1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,519 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Laverne Cox Show, a production of Shondaland 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 2: No notes, no notes. 4 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 3: Notes, fuck, yes, absolutely, okay, work, I did that. 5 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 2: I did that, and I know I did that because 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 2: Jennifer Holiday looked at me and said, I sat there 7 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 2: and cried when I watched. 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: You saying that. 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 3: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Laverne Cox Show. My 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 3: name is Laverne Cox. I am so excited about today's conversation. 11 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 3: Alex Newle is a dear friend of mine who I 12 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 3: haven't gotten to sit down and chat with in a 13 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 3: really long time, so this will partly be a catch up. 14 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 3: And I'm also a tremendous, tremendous fan. We met at 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 3: the GLAD Awards in twenty fourteen. Alex came up to 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 3: me and just introduced themselves and was so sweet, and 17 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 3: I was aware of their work, of course, and then somehow, 18 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 3: some way, a video of Alex singing with the Gay 19 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 3: Men's Chorus of Boston popped up on my YouTube feed, 20 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 3: and then I became utterly obsessed with Alex and Alex's 21 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 3: insane voice, insane vocals like amazing, amazing, amazing voice. I 22 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 3: really believe Alex Nowell is one of the best singers 23 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 3: working today. And I'm just so happy for Alex and 24 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,119 Speaker 3: so proud of Alex, and we're going. 25 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: To get into all of that today. 26 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 3: So for those of you who don't know, Alex Newell 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 3: first grabbed our attension on the small screen and Fox's 28 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 3: critically acclaimed series Glee as transgender student waigde Unique Adams. 29 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 3: They made history this year as the first non binary 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 3: identifying actor to be nominated for a Best Featured Actor 31 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 3: Tony Award, and went on to win that Tony Award 32 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 3: for their amazing performance in the Broadway musical Shucked, I 33 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 3: Mean Standing Ovations Girl every single Night. Alex was first 34 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 3: seen on Broadway in twenty seventeen in the revival of 35 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: Once on This Island and was a fan favorite in 36 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 3: the hit TV show Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist, which garnered Alex 37 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 3: a Critics Choice Award nomination. Please enjoy My Conversation with 38 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 3: the one and only Alex Newell. 39 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: This episode was recorded prior to the SAG After Strike. 40 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 3: Hello Alex Newell, Welcome to the podcast. How are you 41 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 3: feeling today, girl? 42 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: I'm great? How are you, my dear I'm. 43 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 3: Good, and I'm really really excited to be chatting with you. 44 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 3: So I saw a shucked last week finally, and you 45 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:59,239 Speaker 3: were amazing. You just won a Tony and your Tony 46 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 3: Award winning acceptance speech. 47 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: I'm I'm tearing up right now. 48 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 2: It's super strange because one, I hate a prepared speech, 49 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 2: and so I was just I wanted to be in 50 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 2: the moment, and I just wanted to let life be 51 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: what life was in that moment and feel everything because 52 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: even up until my name was called, it could have 53 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: been anybody's, it could have been anybody's. And I mean 54 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: that truly when I say that, I truly was not 55 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 2: supposed to be up there. I wasn't supposed to win this. 56 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 2: The path to this wasn't conventional, it wasn't the way 57 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: that I envisioned it was going to be. And then 58 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: on top of that, being who I am and what 59 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 2: I am that walks this earth each day, there's not 60 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: always space for me, and to have to carve that 61 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 2: space out was even bigger in that moment because it 62 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: did actually happen. 63 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's why it's so emotional for me. 64 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 3: Obviously, we've been friends for years and I've been a 65 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 3: fan for years, and I just for me, it's just 66 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: a testimony to what talent that your talent is just 67 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 3: so big that it transcends all of the supposed limitations. 68 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 3: The talent is so undeniable that you've just transcended. And 69 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 3: that is like part of why I love you so much, 70 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 3: part of why I think your story is so insanely 71 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 3: inspiring and I'm just so happy and excited. And it 72 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 3: was just there was history. There was another gender non 73 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 3: conforming actor, Jay from Some Like It Hot, who also 74 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 3: won a Tony that night, But in your speech you 75 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 3: because I remember we had lunch in twenty fifteen at 76 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 3: the Whole House in Los Angeles, and I was shocked 77 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 3: when you told me that you applied to all these 78 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 3: conservatories and did not get into any one of them. 79 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 3: And I just can you talk to me about that process. 80 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 3: I mean this voice that you have, this talent, that 81 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 3: it's the voice, but it's the presence. To me, it 82 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 3: seems like it would always be undeniable. What was that 83 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 3: experience like for you not getting accepted anywhere with this 84 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 3: talent back then? 85 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: It was completely disheartening because you are told to your 86 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 2: face how talented you are, and you are working as 87 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 2: a professional actor at the time, and I was truly 88 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 2: literally on Glee at the same time, and it's just like, yeah, 89 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: it made sense to get into these schools because I 90 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 2: was quite literally already successful. But there was something about 91 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: not getting in that I was just like, am I 92 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 2: not talented? Am I not good enough? Am I not? 93 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: And then, now, being older, I know that it had 94 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: nothing to do with that. It was where do we 95 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: put this kid? But back then, when you're seventeen eighteen 96 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: years old, you're just like, I'm not talented. I'm literally untalented. 97 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 3: And I think that's a really interesting thing to sort 98 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 3: of book mark or to note that, like so much 99 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 3: of it's about how can we cast? Yes, much of 100 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 3: a getting into a school is like who can we 101 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 3: cast in the Spring you know musical and the Fall Musical, 102 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 3: and you should have been playing Fie and you should 103 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 3: have been doing what you're doing now, but they didn't 104 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 3: have the vision for that. So at the same time, 105 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 3: you were doing the Glee project, and so I didn't 106 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 3: know that you submitted a video through MySpace Girl. MySpace 107 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 3: take us back to submitting an audition tape and how 108 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 3: old were you when Glee Project happened? 109 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: I was when I did that tape. You know, my mother, 110 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 2: when I was younger, I was held back twice, so 111 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 2: I was already older than every one in my class. 112 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: No matter what nine to eleven happened. Mother's like, you're 113 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 2: the fourth grade, let's go back to third grade. And 114 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 2: I was just like, okay, sure. And then we changed schools. 