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Anastasia's Diary Entry: Initial Reaction
BIG NEWS, IF A LITTLE LATE!
"Last night, July 9th, 2011, my mother and I went to see Josh Groban sing during his "Straight To You" Tour. There was a something going on where you could text him, your question, and my Mom doesn't text (neither do I), and she didn't have her phone. So she asked to borrow someone else's cellphone. Here was the text: "My Name is Anastasia, I am 14 years old and I love to sing opera. Can I sing a duet with you?" HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED: Half-way through the concert he called my name and seat number I was like, "Who? Me? This Must Be A Mistake?!?!" The lady next to me kept saying it wasn't a mistake. I was so scared, I sat still in my seat and didn't respond, and my Mommy yelled out, "I Think She is Scared!" My mind had basically shut down, I couldn't think, or process what was happening, I was too stunned. He then came over to me, and asked me if I really wanted to sing with him, he said: "Do you really want to sing with me or were you just Joshing me?" (Get it, "Joshing"?) he then took my hand, and brought me to the stage in the center of the arena (There were two stages.) I just followed along, because the whole time, I was so shocked, I couldn't think. Everything looked grey. I felt the adrenaline rushing going through my veins, and I was so scared and nervous, I couldn't even shake!!!!! I was too scared to shake!!!!! Heck, there were thousands of people in the arena, I was too scared to think!!!!! I WAS!!!!! My Mom was chasing after us, trying to get the to front sitting area of the center stage to get footage. She did get footage though. And the whole time, she was just as scared as I was. I mean, I wasn't even warmed up!!!!! I didn't rehearse, or anything!!!!! He asked me what I wanted to sing. I said "To Where You Are" and then he handed me the mic, and I started singing. I glanced at him only a couple times but the look on his face was priceless. He joined in after a couple lines, the whole time, he is bending over seeing as I am pretty small, and he has his arm on my shoulder and he is twirling me around so I sing to everyone in the arena. (I started getting REALLY REALLY scared at this point. I was scared I would forget the lyrics, and I just got so scared, but in truth I was so scared, I really wasn't scared at all!!!!! I really can't explain it, it was a weird feeling. Then when we finished, he threw my arm up in the air, he gave me a big bear hug to which I hugged him back (I am notorious for being a very stoic "non-huggy" person ~ but this was an exception, and he gave me a high five. (AWESOME!!!!!) He guided me off the stage patting my back, and to be honest I must say it was the best day of my life. THERE WILL BE FOOTAGE AND PICTURES!!!!! I am still in shock!!!!! I still can't believe what just happened. I have watched the footage over and over, and I still don't believe it just happened. I feel happy, nervous, scared, silly, and I still have a stomach ache!!!!! (Sorry if I am rambling!) Thanks For Reading This Whole Message!!!!!" -Anastasia
Written On July 9th, 2011 ~ Diary Entry
"Last night, July 9th, 2011, my mother and I went to see Josh Groban sing during his "Straight To You" Tour. There was a something going on where you could text him, your question, and my Mom doesn't text (neither do I), and she didn't have her phone. So she asked to borrow someone else's cellphone. Here was the text: "My Name is Anastasia, I am 14 years old and I love to sing opera. Can I sing a duet with you?" HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED: Half-way through the concert he called my name and seat number I was like, "Who? Me? This Must Be A Mistake?!?!" The lady next to me kept saying it wasn't a mistake. I was so scared, I sat still in my seat and didn't respond, and my Mommy yelled out, "I Think She is Scared!" My mind had basically shut down, I couldn't think, or process what was happening, I was too stunned. He then came over to me, and asked me if I really wanted to sing with him, he said: "Do you really want to sing with me or were you just Joshing me?" (Get it, "Joshing"?) he then took my hand, and brought me to the stage in the center of the arena (There were two stages.) I just followed along, because the whole time, I was so shocked, I couldn't think. Everything looked grey. I felt the adrenaline rushing going through my veins, and I was so scared and nervous, I couldn't even shake!!!!! I was too scared to shake!!!!! Heck, there were thousands of people in the arena, I was too scared to think!!!!! I WAS!!!!! My Mom was chasing after us, trying to get the to front sitting area of the center stage to get footage. She did get footage though. And the whole time, she was just as scared as I was. I mean, I wasn't even warmed up!!!!! I didn't rehearse, or anything!!!!! He asked me what I wanted to sing. I said "To Where You Are" and then he handed me the mic, and I started singing. I glanced at him only a couple times but the look on his face was priceless. He joined in after a couple lines, the whole time, he is bending over seeing as I am pretty small, and he has his arm on my shoulder and he is twirling me around so I sing to everyone in the arena. (I started getting REALLY REALLY scared at this point. I was scared I would forget the lyrics, and I just got so scared, but in truth I was so scared, I really wasn't scared at all!!!!! I really can't explain it, it was a weird feeling. Then when we finished, he threw my arm up in the air, he gave me a big bear hug to which I hugged him back (I am notorious for being a very stoic "non-huggy" person ~ but this was an exception, and he gave me a high five. (AWESOME!!!!!) He guided me off the stage patting my back, and to be honest I must say it was the best day of my life. THERE WILL BE FOOTAGE AND PICTURES!!!!! I am still in shock!!!!! I still can't believe what just happened. I have watched the footage over and over, and I still don't believe it just happened. I feel happy, nervous, scared, silly, and I still have a stomach ache!!!!! (Sorry if I am rambling!) Thanks For Reading This Whole Message!!!!!" -Anastasia
Written On July 9th, 2011 ~ Diary Entry
Anastasia's Response When asked about the duet in an interview with PureTalent Magazine 3 Years Later:
"You know, I guess if we are lucky enough or if we are fated to do so, we are given the opportunity to show the world what we can do; I guess singing with Josh Groban was my opportunity to prove myself and I am eternally grateful for it. I was so scared that I was past the point of being scared, I wasn't shaking, I wasn't frozen in place, it was like autopilot. I really can't describe what it felt like, it was thrilling."
