Vanessa Williams at a public appearance for WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease and Burlington Stores Launch #KnockOutHeartDisease Campaign, Burlington Store at Union Square, New York, NY February 6, 2018. Photo By: Derek Storm/Everett Collection
Vanessa Williams is taking on the iconic role of Miranda Priestly in the upcoming West End-bound production of The Devil Wears Prada musical, and she’s giving fans an exclusive sneak peek of the epic new tunes crafted by Elton John himself.
During her appearance on the July 10 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the “Save the Best for Last” singer shared her excitement about working with the legendary pop icon for the musical, which started its off-West End run in Plymouth, England, on July 6.
“I am honored because I grew up listening to Elton John on my little transistor radio on my windowsill with my two antennae, listening to ‘Bennie and the Jets’ and ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’,” Williams reminisced. “That’s my childhood! So, to be able to work with him and have him write new songs that I get the chance to sing for him is pretty epic.”
In the show, Williams portrays Miranda Priestly, the formidable editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Runway. While chatting with Clarkson, she gave the audience a taste of one of the musical’s standout numbers. “The script is very much based on the movie, so you see all the aspects of that, but it’s amplified by the music. So, for instance, in the second act they’re doing their fashion show and everyone thinks [Miranda] is on the outs,” she explained, before breaking into an a capella rendition: “‘You think that I can’t see you/ Smugly sitting there with glee/ Eager for the ending you’ve been waiting years to see/ Today, she’s getting ousted/ Yet her final hour’s nigh/ ‘Miranda’s reign has run its course’/ That’s what you think? Oh my.'”
Williams also highlighted how John’s musical talents bridge the gap between musical theater and pop, promising broader appeal. “This music takes the transition from the words and brings it to musical theater—but it’s also pop, too, because that’s Elton’s background,” she noted. “So, there’s going to be remixes on the radio from The Devil Wears Prada, because he knows what works in both genres.”
With Vanessa Williams leading the charge and Elton John’s magical musical touch, The Devil Wears Prada musical is set to be a groundbreaking hit on the West End.
Photo Credit: DepositPhotos.com
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