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]
Vincent Stary Night
Josh Groban Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Paint your pallet blue and gray
Look out on the summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and winter chill
In colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tired to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
The did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber gray
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when your love was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn, a bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
The lyrics of the song “Vincent Stary Night” by Josh Groban, is an ode to the artist Vincent van Gogh. The first line, “Starry, starry night”, directly refers to one of van Gogh’s most famous paintings “The Starry Night”. Groban sings about the colors and images that van Gogh painted, such as the blue and gray shades that depict the night sky. The lyrics also touch upon the relationship between van Gogh’s art and his own emotions. Groban sings about van Gogh’s ability to capture the darkness he felt within his soul and how he tried to convey his message to others, but they didn’t understand.
The second verse discusses how van Gogh’s love and passion for art was not understood by others. Groban sings about his struggles with mental health and how his art was an attempt to set himself free. The lyrics then suggest that perhaps now people will understand the message that van Gogh was trying to convey, after his death.
The final verse of the song addresses van Gogh’s untimely death by suicide. The lyrics lament that even though van Gogh’s love was true, he was never truly loved in return. The reference to the “ragged men in ragged clothes” and the “silver thorn, a bloody rose”, is a reference to van Gogh’s painting “The Shoes” which depicts the pain and suffering of worn-out shoes. The lyrics suggest that even though van Gogh’s love was not reciprocated, his art still lives on.
Line by Line Meaning
Starry, starry night
The beginning of the song, describing the beautiful night depicted in the painting.
Paint your pallet blue and gray
As an artist, Vincent van Gogh utilized a pallet of blue and gray paints to capture the essence of the starry night.
Look out on the summer's day
The painting captures the view of a summer's day from Vincent's perspective.
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Josh Groban relates to the sadness and struggle that Vincent must have felt when creating this piece.
Shadows on the hills
The painting shows shadows being cast by the hills in the distance.
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Vincent sketched the trees and flowers in his unique style in his painting.
Catch the breeze and winter chill
The painting captures the feeling of a winter breeze and chill in the air.
In colors on the snowy linen land
Vincent uses bright colors to reflect the beauty of the snowy landscapes he saw.
Now I understand
Josh Groban has come to understand the message that Vincent was trying to convey through his art.
What you tried to say to me
The song is a tribute to Vincent van Gogh and the message that he was trying to convey through his painting.
And how you suffered for your sanity
Vincent struggled with mental health issues and this line acknowledges the torment he endured.
And how you tried to set them free
Vincent was constantly trying to free himself from the constraints of traditional art.
They would not listen
Vincent's art was often dismissed or unappreciated by the public.
The did not know how
The public did not know how to appreciate Vincent's unique style of art.
Perhaps they'll listen now
The hope that people will now appreciate Vincent's art and message.
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
The flowers in Vincent's painting are depicted as bright and fiery.
Swirling clouds in violet haze
The painting reflects the swirling clouds and hazy atmosphere that often occurs in the night sky.
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Vincent's paintings often featured bright blue colors which were considered to be his signature.
Colors changing hue
The colors in the painting are vibrant and constantly changing.
Morning fields of amber gray
The painting depicts the morning sunlight on fields of an amber-gray color.
Weathered faces lined in pain
Vincent's subjects were often portrayed with faces of pain and sadness.
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
The suffering of those depicted in Vincent's painting is treated with love and compassion from the artist's perspective.
For they could not love you
Vincent was not loved and accepted by the public during his lifetime.
But still your love was true
Despite being rejected, Vincent continued to love his art and create because it was his passion.
And when your love was left inside
Despite his passion, Vincent's art was not fully appreciated by those around him.
On that starry, starry night
The painting, which is the focus of the song, was created on a beautiful, starry night.
You took your life as lovers often do
Vincent, like many people who are too sensitive for this world, took his own life.
But I could have told you, Vincent
This line expresses the idea that someone should have been there to support Vincent when he was struggling.
This world was never meant for one
The world is not always accepting of those who are different or have unique talents.
As beautiful as you
This line acknowledges Vincent's unique beauty and talent.
Like the strangers that you've met
Vincent was often misunderstood and felt like a stranger in his own world.
The ragged men in ragged clothes
Vincent often depicted those who were poor or struggling in his art.
The silver thorn, a bloody rose
This line is a metaphor for the beauty that can be found in pain and struggle.
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
The snow represents the purity and beauty of the world, but is also the place where things can be crushed and broken.
They're not listening still
The public still does not fully appreciate Vincent's art and message.
Perhaps they never will
This line expresses the idea that some things are simply never understood or appreciated in their time.
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Don McLean
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@StephaniePutriDiasti
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy, linen land
Now, I understand what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
Now, I understand, what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now, I think I know what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
@1990Mucika
This is beautiful Josh.
Vincent -
Starry, Starry Night
"Csillagos az ég "
Csillagos az ég
Ecseteden szürke- kék
Nézd amott a nyári ég
Szemedben a lelkem oly sötét
Árnyék a hegyen
Ciprusok és nárciszok
Szellő és atéli fagy
Színeken a téli hómező
Most már értem én
Mit akartál mondani
Hogy szenvedtél a létedért
Próbáltad, tán értenék
De nem hallgattak
Meg sem értették
Tán már ők is hallják jól
Csillagos az ég
Virág szírmok lángolók
Felhők tánca lila ég
Vincent szemén tükörkép
Szine változó
Borostyánban búza ég
Megtört arcokon a fény
Mit elsimít a festő lágy keze
Most már értem én
Mit akartál mondani
Hogy szenvedtél a létedért
Próbáltad, tán értenék
De nem hallgattak
Meg sem értették
Tán már ők is hallják jól
Akik nem szerettek
Benned sosem hittek
És remény nélkül tört reád
Egy csillagos éjszakán
Eldobd régen fájó életed
De elmondhattam volna Vincent
A világ sosem volt
Olyan szép mint te neked
Csillagos az ég
Vásznak lógnak szabadon
Arcképek a falakon
Szemek néznek nem felejtenek
És minden egyes idegen
Rongyosan vagy öregen
Ezüst tövis vörös rózsa
Minden hervadt, törve fekszik
szűz a havon.
Most már értem én
Mit akartál mondani
Hogy szenvedtél a létedért
Próbáltad, tán értenék
De nem hallgattak
Nem is fognak már
Tán soha se már
@carlospuentes66
Don McLean is a poet, man!
@poudre1131
This song is poetry.
@jameliaengel9938
I danced with my daughter every day to this when I was on maternity leave. She's 19 now and we've had a rough two years. Feeling down tonight and thought I'd listen. This song will always hold a special place in my heart.
@BrittLerouxJohnReh
Your doing amazing Mama!
@davecoates2308
Never give up! Just take the next best step. Much strength to you two
@brendakeogh3319
Such a beautiful song, it shows so much strength for what we endure during life, life is precious, we only have one chance, let's make the most of it, kind regards
@kaysdash8556
I wish Vincent knew how much he is loved around the world... But then again, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as him...
@barryburke1523
Beautiful, Josh does justice to the original version. This guy has a voice like no other.
@kellyhall9449
J or mama. . maybe Val? Connie loved V..Vg.,this would have been a Connie favorite
@kellyhall9449
Also our favorite Dr. Who episode....Josh you keep us close with out even trying ❤❤❤❤