Established in 2004, "So Beautiful" is a forum for fans of Idina Menzel. A supportive and friendly community with fans of all ages, SB offers lively and thought provoking discussion as well as up-to-the-minute information on concerts, and appearances.

This project allows members to take songs performed (and for the most part, written!) by Idina Menzel and put a creative spin on them.

All artwork is credited by SB member name.

To participate, visit "'Cause" You're A Poet: An SB Art Project"

a gift

Music inspires.

A phrase so obvious, that one feels silly spelling it out.

Yet, here we are.

Lyrics and musical phrases have the ability to inspire action, make you think, and then think some more. It can energize you and keep you company. It can sooth you on your worst day and make you laugh or cry.

Music can paint a picture in your head, or inspire a story or poem.

One piece of music can inspire many different things in many different people.

These statements led to the creation of 'Cause You're a Poet: an SB Art Project.

Below are pieces of art inspired by the music and lyrics of Idina Menzel.

The members of SB would like to present this project to Idina on her 2009 birthday.


Happy Birthday, Idina! We wish you a very happy and successful year!

With love,
Your fans at SB



Established in 2004, "So Beautiful" or as it's commonly referred to, SB, is a forum for fans of Idina Menzel. A supportive and friendly community with fans of all ages, SB offers lively and thought provoking discussion as well as up-to-the-minute information on concerts, and appearances.

'You'd Be Surprised' by Steph

I chose lyrics from You'd Be Surprised because I love the song and also because I've been taught so much by those I love. I have learnt too much to measure from my family, my friends and also my idols and I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for them. My loved ones are all a part of me and I am forever grateful for all they have shared with me. It is impossible to put into words that amount of gratitude. So that is why this song is special to me.

I'm Steph, nearly 17 and I'm a performing arts student from England. I love performing and have been acting since the age of six. I spend a lot of my time in London, even though I live in the North of England. It's expensive spending so much time in the capital but it's worth it for my passion of theatre. I also love travelling and photography.

'Brave' and 'Penny' by Sarah

Brave

'Brave' to me is all about letting go and moving on as we journey through life. There's a sadness but a certain resoluteness as well, and I tried to capture that in my piece.

Sarah. 19. Is heading off to University soon, and this rite of passage she hopes will lead her home.

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Penny

'Gorgeous' by Emma

I chose 'Gorgeous' because it is a message of acceptance, love and hope; three things I learnt the most about during my time away from home. I took these pictures whilst travelling in San Francisco and New Orleans- yet another experience which helped me to appreciate the values portrayed in 'Gorgeous'. I also chose these pictures because, for me, they offer a visual representation of what I feel when I listen to 'Gorgeous'.

My name is Emma and I am a twenty year old History student at the University of Edinburgh, although I have just finished a year studying abroad at the University of Virginia.

'Brave' by Natalie

The image, which is inspired by 'Brave', is supposed to represent the two sides of a situation; the sadness in saying goodbye to someone but the hope/happiness in starting over again. So that is why the picture is divided using only grayscale on one side and colour on the other. I also wanted to use my favourite lyrics in the song somehow and this is my interpretation of them.

Natalie. 18. Yorkshire, United Kingdom

'Still I Can't Be Still' by Olivia

To me, 'Still I Can't Be Still' is about finding peace, and finding yourself. I think it takes a long time to get to this point in your life, and in order to get there, sometimes you have to take on different roles, and open your mind to new experiences. And sometimes you think you're on the brink of everything you want, but you're just not ready for it.

This is what I tried to capture in my piece. It's a simple material collage. All different fabrics mushed together to symbolize the different stages of life, and growth.

In the end, all these different stages end up making you the person you want to become and are at peace with.

Olivia. Nearing mid-twenties. 100% East Coast.

'Rise Up' by Amy

This song is just beautiful and so meaningful. My younger sister has always struggled to find her place in the world. She followed in my footsteps in high school, being in the drama club and choir, but hasn’t found her own thing. Even now, in college, she didn’t know what she wanted to “be”. Slowly, though, she is beginning to stand on her own two feet, breaking away from my mold and becoming who she is meant to be. She is going to show the world all that she can become and this song makes me think about her. I know that she is strong and that she will rise up against the world.

In my picture, I picked out different elements of the song that really spoke to me: goddess, butterfly, breaking glass, and singing out loud. The goddess stands, poised and strong, ready to take on the world. Her wings break the mold of what people have forced on her as she realizes all that she has inside her and what she can accomplish.

My name is Amy and I live in New York City. I’m in my last semester of college as a Childhood Education major. I’m student teaching in Brooklyn at this time and am having a fun yet challenging time teaching 4th graders. I want to teach my students to appreciate the arts since they are being cut out of schools and plan on integrating all the fine arts into my classroom. I know the arts made a huge difference in my life and I think they can especially work wonders on inner city children where their highest aspirations are to be rappers or basketball players. I love theatre, cooking, and reading in my spare time.

