believed that his second album was a better reflection of him, and that his audience would be able to get a better idea of his personality from listening to it.
What most people know about me, they know through my music. This time, I've tried to open that door as wide as possible. These songs are a giant step closer to who I really am and what my music is all about. Hence the title.[19]
Two months after Closer was released, it rose on the Billboard charts from number 11 to number one.[21] Groban's cover of "You Raise Me Up" became his third most popular song on the adult contemporary charts as of March 2004. Later that year, he also performed the song "Remember" (with Tanja Tzarovska) on the Troy soundtrack, "Believe" on the soundtrack to the 2004 animated film The Polar Express and a cover of Linkin Park's "My December".
In the summer of 2004, Groban returned to Interlochen, performing and discussing his earlier experiences with local residents and campers. On November 30, 2004, his second live DVD, Live At The Greek, was released; it was also shown as a Great Performances special on PBS. That same year, Groban performed "Remember When It Rained", backed by a full orchestra, at the American Music Awards, where he was nominated for Favorite Male Artist in the pop category; he was also nominated for a People's Choice Award. His recording of "Believe" secured an Academy Award nomination in 2005 for the songwriters Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri,[22] and earned them a Grammy in the category Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the ceremony held in February 2006.[23]
2005–2010: Awake
Groban earned his first Grammy nomination in 2005 for his single "You Raise Me Up" in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category. During the first week of September 2006, Groban's single entitled "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" was released exclusively on AOL's First Listen. His third studio album Awake was officially released on November 7, 2006. Groban performed "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" as well as two other tracks from Awake at his recording session for Live from Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios on 26 October 2006. On that album, Groban also collaborated on the single "Now or Never" with British musician and songwriter Imogen Heap. He performed two tracks with the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, "Lullaby" and "Weeping". Groban's "Awake" world tour visited 71 cities between February and August 2007, and toured Australia and the Philippines with Lani Misalucha as his special guest in October 2007. He performed a duet with Barbra Streisand ("All I Know of Love") and with Mireille Mathieu ("Over the Rainbow"). As to his future, Groban was open to a plethora of possibilities. He said, "I am fortunate enough to have had many really big moments in my career. I think the mistake a lot of people in my position make is to always search for the next big thing. I am looking forward to playing some small theaters. I'm looking forward to writing more. I want to delve further into my acting career and explore some of the film and TV opportunities that I haven't had time for. My outlook is to expect the unexpected. And when the next step comes, I'm prepared to take it."[9]
2010–2015: Illuminations; All That Echoes
Groban finished his fifth studio album, entitled Illuminations, and the album was released on November 15, 2010.[24] Most of the songs on the album are about "specific situations that I've had where love has existed and ultimately failed," Groban told The New York Times, adding: "And other songs are about the quest, and it just not working out." Groban wrote 11 of the 13 songs on the album.[25] The first single from the album, "Hidden Away", was made available for free download via Facebook on September 8.[26] "For me to sit in a room with a piano in one take with some of Johnny Cash's musicians—that was totally new for me." Josh added. "and I think that excitement is on the record."[25] On October 12, a second single from the upcoming album, "Você Existe Em Mim", was made available on iTunes.[27] This song is sung in Portuguese and was written by Brazilian artist Carlinhos Brown. The Washington Post said: "Illuminations" is not a revelation, but it offers a perfectly fine, and often quite lovely, glimpse at a pop-classical crossover artist in the middle of crossing over."[28] Groban plans on making one more record with Rick Rubin.[29] Beginning May 12, 2011 and continuing through December of that year, Groban undertook the 81-city Straight to You Tour to promote Illuminations, encompassing appearances in North America, Europe, and South Africa.[30]
Groban's sixth studio album, All That Echoes, was released on February 5, 2013, debuting at number one by selling 141,000 copies.[31][32] Groban promoted the album with the All That Echoes World Tour in 2013. A year later, he embarked on his Summer Symphony Tour.[33]
2015–2017: Stages and Broadway debut
In early March 2015, Josh Groban's Facebook page announced the release of the album Stages, consisting of covers of songs from Broadway musicals. The album was released on April 28, 2015.[34]
Starting October 18, 2016, Groban performed on Broadway as Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera by composer Dave Malloy based on War and Peace.[35] For his performance as Pierre, Groban was nominated for the 2017 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. His final performance as Pierre was on July 2, 2017.[36] Groban also performed the song "Evermore" during the end credits of the 2017 Disney film Beauty and the Beast.[37]
2018: Bridges
On March 12, 2018, tour dates were announced for Groban's Bridges Tour with special guest Idina Menzel. The US leg of the tour began on October 18, 2018, in Duluth, Georgia and concluded at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 18. The European leg of the tour began on December 12 at the O2 Arena in London and concluded on December 18 in Poland.[38]
On June 26, 2018, Groban announced via social media that his album Bridges would be released on September 21 and would contain a cover of Céline Dion's song "S'il suffisait d'aimer" along with new tracks.[39] The album debuted at number two in the US[40] and in the top 10 in the UK[41] and Scotland.[42]
2020: Harmony
On August 17, 2020, Groban's album Harmony was announced to release in November 2020. Groban will also offer a virtual livestreamed concert series in the fall and winter of 2020.[43] On October 2, the album was announced to be released on November 20, 2020. The album is now available in all the platforms from the regular to deluxe edition.
