Video: Bradley Gibson Is Singing From the Heart
Jan 11, 2025
Bradley Gibson makes his 54 Below solo debut singing songs that highlight his stage career in addition to Broadway classics, pop/Randamp;B favorites, and some original tunes. His original songs are available to stream and are a party! He tells us all about it in this video.
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Are you ready
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It's the Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon. Well, everybody, welcome to the Roundtable on Broadway World
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And you know in all of the 500 plus interviews that I've ever done, literally over 500 interviews that I've done
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I've never done an interview at the airport. Well, there's a first time for everything
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And here we are at the airport. I love nothing more than when I get to talk to my friends and when friends do amazing great things
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This whole year, this new year is going to be about friends. This whole year is going to be about community
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And this whole year right here on the roundtable is we're going to talk to artists about art and then become best friends
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And then stay best friends and have the most talented cool friends in the entire world. That's what we do here
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There's going to be so many people here this year. And I haven't so much fun with you here on Broadway World on Friday
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So many of you have reached out to me and told me that you've watched our show. liked our show, listened to our show, and it's been such a great joy to have you all be a part
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So I'm really grateful to be able to spend time with you. So when we talk about New Year's
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resolutions and when we talk about New Year's and we talk about 2025, I think doing things we've
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never done before is something that we all can do a part of it. My buddy, I love when people I know
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in real life are here and I love this next guest. I love his husband so much. I love everything
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about them as they're like a power couple. I don't know. They are on television. They're on Broadway
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They're professors at Ivy League schools. They produce things. Bradley Gibson is going to be at 54 Below for the first time with a solo show
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What is he singing? What is he doing? What is going on? Bradley Gibson, welcome back to the round table
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Hi, Robert. Thanks for having me. I'm so excited to have you be here again
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And I'm so excited that people are going to get to hear that beautiful, amazing voice in Broadway's living room at 54 below
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Oh, thank you. I can't wait to be there. I'm excited to do my first, my New York solo show debut
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Which I cannot believe that that's real. Because you do shows. Like, you just didn't show
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Like, you do shows all the time. Yeah, yeah. This year has been a big year of concerts and symphony jobs
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And, you know, I sang at the Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall in London, all these places
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around the world, Taiwan. But I've never done my own show in New York City
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So this is a big deal. It is a big deal. And you had a year
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of releasing original music. You have music, like your music, your singles are out
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You could stream singles and listen to your music. All you gotta do is go to Bradley Gibson wherever music is heard
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So what did the idea, did you say like this year I'm gonna tackle a solo show and is it a concert
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Is it a cabaret? Like, how do you describe what the evening's gonna be like? It's a little bit of both because I'm gonna be really honest
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The word cabaret like doesn't sit well with me. Like I don't know if I'm a cabaret girl
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You know what I mean? I don't know if I'm a cabaret girl. I can see myself being there saying, like, I was born on January 3rd, 1991
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And the first song I remember was this. Like, I don't like that format for me
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But I do like telling stories. And I do think that a situation and setting, such as many of the great concert
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venues in New York, like 54 below, like Green Room 42, they allow spaces for you to have an intimate setting, right
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where storytelling is a part of it. The great thing about cabaret is the storytelling
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So I'm going to be at 50 Pro Below, and the song is called Brad the Gibson's Songs of My Heart
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And I'm sharing songs that are of my heart because I either, you know, was raised on them
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or they're my favorite tunes or there are songs in my heart
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because I sang them eight times a week on Broadway, or I sang them in some, you know, really big, vast, epic scenario
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that I never could have imagined or because I wrote them myself and I literally writing a song about a relationship something of my heart right They all come from my heart And along with that I can share you know the background of the stories of the songs or just the background about how that song came into my life and how it sits in my
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life now, because I think music is something that is so, it's forever, right? The music that really
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hits our hearts, it lives with us forever. So I consider myself blessed to have music in my heart for a multitude
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to the reasons, either because I wrote it or because I just, you know, it hit my spirit and my
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heart because I was raised on it or I fell in love with it in college or because I sing it eight
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times a week on Broadway. So it's songs in my heart. I am excited for people to get tickets. Go to 54Below.org and get your tickets. It's two
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nights. You only have two nights. I would say like get a chicken Caesar salad and adult beverage
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and cozy up to somebody you like and enjoy an evening. You're going to be like
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this clip. He's going to be like singing right in your face, right there. Right to your face. And I
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really pride myself on, you know, I tell people all the time when I post
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about my original music, I'm like, my goal is just to vibe you out, baby
