When you are a critically acclaimed Broadway superstar, there is not much you can’t do. Kristin Chenoweth is a well-known actress, the peak of career being in the early 2000’s with her roles in shows such as Wicked and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and has kept herself relevant with guest appearances on shows such as Glee and the television special Hairspray Live! Now in 2019, she is back in the swing of things with a brand-new cover album – one similar to the 2018 Cher album, Dancing Queen, consisting of cover songs. Chenoweth crafted this album, For The Girls, to pay homage to artists that have shaped her career and pays tribute to artists such as Doris Day with her cover of “When I Fall in Love” to Barbara Streisand’s “The Way They Were”. These songs being ones that have influenced her recognizable voice today. Unlike other artists creating cover albums, this album is not one big party. Chenoweth chose songs that are easy-listening, mostly piano and guitar ballads, potentially to suit her lower range, which is not normally heard from her. This album does a good job of restoring Chenoweth’s voice into a younger generation that has not heard this from her in a while. This album initially was supposed to be a solo album, but when there are voices today such as country artist Reba McEntire, the soulful Jennifer Hudson, the queen Dolly Parton and the incomparable and angelic Ariana Grande, there is never a reason to say “no” to a collaboration. The connections that Chenoweth shares with these artists on this album is undeniable, the reason we always sing along and have such a deep connection to “I Will Always Love You” is revisited in this album with Dolly Parton. Ariana Grande and Kristin Chenoweth create an unforgettable duet with “You Don’t Own Me”, which does a perfect job of mixing Grande’s consistent messages of female empowerment and Chenoweth’s message of that through the album into one song. Having Grande on this album also targets Grande’s fans to be more enticed to hear what their favorite singer is doing and be introduced to a class act voice such as Chenoweth. After that song though, it will be mainly focused on an older generation as most of the collaborations and songs on the record are ones to be recognized by your older relatives. The collaboration with Reba McEntire and Jennifer Hudson takes three powerhouse voices and gives everyone what they want. However, fans that take the time to listen to classics will appreciate this album because it is evident that Chenoweth put her heart and soul into this album, capturing the messages that the original artists that came before her intended to put into to these songs. In conclusion, I think this album does a very good job of weaving Chenoweth’s bright and recognizable (by most) voice and classics that are loved and recognized by everyone into one record that could go into a top 3 best in her discography. Rating: 4.5/5
-By: Gio Battaglia
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