MICHAEL BALL is Britains leading, award-winning musical theatre star and platinum recording artist. As soon as he finished his 2012 critically acclaimed West End run in the title role of Stephen Sondheims Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Michael went straight into the studio to record his new solo album. The result is the beautiful, multi-layered BOTH SIDES NOW, which is released on February 25th 2013 through Union Square Music.
Both Sides Now showcases Michaels outstanding talents in both areas of his stellar career the stage and the recording studio. The album features songs by some of his all-time favourite artists such as Joni Mitchell, Katie Melua and Dolly Parton, together with classic musical theatre songs and new songs by world famous composers.
The title track, Both Sides Now, was written by Joni Mitchell in 1967 and was a huge international hit for Judy Collins; Mitchell recorded it for her own 1969 classic album Clouds and the song has endured ever since. Joni Mitchell is Michaels all-time favourite singer/songwriter and his version of her lyrical song is a superb interpretation.
Together with Il Divo, who are special guests on the album, Michael has recorded an outstanding new version of Love Changes Everything by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Michael first recorded the song from Aspects of Love in 1989 when he originated the role of Alex in the West End and Broadway productions; the song became a huge hit and stayed in the pop charts for 14 weeks.
The newly composed songs on the album include The Perfect Song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Leslie Bricusse which will be released as a single on March 18th. This marks the first time that Lloyd Webber (Evita, Sunset Boulevard, Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, The Woman in White) and Bricusse (What Kind of Fool Am I, The Candy Man, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice) have collaborated on a song; between them the songwriting giants have won dozens of Academy Awards, Oliviers, Tonys, Grammys and their contribution to Michaels new album is something of a musical coup.