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I just want to vibe you out. And I want to make you feel good. I want to make you
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you know, I'm naturally drawn to a ballot, and I've definitely sang some beautiful ballots on Broadway
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stages and that's been a great honor. But also I love to vibe you out, meaning I want you to sit
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in that chair and eat that Caesar salad and maybe a little shimmying in your hips, you know
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that rhythm might get you know, I think that's, it's going to be a really good, good, beautiful
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night of music, of vibes, of stories, and just connecting. Because I think the blessing of
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of 2024 and doing as many concerts as I did around the world
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was learning how to just enjoy the energy exchange between audiences and myself, outside of the confines
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of playing a character or trying to navigate, telling a story, or trying to, you know
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people don't even realize some of the real work and maneuvering of a musical theater actor on Broadway is, you know
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timing out that line with the intro, with the orchestra, and knowing when the track of the set is coming on
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and you're doing all of that while you're trying to also ground it
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and just tell the story. And that sometimes comes with its own set of requirements
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that doesn't allow you to just, I'm not being myself, I'm not able to just look at you
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the audience member, in the eye, see the music affect you, have that affect me
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It's a beautiful exchange of energy. And I've really fallen in love with that
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over the course of this year. And I can't wait to also fall in love with that even more
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in that intimate room of 54. Well, I was going to say that to you
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As somebody who I don't like the word cabaret either. No shade to other people
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It just gives me, you're not going to sing, let me entertain you and wear a sequin
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And that's what the vision comes into my head. But what I love is when I see Broadway people
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or people who do musical theater who are stuck in the eight shows a week
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and doing it in a certain way, be able to embrace an audience. and talk to an audience and have a conversation with an audience
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and tell the stories behind the song and point and ad lib. We get to see Bradley Gibson the person who's now singing the songs
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instead of Simba or instead of Hercules. We get to see you, the artist, and that is exciting
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Yeah, it's just me. Just Bradley. Just go get a ticket to see Bradley
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But speaking of, you have stories because, I mean, you've done from going back to a Bronx tale
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from going back to the Simba days, from going back to the Hercules
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journey that has been, you just got off the road, like you said. You were with Disney and singing
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on the tour. You were here in Detroit, where I am right now, all across the country. And is there
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a different approach? Like, when you hold a microphone and the audience is there and you get to say
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good evening, everybody, welcome to the show. Good evening to 54 below. Is it scarier to be Bradley
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or do you want to wear the toga and be Hercules Is that easier What is easier You know it different you know it give and take with different things but I got to say I become a monster with a microphone in my hand
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Because it's so fun. It's such a good time. And I feel so free up there doing that
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And I've really come to embrace myself and my humanness and my flaws and just who I am
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In the past couple of years, I've really come to love me, and I think a lot of that is due to the vulnerability that's required of being on stage with just that microphone and the audience and, you know, the band, orchestra, symphony, whatever you're up there with
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So I really love the idea of concerts and that feeling of holding the mic and just being me
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And, you know, you never, I, of course, have some planned things to say and some plan stories
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but you're also getting me at a more unfiltered me. You never know
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You don't know what he's going to say. Well, you don't know what's up to sleep. Well, we're going to follow, follow on Instagram as well, Bradley Gibson 13, if you're looking for the link to get tickets and more information about what's all going on
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You had, you're such an, it's been really fun to watch your career because I remember when you first got Simba
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And then I remember the talk of Hercules, but I also remember when you started to venture
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into television and power and all of that stuff. And then I love partner tracks so much
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And I love the show and I love the chemistry you all had. And you did a little bit of everything
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So it's a little original Broadway. It's a little forever characters with Disney
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It's television. It's whatever. How do you departmentalize the hatch you have a husband
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He does 50 things. You do 50 things. So how do you all make it all work
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You do it and you all look so fit and skinny. Damn it, Bradley and Adam, how do you
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Thank you, Robert. That's really a beautiful. It's not easy. You take it one day at a time
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And I really think what's changed about my life over the past few years is that I really
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value the quality of my inner life more than anything that's outside of that inner life
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You know, my home, my family, my husband, my close chosen friends
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but our chosen family, they are important. And I always move from a place of, you know
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is this bringing me true joy? Do I want to be doing this? Why am I doing this
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What is the message of this piece? Is this a gift to, you know, younger versions of myself
