Idina Menzel performed on the finale of “America’s Got Talent” Wednesday night! She performed “Dream Girl”, which you can watch above and “Defying Gravity”, which you can watch below! Idina performed “Defying Gravity” with two of the season’s finalists, Jimmie Herrod and Northwell Health Nurse Choir. It was so amazing to see Idina back on stage performing, it’s been so long! I loved both performances but watching Idina unleash her inner rockstar during “Dream Girl” won the night for me.
I’ve rounded up a bunch of reviewer’s praise for Idina’s performance below. Congratulations, Idina!
“for the most effective use of a star here, look to Idina Menzel, who lends texture to the usually one-note “evil” stepmother. And, of course her clarion singing voice — which we can objectively say is the finest in the land.” Associated Press via ABC News
“the real scene stealer turns out to be Idina Menzel, who brings an impressive level of dignity and complexity to Cinderella’s stepmother, who in this version is less evil and more cynically pragmatic. Menzel joins the ranks of Bernadette Peters, Anjelica Huston, and Cate Blanchett as women who’ve put a nuanced spin on the fairy tale baddie—although she’s so far the only one to do so while singing Madonna’s “Material Girl” in front of a hot farm boy.” AV Club
“culminating in an empowering musical number (“Dream Girl” [written by Idina Menzel and Laura Veltz]) in which all the women, led by Vivian, join together to sing about the stifling, suffocating societal sexism they’ve endured. This showstopper hits like a sledgehammer to the glass ceiling that restrains them all.” Variety
“Alongside her is the incredible Idina Menzel as her stepmother, who also takes a well-known character and brings a thoughtful twist to what we know with a more subtle and complex version of Cinderella’s enemy. Menzel’s voice carries the most weight in Cinderella, and it’s enough to send chills.” CinemaBlend
“Of course, vocal powerhouses Porter and Menzel do not disappoint, and their numbers rank as the stand-outs.” The Wrap
“Idina Menzel is her usual spectacular self as arguably the most nuanced and empathetic “evil” stepmother in “Cinderella” history.” Chicago Sun-Times
“a perfectly cast Idina Menzel [as Vivian, the Stepmother]” Deadline
“[the stepmother is] deliciously played by Idina Menzel” IndieWire
“[Menzel] excels as an icy, evil stepmother” BuzzFeed News
“Credit must also be given to some powerful original numbers, written by Cabello and Menzel for their characters, with Menzel’s Dream Girl packing a real emotional punch in the film as the musical star offers empathy and nuance to the more traditionally evil stepmother character.” Metro UK
Also, a reminder that I’ve created a Youtube playlist to make it easier to keep track of interviews! There are 25+ at the moment and I’m sure it will keep growing so make sure you subscribe!
Cinderella promo is gearing up ahead of its release on September 3! It will be released on Amazon Prime and in select theaters. The soundtrack will also be available on Friday and is available for pre-order now.
Idina Menzel worked on the press junket with Camila Cabello over the weekend and interviews are already being posted! I’ve created a Youtube playlist to make it easier to keep track of interviews but I am also posting links on Twitter as I come across them. Idina also made a special appearance on Camila’s TikTok.
Idina, Camilla, Billy Porter and James Corden also filmed Crosswalk the Musical in Los Angeles on Friday. An air date has not been announced yet, but stay tuned. Photos are in the gallery:
If you missed Idina co-hosting Wicked in Concert on PBS, it is now available for free streaming on PBS.org! Idina co-hosted the concert with Kristin Chenoweth and though they performed ‘For Good’, it was their ‘Out of Oz’ performance from 2016. The concert featured re-imagined musical arrangements performed by artists like Ben Platt, Amber Riley, Alex Newell, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer Nettles, Sara Bareilles and more.
Idina Menzel joined a slew of NYC entertainers to honor New York City in this video rendition of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.” The video was created by NYCNext to encourage the city’s recovery from the pandemic and drive civic engagement.
The “New York State of Mind” video features an array of artists from multiple disciplines and industries, including some of Idina’s If/Then collaborators, so keep your eyes open! Performers featured are: Zeshan B., Sara Bareilles, Mario Cantone, Victoria Clark, Cautious Clay, Andy Cohen, Stephen Colbert, Jerry Dixon, Chloe Flower, Billy Joel’s daughter and singer-songwriter Alexa Ray Joel, Joseph Joubert, Tom Kitt, The Klezmatics, The Yankees, LaChanze, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Brian Newman, Kelli O’Hara, Joan Osborne, Peppermint, Angie Pontani, Anaïs Reno, Mark Rivera, David Rosenthal, Bobby Sanabria, Ben Stiller and Suzanne Vega.
The performers were shot and recorded in all 5 Boroughs. Idina filmed her part at Open Jar Studios, home to the largest studios in New York City. To learn more about NYC Next and get involved, visit https://nycnext.org
