by Ken Knox

Former Wicked witch and Rent alum Idina Menzel talks about her rising star, her ambitious new pop record and her mission to become America’s Next Top Gay Icon.

In these days of singers who can’t act or dance, dancers who don’t sing or act, and actors who can’t dance or sing, Idina Menzel is truly a cut above the rest. A triple threat, she has proved her mettle in iconic turns in two beloved Broadway musicals. First, she broke through as bisexual artist Maureen in Jonathan Larson’s Rent, then cemented her star as the Wicked Witch of the West in the smash hit Wicked. Most recently, she was seen on the big screen as Patrick Dempsey’s high-strung fiancée in Disney’s hit film Enchanted, and now is set to release her third and most ambitious solo album, I Stand. “For the first time in my career, I want to do everything and I want to express myself in all these different ways without having to suppress one for the other,” she says. “They all give me an incredibly important balance in my life and keep me challenged as an artist.”

Menzel says that I Stand represents a turning point in her career in many ways. After signing with a major label (Warner Bros.) and hooking up with famed producer and songwriter Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), she mapped out a path to stretch herself as an artist and reach out to a wider audience. “This is the first time that I feel like all the elements have come together,” she states. “I didn’t come in with any expectations. All I knew was that I wanted to use the entire range of my voice and write melodies that would express the different sounds and timbers in it. I thought that was important because my theater audience would expect that, and yet I knew I wanted to do something a little bit more mainstream, write about my own experiences and have someone really nurture my songwriting.”

With Ballard as her songwriting partner and producer, Menzel crafted several tracks that should find fans in many communities. From the spirited self-affirming pop of the title track (which is about not being afraid to be different) and the dreamy sonic splendor of “Gorgeous” (about not being afraid to love in the face of judgment), to the uplifting ballad “Where Do I Begin?” I Stand reveals a passionate young woman standing tall in the drift and offering a message of hope and self-love. “I didn’t set out to do that,” she says. “When I was picking the songs for the album, I thought they had a morose kind of tone, because I was going through some personal stuff and kept writing through these moments of sadness. And yet everybody kept telling me, ‘You know, it’s not that sad. It’s got an uplifting, hopeful sound to it.’ I’m so flattered that people are responding in that way.”

Menzel says it was only in hindsight that she realized that the songs might have particular resonance in the gay community. “What I love about songwriting is that things take on a larger meaning. Usually I will try to come from a real point in my life, and then make it more universal.” Having taken her cue from fellow triple threats (and gay icons) like Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler, Menzel also says that she is proud to have a large gay following. “I would be honored beyond belief!” she exclaims. “I can’t thank the gay community enough. I love their honesty and their authenticity and how outspoken they are, and it’s something I would like to mirror in my own career. I’m inspired by them, so if I could be put on the list [of gay icons], it would be a great honor for me!”

I Stand is available now. For more on Idina Menzel, visit www.idinamenzel.com.