Ariana Grande sure knows how to keep herself busy during the pandemic season. On Monday night, the pop star joined a Broadway virtual concert and performed a moving rendition of "Still Hurting."
"God is a Woman" pop star appeared as a guest on Jason Robert Brown's Virtual Subculture Residency Concert Series. The Tony-award winning composer and lyricist Brown, together with his band, has long been in collaboration for the Artist-in-Residence series. The monthly concerts are usually held at a performing arts space, SubCulture located in Manhattan. With the current pandemic and mandatory stay-at-home directive, the concert continues on a remote arrangement.
Grande performed the soulful ballad "Still Hurting" which is the opening piece from Brown's Broadway musical "The Last Five Years." The pop star dramatically showed her singing prowess - singing it with a heartrending version that delighted the Arianators. Though she recorded her part in a studio, her melodious voice blended perfectly with the accompaniment of the piano played by composer Brown and his string ensemble band.
"The Last Five Years" premiered in Chicago in 2001. The curtain in Broadway opened up for the musical in March 2002. The loved Broadway play was adapted into a musical film in 2014 with the lead roles played by Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan.
The Grammy-winner Grande took to Twitter to extend her profound gratitude for guesting her in the virtual concert.
that was so beautiful @MrJasonRBrown i loved every minute so much ! thank u and @SubCulture_NYC for having me and for doing this. everyone played and sang so beautifully. love u. — Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) April 28, 2020
Shoshana Bean, star of Broadway's "Wai tress" was also a special guest for the online concert. "Thank U Next" singer wrote on Twitter her deep appreciation for their performances:
u both sounded fucking phenomenal @ShoshanaBean @MrJasonRBrown. i’m still recovering from everything i just watched. thank u for existing and for being human masterclasses in musicality and technique. — Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) April 28, 2020
Fans had nothing but good praises for Ari. Several of her fans wrote that her voice was magical, one found it to be soothing, another mentioned "so much talent. Incredible."
The virtual show held last night counted as the 58th residency concert of SubCulture and Brown. The show had been running for five years and the pandemic has put a halt into the musical collaboration that occurs monthly. Brown, for his part, recognized that nothing should hinder making music together even at a distance. Hence, he thought of continuing the bonding of hearts through the way they know best - through music.
The Jason Robert Brown Artist-in-Residence concerts aimed to raise funds to benefit the SubCulture personnel and musicians who are direly in need of financial assistance caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Grande, 26, is not new to the musical theater. Her professional career kicked-off in "13," a broadway musical created by Brown in 2008. She still considers herself a "student" of Brown and wants to be called the "fav student."
Ari in the time of pandemic
This is not the first time Ariana participated in an online show for charity benefit efforts. On April 16, she was part of the stellar line-up in "The Disney Family Singalong" where she sang "I Won't Say I'm In Love" from the animated film "Hercules." Her performance was lauded by the viewers for her soothing voice.
On April 26, she posted on Twitter the organizations that she had been supporting for COVID-19 efforts - One Fair Wage (OFW) Emergency Fund, Coronavirus Care Fund, and The Neighborhood. She also encouraged her fans to bid in the All in Challenge from which all proceeds to be accumulated will fund four feeding programs.
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