115 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 2: School I started at they started at the fifth grade, 116 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: even though I was the sixth grade. She was like, 117 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: I guess you're going back to fifth grade. It won't hurt. 118 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: And I was just like, ah, I'm old. So I 119 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 2: did that tape the beginning of my junior year in 120 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 2: high school. 121 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: So you would have been sixteen or seventeen. 122 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: I was eighteen. Were I was eighteen because it'd be 123 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: eighteen to submit, So you're eighteen. 124 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 1: What did you saying on your audition tape? Do you remember? 125 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: I sang and I am telling you in our auditorium 126 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 2: in my school uniform, Polo Khakis center stage and just 127 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: screaming the song to the backist of Rose. And you know, 128 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 2: it's strange because that video went viral. Essentially at that time, 129 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 2: it was because you could upload your submissions onto the MySpace. 130 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 2: Dear god, it was so long ago, and people would 131 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: watch them and vote on them, and I got over 132 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: like a million likes and views and all of that things. 133 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: And to be honest, I was this close, like very 134 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: very close to not have been on the Glee Project 135 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: at all, because when I got the confirmation email about 136 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: coming out to audition and be called back for this show, 137 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: I thought it was a scam. Why because it just 138 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: it was just so out of the blue. It was 139 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 2: just like, pop, hey, we saw your online submission. We 140 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: want you to fly out to Los Angeles. We'll pay 141 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 2: for it. The hotel will pay for it. Please confirm. 142 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: And I was like, that's a scam. So I deleted it. 143 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: But then they kept pestering me. They kept following up, 144 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 2: and I was just like, well, clear that this is 145 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 2: kind of real. 146 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 3: Okay, thank god you went hello yes, And then you 147 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 3: didn't win the Glee Project, which is fascinating for they 148 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 3: were so moved by the talent that they were like, 149 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 3: let's give you a few episodes, and a few episodes 150 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 3: turned into three seasons. 151 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 2: The season, three, four, five, and six. Yeah, four seasons. 152 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: Four seasons on Glee, which was life changing. 153 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 3: The world got to know you, got to know unique 154 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: there was this gender non conforming trans character on primetime television. 155 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 3: It was so groundbreaking in so many incredible ways. 156 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: And most of us who know you know that. 157 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 3: But I want to go back a little bit because 158 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 3: in your speech at the Tony's you mentioned your mom 159 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 3: was there sitting next to you, and I remember, I 160 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 3: think I met your mom at once in this island 161 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 3: of premiere. Now your mom is there, and you grew 162 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 3: up in the church in Lynn, Massachusetts, and you were 163 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 3: this church going kid who. 164 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: Was always you right and with this voice. 165 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 3: And can you talk a little bit about your journey 166 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 3: in the church, your mother, and then your gender non conformity, 167 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: because I don't know if I've really heard you. 168 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: Maybe you've talked about this, but girl, what's the team? 169 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: Well, one thing about my mother always gave me space 170 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: to be whoever the hell I wanted to be. She 171 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 2: always led with quite literally as the Bible teaches you, 172 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 2: to lead with love and to have compassion and to 173 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 2: love your neighbor as your own self. And I'm a 174 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:56,199 Speaker 2: shaney bitch most days, but that is where my gaze 175 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 2: of life is. It's that of love and. 176 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: The gaz of life. 177 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 4: Yes. 178 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 2: So my mother growing up in church, like church for 179 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 2: my family was that of community. I lived in predominantly 180 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 2: white schools all my life, but like church was community. 181 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 2: Like I call my mom's friends there, all of my 182 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 2: aunts and uncles like those are my family members, not 183 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 2: just church members that I know. 184 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 3: So your church was black church, right, Just to be clear, 185 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 3: I remember you even know the schools were predominantly white 186 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 3: school yes, okay. 187 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:30,959 Speaker 2: And so they're all of my aunts and my uncles, 188 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 2: and like true family members. We don't just see each 189 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 2: other on Sunday. We saw each other through the week. 190 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 2: They would babysit me. So that was my relationship. It 191 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 2: wasn't until our pastor had died, Reverend Murray, who was 192 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 2: I love that man. If I asked for a dollar, 193 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 2: he would give me a dollar. I was a spoiled, 194 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: rotten child. But so he passed away and we got 195 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 2: a new pastor. And you know, with every change of regime, 196 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 2: everybody has their own ideologies and their own feelings and 197 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 2: how they interpret the Bible. And as I would get older, 198 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,959 Speaker 2: I would see how this one passed to would treat 199 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,119 Speaker 2: me as I came out more and was more expressive, 200 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: and then he would bring in people that would have 201 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 2: that same ideology that my lifestyle was wrong, something was 202 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:18,719 Speaker 2: wrong with me. I was sinning all of. 203 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: That and specifically you are just in general. 204 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: Well, there wasn't anyone else like me at church. So 205 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 2: it was pointed. It was pointed. And I remember one time, 206 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,319 Speaker 2: because everyone loved me at that church, there were two 207 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 2: specifical moments. One time, one of the associate pastors got 208 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 2: in the pulpit and was towing the line of homosexuality 209 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 2: is a sin and they were going to hell. And 210 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 2: I remember no one in the church made a peep. 211 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 2: They didn't say amen, they didn't agree with They just 212 00:11:52,559 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 2: said And I think he was reprimanded by some of 213 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 2: the elders in the church and said that we don't 214 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 2: do that here. That's something we don't do. So and 215 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 2: my mother said that she had a private conversation with 216 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 2: a pastor at that time. And you know, when I sing, 217 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 2: the Holy Ghost shows up. That's my ministry. And I 218 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 2: know that well about me. 219 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 3: Now, when did you start singing in church and singing 220 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 3: in the choir? I'm assuming there were solos early on, 221 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 3: but yeah. 222 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 2: There were always solos. I was from the time that 223 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 2: I could speak, when I was two, And you know, 224 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 2: I thought that people hated how I sounded because they 225 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 2: kept crying and every time I would sing, everyone was 226 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: sobbing their eyes out, and I was just like, I 227 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 2: sound awful. But I just realized as I got older 228 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: that that was their way of showing how much they 229 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 2: loved it, and I helped them have this cathartic moment 230 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 2: and brought them closer to God while singing. 