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A Hero Comes Home


Perfume and Promises

'Brave' by Jennifer

There once was a girl who was living with her husband. The thing was, he was abusing her. Every day, and every night, he would come into her room and hit her until she couldn't take it anymore. She would scream and cry, but he never stopped.

No one ever heard her cries. No one heard her screams. They were too afraid of getting help for her because of her stories about being hit daily, and they were scared of the fate that she was coming to.

She loved him, but knew that she had to leave.

Stuck within a hard place and a rock, not knowing what to do.

Crying silent tears each night as she laid beside him.

Not knowing what to do, not knowing how to get help. Not knowing how to leave without coming back.

She finally decided, one cold night, to leave him. She quietly packed up all of her stuff without awaking him.

But before she did, she looked at her past; a husband deeply asleep, not knowing what she was about to do.

"I might be afraid, but it's my turn to be brave," she wrote in the note that she left by his side.

Then she turned around, and walked away without another glance.

----

This story was inspired by the line, "I might be afraid, but it's my turn to be brave" in Brave. I think that this line represents someone who knows what she has to do, and yet is too afraid to do something about it. This line also represents a situation where the person has to make a decision, like in the story, the woman must decide whether to leave her husband or stay.

My name is Jennifer. I am 15 years old, and I live in Minnesota. I am a big fan of Broadway, and also like to read, write, listen to music and hang out with my friends.

'Still I Can't Be Still' by Amanda

The lyrics “I don’t believe I’m beautiful but at least I’ve got my sister’s smile” from “Still I Can’t Be Still” have always touched home with me. The first time I heard these lyrics it was like someone had read my mind. I am not a self-confident person and I have always looked to my younger sister for her confidence. She has always been so sure of herself and who she is while I have always been rather uncertain about myself. I looked to her, even though she was younger, and tried to find a bit of me in her to help myself find my own inner confidence. My sister and I have not always gotten along perfectly, but as we are getting older we have started to get closer. My going away to college this past fall has made us communicate better than we ever have before and made me truly appreciate always having her there for me.

My name is Amanda. I am 19 years old and from Massachusetts. I am a freshman at Hofstra University on Long Island. I have no idea what I want to major in or really what I want to do with my life. I just know I want to find something that I feel passionate about and that makes me happy while I am doing it.

'Once Upon a Time' by Samantha

I have a pretty emotional relationship with the song. After a former boyfriend and myself broke up, all I can remember is sitting in my room, listening to the song for hours on repeat. I find the song, as well as most of your music increadibly easy to relate to. The song makes me a little sad, but it's the amazing kind of sad- you know, a good cry?

My name is Samantha, I'm eighteen years old, and I live in southern Ohio.


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'Here' - Sierra, Megan, and Ashley

'I Stand' by Alexandra

The moment I heard “I Stand” playing I was changed. I felt inspired and moved – the song managed to capture so many emotions that I’ve always had problems expressing. It helped me get out of my head and realize that sometimes, it’s the little things everyone takes for granted that makes life worth living. Whenever I’m in a funk I turn on “I Stand” and just let go. It has been my saving grace during some pretty stressful times this past year.

This collage I’ve created from my photography has individual pictures that represent some of the most moving lyrics in the song. When I took each photo, as I looked through the screen of my digital camera, lyrics from “I Stand” popped into my head and I knew I had to snap the shot. I’m by no means a professional or great photographer, but sometimes I feel inspired to capture my visions for a permanent memory and it often happens when listening to music by Idina Menzel.

Alexandra was born and raised in Southern California. She has been involved in music for as long as she can remember. She used to dance around her living room to The Lion King soundtrack. At age 7 she dabbled in playing the violin for a few months, and when she was 11 she was in her middle school’s concert and symphonic band playing the oboe. In high school she took on the flute and started teaching herself piano. At this time she also discovered her love for musical theater and played in the orchestra of some of her high school’s musical productions. Today she is a junior majoring in Social Science at Hawaii Pacific University, where she also participates in the Honolulu Community Band. She plans to graduate next year and attend graduate school in Boston or New York, majoring in Global/International Affairs.

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'I Feel Everything' by Mykah

I chose “I Feel Everything” because it talks about how every LITTLE thing you do I will feel it all; the pain, despair, anger etc. Also I know how Idina feels when she said “When you fall apart, when you have no heart I feel everything”. To me that means even if you don’t care about how I feel or you think what you may have said didn’t hurt… your wrong. I will still feel everything.

I was inspired by how Idina puts all her sudden anger into words and makes it sound so wonderful. Therefore, because of the beginning of the song, Ballerina, I decided to find a sad/ depressed looking ballerina. In the painting it shows how she has been broken almost and how she feels all the hurt and the pain that has been caused by whoever.

Although the girl in the art may not show all the signs….the feelings there.

My name is Mykah(Micah) and I am 13 years old. I am from Detroit, Michigan but now I live in Georgia. To start off, one of my biggest dreams of all in this entire world….is just to meet you and become an actress, or a pediatrician. Ever since I was little I have wanted to act. I’ve done a few school plays but it wasn’t much.

'Brave' by Melanie

'Brave' inspired me to make a huge change in my life and leave my home and family to explore a new career and conquer new cities.

