Review: Keala Settle Lets Her Astonishing Singing Speak For Itself in Solo Debut with Frank Wildhorn at Birdland

Keala Settle has made a name for herself in the Broadway landscape due diligently portraying supporting roles, be it the bigoted Shirley in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Norma in 2013's Hands on a Hardbody (a show-stopping performance for which she earned a Tony nomination), or the affectionate but no-nonsense best friend in Waitress, her current gig. However, in her solo concert debut at Birdland on August 22, singing the music of Frank Wildhorn, who also accompanied her performance, Settle valiantly demonstrated she is no mere sidekick.

That isn't to say she basked gleefully in the spotlight. In fact, Settle's timidity was immediately acknowledged; a quick thank you and a shared agreement with her audience to "blow the roof off of this place" was the extent of her spoken introduction. And that lack of patter would hold true for the entirety of the evening. Nary has a diva done less actual speaking during a show which they headlined. However, Settle's singing voice, a Broadway belt infused with flavors of R&B, jazz, and funk, transcends words to the extent that describing its capabilities feels as productive as describing the taste of a color. It is no wonder, then, she doesn't devote time on stage to speaking, for she is able to say much more through song.

The first portion of the evening seemed intent on displaying the stylistic versatility of both Settle's vocals, as well as Wildhorn's writing. Kicking things off with some contemporary crooning, Settle emerged with "Thief," a funky tune, followed by "It's No Secret Anymore," a purely jazz number, both of which were new Wildhorn compositions. Settle showed off the softer aspects of her voice with "I Don't Remember" before rounding off the segment with "The Heat of the Night," a classically Wildhorn musical theater number, with pulsingly cadenced lyrics including, "Does your heart quicken to thicken the plot?"

The evening's highlight, believe it or not, came 20 minutes into the show, with a new song written specifically for Settle. It isn't that the set declined thereafter--not by a long shot--but truly, how often does one get a standing ovation while their audience is still working on their first glass of wine? The song, "Ain't Gonna Cry," fell squarely into the genre of '90s power-pop, climaxing in a jaw-dropping caterwauling so impressive, so implausible in force, that the Birdland audience felt no other option than to leap to its feet upon Settle's final note.

And still, after finishing the number, Settle didn't convalesce with a breather. "I told her, during these shows, I tell a lot of stories," Wildhorn explained, speaking to his series of Birdland concerts, "Frank and Friends." "She said, 'Don't talk, just play.'" Obliging with his leading lady's wishes, Wildhorn swiftly transitioned into "Ordinary People," a simplistic love song, achingly forlorn in both lyrics and melody. "One Bad Habit" followed, with a refrain at its end scaling octaves that, in less competent hands, could easily have veered into the shrill. In Settle's unmatched guidance, though, the song provided yet another moment of impressive musicality. The two songs together, as well, demonstrated once again the paradigm that is Settle's ability to blow the roof off a joint before, on a dime, transitioning to a tune evocative of powdered sugar in its pillowy softness.

The sequential nature of the set was handled ably by Wildhorn, who was on piano all evening, accompanied by a top-notch band including Kevin Ramessar (guitar), Julia Pederson (bass), Clint de Ganon (drums), and David Mann (woodwinds). Settle's only genuine respite came in the form of an anecdote and song from Wildhorn. Describing his first foray into musical theatre, he recalled getting a call from one Julie Andrews, asking him to compose for Victor/Victoria (he also detailed an adorable tale of Andrews in character as Mary Poppins for his then six-year-old son over the course of a three-hour dinner). The bit segued into his singing "Living in The Shadows," for which he apologized to the audience, though there was no need. He did, of course, let Settle bring the song home.

The evening hurdled towards its climax with a trio of heavy-hitters: "Sad Eyes," melodically simple but given additional depth with Settle's voice; "Stand Up," another new tune which was actually similar stylistically to Settle's act two showstopper in Waitress (which is worth the price of admission alone), and "What I Do Best," a song written for Whitney Houston but was infamously never recorded as Houston failed to show up to the studio. "Keala sings it so beautifully," Wildhorn said. "Well, don't say that--- I haven't sung it yet," she retorted. Can you guess which of the two was more prophetic?

To Broadway audiences, Wildhorn is best known for composing the score to Jekyll and Hyde. The show has, let's say, a precedent, but the evening could not be devoid of the musical, and Settle chose the right selection: "A New Life." When Settle arrived at the number's wrenching request for "a chance to prove the cynics wrong," her conviction in the lyric, in yearning to mine life's treasures, was overwhelming in its emotion.

It also prompted the evening's only instance in which Settle spoke at length. "We had a different song in place of this," she explained. "There are actually people in this room whose lives have been changed because of this song, altered for the better."

Like Ethel Merman or Idina Menzel, what makes Settle a thrilling talent is also what may render her polarizing: Her voice never sounds "effortless." You can hear the power as it generates, the work as she reaches for that high F. However, her sound never becomes grating, as she has such control over her instrument, coupled with a deep understanding of its abilities.

In reconciling her continual portrayal of the theatre's supporting roles, it is implicit that Settle brings an inimitable charm to her characters, with a side of unmatched vocal gravitas. However, what could unequivocally be gleamed from her solo concert debut is that this woman is ready to lead a theatrical experience. Evidenced by her versatility, she could take on and elevate the stylistic offerings of any given composer, but of course, Wildhorn seems a most natural fit.

Hey, Mr. Wildhorn, it seems your next project awaits.

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