We still have to wait a little longer for Lea Michele's sophomore album Places to drop but on March 3, the songstress released her first single off the album, "Love is Alive."
The slow, emotional song is very special to the former Glee star. She tells E! News, "I wanted a song on the album that represented where I am personally in my life right now, and this song is exactly that. [The song] is about believing in love and the power and beauty of love. It made me so happy while recording it, and I hope it brings the same light and joy to everyone else as it has for me."
So, what does "Love is Alive," preview about the album as a whole?
First off, Michele is clearly done altering her natural tone in favor of pop hits. Instead, her first single showcases her incredible vocal chops in a Rachel Berry-like ballad. Seriously, it is almost like this song was taken right from the Ryan Murphy show. She confirmed this reversion to her Broadway roots in an interview with Billboard saying, "I’m a live singer, I come from Broadway, that’s what I do! I didn’t really have the opportunity to perform [the Louder] songs for people and get on a stage. Now, I’ve had the time to sit back and go, ‘Who am I? What is my voice? I don’t want to sound like anyone else but me."
In 2014, Michele released her debut album Louder and one of the most notable weaknesses was that the Broadway belter was clearly constrained by the songs she was given. As for Places, that doesn't seem to be a problem, "We have two songs that veer a little bit more in the pop direction, but for the most part, I sat back and listened to all of the songs that I grew up listening to, and most of them were Celine Dion, four-minute-long vocal Olympics," she reveals. "This is a vocal album, and there are definitely love songs in there, but there’s also a sense of freedom. I went back and listened to all of the divas that I loved, and tried to find how that music resonates for me, in 2017."
Michele has always been noted for her vocal ability and stage presence. This album looks to be completely devoted to vocal acrobatics and the opportunity for impressive and demanding vocal performances. If "Love is Alive" is any indication, we can't wait for Places.