231 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 3: So your first experience is singing. Just to pause on 232 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 3: your first experience is singing two years old. I know 233 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 3: the State Fair story, which is the gorgeous You saw 234 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 3: somebody on stage at the State Bear when I, you know, 235 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 3: left your mom and went up on stage and like 236 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 3: started singing. 237 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 1: That's genius. And so your first experience is singing in church. 238 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 3: People were crying, yeah, because they're so moved by the 239 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 3: beauty of the voice. So once you realize that you 240 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 3: gave people a holy ghost and people saw God through 241 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 3: you and you were able to process that, how did 242 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 3: that change your life to understand that that it was 243 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 3: a gift or did you understand that it was a gift? 244 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: How was like didn't. 245 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: I never knew it was a gift, And sometimes I 246 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 2: think that's the best to not take it for granted. 247 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 2: So you're just using it in its pure sense. Like 248 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 2: I loved singing. I still loved singing, and so for 249 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 2: me it was joy and I loved getting to do 250 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 2: what I knew how to do so well. And my 251 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 2: gift giving was actually me receiving it as well. I 252 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 2: too got to experience my gift in that sense. 253 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: That's that's incredible, that's incredible. 254 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 3: So was there a certain points before auditioning for Glee 255 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 3: project or was there a point where you were like, oh, 256 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 3: maybe I got something. 257 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: Maybe I'm slaying, maybe I'm turning it. 258 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 3: Because I mean, even the repertoire, even the boldness as 259 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 3: of sixteen, seventeen, eighteen year old to take on Effie's singing, 260 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 3: to take on these roll, these songs, this is the 261 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 3: biggest I mean, Fie is like the biggest, probably most 262 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 3: difficult Broadway roll besides Phantom, right, yea of the opera 263 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 3: to sing and so to like the audacity, I mean, 264 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 3: so girl, you had to know something just to even like, 265 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 3: well I did. 266 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: What did someone tell you girl? You should sing? Fie? 267 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 2: No, I just had the gumption. Well, I just had 268 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 2: the gall and the gumption and the audacity. I really did. 269 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 2: I heard the song Here's Prior on the Fresh Prince 270 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 2: of bel Air where Will is lip syncing and I'm 271 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 2: telling you, and I was like, what's that song? And 272 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 2: then I'm down this rabbit hole of Jennifer Holiday and 273 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 2: dream Girls and just a whole new world of diaspora 274 00:14:58,160 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 2: is in front of me. 275 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: How old were you? 276 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 2: I couldn't have been more than like eleven or twelve. 277 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: Oh my god. 278 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 3: So for Alex Newell to discover Jennifer Holiday and Dreamgirls 279 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 3: at eleven years old feels like a really is life 280 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 3: changing Yeah, give it all, life changing moment. 281 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 2: Yes, and I and that's if there is one musical 282 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 2: that I know from bookend to bookend, it is dream Girls. 283 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 2: I know everything about it. And then when the movie 284 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: came out on Christmas Day that year, I said We're going. 285 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 2: I said, forget about Christmas, We're going to the movie theater. 286 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 2: Immediately post hastetalling, we have to see the film. 287 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: I love, love, love this. 288 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 2: But then it's on top of that, it's like Jennifer Holiday, 289 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 2: Neil Carter, even the Dame of Billy Porter, all of 290 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 2: these voices that I've looked up to. That's when the 291 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 2: wakening of like wanting to do theater, wanting to sing professionally. 292 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: I think that's when I thought that I had the gumption. 293 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 2: I was like, if they can do it, so can I. 294 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 2: Let's get this ball rolling. 295 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: Amazing. So oh, I love that you mentioned Neil Carter 296 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: and it's so funny. I was. 297 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 3: I remember I was sharing a video of you singing 298 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 3: I'm random black Girl and my make d you know, Dajah, 299 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 3: this is years ago, and Daja was like, I hear 300 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 3: Neil car, little Neil Carter in there, and I Nail 301 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 3: Cars from my hometown of Mobile, Alabama. I'm a huge 302 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 3: Neil Carter fan, and I hear Neil in your voice, 303 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 3: and so I just love I mean, every the Jennifer Holiday, 304 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 3: you know, references are clear, but the Neil Carter. 305 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: Yes sang in the nasal. 306 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so beautiful, such a beautiful sound that Neil 307 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: Carter had. 308 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: I remember watching the PBS special of Dateless Behavin and 309 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 2: that's what really made me want to do musical theater. 310 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 2: And then my mother was just like, oh, you know, 311 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: to high school with her. 312 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: I said, huh, your mother went to high school with 313 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: Neil Carter. 314 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 2: She was a senior when my mother was coming in 315 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 2: as a freshman. 316 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: And she is your mother from Alabama? 317 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 2: Or yeah, my both of my darents are from Alabama. 318 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,479 Speaker 2: My mother's from Birmingham and my father's were just Lousa. 319 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: You didn't know that. I did not know this, you know, 320 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,200 Speaker 1: from Obile. Yeah, I know. 321 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 2: But when my father died. When my father died when 322 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 2: I was six, my mother would send me the Alabama 323 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 2: each and every summer. So from the time that I 324 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 2: was that's another thing. Being a church in the south 325 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 2: versus being in church in the city, two different things. 326 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 2: But oh yes, each and every year just in Cottondale, Alabama, 327 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 2: each summer, from the time that I was like oh 328 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 2: til I was like seventeen. 329 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: I never ever knew this. And what I. 330 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 3: Think is important to just also just underline is how 331 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 3: like I was a person who grew up with a 332 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 3: lot of shame and trauma and I did not feel 333 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 3: that unconditional love from my mom. And it sounds like 334 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 3: you had it always, and not only from her, but 335 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,360 Speaker 3: from your church community. The audacity for them to say 336 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 3: we don't do that here we were not. That is 337 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:57,959 Speaker 3: so utterly transformative, and so then you can go into 338 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 3: the world with a sense of worthiness. You can go 339 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 3: into the world as as a gender non conforming person 340 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 3: with a sense of worthiness that you have a right 341 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 3: to be here. Obviously there's talent too, but even beyond 342 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 3: the talent, a lot of you have talent but don't 343 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 3: have that sense of worthiness, and so this makes the 344 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 3: difference in terms of entering the world. And I just 345 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 3: always want to emphasize that to like parents too, and 346 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 3: you can get that later. If you didn't have that 347 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 3: as a child, you can. It's never too late to 348 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 3: have a happy childhood. But for you to be your 349 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 3: age and even in your twenties, with the success that 350 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 3: you had on Glee and then Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist and 351 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 3: then your Broadway debut, and now being I believe you're thirty, 352 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 3: how do you disclosure your age? 353 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 2: I'm just thirty, You're just thirty. 