Josh Groban will always remain a student — and that’s why he’s here to stay

When you’re 17, it’s only then that you start the process of figuring yourself out, and that’s normal.

At this age, you spend most of your time exploring what you like and don’t like, what kind of clothes you love to wear, and what music you enjoy listening to.

But what do you do when you’re suddenly thrust into a world where music becomes the center of your universe — and your immediate surroundings go from school halls to theaters filled with eager spectators?

Perhaps acclaimed singer Josh Groban can answer that.

Decades of growth and wisdom

The first time Groban made a mark under the spotlight was when he was asked to fill in for Andrea Bocelli. Bocelli had fallen ill, and at the last minute, couldn’t make it to the 1999 Grammy Awards rehearsal where he was set to sing “The Prayer” alongside Celine Dion.

The next best man for the job? A 17-year-old, it seemed.

Dressed in a black suit, a smiling Groban had walked across the stage toward Dion, gave her kisses on both cheeks, and got down to business. It was Dion who started the duet, and when Groban let the public hear his tenor vocals for the first time, it was like watching the then-17-year-old begin cementing his legacy in the music scene in the years to come.

Play Video

But like anyone suddenly pushed into the limelight at a young age, pressure became an all too familiar feeling for Groban.

“I didn’t know who I was at 17. I don’t think anybody really knows who they are at 17, and yet I was being given this platform and this style of music that was very grand and very emotionally deep. And I felt like I had this responsibility to be a pillar of those emotions for so many people and for so many audience members, many of which were so many years older than I was. And so, it’s like a puppy with big paws,” he added.

His impact was global, and it had reached the Philippines by the time he released his self-titled debut album in 2001. His song “You Raise Me Up” would even become a mainstay in Filipino households, with budding young singers even performing it on stage at talent shows.

Play Video

Through it all, Groban had always just been trying his best — likening the experience of navigating all this at such a young age to wearing a coat that was too long for him. But it was all just part of the process.

 “I was doing the best that I could with the limited life experience that I had with my music early on. And as I’ve grown up in this business and as I’ve gotten older and actually lived a pretty nuanced life of ups and downs and love and loss, my music that I’ve found and sung and written and done theater with, I think represents those stories of my life,” he told Rappler.

Soon after, it would all make sense to Groban, too. It’s why over two decades later, he finds more joy in singing his earliest songs — because the stories weaved into these songs actually reflect the life he’s living now.

“I know what a song like ‘To Where You Are’ feels like. I know what that loss feels like. I know I have people I can think of when I sing ‘You Raise Me Up’ and I know what love feels like when I sing ‘You Are Loved.’ There’s a life experience now that I can bring to these shows that gives a much deeper experience for me that I’m very grateful for,” he explained.

This exact profoundness is what Groban uses to connect with his listeners, from streaming to the stage, and it will stay that way in the years to come.

Here to stay

This is not to say that Groban hasn’t had any bumps in his career. He’ll be the first to admit that he’s faced bouts of frustration, moments where he’s felt uninspired, and feeling that sometimes, his work is more difficult than it is rewarding.

“You have to give a lot of yourself when you’re in this line of work and a lot of the time, a lot of sacrifice that you’re not with your family and people you love. And every time you try to set roots down, there’s another thing that grabs you. And so you have to really love it. And I do really love it,” he told Rappler.

He wouldn’t have it any other way — and his live shows are a testament to that. It’s the very space Groban gets to connect with fans face to face, and see how much they mean to each other in the process. And because of this, the 44-year-old artist feels that he can truly call music his life’s purpose, and it’s been that way for over 20 years and counting, against all odds.

“In this life, we all try to find whatever purpose we have in this time we’re given on this planet. My purpose on this planet has been to connect through music. And so that reminder, every time I get to experience that in front of an audience, brings me right back up to where I need to be,” the singer shared.

Above all, though, it’s Groban’s desire to never stop learning that keeps him afloat.

“I try to stay a student. I try to stay scared and and learn new things, and if I feel like I’m getting too stagnant or too bored with a certain thing, then you have to take the risk to try something else — to try new endeavors that keep you on your edge,” he said.

Whether it’s switching up the themes of his music or trying his hand at theater, Groban’s up for the challenge.

Play Video

“I think that’s a big part of longevity is having the bravery to know that your fans want to go on a journey with you. They don’t want just the same thing all the time. They want to feel your excitement and your enthusiasm. So I’ve tried to do that too,” he added.

When he finally brings his “Gems” world tour to the Philippines on February 18 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, fans can expect a wiser Groban who’s in tune with every aspect of his journey as a musician. – Rappler.com