Voice
Various music critics have described Groban's voice in different ways, with some referring to him as a tenor[62] and others as a baritone.[63][64] In performance, Groban's music goes as low as G2 (as in the songs "To Where You Are", "Higher Window", and "The World We Knew (Over and Over)") and extends up to at least B4 (as heard in "The Duel" from Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812[65]). This places his voice lower than the usual tenor range on the low end (although still within the vocal fry register of a tenor), and just short of tenor C, and therefore above the baritone range, on the high end.[66][67]
Pure Imagination
Josh Groban Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination
We'll begin
Traveling in
The world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy
Explanation
If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There's nothing to it
There is no
Life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be
If you want to see magic lands
Close your eyes and you will see one
Want to be a dreamer, be one
Anytime you please and please save me one
Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination
There is no
Place to go
To compare with your imagination
So go there
To be free
If you truly wish to be
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be
Josh Groban’s “Pure Imagination” is a beautiful and inspiring song that encourages listeners to open up their minds and explore their inner creativity. The song is an invitation for people to join him on a journey to a world of pure imagination, where anything is possible if one can dream big and work hard. The song is a call to action for people to be their own creators and shapers of their destinies.
“Pure Imagination” conveys the message that there is no limit to what one can achieve if one has a dream and the will to pursue it. The song suggests that the world is there for the taking for those who dare to imagine and dream. The line "If you want to change the world, there's nothing to it" in particular, captures the essence of the song's overarching message. The song invites listeners to escape the constraints of reality and embrace imaginative thinking so that they can create their own destiny.
In summary, Pure Imagination by Josh Groban is a lyrical masterpiece that encourages listeners to explore their creative side, pursue their dreams, and be the architects of their destinies. The song is a call to action that urges people to imagine a better future for themselves and take action to make it happen.
* The song, Pure Imagination was composed by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the 1971 film version of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'
* Gene Wilder sings this song in the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
* Cover versions of "Pure Imagination" have been done by diverse musicians from different genres, such as Maroon 5, Lou Rawls, and Fiona Apple.
* Groban’s version of the song appeared on his “Stages” album, a compilation of show tunes in 2015.
* Miles Davis and Charlie Parker have played instrumental covers of this song.
* The song was also used in an Apple iPhone commercial in 2014.
* The song was covered in the soundtrack of another popular film, "Ella Enchanted" sung by Raven (real name Raven-Symoné).
* The song’s popularity has been credited to the fact that the melody is catchy and instantly recognizable, making it easy for people to sing along.
* In 2020, a choir of frontline NHS workers in England covered the song to raise money for charity.
* The melody of “Pure Imagination” was included in the second season of Stranger Things when Eleven is trapped in a lab room with a sensory deprivation helmet on.
Chords:
Verse
F C Bb F C Bb
Chorus
F C F C
Bb C Bb F
Line by Line Meaning
Come with me
Join me on this journey
And you'll be
You will become
In a world of pure imagination
An imaginary world of endless possibilities
Take a look
Observe closely
And you'll see
You will understand
Into your imagination
Your own mental creation
We'll begin
Our adventure starts off
With a spin
Spinning around in our minds
Traveling in
Going through mentally
The world of my creation
The imaginary world I’ve built
What we'll see
The things we'll perceive
Will defy
Cannot be described
Explanation
Even with words
If you want to view paradise
To see something special
Simply look around and view it
Look around you and it’ll be there
Anything you want to, do it
If you want it, go for it
Want to change the world?
Do you wish to impact the world positively?
There's nothing to it
It's possible to do it without difficulty
There is no
There’s nothing else like
Life I know
Experience I’ve had
To compare with pure imagination
When measured against imagination
Living there
In that world
You'll be free
You will have complete freedom
If you truly wish to be
As long as you genuinely desire it
If you want to see magic lands
To experience fascinating places
Close your eyes and you will see one
Imagine and you will be there
Want to be a dreamer, be one
If you want to be imaginative, go ahead
Anytime you please
Whenever you want to
And please save me one
And keep one for me too
There is no
There’s nothing equivalent to
Place to go
Destination
To compare with your imagination
To measure up against your thoughts
So go there
Head towards it
To be free
In order to feel complete freedom
If you truly wish to be
As long as it’s truly what you desire
Living there
Being there in that world
You'll be free
You’ll be absolutely free
If you truly wish to be
As long as you truly desire it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, TARADAM MUSIC, INC., Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@taylid94
Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination
We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in
The world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy
Explanation
If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There's nothing to it
There is no
Life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be
If you want to see magic lands
Close your eyes and you will see one
Want to be a dreamer, be one
Anytime you please and please save me one
Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination
There is no
Place to go
To compare with your imagination
So go there
To be free
If you truly wish to be
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be
@OptmiusPrime114
Gene Wilder would be proud of this performance! Well done, Josh!
@Bmwguy2011
Yes he would have. You know that gene was unsure if he could sing well enough for the film. Such humility.
@janebarry-fraundorf4623
Josh Groban has SUCH an INCREDIBLE voice!! It matches this ABSOLUTELY Gorgeous song PERFECTLY, too!!
@christinep9069
First saw Josh Groban on Classical FM. I said then and it still stands today that he has the voice of an angel. Only singer who can move me to tears with such beautiful singing. This is one of my favourite songs that he sings
@andrecabrerizo
This is definitely the most beautiful show opening I've ever seen. Congratulations.
@jasonsalistean9192
Let’s take a moment to applaud the orchestra also sounds magical!
@KatSut1978
Look at this smooth man with his amazing voice and clean delivery. Josh is truly a gift to music. ❤
@TheJipperoni
Best rendition of this song I’ve ever heard. Absolutely flawless!
@c.wilson6723
When he sang this in 🇨🇦 Niagara Falls, Feb 2020, it was magic for me from my third row seat. Yes, flawless.
@craigbrown6437
@@c.wilson6723 If you thought this was good you need to check out Jimmie Herrod's rendition of this song on America's got talent in 2021.