354 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 3: Okay, so you're thirty years old and just wanted to 355 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 3: own your first Tony Award. 356 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: That is incredible. That is fucking incredible. This is a 357 00:18:58,640 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: good time to take a little break. 358 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 3: We're back, so love from the family, love from the community. 359 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 3: So you had not study voice formally, is what I've 360 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 3: read before the Glee project. You were just singing in church, 361 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 3: in choirs and school. There's a video of you. Do 362 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 3: you have like a little scarf us you're wearing a 363 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 3: suit if you're super young? 364 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 1: Do you know how old you were in that video 365 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:31,880 Speaker 1: you sing I'm changing. 366 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 2: Ah, I was most likely eighteen. 367 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: Yes, so you're eighteen, And what's fascinating to me. 368 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 3: The voice is stunningly beautiful, but if you build a song, 369 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 3: so without any vocal training, you understood how to start 370 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 3: quietly and to build a song, and then there's just 371 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 3: there was so much support, and there was so much 372 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 3: seeming technique. There was a forward placement, there was a 373 00:19:57,840 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 3: little bit of a twang, there's rain. 374 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 2: How do you it's truly mimicking. I think a lot 375 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 2: of my pre knowing what I'm doing now with a 376 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 2: lot of money now to have impeccable technique, But back 377 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 2: then I think it was really me just trying to 378 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:19,239 Speaker 2: make it sound exactly like I remember hearing it and 379 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 2: really pushing myself to knowing what that is. And at 380 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 2: the time I was eighteen, so I was still in 381 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: a private school, taking concert choir with my choral teacher, 382 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 2: and him really stressing all the things even though he 383 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 2: didn't know the voice technique and all of that stuff, 384 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 2: but he knew the quality that he wanted and how 385 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,719 Speaker 2: to structure a good song. But it is it was 386 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 2: making myself sound like Barbar Streison, or trying to make 387 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 2: the grouse sound the same as Jennifer Holiday, or making 388 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 2: sure I had that nice and nasally forward placement like 389 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 2: Nel Carter because that's how the notes come out easier. 390 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 2: So I think it was a lot. 391 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 3: Of that, And then I think that thing is had 392 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 3: to be playing around with all that without a voice 393 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: feature and not hurt yourself. Yeah, were there moments when 394 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: you would experiment and it'd be like, this doesn't feel right, 395 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 3: like in terms of strain, because these chords are very delicate. 396 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 2: I never had like, yeah, I lost my voice, like 397 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 2: any person would lose their voice, but like I never 398 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 2: really worried about it because it was so particular when 399 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 2: I was younger. I can't stress it enough. When I 400 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 2: was younger, before life and gravity hits your vocal cords 401 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 2: and changes your voice, it was always so verily easy 402 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 2: and effortless, like if you think I'm singing effortlessly now, 403 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 2: back then, when I was a child and those o 404 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 2: our bands, that rubberbanding down there, it was so easy. 405 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 3: I remember when we talked it at lunch, you talked 406 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 3: about when puberty hit and your voice. Presumably you were 407 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 3: signed mail at birth, I think we can say. And 408 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 3: so for most folks to sign mail at birth, when 409 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 3: puberty happens, the voice dropped. 410 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: So did that have been for you? 411 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 2: Fully? Not? 412 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: So? Bless your heart? 413 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 3: So so what was your There was no I hate you? 414 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 3: It did not mine did So you didn't have a 415 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 3: voice drop? No, not at all? 416 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 2: No, So no, what happened was I let's talk about it. 417 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 2: The anatomy of my vocal box is already mutated. Okay, 418 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 2: so that's really what it truly is. It's everything is smaller, 419 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 2: compactor and narrower and mimics not exactly, but mimics and 420 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 2: looks like that of a female voice box. Our vocal cords. 421 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 1: You've been scoped, yes. 422 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 2: We've looked at it. They're smaller, they're shorter, and there's 423 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 2: like this little you that's normally like a wider you. 424 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 2: But mine is an upright view, that makes everything more smaller, 425 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 2: and then I have some tissue that makes even more 426 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 2: narrower that is kind of mutated on top of the 427 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 2: vocal cords, so it's like a little bump in front 428 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,680 Speaker 2: of the vocal cords, which makes it even smaller. So 429 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 2: it makes everything that much higher as. 430 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 3: Well, a bump in front of that, so like the 431 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 3: false vocal folds or smaller. Is that when yeah, wow, oh, 432 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 3: this is so fascinating. 433 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 2: So it's a blessing and a curse because I have 434 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,640 Speaker 2: to push twice as much air out and even when 435 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 2: I'm in my legitimate there's always just a little bit 436 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 2: of a hiss back there because it's literally my air 437 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 2: just gasping out. 438 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 3: What's interesting to me when I move my voice because 439 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 3: I you know, I'm a student of the voice, and 440 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 3: I'm very fascinated by vocal pedagogy. And my voice teacher, 441 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 3: who is a male soprano, Madam Iris Eiff, was a 442 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 3: tenor and then sort of transitioned into a soprano. And 443 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 3: what Iris says is that to form like a head 444 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 3: voice for someone to signed male at birth who doesn't 445 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 3: have you know, your vocal structure, is that for the 446 00:23:57,920 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 3: head voice that a little bit of air has to 447 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 3: pass through to just to make it easy and make Yeah. 448 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 2: But when I when my voice changed, I would give 449 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 2: Mariah a run for her money. 450 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 3: There was a change there, but it wasn't like a drop, No, 451 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 3: it was not. So when it changed, I just lost 452 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 3: whistle tones. But I heard you as an adult with 453 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 3: whistle tones. Where's to stay your whistle tones now? Because girl, 454 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 3: we've heard I've heard above, I see I've heard g 455 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 3: there's literally a video of you singing I think a 456 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 3: G seven on because there's Alex to do a vocal 457 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 3: range videos on YouTube. 