"You know, I guess if we are lucky enough or if we are fated to do so, we are given the opportunity to show the world what we can do; I guess singing with Josh Groban was my opportunity to prove myself and I am eternally grateful for it. I was so scared that I was past the point of being scared, I wasn't shaking, I wasn't frozen in place, it was like autopilot. I really can't describe what it felt like, it was thrilling."
GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE:
News Release from the Concert
On Saturday, July 9th, 2011 ~ at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.. Anastasia Lee & her mother attended a Josh Groban Concert, at the pre-concert event..
If you were among the nearly 7,000 at the Resch Center on Saturday for Josh Groban's concert, chances are you remember more about Anastasia Lee spontaneous duet with Josh than she does.
"I think she's still in shock,'' her mother, Wendy, said this week. "She got off the stage and she was just shaking and dancing. I said, 'How was it?' and she said, 'I don't remember a thing.'''
Josh selected three questions to answer during the show, including one from Anastasia Lee, in which she told him she loves to sing classical crossover and she asked if she could sing a duet with him.
Nobody was more surprised than she, as when he called her name she thought it was a mistake, and the lady next to her kept telling her it wasn't. Then he plucked her from the front row and told the crowd as they headed for a secondary stage, "This is 'Green Bay Idol' in the making, ladies and gentlemen.''
Once Groban headed her direction to escort her to the stage, it all became a 'blur' for the little middle school girl, who made fans gasp when she broke into "To Where You Are'' with a voice that defied her age.
'It was an absolutely stunning "Jackie Evancho-esque moment" if not better, from a little girl in the crowd.'
He allowed her to open the song by herself to an arena that gasped at the beauty of her operatic voice. The crowd was quick to its feet with a standing ovation before the little girl could even finish.
She got a standing ovation from the crowd and a high-five from Groban, who said, "That was awesome. ... Man, I was more nervous than you were.''
While you wouldn't have known it from her poised performance, the self-taught soprano was extremely nervous.
"I was so scared I was numb,'' she said. "A mixture of being scared and thrilled at the same time..... I didn't know what to think at first. I had to sit in my seat to ponder over what had just happened and try to replay it in my head, as unfortunately I don't remember much."
But she does remember this much about her very close encounter with Groban: "He was very nice and funny!''
After sending the child off the stage with an exuberant high five, and a big bear hug, a dejected Groban joked fans would have to make do with "just me'' for the rest of the night.
Fellow concert-goers said Josh spoke very highly of Anastasia after the performance.
All are Excerpts from (2) Kendra Meinert & the Green Bay Press Gazette Articles..
News Release from the Concert
On Saturday, July 9th, 2011 ~ at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.. Anastasia Lee & her mother attended a Josh Groban Concert, at the pre-concert event..
If you were among the nearly 7,000 at the Resch Center on Saturday for Josh Groban's concert, chances are you remember more about Anastasia Lee spontaneous duet with Josh than she does.
"I think she's still in shock,'' her mother, Wendy, said this week. "She got off the stage and she was just shaking and dancing. I said, 'How was it?' and she said, 'I don't remember a thing.'''
Josh selected three questions to answer during the show, including one from Anastasia Lee, in which she told him she loves to sing classical crossover and she asked if she could sing a duet with him.
Nobody was more surprised than she, as when he called her name she thought it was a mistake, and the lady next to her kept telling her it wasn't. Then he plucked her from the front row and told the crowd as they headed for a secondary stage, "This is 'Green Bay Idol' in the making, ladies and gentlemen.''
Once Groban headed her direction to escort her to the stage, it all became a 'blur' for the little middle school girl, who made fans gasp when she broke into "To Where You Are'' with a voice that defied her age.
'It was an absolutely stunning "Jackie Evancho-esque moment" if not better, from a little girl in the crowd.'
He allowed her to open the song by herself to an arena that gasped at the beauty of her operatic voice. The crowd was quick to its feet with a standing ovation before the little girl could even finish.
She got a standing ovation from the crowd and a high-five from Groban, who said, "That was awesome. ... Man, I was more nervous than you were.''
While you wouldn't have known it from her poised performance, the self-taught soprano was extremely nervous.
"I was so scared I was numb,'' she said. "A mixture of being scared and thrilled at the same time..... I didn't know what to think at first. I had to sit in my seat to ponder over what had just happened and try to replay it in my head, as unfortunately I don't remember much."
But she does remember this much about her very close encounter with Groban: "He was very nice and funny!''
After sending the child off the stage with an exuberant high five, and a big bear hug, a dejected Groban joked fans would have to make do with "just me'' for the rest of the night.
Fellow concert-goers said Josh spoke very highly of Anastasia after the performance.
All are Excerpts from (2) Kendra Meinert & the Green Bay Press Gazette Articles..
Josh Groban & Anastasia Lee Share "A Well-Deserved Hug"
~PICTURES~
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