A dance album from Broadway legend Idina Menzel seems an unexpected career turn, but here we are.
The singer who originated the role of Elphaba in Wicked and belted out Let It Go as the voice of Disney’s Elsa in Frozen is heading to the dance floor. While you might think her previous albums would be filled with show tunes, Menzel has actually been more focused on recording original songs.
This time round the singer is focusing firmly on dance music and she’s just shared the video for the first track Move.
The music video was shot in May in New York City at one of Brooklyn’s newest clubs Paragon, and was directed by Nick Laughlin. It features social media stars Julian Cookies and Jan Sport.
Menzel’s definitely making a play for the LGBTIQA+ audiences with a video filled with drag performers, rainbows sequence and disco balls.
The media release from her record company says, “her highly anticipated disco-tinged dance pop album, Drama Queen, is set to release via BMG on August 18″, but we’re not sure about the “highly anticipated” part of that statement.
The album features collaborations with Jake Shears, Nile Rogers as well as songwriter Justin Tranter who wrote some huge hits like DNCE’s Cake in the Ocean. He’s just one of the hitmakers who’ve written songs for the album there’s also works by Sir Nolan, Simon Wilcox, Laura Veltz, Jim Eliot, Maty Noyes, Mitch Allan, Lindy Robbins, Chantry Johnson and Michelle Zarlenga.
Five times Broadway went Disco
Ehtel Merman dived into the world of disco in the late 1970’s delivering dance-floor versions of popular songs and Broadway hits.
Liza Minelli combined Stephen Sondheim and the dance floor with her 1988 album Results. The album was produced by Pet Shop Boys and is a camp classic.
Madonna delivered some dance mixes of Don’t Cry for Me Argentina when she appeared in the film version of the popular musical. Madonna’s also appeared on Broadway, in 1988 she starred in the David Mammet play Speed the Plow.
Stephanie Mills got her start in Broadway musicals like The Wiz – from which the song Home has become an adopted queer-classic. She became a bona-fide disco star with her song Never Knew Love Like This Before. Producer Reggie Lucas would be tapped to shape Madonna’s debut album a few years later. Listen to the open notes of this song and then think of Madonna’s Borderline.
The song was recently covered by singer QUINZE and French DJ Bob Sinclair.
Broadway legend Barbra Streisand had many disco hits including No More Tears (Enough is Enough) alongside Donna Summer, she also recorded an entire album with Bee Gee Barry Gibb. Plus just her name filled dance floors when Duck Sauce released their hit tune Barbra Streisand.
Take a listen to this long-forgotten track from 1975. Originally by The Four Tops, Barbra gave Shake Me Wake Me (When It’s Over) the full disco treatment.
OIP Staff
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