458 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: A lot of them have been taken down. 459 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 2: I think I'm the one taking them down. I don't 460 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 2: want the expectation that I'm going to be out here 461 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 2: to give whistle tones. 462 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 3: Or whistle tones are iffing, even for Mariah she in 463 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 3: her prime. Some days it just you know, it wasn't there. 464 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 2: Just doesn't come out. And that's where I'm at now. Yeah, okay, yes, 465 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 2: some days I'll wake up and I call it a 466 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 2: healthy day because I don't have them. And then on 467 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 2: those sad damage days, I'm just like, well, I guess 468 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 2: I have whistle tones, but it is it's temperamental. Like 469 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 2: some days, my chords are to pristine to do whistle tones. 470 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 2: They're relaxed and there there's no swelling anywhere. There's They're 471 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: just there. 472 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 3: So for you, a whistle is about a little bit 473 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 3: of swelling your whistle. For me, that on the Tonies 474 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 3: when you're saying, Mama will provide. On the Tonys, it's 475 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 3: so big, there's such a it's such a big sound. 476 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 2: That was I think. I was so i by the 477 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 2: time I did that Tony performance, I was on so 478 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,479 Speaker 2: much steroids. I was on xenix. I was just I was. 479 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 2: I had just been thrown all through the ringer throughout 480 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 2: that entire show, where it felt like I was carrying 481 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 2: this show on my back. I was doing all the press, 482 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 2: I was doing all the shows. I wasn't calling out. 483 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 2: I was running around doing Broadway in the Park, Broadway 484 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 2: in the Alley, Broadway bars, Broadway bears like, Broadway Under 485 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: the Stars, Broadway Broadway. I was just like, I can't 486 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 2: do anymore and zero zero reward. I was nominated for Tony, 487 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 2: wasn't nominated for a drama desk. I wasn't drama dated 488 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 2: for many things that season and it was just like, 489 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 2: all right, let's just get on the stage and sing 490 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 2: for Grandma. 491 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:16,119 Speaker 1: And saying for the god Tonning. You sang for the 492 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: god Tonning. You wore it out, girl. 493 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 2: I think I was just so tired, and that whistle 494 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:25,679 Speaker 2: tone was kind of just like my last goah. I 495 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 2: was just like, well, I'm singing, let's go and just 496 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 2: keep going. 497 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: Yes, bitch, you did it in performances too. 498 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 3: There were videos of Mama to provide the way you 499 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 3: did it in performances as well, and it's just it's beautiful. 500 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:42,640 Speaker 1: So we talked last week about Shocked versus. 501 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 3: Once on This Island, which was written for someone else, 502 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 3: and obviously Lulu was written espressly for you, so that 503 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 3: run it sounds like once on This Island was whether 504 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 3: that was a strenuous number for you or is it 505 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 3: just not getting rest? 506 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 2: It was everything all of that. It was not getting 507 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:59,199 Speaker 2: enough for rest, being in my twenties and thinking that 508 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: I could go out and and then come and do 509 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:04,199 Speaker 2: my show the very next day. For met Today, it 510 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 2: was the sand, being in that sand all the time 511 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 2: and just breathing it in and constantly getting sick and 512 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 2: hiding and never being able to get truly well, or 513 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 2: the animals and the pet dander that was always around, 514 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 2: or you know, there was a myriad of things that 515 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 2: was just like fighting me at every juncture. I was like, 516 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 2: I got bronchitis four times during that run, and I 517 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 2: was just like, is this where I die bronchitis? 518 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,719 Speaker 1: When you have to sing that number? Like, yes, that 519 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: is not. 520 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 2: And it was saying for someone else. And on top 521 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: of that, it's the expectation of the two great fucking 522 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,920 Speaker 2: women that came before me to do that role. I'm 523 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 2: singing Keisha Lewis's song that Lilyus White took up a 524 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,360 Speaker 2: whole half step and sang down, and so that expectation 525 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 2: of walking into work. 526 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: I think you added a run though that they didn't 527 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: do that. 528 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 3: I think that, yes, whoa, that's an Alex Newall. 529 00:27:57,640 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was me. That was the one stemp that 530 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 2: I had because I was like, what vocal health do 531 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 2: I have to do this clissando up seamlessly because there 532 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 2: might have been danced and said whoa or whoo. So 533 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 2: I said, how could I maneuver this? I know for 534 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 2: me that I will get up to that. 535 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 1: I f mm hmm, it makes sense. 536 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 3: I mean, singing a high note as part of a 537 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 3: scale is a lot easier than just hitting in a gossando, which. 538 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 2: Is stupid because I do with glissando in my song. 539 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 2: Now at the very end, can. 540 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 3: You talk a little bit about the difference between the run, 541 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 3: because as far as I know, you always hit the 542 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 3: run and mom will provide the glissando, and independently owned 543 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 3: is more. 544 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 1: It's trickier for you. Do you know why that is 545 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: for you? 546 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 2: There are two reasons. One it's I have just come 547 00:28:50,840 --> 00:29:00,040 Speaker 2: out of the phrase of these long held notes I 548 00:28:54,360 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: do celebrated, and there's not really breath there. So by 549 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 2: the time I get to you and I live my life, 550 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 2: I'm already at my breath capacity. And the other thing 551 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 2: is I can't say musically and I live my love 552 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 2: because that's that's a break, or I can't do and 553 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 2: I live my life. I wish I could, but that 554 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 2: breath makes it less impressive. 555 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 3: And it just Yeah, thessando is part of a bigger 556 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 3: phrase that's ye live my life. 557 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 2: But then you have to hold You have to hold 558 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 2: the life for two beats before you can slide up 559 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 2: because the court underneath the piano hasn't changed yet. Wow, 560 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 2: because if you just go straight through the gossando you 561 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 2: sound flex girl. 562 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: WHOA okay? Wow? 563 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 3: At what point did you start working with vocal coaches 564 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 3: and cultivating with someone the gift? 565 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: You know? How did that change your voice? 566 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 3: How did that change your understanding of singing when you 567 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 3: started actually taking voice lessons? 568 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 2: So I have a great voice coach now, Mike Ruccles brilliance. 