Melanie (1979-) was born and raised in Iowa by a single mother. In 2006 she went to London to see Idina Menzel as Elphaba in Wicked while there she met her future best friend while they were waiting in line for front row tickets to the show) and also discovered her love for traveling. She was still living in Iowa, working as a registered nurse, feeling the need to make a change in her life but not quite having the courage to leave everything and everyone she knew, when in 2007 she heard the song "Brave", by Idina Menzel. That song gave her the inspiration to leave home and she now travels all over the country working as a travel nurse. She is grateful to have had the opportunity to meet so many new friends, both during her travel for work and via So Beautiful and IMMB.

'Once Upon a Time' by Miriam

My name is Miriam. I am 17 years old. I will be a freshman at Ithaca College in the Fall studying Stage Management. Four and a half years ago I saw you in Wicked and my life was completely changed. I got very involved in theater after I saw the show. I learned about all of the jobs off stage and realized that I want to Stage Manage. I have Student Directed the last two fall plays at my high school (The Laramie Project, 2007 and The Crucible, 2008). I was the Stage Manager of Rent this spring at my high school as well as a member of the ensemble. Previously I was in the ensembles of Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, and Cats all at my high school. Other than theater I play the Euphonium. It is a baby tuba. I went to NYSSMA All State, like you!, in both 2007 and 2008.

'Gorgeous' and 'I Stand' by Lexy

This picture is a representation of what I feel when I listen to the song "Gorgeous." It gives me the feeling as though there is hope in this world for people to live without being judged. Just living peacefully regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. It gives me hope that someday people will be able to love freely.

My name is Lexy. I'm 20 years old and I live in Miami. In the fall I will be moving to NYC to go to Marymount Manhattan College to pursue my goal of becoming a stage manager.

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'Planet Z' by Erica

Lonely, But Free
A poem inspired by the song, "Planet Z"

She said that life was easy,
But that was just a lie.
Uncovering the dust of the past,
Was for her to decide.

She wondered where her life was going,
And her family that she left behind.
Even her friends couldn't determine her thoughts,
That she struggled to find.

She was in her own little world,
That people did not understand.
Being lonely but self-absorbed,
Was not what she had planned.

She looked outside her window,
Realizing that her life did matter.
Her eyes bled with tears,
Like a glass house waiting to shatter.

She hid her loneliness with confidence,
Always showing a smile on her face.
But when others looked into her eyes,
They knew that was not the case.

She did not want to face the world,
Even though she lacked support.
Knowing that being selfish was wrong,
Because life is too short.

She had little friends and was resented by many,
But was still content with her identity.
Refusing leave her imaginary world,
Continuing to search for true serenity.

The song, "Planet Z" inspired me mainly because I could relate to it a lot. It is a song about people who become self-absorbed and ignore other people because they are unhappy with their lives and think that everything comes easy. Since they are not happy with the way things are, they pretend they're living in their own little world instead of experiencing what's really around them. People who have this type of behavior are too afraid to come out of their comfort zones and see the world, so they pretend they're somewhere else instead of facing their own difficulties in life. "Planet Z" teaches people to draw the line between how things are and how things should be. You can either forget about everyone and everything and dream about something that will never happen, or actually get out there and better yourself to change your views on life and the things surrounding you. This song inspired me to rethink my own life and to enjoy the things I take for granted rather than wishing I was somewhere else.

My name is Erica, 16 years old, from New Jersey. I love movies, TV shows, and especially music. My favorite band is the Goo Goo Dolls. In the next few years, I want to go to a good college and eventually move out of NJ to get a job as a director or producer for movies and television. I want to make a lot of money and eventually donate some to charity, as well as have a family when I'm older.

'Minuet' by Natalie

To me, this verse is about losing yourself in something—a relationship, art, activism…—and realizing that it’s the way you want to be living your life. I love being completely engrossed and transfixed by something outside of myself, whatever that might be, and this verse really resonated with me by exquisitely expressing those emotions.

Natalie, writer/future librarian/equestrian/activist/art lover.

'Butterfly' by Karen

This piece was inspired by Idina Menzel’s song “Butterfly.” I heard this song for the first time she preformed it at the Tilles Center at C.W. Post. Even though I am touched by most of Idina’s music, this just really hit me differently. I can’t really explain it but I immediately felt a connection with this song. Maybe it was the lyrics or the feeling of the drum in my chest, but as soon as I heard about this project I knew what my piece would be about.

Idina said that the song was originally inspired by Julia “Butterfly” Hill, who lived in a tree to stop it from being torn down. So naturally the piece’s main focus is a tree. The tree in the picture is actually made out of butterflies, which is sort of based on the meaning that I pulled out of the song. That there is this special person or something out there makes up your whole world, which is represented by the butterfly tree. But you can’t keep this person or thing in the tree forever because you’ll end up destroying it, so you have to let it go, which is depicted by the butterflies in the sky and the clouds. In the different verses of the song “it’s in our nature to-” is repeated over and over but different words are put at the end to finish the line, deceive, destroy, move on, survive, etc. It’s saying that we are all going to do these things sometime in our lives, even if we don’t mean to, we will. So sometimes, in order to protect what we love most, we have to let it go.

