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It's not about doing something that's as big as 'Hamilton.' That may never happen again, and that's okay.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
It's still a political statement to stand on stage as a person of color and be excellent. We still need those images to combat the narrative we're often fed - as someone innately inferior or inexorably linked with lack.
Leslie Odom, Jr.
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The record company felt wisely that we should get something out before I left 'Hamilton' or around awards time, and that deadline was not easy.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I know it's hard for people to imagine a time when 'Hamilton' wasn't 'Hamilton,' but for years, it was just this little thing that I was telling people about that didn't make any sense to anybody as I was describing it. But I loved it.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I kind of think we sort of subconsciously draw things into our lives, whatever we're trying to work through.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I'm an artist, and I like art that gets people talking, good or bad. Criticism is good, too.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I've dedicated more than 15 years to this theater and television thing; I want to spend the next 10, 15 years or so devoted to music.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
The bad guys have way more fun, in my opinion. 'Bad guys' in quotes.
Leslie Odom, Jr.
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I'm in no way running from 'Hamilton' or its success or these beautiful songs that I've been blessed to be able to be the one to introduce them. I certainly won't be the last to sing them, but to be the first, I feel very lucky.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I've done a lot of translation in TV, and I can do it. I'm trained to do it. I know how to inject a certain amount of my naturalness into that and where I come from into those things, but it helps if somebody's writing with my experience in mind.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
If I'm allowed it, I'm really looking forward to a little time on the couch and a little time on a beach in Brazil.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
You hear a song like 'Wait For It,' you hear a song like 'Dear Theodosia' - if you get one of those songs in a musical - one - it's worth dropping everything to sing that one song.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I know what feeling broke feels like real well. I know that real well.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I wanted to make an album that was hopeful and encouraging and inspiring. That was the goal.
Leslie Odom, Jr.
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What is the future going to say about us now? What are our kids going to look at us and say, 'How could you not stop that person from getting into power? How could you not stop that environmental disaster that you saw coming a mile away?'
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
To get even realer with you for a second, as a black actor, as a performer of color, I don't know how many more roles like Aaron Burr are gonna come along for me.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
When we go and cheer Cynthia Erivo on in 'The Color Purple,' it's because we've elected her to be our voice. She sings 'I'm Here' for all of us.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I don't have any control over the offers that are going to come to me or not come to me. But I can't go backward, and so that's what's tricky.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
We didn't go to Broadway musicals when I was growing up; it was too expensive.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
There's this Frank Wildhorn tune 'Sarah' - it's not a widely known tune, but it's my favorite song to sing.
Leslie Odom, Jr.
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It's about polarization. You're trying to stir up something in your audience.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I grew up in Philadelphia in a time where we took it for granted that we were supposed to be young and gifted and black. It was a culture of excellence - and all my friends were more talented than I was.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
I've realized along the way that a lot of things that I do as a performer are about waiting for somebody to write something for me or develop something for me, but music, music was the thing that I don't have to wait for anybody's permission to do.
Leslie Odom, Jr. -
Sometimes I think of creativity or art as this well that we all draw from.
Leslie Odom, Jr.