569 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:19,719 Speaker 2: He really helped me through months in this island because 570 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 2: I kept hitting the wall. I kept hitting the wall, 571 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 2: and I was just like, I can't make it. I'm 572 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 2: not making it. And you know, I was young and 573 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 2: stupid and I was never calling out. So he he's 574 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 2: looked at me one day and said, you're working too hard. 575 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 2: You are out here singing far too hard. Less, give 576 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 2: less and then take a step back. You don't have 577 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 2: to be impressive every single show because what you're doing 578 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 2: in itself is already impressive. 579 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 1: MM. 580 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 3: So it's the I need to let them know, you know, 581 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 3: every single night, and learning how to what Lantine price. 582 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 3: My operatic idol says on your interest, not your capital, 583 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 3: So you learned to sing on your interests, not your capital, 584 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 3: so that you could have something left over. And what 585 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 3: was interesting about last week's performance of Independently Owned So 586 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 3: I've I'm upset, I'm obsessed with you singing independently owns 587 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 3: So what we have the cast recording that's on YouTube, 588 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 3: when you're in the recording studio where you bitch work, 589 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 3: it's just iconic. We had the voice. Oh girl, you 590 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 3: slay the voice. You should get an Emmy nomination for that. 591 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 3: Hell you, we need to get her in egop. Slay 592 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 3: that and the growls and the grunts, right, and then 593 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 3: we hurt churture at the Tony's And then there's other 594 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 3: videos of you know, bootleg or people recorded things from 595 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 3: the audience or whatever. And then what was so beautiful 596 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 3: for me last week hearing you was I felt you 597 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 3: singing on your interest and there's there's something so beautiful 598 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 3: that the purity of your voice. You have this growl 599 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 3: like there're the maturity that the voice has, but there's 600 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:06,880 Speaker 3: still this pure or soprano, highly placed sound that is gorgeous. 601 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 3: And you did the slide because you'll do the that glissando. 602 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: You'll do it. 603 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 3: You do it on the recording. You slide up and 604 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 3: then growl at the top of it. I believe if 605 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 3: I'm going. 606 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 1: And you growl and work. 607 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 3: But last week they're what you The slide happened, but 608 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 3: there was less of a growl, and so there was 609 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 3: What was beautiful about it is that the purely pureness 610 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 3: of the tone at the top right. And maybe it 611 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 3: was you like saying, I'm not gonna give everything tonight, 612 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 3: but it was also what I loved as just a 613 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 3: fan of your voice and a fan of just beautiful singing. 614 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 1: Is that tone. There's a beautiful soprano sound that you 615 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 1: have that I'm you know, I want you to sing opera. 616 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 3: We've talked about this, but we got to hear that 617 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 3: beautiful sound and in the duets as well. And the 618 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 3: acting is so beautiful in your performance as well, and 619 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 3: there's just so much heart and you're hilarious, and it's 620 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 3: just beautiful to watch the growth that you've had as 621 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 3: an actor from Glee Once on This Island is always 622 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 3: extraordinary playlist which you were actually were wonderful. You got 623 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:15,520 Speaker 3: a Quittic's Choice nomination for Lways Extraordinary play. This beautiful 624 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,479 Speaker 3: acting on that show and just to see the growth 625 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 3: as also as an actor is really wonderful. Can you 626 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 3: talk a little bit about the relationship. For you as 627 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 3: a musical theater artist, building the character into song, like 628 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 3: musical theater is like you're telling the story in so 629 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 3: many different ways with the voice, with characterization, and the physicality. 630 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:41,240 Speaker 3: Lulu has a very specific physicality that's gorgeous. 631 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:41,640 Speaker 4: That she does. 632 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 2: So you know, for me, it's always the ground up. 633 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 2: I had someone to ask me when I was doing 634 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 2: a Christmas Carol, how do you get into character? And 635 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 2: I say, I think I start by quite literally molding 636 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 2: how they walk? How did they hold themselves when they're 637 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 2: just walking. And I have the mindset of how they're walking, 638 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 2: I'm in it. And so that's why Vulu's walk is 639 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,880 Speaker 2: so distinct, Like anytime I step foot on that stage, 640 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 2: that bitch is stomping because she has some place to go. 641 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 2: And you know, the costume helps with the corset. But 642 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,800 Speaker 2: I want the singing and the acting to be so seamless. 643 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 2: I want to be second nature. I don't want it 644 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 2: to be like I'm talking now and now I'm gonna sing. 645 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 2: I want to be Oh, I'm happy to sing right now. 646 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. And there's a great analysis. 647 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 3: There's a wonderful channel called black Music Archive where they 648 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,399 Speaker 3: do an analysis of your independently owner and if you've 649 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 3: seen that video and Malik talks about how is written 650 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,479 Speaker 3: kind of in your speaking voice. It sort of starts there, 651 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 3: so when you start, it's coming out of dialogue and 652 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 3: then you're kind of it's like talk singing, but your 653 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 3: talk singing is very way higher than a lot of people, and. 654 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:55,960 Speaker 1: So it sort of comes out of that. 655 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,719 Speaker 3: So it's beautiful to have something written for you, like, 656 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 3: can you talk a little bit about like the evolution 657 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 3: of independently owned in terms of when you got the 658 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 3: role and how the song changed or did it well? 659 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:11,880 Speaker 2: The ending, the whole back half of the song was 660 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,399 Speaker 2: completely written for me. The first half of the song 661 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 2: it like it was already written. It was the same. 662 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 2: It was like, I'll know a change. I've always been 663 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 2: a w O M A N. I'm independently oh and 664 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 2: celebrated I'm independently Oh dada da da da da da 665 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 2: da da da da da and I live my life independently. Button. Wow, 666 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:40,160 Speaker 2: that's how the song went. And it said button And 667 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 2: we did our out of town tryout and they heard 668 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 2: me singing and they said we need more. 669 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:50,120 Speaker 1: Well because miss thing can bring more. I mean, this 670 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:52,880 Speaker 1: is Alex new Ole Darling. We need to have a climax. 671 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 1: We need to have a modulation. 672 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:58,359 Speaker 2: And because modulated was always there, the joke was always there. 673 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 2: But then our music director and Jason how it was 674 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 2: just like I just let's just keep and so we 675 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 2: were still in the room and literally just were playing 676 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:11,800 Speaker 2: and bouncing ideas back and forth off each other, and 677 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 2: he was just playing chords, and you know, you wanted bigger. 