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Did I need to see this growing up? Whether it be as a child, whether it be as a teen, a young adult
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you know, and really just understanding, too, that I will, nothing that is for me will pass me by
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And I really have to just try. I trust my gut. And I trust, you know, I have the ear of my husband who is an amazing producer and supporter
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And we, you know, we have very clear goals and intentions for our life and
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for our future. And that's how we do it. And we take it just one day at a time
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And I'm learning. I'm not learning. Something I've always really prided myself on is I'm never looking at what Joe Smell was doing over here, over there. I'm focused on what I'm doing. What me and my husband are doing, that's what I'm doing. And I am in constant competition with myself. And I'm learning to be better to myself, no negative self-talk, being easy with yourself. Because I also know that my
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my aim and my way of working, and so is Adam's way of working, is always coming from a place
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of excellence and intention, and just trying to always, always take care of that inner life first
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That matters most. You know I not to be too personal folks out here on Broadway World but when they got married they the most beautiful pictures in Vegas Like the most like you think Vegas wedding they did not do that Vegas They did Vegas That gay Vegas wedding y at its best
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And I remember talking to Adam years ago when I was first coming out, when I was first
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talking about seeing you and then seeing him and you and you guys get married, I get married
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in May. And I never thought that these things were possible. Like, I never thought you could be out
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You could be happy. You could have an artistic life. You could have a home life that takes care of you and loved you
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and you don't have to sacrifice something to have it. You can have both
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You can have it all. Yeah, you can have it all. So, I think they even have a Tony's in their house because Adam is out here
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You know, come on, people. Yeah, we have a tuning in our home
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Come on now. So the show, it's got to be a culmination
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You probably have a lot to say. You probably look back. Does it feel retrospective
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Do you feel nostalgic when you go through the music and think about your life in chapters
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as you do the show? Absolutely, because, you know, some of the songs I'm singing them because they, you know, hit my heart and soul as a kid
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And it's beautiful to sing these songs as an adult. It's also beautiful to sing songs that I sang eight times week on Broadway that I'm no longer singing on Broadway
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The relationship with the tune continues to change, right? Based on years, based on having sang them in different stages around the world, based on seeing it affect
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people in different ways, having had my own life experiences, songs like endless night and like go the distance
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continue to change their relationship to you, to me, it changes. And even original music, you know, you write it in a certain place and state
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But then some of those songs, you know, as the years go on, your relationship to them change
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And they become way more reflective of a time gone by, right
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Of a different version of myself. That heartbreak is gone. That desire is gone
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And I'm in another state. And for all of it, I'm thankful for it, right
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So I think the stories that I'm sharing and the songs that I'm sharing, it's really all coming from a place of gratitude and a place of, yeah
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it is a reflective place or a reflective place of gratitude that is just me saying
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you know, I am an artist. I'm a sensitive artist. And I think sometimes we also get really caught up in thinking
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about doing more or that we haven't done enough or what's next
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And I think these concerts are also a beautiful moment to just kind of hug yourself and say
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oh, my God, look how much you've done. Going through all the music and all the memories and the shows to make a set list for
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a cabaret or a show, like the one I'm doing at 54, it makes you kind of sit back and, you know
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you look at the stack of sheet music or the resume, and I kind of had to be like, dang
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Bradley, you can't say you've done nothing. No, you cannot. No, you cannot
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And so that's what's great about it. So I want people out here, 54Below.org
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Get yourself ready. Just slime tutorial him singing, go the distance. And you've got to talk about vocal gymnast
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It just keeps getting bigger and higher and higher and bigger. And the whole stage is just Bradley out there singing his face off
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And then you can come see 54 below and then get it and see him sing his face off in person
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We are living for the whole moment. I'm so excited for you
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Well, thank you. And I definitely will be singing some go the distance
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Some Disney tunes will be happening. There you go. I'm ready. Would you please send love to me
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I'm going to text him right now when we hang up and send love to your husband
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And I'm so grateful to be here. Broadway, World, thanks you. We thank you for the art and the music
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And we're excited to see what's next. Thank you for having me. Guys, can you wait to see you at the concert if you're there
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Say hi. Hala. Hala. 54Below.org. And follow Bradley Fripp, Bradley Gibson 13 on Instagram
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And we'll be looking for you. My show is your show always. I love you all
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I appreciate you. All you guys inspire me all the time. And I'm grateful to see you again. Thanks for being here
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Oh, thank you for having me, Robert. You're the best
#Music & Audio
#Performing Arts
#Vocals & Show Tunes
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