There are over 300, probably close to 400 butterflies in the picture. The lyrics from the song that I choose to put in the piece show how special and important this person who is symbolized by the butterflies is. They are the rain which gives you life, the tears that are your emotions. They bless the ground, earth, and make it special place, a better place than if they were never there. And you see them as so amazing that you elevate them up to the sky. That’s what that part of the song means to me.

My name is Karen, I’m 17 years old and live on good old Long Island. I’ve got a younger brother who is a jock, and we get along most of the time. My parents are a bit older than my other friend’s parents and are the stereotypical Long Island couple with really twisted senses of sarcastic humor. Unfortunately I am not at all musically gifted like many other fans, so there are no Broadway aspirations in my future. But I’m still a huge theater buff and know good music when I hear it. I’m in the stage crew at my school which has allowed me to appreciate the actors and performers even more than I did before, and has led to many new friendships. Of which I am always thankful for. I guess I could be considered a dreamer since I’m always picturing my self in grand situations that are not at all realistic. But I enjoy my dreams, and every once in a while they lead to bursts of creativity like the one that gave me the idea for my picture.

My junior year is quickly coming to an end, and as my high school graduation grows closer and closer I seem to connect more and more with the messages of the songs from I Stand. The entire album has this feeling of inner strength that really speaks to me and encourages me when I am feeling down. It doesn’t take too much to make me feel overwhelmed and when that happens I just put a song on with Idina’s voice in it and it makes me feel so much better. The songs just continually remind me of that endless potential that we all have inside of us and how we need to embrace it, and not be afraid of every challenge that faces us. They calm me down so that I can remember that I’m a smart kid and the only true obstacle in my way is myself, and once I can overcome that the world is mine for the taking. I think that just about summarizes me, as much as a single person can be summarized that is.

'I Feel Everything' by Livi

I decided to use 'I Feel Everything' as my song, as I've always felt drawn to it. I always knew I would wanted to do a project around this kind of idea, and use photography - as I have just bought myself a DSLR for this purpose. Using a live model was great, my model is Siobhan, a friend who does ballet. I love ballet pointe shoes, I think they are so beautiful.

I used the words 'like a prima ballerina' and 'I tiptoe tiptoe around you constantly', as it seemed to fit the mood of the photograph. I wanted to show the aesthetics between grunge and beauty, or in a way, demonstrating that beauty can be found anywhere.

This building was a perfect location for the shoot, as the paint was flaking and it has obviously been neglected, a lot like the person I imagine in the song - she is neglected by her loved one. I imagine an abused woman, trying to be the best wife to her husband, never knowing if he would come home angry or normal. The beauty held in the song is wrecked with heartache and pain, and I tried to portray that in the photograph.

Livi. 19. New Zealand.

'Gorgeous' by Meredith

A Short Story

“Sarah, would you settle down?” Matthew asked as he watched her flit from one side of the room to the other, occasionally picking something up and then putting it back down a few moments later.

“I have to pack,” she muttered, glancing around at her cluttered bedroom.

He laughed, “Come here and sit down.”

Sighing, she ran a hand through her light brown hair and plopped onto the bed beside him. He shook his head and pulled her into his lap, pressing a light kiss to her neck.

“Now, tell me what’s wrong,” he instructed, resting his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist.

She twisted her head around to look down at him and said, “Matt, what if my parents don’t like you? What if they tell me that we can’t get married? What if my family…”

“What if they do like me?” he replied quietly, cutting her off. She narrowed her eyes, but remained silent as he continued. “We could play this game all day, but the fact still remains that I want to marry you. I do plan on asking your father for permission first because it’s important to you, but what if he does say no? Are you really going to leave me because of what he thinks?”

“No, of course not,” she said in a small voice, her slight Southern accent even more prominent than normal. “I just want them to like you.”

He grinned; he loved her accent even though she complained that it made her sound stupid. Taking her hand in his, he allowed his fingers to slide gently over her palm, caressing her skin as he kissed her cheek.

“Don’t worry,” he told her. “They’ll come around. I mean, what else can they do?”

“Throw me out of the family, maybe?” she offered with a wry smile. At the disapproving look he gave her, she groaned, “All right, I’ll try to hope for the best. Happy?”

“Of course,” he said. He paused for a moment before asking, “Why are you so worried, anyway? I mean, how bad can it be?”

“You don’t understand,” she murmured, looking down at their entwined hands, at the contrast of his dark skin with her pale skin. “Down there, you just don’t date outside of your race. It’s not done. It’s almost like for a small part of my hometown, integration and the Civil Rights movement never happened.”

She got up from his lap and wandered over to her mirror, biting her lip as she gazed at her worried reflection. He followed her, holding her gently as he watched their reflection.

“What do you see when you look at us?” she asked suddenly. “What do you think about our relationship?”

