Recently, American Idol and The Voice alum Frenchie Davis wowed the masses when she turned Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” from chirpy hip hop hit into a powerful, soulful acoustic version in the first installment of a new video series, Hip Hop Musicals. Now, acclaimed Broadway actor and singer Mykal Kilgore has taken his turn at reshaping a classic tune. Retro-pop group Postmodern Jukebox recruited Kilgore to help them turn Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” the soaring theme song from the blockbuster movie “Titanic,” into a ’60s doo-wop pop tune with Jackie Wilson stylings.
Postmodern Jukebox, headed by Scott Bradlee, features a cast of both regular and evolving vocalists, musicians and other performers, including tap dancers and tambourine players who create retro versions of popular radio standards. The group has retrofitted tunes from Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” that was reimagined as a flapper-inspired tune and turned Taylor Swift’s hit “Bad Blood” into a jazz standard. The revolving band of musicians and singers perform the songs live in Bradlee’s apartment and the videos then are posted to YouTube. Postmodern Jukebox videos currently boast over 200 million YouTube views.
Broadway aficionados are no strangers to Kilgore’s vocal talents. Known for his powerhouse vocals, he has been described as a “once-in-a-generation talent”, having starred in the hit Broadway musical Motown: The Musical playing the roles of “Dennis Edwards,” & more while also understudying the role of “Marvin Gaye.” Kilgore also appeared in The Book of Mormon as part of the 1st national touring company & recently appeared as “Stevie Wonder” in the musical Marley at Baltimore’s Centerstage.
