Raise me up

Yesterday my friend introduced my to the British show Nevermind the Buzzcocks, a comedy music game show.



Highly entertaining, even though I don't necessarily get all of the humor (I'm not as well versed in British pop culture as I'd like, I suppose). The actual game makes up maybe five minutes of the show, and the rest is back and forth joking and mocking between guests and the host, Simon Amstell. The episode I saw (lots are available on YouTube) featured, among other guests, Josh Groban. He's best known for award-winning single "You Raise Me Up"...



He's cute, friendly, funny and entertaining - I made the executive decision that we should be best friends after watching him on Nevermind the Buzzcocks, and because of his personality I decided to check out his music. Evidently I don't know my own iTunes very well, because surprise - I have three of his albums! (Thank you, freshman floor music sharing). He's got a phenomenal voice and while his music isn't entirely my style (his opera roots show through), it is pretty impressive.

It's interesting how much an artist's personality can impact my thoughts on their music. Although it's not necessarily the be-all-end-all, it does have an effect. If, at a live show, the band plays well and engages the crowd with their strong personality, my thoughts on them and their music generally improves. If they're less than impressive or just unfriendly, it tends to have a negative impact. So Groban's musical skills plus his good humor and friendly demeanor lead me to my new love. Even if we won't be best friends (and let's be honest, it's pretty unlikely), at least I've got new music to explore. Thanks, Simon!