He looked down at her, a smile curving across his face as he studied her hazel eyes. He glanced back at their reflection, taking in the sight of his brown arms wrapped around her waist, her small fair hands running along his skin. He bent his head down next to her ear and whispered a simple word that sent a shiver down her spine as his breath brushed her neck.

“Gorgeous.”

---

I chose to write this story for a few reasons. I’ve found the song, “Gorgeous,” to be inspiring and a beautiful way of describing the way love should be. I do come from a small Southern town, so the fact that people look down on interracial dating and homosexuality is something I’m very familiar with. It has always bothered me that there is a stigma attached to interracial dating, and I feel that it is something that should be changed. Since my dream is to one day become a writer, I hope that maybe one day, my work will influence other people’s opinions, and maybe an issue like this can be eradicated.

My name is Meredith. At the moment, I am attending Huntingdon College. It’s a small private college in Alabama, and it’s not particularly well-known, but I do love it with all my heart. I am majoring in Business Administration and English with a concentration in Creative Writing. While I do plan on becoming a writer, eventually, I also enjoy the business world, so I’ve managed to satisfy both my creative and practical sides. I just finished my freshman year, so I have a while to wait until I get into the real world.

'My Own Worst Enemy' by Lauren

This piece is based on your song “My Own Worst Enemy”. The first half represents childhood and the innocence and natural happiness that comes with it. The second half represents what are lives are like as adults. Around the second photo I put several ways in which I am my own worst enemy sometimes.

My name is Lauren and I am from Naperville, IL. I am 20 years old and will be a sophomore at Saint Louis University this fall. I am studying to be a speech language pathologist and would like to work with kids. I play on SLU’s ultimate Frisbee club team. In my free time I like watching movies, going to the theater, and hanging out with friends. This summer I am working at a Girl Scout day camp which should be a lot of fun.

'I Stand' by Jenna

I had a lot of trouble picking one lyric to focus on. I am very indecisive and am drawn to lyrics from so many songs, including “I Stand,” ”Here,” “So Beautiful,” and “Rise Up.”

The thing that I find most inspiring about the songs is how poetic the language and style of each line is. Some artists seem to not put any thought into how they are expressing a certain feeling (if they even are writing it). I love that the lyrics are beautiful and genuine, something that is so easily relatable. I am always discovering new things when I listen to any of your songs. Additionally, I love the instrumentals intertwined with these four songs especially. I play piano and clarinet, and enjoy singing. With this musical background, I always find myself drawn to climactic parts in the music (especially the bridge and chorus). Combine the instrumentals with the powerful lyrics, and an amazing and indescribable feeling arises. I often find myself inexplicably grinning from ear to ear when I hear those parts (people must think I am crazy).

In the end, I chose to take pictures that work well with one of my favorite lines from “I Stand”: “with the slightest of breezes (1st photo), we fall just like leaves (2nd photo- on top), as the rain washes us from the ground (3rd photo- on bottom).”


My name is Jenna, and I am 20 years old. I am from Ohio, and am currently a student at the University of Pennsylvania. I have been fortunate enough to see three concerts you have had close to Philadelphia, including your Rose Hall concert.

'Larissa's Lagoon' and 'Still I Can't Be Still' by Maggie

I’m not much of a songwriter myself, but I absolutely love poetry and lyrics, especially when I find a line or two that really strike something within me. The lyrics to 'Larissa’s Lagoon' and 'Still I Can’t Be Still' are some of my favorite ever- I think that they are written so eloquently but, at the same time, can still be considered on so many levels. Both of these individual lines resonate with me particularly strongly right now as I’m finally beginning to accept the fact that no matter how hard my family and those around me try to force me into the mold of a proper businesswoman or engineer, I am a musician and I need to give myself the permission and liberty to follow my passion and live the life I want.

My name is Maggie, and I’m a nineteen year-old violinist from Philadelphia, PA.

'Butterfly' by Griselda

The song Butterfly inspired me because the lyrics remind me that the ones I love are always around even after they've passed on. Especially the lyric "No matter what keep holding on the work of an angel is never done." What this lyric means to me is to never feel alone because the people that you love are really never gone.

My name is Griselda. I'm 20 years old. I live in Georgia and I one day hope to work in some aspect of the music industry.

'Don't Let Me Down' by Natalie

I chose 'Don't Let Me Down' and decided to include 2 lyrics that really stand out for me. As a teacher this song really spoke to me and the idea of a voice saying "Don't let me down" is something I think about on a daily basis. The idea of holding a future is prominent in education.

I'm Natalie, 23, from Ontario. I am currently a grade 2 teacher. I love teaching because I am making a difference in the life of a child and I get to laugh and have fun every day. In my spare time I help young children with exceptionalities participate in dance classes and take some classes of my own.

'I Feel Everything' by Rebecca

I chose I Feel Everything because it is a song with a lot of emotion. It's very relatable and it is one of my favorite Idina songs.

My name is Rebecca and I am twenty years old from Chicago Il.