678 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 2: There was one time that one version of the song 679 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 2: and I was like Jason, I literally cannot sing that 680 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:20,879 Speaker 2: the list. 681 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:24,239 Speaker 4: It wasn't just modulate to celebrate Da da da da 682 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:26,960 Speaker 4: It was but da da da da da da da 683 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 4: da da da da Da Da Da Da Da Da 684 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,680 Speaker 4: Da da da da da da da da da da 685 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:31,400 Speaker 4: da da da. 686 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaker 2: And I was like Jason, I literally cannot breathe. We 687 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 2: need to I'll just die right on the floor. And 688 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 2: so we truncated it. 689 00:36:38,719 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 3: But like even I have my limitations, everyone does, and 690 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,279 Speaker 3: it's important to know again, to know what those limitations 691 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 3: are and to say that, and to say it. I 692 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:51,959 Speaker 3: remember someone and I haven't. I didn't talk to Billy 693 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,719 Speaker 3: about this, but I heard like through the grapevine when 694 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:58,160 Speaker 3: Billy did Kinky Booths, that Billy went in and said, okay, 695 00:36:58,239 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 3: if you want me to do a shows a week, 696 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 3: and he's in this key like, this is what it 697 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 3: is it needs to be. And this is Billy, a 698 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 3: very seasoned Billy, coming in saying you know, this is 699 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:07,800 Speaker 3: what it's got to be. 700 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: And so knowing that for yourself is so very very important. Okay, 701 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:23,879 Speaker 1: it's that time again. We'll be right back. We are back. 702 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:29,759 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, Okay, Like, okay, I have audio that 703 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:31,200 Speaker 1: I want to share with you. 704 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 4: I am. 705 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:55,280 Speaker 2: Sup, but I think I mean I need. 706 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 4: Sing up singing so clear. 707 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:13,920 Speaker 3: And chi I'm ordify. 708 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 2: Ill talking out and I'm not BA, but I'm. 709 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:38,600 Speaker 3: Up little. 710 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:51,280 Speaker 2: I cannot. 711 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 3: Okay segment Alex is nodding. Segment this is the thing 712 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 3: I wanted to listen with you. So the first one 713 00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 3: was I think you were probably eighteen or so. It 714 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:34,080 Speaker 3: was that one with the little scarf, and then the 715 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 3: second one was with the Boston Gay Men's Course from 716 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:40,440 Speaker 3: twenty fourteen, so you've been twenty two. And then the 717 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,879 Speaker 3: last one was last year when you were twenty nine. 718 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:46,880 Speaker 3: I guess at Broadway juneteenth twenty twenty two. So a 719 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 3: decade of you singing, I am changing and there's more 720 00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:52,160 Speaker 3: versions on the internet. So your first reactions like I 721 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,719 Speaker 3: sang that, so you hear this, because like oftentimes people 722 00:39:55,719 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 3: are like, oh, they may have notes or they might 723 00:39:57,520 --> 00:39:59,160 Speaker 3: you know, be like, oh you know I could have 724 00:39:59,239 --> 00:39:59,839 Speaker 3: done this better. 725 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:09,040 Speaker 5: You're like, no, no, no, no, fuck, yes, absolutely, okay, 726 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:10,719 Speaker 5: I did that. 727 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:13,520 Speaker 2: I did that, And I know I did that because 728 00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 2: Jennifer Holiday looked at me and said, I sat there 729 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,920 Speaker 2: and cried when I watched you sing that. You did 730 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 2: me so proud of I'm so thankful for that. She 731 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,080 Speaker 2: came to see shop and she told me this in person. 732 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 2: She told me. She called me after it, but she 733 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:31,320 Speaker 2: told me to me in person. She said, you honored 734 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:33,239 Speaker 2: me and made it your own, and I love that 735 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:36,240 Speaker 2: about you. You will pay homage to those that account 736 00:40:36,239 --> 00:40:39,759 Speaker 2: before you and still have your own twist on what 737 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:42,239 Speaker 2: was there. And that's how I want to do any 738 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:46,560 Speaker 2: song that's already iconic. But also that song has meant 739 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:49,319 Speaker 2: so much for me my entire life. I mean, that's 740 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,040 Speaker 2: why it's been over a decade that I've been singing it. 741 00:40:52,440 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 2: Not here in makeup, here hold on Oh the DNC 742 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,040 Speaker 2: and I'm accepting my final award. 743 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:06,160 Speaker 3: Oh work, okay, So I don't want to keep you 744 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:10,520 Speaker 3: too much longer, But can you reflect on the eighteen 745 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:13,480 Speaker 3: year old you, the twenty two year old you, the voice. 746 00:41:13,239 --> 00:41:16,920 Speaker 1: That you heard then, right? And then the difference is 747 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:17,840 Speaker 1: in the maturity. 748 00:41:17,880 --> 00:41:21,280 Speaker 3: I mean, you sound like a grown woman in twenty 749 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:24,279 Speaker 3: twenty two, like a grown woman because I am grown now. 750 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:24,919 Speaker 5: Yeah. 751 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 1: Do you feel like you slayed all of them? No? 752 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,799 Speaker 2: I mean absolutely not. I mean no eighteen year old 753 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:31,160 Speaker 2: should be singing and changing. 754 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:34,239 Speaker 1: But you did, and you slayed it. There's so much 755 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:37,360 Speaker 1: that was added to that number that you gave us. 756 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:39,600 Speaker 3: I think that's when I listened to all three of 757 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 3: them back to back, it's like this bitch has been 758 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:45,799 Speaker 3: through some stuff that she is bringing in a whole 759 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:46,279 Speaker 3: new way. 760 00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 1: That's what I hear. But what do you hear when 761 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 1: you listen to the three versions? 762 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:53,800 Speaker 2: Well, I hear the one in a sense of purity 763 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:58,399 Speaker 2: that was there back in twenty fourteen or however long ago. 764 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:00,840 Speaker 2: I was singing the little song, I knew none of 765 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:03,200 Speaker 2: those words I was singing. I know what that song 766 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:06,640 Speaker 2: was about back then. I do now know what that 767 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:09,040 Speaker 2: song is about, because life is a bitch and it 768 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:13,080 Speaker 2: comes hard, and you figured some shit out. But back 769 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:16,239 Speaker 2: then it was truly just I liked singing the song, 770 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 2: and that was I was having fun while singing it. 771 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,960 Speaker 2: And now I get to have my life lessons and 772 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 2: have fun singing the song, and I still can't wait 773 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:26,239 Speaker 2: to sing it eight shows a week. 774 00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:30,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, how are we manifesting Fie for you? 775 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:33,320 Speaker 3: I mean, I know it's been on your bucket list forever, 776 00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:36,400 Speaker 3: so it's gonna happen. We've been man if you've been 777 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,560 Speaker 3: manifesting it your whole life, and it will. I know 778 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:42,319 Speaker 3: it will happen on God's time, not our time. Oh, 779 00:42:42,560 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 3: Alex Knewell the Tony Award winning Out of Circle Critics 780 00:42:46,719 --> 00:42:49,080 Speaker 3: Drama Death Award winning. 781 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:51,239 Speaker 2: Oh, I just handed me everything this time. They had 782 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:52,919 Speaker 2: to be nothing the last time. This time they said 783 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:53,399 Speaker 2: take it off. 784 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:57,359 Speaker 1: So what's next? What's the dream now? 785 00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:03,040 Speaker 2: I mean a vacation, Oh, well, deserved vacation. 786 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 5: I've never well. 787 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:08,360 Speaker 2: I took my first vacation last year for my thirtieth 788 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:12,759 Speaker 2: birthday and it was only for four days. So it's time. 789 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:16,040 Speaker 2: But we sit and we talked about all the amazing 790 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:18,879 Speaker 2: things I've done. I've never gotten to take a break. 