Laura Benanti

Laura Benanti Releases Self-Titled Debut Album - Available Now From Sony Masterworks

Tony® Award-winning actress, singer, author and activist LAURA BENANTI today releases her self-titled debut album Laura Benanti. Available everywhere now from Sony Music Masterworks, the 11-track album features the versatile artist performing a mix of covers both classic and contemporary, breathing new spirit into everything from modern pop songs to jazzinfluenced ballads.

“I hope the album becomes a part of someone’s own canon,” says LAURA BENANTI of her major label debut album. “You could put it on at a dinner party or listen to it in the bath. It could speak to so many different possible moments. Across the board, the record really fulfills my desire for musical outreach. I tried to showcase some really great playing—and hopefully singing.”

With her self-titled full-length debut, Laura Benanti constructs a diverse and dynamic solo statement, working alongside award-winning producer Matt Pierson (Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Pat Metheny, Jane Monheit), arranger Gil Goldstein and a bevy of seasoned musicians on the album. Through and through, the process highlighted every side of Laura’s voice.

“We definitely talked about the songs as characters,” she explains. “As an actor, I’m used to becoming and embodying other people. So, it was important for me to play the role each song required. I drew on different shades of my voice and personality to tell were not able to give, on social platdifferent stories.” forms. As chronicled by Good Morning The first story comes to life on the impressions and received over 10,000 album’s lead single, a cover of the Jonas submissions, attracting celebrities like Brothers’ “Sucker” released earlier this Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jennifer year. Above swinging piano, electric Garner to join the campaign. Additionguitar, and finger-snaps, she transports ally, she invited students to contribute Jonas Brothers’ comeback smash to a songs to her free “Sunshine Concerts” smoky thirties jazz haunt with sultry and for senior living communities and sizzling soul. Laura paired the release of children’s hospitals. The campaign’s the track with an accompanying music success further grabbed the attention of video featuring workers on the frontlines HBO Max who recently partnered with of the COVID-19 crisis as part of a Benanti to release an unscripted special, moving tribute celebrating family and called Homeschool Musical: Class Of essential workers – watch here. Pro- 2020 this December. ceeds from the track benefit America, she generated 4 million FoodCorps—an organization which In the midst of an illustrious career ensures kids who rely on school food get spanning Broadway, film, and television, fed during the pandemic. Tony® Award-winning actress, singer, author, and activist Laura Benanti now Meanwhile, Laura transforms brings a longstanding dream to life as Selena Gomez’s “Lose You To Love Me” she gears up to release new solo music into a bold ballad backed by resounding with Sony Music Masterworks. With strings and a powerhouse vocal perfor- Broadway credits ranging from the My mance. “When I heard Gil’s arrange- Fair Lady revival and Steve Martin’s ment, I was so moved by it,” she recalls. Meteor Shower to She Loves Me, Laura “I was able to personalize the story for garnered a Tony® Award in the category myself. I can hear the evocative nature of of “Best Featured Actress in a Musical” that memory in my voice, and I hope for the 2008 production of Gypsy— other people feel the same way.” She among five career nominations to date. drew inspiration from Rosemary’s Meanwhile, her performance in Women Clooney version of “Don’t Worry ‘Bout on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Me” to track her own tender take and would be honored with the Drama Desk carefully chose “The Party’s Over” from Award and Outer Critics Circle Award the 1956 musical Bells Are Ringing as a for “Best Featured Actress in a Musical.” gorgeous denouement to the album. Simultaneously, she enchanted audiences Elsewhere, accordion pipes through her on the small screen, appearing on reimagining of Rufus Wainwright’s Younger, Supergirl, Nashville, The Good “Cigarettes & Chocolate Milk,” which Wife, Nurse Jackie, and more in addition she relates to as devilishly to films including WORTH and the conjuring “my twenties upcoming Here Today. Laura recently when I got in some released a book for moms entitled “M is trouble.” She also delivers for MAMA (and also Merlot): A Modern a “fun interpretation of the Mom’s ABCs” available now on anti-love song” by flipping Amazon. Paul Simon’s “50 Ways To LAURA BENANTI –Leave Your Lover” on its head. LAURA BENANTI ALBUM TRACKLIST Maintaining a 1. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk lifelong commitment to 2. Someone You Loved the arts, the singer also 3. What Are You Doing the Rest of recently created an Your Life? empowering campaign 4. Sucker titled #SunshineSongs, 5. The Boy From… which invited students 6. Go Slow whose school musical 7. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me productions were canceled 8. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover this year due to the 9. Lose You to Love Me pandemic to share videos 10. Wives and Lovers of the performances they 11. The Party’s Over November 2020 • Rock and Blues International 53