From 'Brave' to 'My Own Worst Enemy' by Ariel

Your most recent album came out during a time where I was in transition. I was facing staying at my current job or packing up everything and moving to New York City to pursue my dream of Stage Management.

Many of my friends kept telling me to go and “try it out for a year” so I wouldn’t regret it later, but for some reason I couldn’t convince myself. Then I listened to your album. From “Brave” to “My Own Worst Enemy” -- I totally felt a connection to what you were saying. It was like my own subconscious was telling me to take a chance.

So I did.

It was kind of funny actually thinking back. I went to New York to see your Rose Hall performance. It was just a day trip, so I had to entertain myself for a few hours in a part of the city I never really spent time in. So I wandered the streets and came across The Juilliard School and thought “Wow! This is a place I would love to work!” So then I came home and talked to one of my co-workers about my dilemma and he gave me some numbers to call. One of them happened to be Juilliard.

My name is Ariel and I have been in New York doing theatre for the past nine months…at The Juilliard School. Now I know that area extremely well, ha. I feel like you are a big reason it happened. So thank you for living your dream and inspiring others to do the same!

'Larissa's Lagoon' by Emily

The reason why I picked the song Larissa’s Lagoon is because my interpretation of the song is facing problems in your life and trying to overcome them. In my picture the girl is crying nine tears which are suppose to represent the nine scars I have from surgeries I have gotten because of my disability. She has a pink scarf tied around her waist which represents the bright pink cast I had to wear from my waist to my toes from one of my surgeries which in my opinion is the worst type of cast I have had to wear. She has sixteen cuts on her arms which shows how many years I have had to deal with spina bifida (well actually its 15 but it will be 16 this November). The reason why there is a grave stone with flowers in front of it is because when I heard the song it seemed to me that Larissa committed suicide to escape her father and she collected the flowers for her own grave and she woke up singing because she was a ghost and was finally free from the pain in her life. The sky is purple because in the song it said they never look blue but I put some blue around Larissa because she was in a better place where the skies are always blue. The brown thing she is walking on is a bridge, just incase you couldn’t tell.
The reason why you can’t see her feet, well at first it was because I am terrible and drawing hands and feet but I guess it could show how I don’t like to show my feet because of all the scars.

I'm Emily.

1. I’m 15 years old turning 16 on Nov. 9th.
2. I am a freshman at Wellington High School in Wellington Ohio (and if you don’t know where that is, don’t feel bad no one does)
3. My best class is English and the worst is Math
4. I have been in choir for 4 years and honors choir twice.
5. I am in drama club and I have been in all the plays and musicals this year.
6. I have been in band before in 5th and 6th grade playing the clarinet.
7. I have one older brother and one older sister
8. I love Musicals but I haven’t been to Broadway yet but I will be going next year.
9. I lived in Tennessee for about six years
10. I saw you when you came to the Cleveland House of Blues last year.
11. I take French and I am in French Club
12. I was a part of Student Council this year.
13. My dream is to be on Broadway some day, I could probably be Nessa Rose in Wicked when I am a little older.
14. I go to a Baptist Church.
15. My favorite food is cheese pizza form Dominos
16. My favorite ice cream flavor is Cookies & Cream w/ chocolate syrup.
17. I am right handed.
18. I love to read books, mainly ones in a series.
19. I’m running out of facts, I should have made a list of 10 instead.
20. And last but not least, I have never had a dog for a pet even though I want to.

'Gorgeous' by Isabella

After I bought your I Stand CD I listened to it on repeat for hours. I found your song 'Gorgeous' really inspirational because at the beginning it spoke so much about how we have to defend who we are to other people and how hard it is to just be yourself. The idea of a place where people aren't judged and discriminated against because of their race, or gender, or sexual orreintation, really made me hopeful about what can happen in the world and how we can change things. I don't know if I'm trying too hard to find meaning in your songs, anyways, they are all beautiful. I was so moved by your music I wanted to draw these pictures for you.

Hello, my name is Isabella Medina. I live in Corvallis Oregon. I'm 13 and I've been listening to your music for about a year now. I'm a big fan of your work. I love to sing and draw, I'm in a choir and hope to get into theater in high school.


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'Think Too Much' by Allison

'Brave' and 'I Stand' by Morgan

Right to Be Me

New faces, new places,
Old fears finally left behind.
Is it okay for me to feel
Confused and overwhelmed?

I’ve tried to speak my mind,
I’ve weighed the pros and the cons.
But how am I supposed to know
Who to trust?

Is the choreography of my life
so disjointed?
I’m stronger and wiser,
And braver than yesterday.

When I look into the mirror,
And the windows of my mind,
I see a young and independent woman
Trying to break free.

But it’s time to make my move,
To create my own destiny.
And take the training wheels off
My choices, my future.

Is it wrong or is it right?
I’ll never win without a fight.
But by following my heart and soul,
I’ll have a new sense of control,
And stand for my right to be me.


I wrote this poem because I was inspired by the songs “Brave” and “I Stand.” When I was singing both songs in the shower one night, I realized that they define what I’m feeling at this point in time, about to graduate high school and had off to college.

