REVIEW: Idina Menzel is My Favorite Drama Queen
Originally written for Creek Music Group: 8/23/2023
It is hard to define a once-in-a-generation talent, but people know it when they see it. From her first entrance on a motorcycle at the Nederlander Theater in 1996 to her melt-worthy exit at the Gershwin in 2003, many audiences witnessed history in the making as soon as Idina Menzel stepped foot on the stage. Through three Tony-nominated performances on Broadway, an Oscar-winning Disney behemoth, and seven studio albums, Menzel proved her remarkable ability to deliver transformative performances. These diverse accomplishments informed the funky, groovy, and empowering music of her most recent album, Drama Queen.
Idina Menzel: Back In The Day
To understand the present, we must understand the past. While Menzel’s theatre triumphs were cultural phenomena, her solo efforts were a bit more of an uphill battle. Following her exit from the original cast of RENT, Menzel released her first studio album under Hollywood Records, Still I Can’t Be Still. Still I Can’t Be Still is a neo-soul, 90s masterpiece, but had a difficult time gaining traction. Her lead single, “Minuet,” made the Radio Records/CHR pop tracks chart at number 48. Still, she faced stiff competition in the 90s, and the underperformance of Still I Can’t Be Still led to Hollywood Records dropping Menzel. Menzel’s fans still revere this album, though, and her R&B, rock, and soul roots serve her well, nearly 25 years later, on Drama Queen.
Idina Menzel and Drama Queen are Giving Us Something to Talk About
The marketing cycle for Drama Queen is one of my favorite marketing cycles of all time. In an interview with Hoda Kotdb and Jenna Bush Hager, Menzel explains that she and her label found that her social media marketing provides greater engagement than the traditional music video roll outs. Similarly, explained that she and her team collaborated on captions and content ideas, hoping to strike a balance between her authenticity and her target audience. While her target audience tends to skew younger, Menzel said that she never wanted to feel like she was pandering. Her unique approach successfully brought in new listeners, who may have otherwise regarded her as a strictly musical theatre artist.
Idina Menzel and the Versatility of a Drama Queen
Drama Queen is a remarkable album because it highlights the versatility of Idina Menzel’s artistry. While some may think that musical theatre and pop are at odds with each other, Menzel proves that this can’t be any further from the truth. In fact, she states that when she had the idea to do a disco album, she decided to call up her close friend, the Godfather of Disco, Nile Rodgers. According to Menzel, Rodgers told her that a disco album actually makes the most sense for someone with her vocal power and musical influences.
Unsurprisingly, one of the stand-out tracks from the album is “Paradise,” featuring Nile Rodgers. Rodgers’ signature funky groove drives the song, and Menzel’s vocals soar over the juicy production. This song is disco at its best, and is a great representation of the entire album. It’s fun, sexy, and infectious. It stands as the midpoint to the album, and is one of my favorite Menzel tracks of all time.
Shimmering Intimacy
As many Menzel fans will tell you, she knows how to hold her audience in the palm of her hands. From her funny on-stage anecdotes to her confessional songwriting, her ability to cultivate connections with her listeners is unmatched.
The eighth track on Drama Queen, “Funny Kind of Lonely,” encapsulates this vibe very well. This song is reminiscent of sweat and glitter at the end of the night out. It highlights the intimacy of the dance floor as the crowd winds down, and I like that she intertwines this euphoric feeling with the warmth of romance. The chorus, “It’s a funny kind of lonely/it’s a pretty kind of sad” soars over the instrumental and highlights Menzel’s greatest strength: her vulnerability. Sure, her highest belts and complex runs are as beautiful as ever, but what really makes this song a hit is the nuance of her voice. It lands in this really captivating, dreamy space between divinity and fragility. This is undoubtedly her once-in-a-generation moment on the album.
Menzel’s Continued Defiance
Idina Menzel’s career is synonymous with self-empowerment and self-expression, and this album continues the tradition. She draws an interesting parallel between Drama Queen’s “Make Me Hate Me,” and I Stand’s “My Own Worst Enemy” (2008). She commands the listener’s attention with “You can make me out to be/a sadistic drama queen” in the chorus of “Make Me Hate Me,” which holds almost a direct throughline to “My Own Worst Enemy,” in which she describes a life full of walking on eggshells. “Make Me Hate Me” is a profound reclamation of the power and anger she previously expressed losing. Here, Menzel really embraces the darker side of being a drama queen, and this transmutation of energy is truly inspiring.
A Little Night Music
Menzel closes the album with my favorite track, “Madison Hotel.” She actually described the song as a nightcap. It is a sexy jazz-disco fusion about a torn-down hotel that she and her current husband frequented while she was going through her divorce. Her voice is sultry and seductive, like the velvet she describes in the song. The vibe is electric and spell-binding. This is the perfect way to close out such a glittery, shimmeringly intimate album.
Final Thoughts
Idina Menzel is a once-in-a-generation talent. I consider myself lucky to be able to witness her genius artistic expression. She created the standard for modern theatre, and dares to defy it at the same time. Her refusal to be pigeon-holed into one genre culminates brilliantly in her latest release, Drama Queen. The album is incredibly cohesive from start to finish, both lyrically and sonically, and shines in its brilliance. I would recommend it to fans of Chic, Donna Summer, Chaka Khan, and Madonna. This was my most anticipated album of the year, and Menzel exceeded my expectations. Truly remarkable. Listen to it here.
Track list:
Move
Beast
Dramatic
My Love For Life
Paradise Prelude (Feat. Nile Rodgers)
Paradise (Feat. Nile Rodgers)
Make Me Hate Me
Funny Kind of Lonely
Royalty
Madison Hotel
