Groban wows SA fans
2004-11-29 08:43
Sun City - International singing phenomenon Josh Groban, received a standing ovation after he wowed audiences, young and old during his first performance on Saturday night at the Sun City Superbowl.
The South African tour has been held in support of Unite Against Hunger.
Groban also sang at the Northgate Dome in Johannesburg on Sunday, and will perform at Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town on December 3.
Violin virtuoso, Lucia Micarelli joined Groban during the concert.
Micarelli's debut album, music from a Farther Room, was recently released locally, and the classically trained violinist received a warm response from the audience.
She performs with a violin in everything, from jazz combos to orchestral rock. The New York born, Hawaiian raised artist has been a violin student from the age of three and made her orchestral debut with the Honolulu symphony at the age of six.
Groban, the 22-year-old baritone's concert featured a 16-piece all-South-African string orchestra, along with 20 members from Rhema church, who joined Groban for the song You raise Me Up.
The tall curly-haired classical singer who was born in Los Angeles, California, sang one of his favourites, Remember in tribute to 9/11 victims.
He took singing lessons in the late 90s from a vocal coach who knew record producer David Foster.
Foster was setting Groban up with gigs, and in 1999, Foster asked the then-17-year-old to sing at the Grammy's rehearsal, filling in for Andrea Bocelli and dueting with Celine Dion.
Since the release of his successful 2001 debut album - called Josh Groban and featuring the international hit To Where You Are - Groban has become a musical phenomenon, selling over 10 million albums worldwide.
His South African sales are over 250 00 units - making him one of the biggest international artists in the country, the organisers said.
South Africa is his third biggest market after the United States and Canada.
- SAPA