Two pieces of news landed in the same week for Josh Groban - and together they paint a picture of an artist who is, by every measure, exactly where he wants to be.
Groban's tenth studio album, Cinematic, arrives May 8 via Reprise Records - his first new album in more than five years and a 10-track tribute to the most beloved songs from the history of film. Produced by Greg Wells - whose credits include The Greatest Showman, Wicked, and records with Adele and Taylor Swift - the album was recorded in both Los Angeles and London and pulls from decades of cinema history, drawing on songs from The Godfather, Casablanca, The Lion King, Ghost, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and more.
The tracklist alone is worth stopping for. Highlights include a sweeping Sicilian-language rendition of "Brucia La Terra" from The Godfather, a stirring duet of "Unchained Melody" with friend and touring partner Jennifer Hudson, and "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's featuring his father Jack Groban on trumpet. Three songs have already been released as previews - "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," "Remember Me" from Coco, and "Skyfall" - each giving a clear signal that this is Groban at his most orchestral and emotionally expansive.
"There's something incredibly powerful about the way a song or score can elevate a story and stay with you long after the credits roll," Groban said of the project. "With Cinematic, I wanted to honor that feeling - the nostalgia, the drama, the romance - while bringing my own voice and perspective to these timeless songs."
Then came the other news. On April 21, Groban proposed to his partner of four years, British stage actress Natalie McQueen, at Disneyland - beside the wishing well near Sleeping Beauty Castle, arranged with flowers and organized with the help of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings team. "MY BEST FRIEND SAID YES!!!" he wrote on Instagram. "Sharing this life with you is my happiest place." He also personally designed her custom marquise-cut engagement ring, collaborating with fine jeweler AURORO on the piece.
Beyond the music and the engagement, Groban's Find Your Light Foundation recently awarded over $1.5 million to 257 nonprofit organizations across 40 states, supporting arts education access for more than 600,000 K-12 students - bringing his foundation's 20-year total to more than $7.5 million contributed to over 500 arts education organizations across the country.
For the Christian music community, Groban has always occupied a beloved space just outside the genre's formal borders. Raised in an Episcopalian household, he has described faith as "a word I've been discovering and evolving with" - and his music has long carried that quiet searching quality that resonates deeply with listeners who bring their own faith to it. "You Raise Me Up" has been sung in churches, at funerals, and at graduation ceremonies around the world for more than two decades. Cinematic includes "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Remember Me" - two songs about hope, legacy, and the belief that love outlasts everything. That is not an accident for a voice like his.
Cinematic is available for pre-order now at joshgroban.com. The North American GEMS World Tour with Jennifer Hudson begins June 6 in Boston.