Deciding to go to college was actually a really big decision for me, mainly because my “dream job” is to be a professional ballet dancer. Believe it or not, after four years of college, 22 years old is ancient for a ballet dancer! My mom was pushing for me to stay home and attend a training program instead of college, but I had this gut feeling that in terms of my growth as person, and a dancer, that wasn’t the right move.

“Brave” and “I Stand” put into words what I wanted to and finally built up the courage to express to my parents, family and friends. I finally understood the magnitude of this decision, and knew that I had to speak my mind or else I would regret it. I guess my poem is just an extension of the battle between my thoughts.

My name is Morgan and I’m from Woodcliff Lake, NJ. I’m 18 years old and about to graduate from high school! I’m going to be attending Butler University in Indianapolis and majoring in ballet (and maybe creative writing…I love writing poetry!). My dream is to be a dancer in a major international ballet company, like American Ballet Theatre. I also hope, after my dance performance career is over, to become a choreographer. Like you’ve said when you write songs, dance is the medium where I can be myself, be experimental, and just do what I love.

'Penny' by Stephani

I chose “Penny” because it encapsulates who I am. I’m constantly changing myself according to my surroundings and the people I’m around. I’m a certain person with my family, a different person with my friends, and another around strangers. I don’t know how to be everything to everybody. Oftentimes I feel like I come up just a little short.

Hearing “Penny” made me realize that other people feel the same way. There are other people out there who feel inadequate at times, but don’t know what to do about it. Sometimes the only thing to do is ask God for help. But God doesn't always deliver when you want her/him to so I had to be proactive. The message helped me to seek out the GLBT group at my school. It’s let me be someone whom I really love. I’m able to be so free and express my love for “The L Word” and wife beaters, and no one judges me. I’m surrounded by people who live and speak openly, and it is such a great sight. Although I haven’t come out to my friends and family, it doesn’t scare the me anymore.

My name is Stephani. I'm going to start my second year of college at the University of Houston (Go Coogs!) in the Fall. I'm majoring in Sociology in the hopes of becoming a social worker in the health industry to help citizens pay for and get adequate health care. I'm also starting to get involved in the GLBT community around Houston. I'm an unashamed musical theater nerd, but I do tear myself away from cast recordings to listen to other music. Mostly india.arie, Jason Mraz, John Legend, Amos Lee, and, of course, Idina Menzel.

'Planet Z' by Jen

This photoshopped picture was inspired by the song "Planet Z." The original image was actually a botched attempt to document my visit at the Cite des Sciences in Paris a couple of years ago. For some reason, the lighting was off and I managed to capture everything but myself. I enhanced the coloring and lighting of the photograph to make it look more artificial and to better the contrast between the backdrop and the reflection of the museum on the spheric surface of La Geode, which with its bluer skies and more tranquil scenery has become my very own Planet Z.

Jen. An imaginaut of the sciences by day and a lover of the arts by night. Currently living in Cambridge, MA.

'Perfume and Promises' by Lynzi

‘Perfume and Promises’ is not only my favourite Idina Menzel song, but my favourite song of all time and it always has a ridiculously high play count on my iTunes (higher than songs that have been there way longer than it too). So, naturally it was my first choice to make a piece of art based upon a song by Idina. It's such a pretty song and some of the lyrics are really touching, I mean “Stay for another morning, study the curves on my face, stay even when we’re unknowing, stay till they tear you away.”? Yeah, that gets me every time I hear it.

I’ve heard Idina say on several occasions that this song was written the day after she threw herself a going away party in London. London being my favourite city and this song being my favourite song, I wanted to do something to link the two, so here is my creation. I used my own personal photographs from previous trips to London and my favourite lyric from the song. I also added a picture of Idina that I believe matches that lyric.

I’m Lynzi, I’m 20 years old and I’m from Scotland. I live in a relatively large town close to Edinburgh and I love living here, although I’d much rather live in London because that’s my favourite city. I’m in my last few weeks of college studying Early Education and Childcare, yes I’m one of those people who adores kids, and eventually I’d like to live in London or New York City, as close to the world of musical theatre as I can get, working as a nanny.

'Reach' by Zoe

Reach

Reach
Waiting, searching for a hint
Anything to show we're ready
Reach
Look, giggle for no reason
Pulses racing because of nerves
Reach
Slowly, gently fingertips touch
Now we're holding hands
Reach
Apprehensive, excited at what could come
Something we both want
Reach
Whisper, reply "Why don't you?"
I'm too scared
Reach
Seriously, hesitantly we move closer
Lips touch for a brief moment
Reach
Desire, love coursing through bodies
Time stops and one second is forever
Reach
Everything is perfect and right
In that one, first kiss

I wrote this poem about three years ago in response to my first kiss with my best friend, who I was in love with. We had already admitted our feelings for each other and we were sitting on the bed talking, listening to a mix CD that included Reach. The last song on the CD was Goodbye, Love so when it got to Reach, I put the song on repeat. The poem basically describes what happened next. We stopped talking, inched closer and closer, both too scared to actually do it. Then I said, “kiss me”, she said “Why don’t you?” I said I was too scared and then somehow we ended up kissing. It was the perfect kiss to the perfect song, and every time I hear Reach now I go back to that. Thank you for creating such wonderful music to be inspired by and have as background music for so many of my memories.

Hi! My name is Zoe and I live in South Dakota. I just graduated from high school. I am a dancer, singer, actress, artist, and pretty much anything else fine arts.

'Summer's Grace' by Laura

These words are inspired by the song Summer's Grace. It was the very first song of yours I ever heard and if I had to choose a favourite, this might just be it. Even though I didn't know the song at the time, it reminds me of when I met my partner (who I'm still with nearly four years later). As well as that delicious feeling of relating to every single word being sung, I think it's just a beautiful tune full stop.

My name is Laura, I'm 23 and I'm from the beautiful but isolated country of New Zealand. I've been a fan of you and your music since about 2005...Which can be hard at times! You're more than welcome to visit - you'd be surprised at how many fans you have here.

'Gorgeous' by Emma

I chose 'Gorgeous' because of two things that I love that has Gorgeous playing in my mind when ever I read or watch them.

The quote I put in my drawing, “you and me against the world”, came from the book Double Cross from the Noughts and Crosses series. The first book, Noughts and Crosses, tells the story of a white boy and a black girl and then later on in Double Cross it tells the story of a mixed raced girl and a white boy. Both books show the couples trying to live their life as friends and lovers whilst growing up in a world where they shouldn’t be together because of their skin colour. Throughout reading these books I kept relating these characters back to Gorgeous, so I thought that I had to put something from those books into my drawing.

The drawing of the man and woman hugging is from a popular English sci-fi TV show I love called Doctor Who. In the story where the picture was from The Doctor and Rose Tyler, who had been separated for a few years after saving the world but losing each other, were finally been reunited.

My name is Emma, I’m 15 years old and I’m from Buckhurst Hill in London.

'Let Me Fall' by Vanessa

My art is dancing.

'Let Me Fall' inspired me for 2 reasons:

1. To keep going with my dancing. Even though I'm considered old (this fall I will be 25) for a dancer and am not as great as I used to be or as my fellow dancemates, my passion is still there. The song reminds me that if I still love it, I should not let others make me feel bad and make me want to quit because of my age.

2: To keep following my dreams and make them come true.

The song also reminds me of a friendship that changed my life. When I went to the Atlanta concert, I met the best friend I could ever have and we're determined to reunite again when we both finish school and move to NY to watch all the Broadway we can!

My name is Vanessa and I am a College student majoring in Nursing (and eventually becoming a nurse practitioner) and a dance teacher. I live on the Gulf Coast of MS and am an adoptee.

'I Stand' by Kim

I chose "I Stand" because it inspires me to be proud of who I am, and be an individual. This painting includes a variety of bright colors to represent the unique backgrounds that we all have. The colors are mixing with one another to show that despite our differences, we all come together through music, because it is universally understood.

Hi, my name is Kim. I am 16 years old and I live in New Jersey. My passion is singing. One day I hope to perform on Broadway.

'Gorgeous' by Renee

The photo I have included is a picture of my mother (on the left) and her partner Patti. From the very first time I heard your song Gorgeous I knew it was perfect for them. I included lyrics I that I believe pertain the most to their relationship. The piece is blue because it is the color I have always associated with the song, and, to me, that is the color of freedom. I am having this artwork printed on canvas to give to them for Mother's Day.

My name is Renee and I live in New York. I work as a costume designer and a dresser on Broadway.

'Hope' by Sarah

Hope

Artist: Sarah

'Straw into Gold' by Katy

Straw into Gold

Artist: Katy

'God Give Me Strength' by Enya

God Give Me Strength

She sat int he chapel, praying silently for strength. This was the first time she had been in the old church since her childhood. She had come for funerals, and weddings. Lives, deaths. She thought it was funny, life after death, after life, after death.

She stood, bracing herself for what was to come. She knew it would hurt- not just him, but her as well. But it had to be done. "God give me strength."

Poet: Enya

'Brave' by Enya

Brave (Acoustic)

Brave
So strong
So weak
Brave
So intimate
So cold
Brave
So courageous
So scared
Brave
So alive
So dead
Brave
So light
So dark

Brave
That's what I was
Brave
That's how a felt
Brave
That was my dying word

Poet: Enya

'Let Me Fall' by Enya

Let Me Fall

She pulled the coat close to her body. She hated the fall. She hated the small town she was chained to. She hated how she was chained to that stupid, little town. She felt stuck, up on a big island in the sky. She wanted to run off the edge and just fall.

All those thoughts were expelled when she stopped. "A cliff..." She walked as close to it as she could. Her coat dropped to the ground. Cold air engulfed her, but amidst the cold, she seemed to burn. Her fingertips ached to feel, and she dropped to her knees, digging her fingers into the dirt. Fresh tears fell, speckling her lap and shirt.

Poet: Enya

'Where Do I Begin' by Jo

Where Do I Begin

Artist: Jo