Renée Elise Goldsberry Steps into the Spotlight with Debut Album and Dreams of EGOT Glory
Renée Elise Goldsberry is no stranger to bold moves. But her latest leap — releasing her debut solo album — might be her bravest yet.
The Tony and Grammy-winning star, best known for her powerful turn as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, just dropped “Who I Really Am,” a 13-track blend of soul, funk, blues, and gospel. It’s a project years in the making and deeply personal — one that’s allowed Goldsberry to truly explore who she is outside of ensemble casts and scripted lines.
“I’ve always been surrounded by fearless friends who take huge risks,” she says. “They jump off cliffs. They try wild things. That’s what inspired me to finally do this.”
Discovering Her Voice
Goldsberry didn’t just sing on the album — she wrote 11 of the songs. That process became a journey of self-acceptance and creative freedom.
“For years, I felt boxed in. As a recording artist, it’s like you’re expected to be one thing, sound one way. But this time, I gave myself permission to be all of me.”
Among the standout tracks? A reimagined version of “Satisfied,” the Hamilton showstopper that earned her a Tony. But at first, she had zero interest in re-recording it.
“It was perfect already. Why mess with it?” she recalls thinking.
Then during a recording session in Nashville — in the very studio where Dolly Parton recorded Jolene — Goldsberry changed her mind.
“We had extra time. I thought, ‘Let’s just do the version I sing in concert.’ We started playing, and it was magic. It blew our minds. I knew then: this belongs on the album.”
Collaborations and Full-Circle Moments
Goldsberry’s new album also features “Smiling,” a song written by her Girls5Eva co-star and fellow powerhouse, Sara Bareilles.
“Sara is one of the greatest singer-songwriters alive,” she says. “I saw her perform with a full symphony at the Hollywood Bowl. She was taking a huge risk, doing something totally new. Watching her ‘jump off that cliff’ — it brought me to tears.”
Goldsberry thrives in that creative orbit. She’s always drawn to artists pushing boundaries — like Leslie Odom Jr. returning to Hamilton, a move she once thought was “insane” but now calls “inspiring.”
Would she ever go back to Hamilton herself?
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“Never say never,” she says with a knowing smile.
Halfway to an EGOT — Is That the Goal?
With a Tony and Grammy already under her belt, Goldsberry is halfway to EGOT status — that rare achievement earned by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.
“I’ve definitely daydreamed about sneaking in through the back door,” she laughs.
She even considered Oscar strategies while working on her documentary, Satisfied, which chronicles her time with Hamilton and the balancing act of motherhood during that whirlwind period.
“We thought — what original song can we create to maybe get Oscar consideration? It’s fun to think about. But for me, the journey is more important than the trophy.”
‘Who I Really Am’: A New Chapter
For Goldsberry, Who I Really Am isn’t just an album title. It’s a statement of intent.
It’s her declaration of artistic independence, her way of stepping out of the Broadway spotlight and into her own — on her terms.
“This album is me being brave, vulnerable, and completely honest,” she says. “It’s the truest reflection of who I am — not just as a performer, but as a woman, a mother, an artist.”
Source: AP News – Renée Elise Goldsberry talks new album, whether ‘Hamilton’ return is an option and EGOT aspirations