791 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,360 Speaker 2: I've constantly been working NonStop and I'm very blessed and 792 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:25,640 Speaker 2: fortunate that i had this opportunity to do such. But 793 00:43:26,239 --> 00:43:30,239 Speaker 2: it is time to take a step back and like, 794 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:33,239 Speaker 2: actually appreciate all the hard work I've done. 795 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:37,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think what I love about There's so 796 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:39,480 Speaker 3: many things I love about you. I mean, I just 797 00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:43,480 Speaker 3: love pure talent excites me. Amazing singing excites me, but 798 00:43:43,680 --> 00:43:46,560 Speaker 3: cultivating the talent. A lot of people are gifted and 799 00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:51,080 Speaker 3: talented and have voices, but you have really cultivated and studied. 800 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:53,960 Speaker 3: And even before you had voice teachers, you studied, right, 801 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:57,280 Speaker 3: you studied, now, Carter, you studied, and so there's different 802 00:43:57,320 --> 00:43:58,120 Speaker 3: ways to study. 803 00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:01,080 Speaker 1: And that's what I love. And I remember we're talking 804 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:02,120 Speaker 1: to you in twenty fifteen. 805 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:04,880 Speaker 3: I was just like, this is it is a gift 806 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:07,359 Speaker 3: from God that you have and it is and it's 807 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:10,680 Speaker 3: rare for singers to be able to maintain their voices 808 00:44:10,760 --> 00:44:13,520 Speaker 3: over decades. And this is my dream for you that 809 00:44:13,719 --> 00:44:16,759 Speaker 3: you know, at seventy you're giving us everything that you 810 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:17,040 Speaker 3: can do. 811 00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:19,640 Speaker 2: I will still be Pat Lavelle when I'm seventy eight. Yes, ma'am, 812 00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:22,399 Speaker 2: I'm going to be Patricia Labille. She is still out 813 00:44:22,440 --> 00:44:24,080 Speaker 2: here singing the girls now. 814 00:44:24,080 --> 00:44:27,560 Speaker 3: Amen, and I still want using some offer two. But 815 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:30,840 Speaker 3: you know, if you feel so called, so to be 816 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 3: continued with you, Alex, I love you so much. In 817 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:37,759 Speaker 3: my podcast with the question what else is true? It's 818 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:40,920 Speaker 3: taken from my therapy and the idea of both. And 819 00:44:41,640 --> 00:44:44,760 Speaker 3: when things are rough and things are challenging in the world, 820 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:47,799 Speaker 3: as they often are, we can focus on the thing 821 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 3: that's challenging. We can also focus on the thing that 822 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:53,319 Speaker 3: brings us joy that the other thing that's that is true, 823 00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:57,040 Speaker 3: because it's always both, and so for you today, Alex Newell, 824 00:44:57,560 --> 00:44:58,839 Speaker 3: what else is true? 825 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:06,000 Speaker 2: What else is true? Honesty? That's where I'm at, Honesty. 826 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:09,920 Speaker 2: I think we get afraid of honesty and truth a 827 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:12,880 Speaker 2: lot of times, and we don't like it if it hurts, 828 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:15,880 Speaker 2: and we don't like it if it's too much to 829 00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:18,759 Speaker 2: hear at one time. And I've lived my life in 830 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:21,719 Speaker 2: such an honest way, and I try to live my 831 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:25,000 Speaker 2: life in such an honest way, and sometimes it comes 832 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:28,560 Speaker 2: off shady, sometimes it comes off mean, but it's our 833 00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:31,799 Speaker 2: truth and sometimes it's better to let that out. 834 00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:36,239 Speaker 3: What has been a truthful moment that you've had, or 835 00:45:36,239 --> 00:45:38,160 Speaker 3: an honest moment that you've had with yourself or someone 836 00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:42,319 Speaker 3: else that has been maybe hard to hear or hard 837 00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:42,800 Speaker 3: to say. 838 00:45:44,040 --> 00:45:47,319 Speaker 2: You know, I think it's asking for help. A lot 839 00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:50,319 Speaker 2: of times I had to do that in the back 840 00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:53,480 Speaker 2: of my mind and realize that it is actually okay 841 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:56,799 Speaker 2: to ask for help. I sing the song independently own 842 00:45:56,960 --> 00:45:59,920 Speaker 2: eight chos a week and knowing that I've cultivated this 843 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:03,359 Speaker 2: great career of mine on my own, and a lot 844 00:46:03,440 --> 00:46:06,239 Speaker 2: of that has come with struggle of trying to do 845 00:46:06,360 --> 00:46:09,160 Speaker 2: it all on my own and not really wanting to 846 00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:10,279 Speaker 2: do anything else after that. 847 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:15,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, Wow, as the phone rings, we can ask 848 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:17,920 Speaker 1: for help, we can ask for help. I love that. 849 00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 3: That is a great note to end on. Thank you 850 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:22,759 Speaker 3: so much, Alex Nowell. You are a gift to the 851 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:25,080 Speaker 3: world and I love you so much. 852 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:26,239 Speaker 2: I love you, I love you. 853 00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:29,839 Speaker 5: I'm so happy for you. I'm so happy and fucking proud. 854 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:38,720 Speaker 1: You know. I'm so proud. I love you, Alex. Alex Newell. 855 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:44,400 Speaker 3: Oh, that was so wonderful watching Alex listen to themselves 856 00:46:44,680 --> 00:46:49,440 Speaker 3: saying and just be an utter joy of how beautiful 857 00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:52,000 Speaker 3: their sound is, how much they turned it out. 858 00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:54,080 Speaker 1: It reminds me of my idol, Lantine Price. 859 00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:57,799 Speaker 3: There's many many interviews of Liantine and articles written about 860 00:46:57,840 --> 00:47:00,200 Speaker 3: Lantine where she says I just love the sound of 861 00:47:00,280 --> 00:47:05,560 Speaker 3: my voice, and watching Alex listen to themselves saying I 862 00:47:05,640 --> 00:47:09,240 Speaker 3: am changing through the years. I felt Alex in something 863 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:13,040 Speaker 3: similar Alex to not say that, but Alex was like, no, notes. 864 00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:17,560 Speaker 3: What's wonderful to me about that is that we can 865 00:47:17,600 --> 00:47:19,840 Speaker 3: be so critical of ourselves as artists, and I'm so 866 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:23,719 Speaker 3: critical of myself, but Alex was just like I did that. 867 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:29,800 Speaker 3: And also I think what's beautiful about Leontine and Alex 868 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:31,879 Speaker 3: is that they both understand it's a gift from God, 869 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:35,480 Speaker 3: that it's not even really theirs right, that it is 870 00:47:35,560 --> 00:47:38,759 Speaker 3: something that is bigger than them. And I was just 871 00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:42,840 Speaker 3: thinking about Alex as a child, like opening their mouth 872 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:47,520 Speaker 3: and this beautiful, pure sound comes out, and that sound 873 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:50,560 Speaker 3: is still there, and I don't know, it feels like 874 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:55,040 Speaker 3: this metaphor for life, as like we grow and mature 875 00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:58,760 Speaker 3: and go through life and hopefully become. 876 00:47:58,600 --> 00:47:59,960 Speaker 1: Better visions of ourselves. 877 00:48:00,719 --> 00:48:04,359 Speaker 3: That that purity, that light that we all have inside 878 00:48:04,400 --> 00:48:07,719 Speaker 3: of us as children, if we can maintain that if 879 00:48:07,760 --> 00:48:09,960 Speaker 3: the voice can be a metaphor for what we can 880 00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:14,320 Speaker 3: do to maintain a certain kind of purity and innocence 881 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:17,560 Speaker 3: as we move through the world, even as we, you know, 882 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:19,920 Speaker 3: maybe a little weathered by life. 883 00:48:20,080 --> 00:48:21,800 Speaker 1: To keep that freshness. 884 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:25,919 Speaker 3: Lantine says that she feels the youngest and the most 885 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:28,400 Speaker 3: vibrant when she's singing, that it should be this like 886 00:48:28,600 --> 00:48:34,640 Speaker 3: youthful exuberance, and Alex indeed has that. Let's all like 887 00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:39,840 Speaker 3: start collectively manifesting Alex singing e Fie and Dreamgirls like 888 00:48:39,960 --> 00:48:42,560 Speaker 3: everyone within the sound of my voice. Let's manifest that 889 00:48:42,760 --> 00:48:46,919 Speaker 3: because we need to see Alex nule as Fie and Dreamgirls. 890 00:48:47,320 --> 00:48:48,080 Speaker 1: We need to see that. 891 00:49:00,760 --> 00:49:03,120 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to The Laverne Cox Show. Please 892 00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:05,920 Speaker 3: rate reviews, subscribe and share with everyone you know. You 893 00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:09,440 Speaker 3: can find me on Instagram and Twitter aka x and 894 00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:12,680 Speaker 3: TikTok at Laverne Cox and on Facebook at Laverne Cox 895 00:49:13,000 --> 00:49:13,520 Speaker 3: for Real. 896 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:20,319 Speaker 1: Until next time, stay in the love. The Laverne Cox 897 00:49:20,360 --> 00:49:24,200 Speaker 1: Show is a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. 898 00:49:24,680 --> 00:49:28,439 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Shondaland Audio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 899 00:49:28,800 --> 00:49:32,120 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows,