The School of Greatness - 240 Todrick Hall: From Broadway to MTV, Making Your Dreams a Reality

Episode Date: October 14, 2015

"Don't wait for opportunity to come knock at your door." - Todrick Hall If you enjoyed this episode, check out show notes and more at http://lewishowes.com/240

This is episode number 240 with Todrick Hall. Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin. Welcome everyone to the podcast. Very excited about our guest. His name is Todrick Hall and

he's kind of incredible. Now, Todrick Hall, this guy is a phenom. If you guys don't know who he is, he became well-known when he auditioned for the ninth season of American Idol, where he made it to the semifinals. Since then, he's been performing on Broadway. He's a superstar. He's got a huge YouTube channel with some incredibly talented videos that he's produced. He's also featured in Forbes' Top 30 Under 30 in the Hollywood category in 2014. And we are like long-lost brothers.

You're going to see some incredible connection between us over the next 30, 45 minutes. So be sure to enjoy those connection points that you find between us. The five big things you're going to get from this episode, the biggest lessons he learned from American Idol versus what he learned from Broadway, performing on Broadway, and how he's applied that to his career now. Also, his process before a big moment on a performance, so how he prepares to go on stage to perform in front of thousands of people and what he does to get ready. He's going to share that secret, why his first Broadway audition was a hugely spiritual experience and what you can take away from that. The psychological effects of being on a reality TV competition show and what he learned from

that. Also, how Todrick caught Scooter Braun's attention and got signed by him. You know, we've had Scooter Braun on here, and he's done incredible things for all of his artists, and I can only imagine what's going to happen for Todrick as well. Very excited for you guys to connect with Todrick, and also,

you're going to hear him perform a song. So get ready for some magic to go down with my long-lost brother, the one and only Todrick Hall. Welcome back, everyone, to the School of Greatness podcast. Very excited about our guest. His name is Todrick Hall.

How's it going, man? It is going absolutely amazing. I'm so excited to be here, yeah. You're the guy who I started following you on Instagram, and it just looks like you're living the dream right now. I don't know. Hanging out with Taylor Swift. You've got a TV show.

You're blowing up on YouTube and Instagram and Vine and everywhere. And you came from a small town in Texas, right? Yeah, Plainview, Texas. It's in the panhandle between Lubbock and Amarillo. Okay. And it's exactly that, a plain view. There's nothing going on. It's boring.

But I think that because I grew up there, I think that is what I have to attribute to being creative because there was nothing better to do. We didn't even have a mall. There was like nothing going on there. If you weren't at McDonald's or Walmart or Burger King, you literally had to sit at home and find stuff to do. And I started putting on shows and puppet shows. Puppet shows. Yeah. Any kind of show I could figure out how to put on. at home and find stuff to do and i started putting on shows and puppet shows and puppet shows yeah any kind of show i could figure out how to put it on if there were it didn't matter if there was a real audience or not i just would love to perform from before i even knew what performing was or

broadway or anything like that and what was the dream growing up then did you have a dream to go to broadway or to have well i had a lot of dreams but i didn't really know what broadway was like i used to watch the disney christmas parade every year and i was like oh my god if i could just be pluto my life would be complete in the parade yeah i know that was like what i wanted to do that was like a dream if i could make it that far in life then that was like i made it like i don't need to be oprah or anything i can just be pluto no one ever know who i was and be happy and did you ever get to fulfill that dream well i um i didn't want to go to college. And my mom made a deal with me.

And I went to audition as a senior for Disney World. And if I got the job at Disney World, then I didn't have to go to college. I did get the job, but I got a job that was better in finances than doing a costume character. Yeah, but it was just, I was a performer at Beauty and the Beast, and I didn't know what unions were, but it was an equity role, and so I got paid more money,

but I was like, I just want to be Pluto. That's all I want to do. I wanted to demote myself so I could be Pluto, but that never actually happened, so maybe someday. You always wanted to perform, though. Yeah, always. Okay.

Always. So when did you realize that like oh i actually have some talent besides just your family being like oh he's a superstar because i'm sure your parents were like actually my family was not like that they didn't no one in my family everybody in my family played sports all the time my dad was um oh my god i'm the worst he played for the 49er for terrell owens okay is that. Is that his name? Terrell Owens? Yeah. My dad cut his hair for like years and he cut Jerry Rice's hair and I got to meet all these people and I didn't care at all.

All I wanted to do was like watch Cinderella and stuff. But everybody in my family were like all football, basketball players. And I remember that Sister Act 2 came out and that was like a turning point in my life. Great movie. Yeah. Well, Sister Act 1 was amazing. Lauryn Hill was in that, right? Or she was in 2?

She was in 2. She was amazing. I remember hearing it. I was like, this woman is unbelievable. That moment where she was sitting at the piano singing His Eyes on a Sparrow changed my life. And that's kind of how the first time I can ever remember singing is I learned how to sing with her in that movie. And my mom was watching me watch Sister Act how to sing with her in that movie. And my mom was watching by watching me watch Sister Act Two. And she like, it was like a movie she walked by and

then she popped her head back out and was like, is that my baby? And so then from then on, my mom started making me sing at church every week. And I started realizing I could sing. And then when I was in elementary school, I was tested for the gifted and talented program. And we did a show. It was when Leap of Faith, the movie came out. Do you remember that movie? in elementary school i was tested for the gifted and talented program and we did a show um it was when leap of faith the movie came out do you remember that movie don't remember that what is who's um i don't even steve martin was the lead in a leap of faith anyway they never filmed the movie in plainview texas but my dad was playing basketball on a basketball court and they asked him to be a part of that movie he had like a line in it really yeah and so we made a a skit of that called hop of

hope and we had like bunny ballerinas and this lady came in and taught us how to dance and and then basically i started realizing that i could dance and then i wanted to learn how to tumble and do backflips and basically i was just getting gayer and gayer by the day is what i'm trying to get at hey listen i am a closet like if there was one show that you asked me, what's your favorite show on TV? It's Glee. Are you serious? I am like in love with Glee. I wish I could be on that.

I wish I could sing and dance like people on Glee. Listen, I don't think you need to be able to sing or dance. If Ryan Murphy takes one look at your face, it's done because you're it. I just want you to know that. I'll be the guy that doesn't sing, whatever that character is. But I love that show and I love Nashville. I love singing shows for some reason. Both are great shows.

We're going to be best friends. I feel it. We're going to have our own little show. I have a family of musicians. My brother's the number one jazz violinist in the world. Oh, wow. And my sister's a singer-songwriter. My parents were opera majors.

But I grew up playing sports. So we live opposite lives. Exactly. I wish I was like... I taught myself guitar when i was 19 because i felt so ignorant in my family when they're all playing instruments and singing i was like i need to learn something so it's fun but uh i appreciate singers and dancers and actors because it's not something i can do as well and i'm like god it'd be amazing to be a rock star

right yeah well i think the the it's still in the future for you if you want to pick back the that guitar back up i think you can do it there you go so so when did you start so how old were you when you did this movie which which movie the movie where you had like the choreography or you oh there was a play my dad was in the movie leap of faith um and i was in a play in elementary school it was really fun i was like eight or nine years old and then um they took us to go see the Nutcracker Ballet. And all the other kids were falling asleep. I loved it.

That's great. I watch it every Christmas, man. You do? Yeah. This year, that's what we're going to do. To seal our best friend-ness, we're going to go see the Nutcracker. Let's do it. Okay. Pinky swear. This is happening right now. Pinky swear over the table, everybody. So if it doesn't happen, if you don't see on Instagram a picture of he and I, it's not

my fault. Okay. So when did you get the itch that you were like, you know what? I'm probably not going to be able to stay in Texas to live my dreams. It's Texas. You're in Texas, right? Well, after high school, I went and moved to Disney World and we grew up very poor. So all my friends were like, oh my God, me and my family went to Disney World again and Universal Studios. poor so like all my friends were like oh my god me and my

family went to Disney World again and Universal Studios every year in your life yeah and I would be like oh that must be so awesome it was just not even a fathomable thought for our family that we would be no one that I really personally knew that well had ever been to Disney World or Disneyland or New York City or Los Angeles and so it was just like wishful thinking that one day I'd be able to go to these places and so um the first time i ever got to go to disney world was when i got hired there and so it was like a really magical experience for me because i had grown up being such a fan and watching i lived on the disney channel i watched that so raven every day i was the most devoted fan there was and um i don't know it was just a dream come true to get to go there and get

to see everything and work behind the scenes and see how well they run their business and stuff. That's cool. Yeah, and I was a spoon. You were a spoon in what? In Beauty and the Beast. Okay. And I was killing it every day. Crushing it.

You were the best spoon ever. I was the best spoon you ever saw in your life. Dance moves like a machine, right? On every day except when I was late like today. That's all good. So what did that create for you what opened up for you when you realized

like this this other type of performance with these people who really appreciate it what happened next well I was kind of in culture shock because I saw

all these people around me who were talking about being on Broadway and performing on cruise ships and doing national tours and like all of this stuff that I had never heard of

I never knew anybody who made a living out of being a performer. It was a whole new world. Exactly. I see what you did there. You like that? Yeah. It was very sexy.

And so it changed my life. I was just like, okay, now I want to do this. And I started realizing all of the things that I could do as a career other than be Pluto, which was at the top of my bucket list. I said, if I can't be Pluto, why not go perform on a cruise ship? So I went and performed on a cruise ship. And I was also obsessed with Oprah my whole life. She's amazing.

My mom, yeah, she just basically is Jesus's best friend because she's the nicest person in the world. And she created The Color Purple on Broadway. And while I was doing a cruise, I was watching the videos my mom would record Oprah and mail them to me on the ship on a VHS. I was watching Oprah one day and Fantasia came on. And I was also a huge fan of American Idol by this point. And I voted for Fantasia religiously every single week that she was on the show. And I found out that there was an audition the next week for the Color Purple on Broadway. And I'd always wanted to be on Broadway, but I'd never been to New York to be able to audition or anything.

And so I had danced my whole life and sang in church the whole time. I was a cheerleader in high school. I mean, the list just goes on and on. You do acro yoga, too? No, I don't do yoga. A little hand-to-hand action? That's a little too white for me, I think. I don't go to yoga.

I was going to say, if you can do a handstand, I could throw you up in the air. The list of reasons why we probably were separated at birth, I was probably in your family and you were probably in mine. Something happened, a little switcheroo, but I'm so glad we found each other again. So you were a cheerleader? A cheerleader. Basically anything that you can think of that was gay besides a baton twirler, I did it growing up. My mom had no idea that I was gay. I don't know what she was thinking.

But I eventually came out of the closet and she was in shock, surprisingly. So with this audition, what happened? Did you take the audition? Okay, yeah. I went to the audition. I quit the cruise ship, flew to New York, went to the audition. And it was crazy because my mom, we didn't have money. Like I said, I called my dad and to new york went to the audition and it was crazy because my mom we didn't have money like i said i called my dad and i really wanted to go to this audition

my dad was like not about to pay for it we have a horrible relationship and he was like i'm not supporting this and so my mom somehow i still to this day i don't know how she found the money to do this but she and my dad got into a huge fight and she came into the room it was like an angela bassett moment she was like snot running down her nose and fight and she came into the room. It was like an Angela Bassett moment. She was like, not running down her nose and crying. And she was like, pack your bags, baby.

You go into that audition. It was like a movie. Yeah, mom. And I was like, okay. And so I packed my bags. And the next day I flew to New York with just a friend.

I didn't know anybody. I was 20 years old and I went to the audition and I made it to the callback and I'd never seen the show. I just knew that they were looking for somebody that was my type. And so I went to the show that night after I got the callback. And it was honestly like a very spiritual moment for me because my whole life growing up, I obviously was African-American and my whole family and my church and stuff. But the school that I went to was predominantly a white school. And I grew up doing theater and stuff and cheerleading and all my friends were all Caucasian. And so I felt like growing up, I didn't really have like a very good like role model or somebody that I felt looked like me or somebody that I was like, Oh, that's what I could be when

I grew up. I didn't identify with like a Chris Brown or Usher or like, even though I loved those people that I was like, something's off and I don't identify with that. And so it was the craziest thing because the show was amazing. But for me, it was like a spiritual thing that I connected immediately with it. And I was like, it's the first time I can remember being so proud to be African-American because the people up there were representing us in such a positive light. Amazing dancers. It was an all African-American cast. I had never seen that before. And the way they were singing.

And it wasn't just like a tap dancing musical like what I had known. It was like a soul changing. It felt like you went to church and got the Holy Ghost type moment. Wow. And so at that moment I was like, I have to be in this. The next day I went to my callback and I was like, I have to be off book. The next day, I went to my callback, and I was like, I have to be off book. I knew every line. I didn't take my script in. I knew my songs.

I just realized how big of a moment this was and how I shouldn't take it for granted. And so I went in and auditioned, and that night, I went to go see another show, Legally Blonde. And while I was there, I found out that they called me and said, we'd like to invite you to be a part of Oprah Winfrey's The Color Purple on Broadway. And I freaked out. And it was just the best thing that's ever happened to me because it changed my life. I got to meet Oprah and work with Fantasia every single night and meet tons of celebrities and people I looked up to and admired my entire life. And I would have never dreamt in a million years I'd get to meet those people in person. Because I grew up in Plainview, Texas, where you could only see people like that on tv and they don't they don't come and tour near

you or anything so it was just an amazing amazing experience unbelievable i still every day like cherish that moment and i'm so proud that that was my first broadway experience how long were you on the play for i did it every eight shows a week for a year and um and then what was your were you the lead or were you like no i was just an ensemble and i understudied one of the leads and i had like a small featured role and his name was bobby i was a plumber uh and um but um but from being on that show i got to see how being on american idol had changed fantasia's life and so i decided to go yeah she was the lead and so i decided to go. Yeah, she was the lead. And so I decided to go audition for American Idol. And when was this?

What year? This was 2009. Okay. By the time, it was a couple of years later. So I did Broadway in 2006, 2007, and then I went and did other shows. And then in 2009, I decided to audition for American Idol. You were 25 then, or how old were you? I was 23, almost 24.

Okay, cool. And you made it to the semifinals, old were you? I was 23, almost 24. Okay, cool. And you made it to the semifinals, right? Yeah, I was in the top 13 and it was just a crazy eye-opening experience because I had never been on television before and I was just like thrust

and it's like when you're on American Idol, one day you're just Joe Schmo and the next day it happens overnight. Really? Yeah, because so many people at that point,

I mean 30 million people were still tuning in every single day it was a lot bigger then than it is now yeah and especially where i'm from in texas american idol is huge i mean kelly clarkson came from texas she was in our hometown i used to work with her at six flags funny story um and so people really supported the show in that area and everyone voted for you everyone rall rallied. Yeah. Well, that year, there was four people in the semifinals from Texas and three of them were from Dallas. It had never happened that way, so our votes were

super split. It was a really good experience. I had never been known as a singer before then. I was mostly a dancer. It was my first real singing experience and it was on national television. I was very nervous every night, but I learned so much, and I learned so quickly. What was the biggest lessons you learned that were different from the Broadway performances?

Because that's every day in front of a new audience, you know, as opposed to TV. That being on television, people are getting to know you, and you're not a character. I mean, in a reality TV show, they're getting to know you and you're not a character. I mean, in a reality TV show, they're getting to know what they think you are. And so people, unlike on Broadway, where people are patrons of the arts, they're coming out and they're supporting and they want to see you do well. People, when you're on American Idol, a lot of people do love you. And most of the people that reach out to you like you, but it was my first time to get like bullied or have people say horrible things about me or not like what I wore or not like how I sang and stuff.

So that was kind of hard because I wasn't used to that. And on Broadway, no one knows who you are. Yeah. And so it was really difficult because you're in the limelight and there was a lot of controversy and stuff going on and just things that people would make assumptions about things about your life. going on and and just things that that people would make assumptions about things about your life yeah and also at that point i wasn't really i had told my mom that i was gay but i had i had never like come i didn't come out to people like on television but you did on the show for the first time for everyone no no i didn't i was i was very like trying to pretend that like you're me i was channeling you yeah yeah like your brother and was hard. I was trying to talk deeper. I was trying to not wave like a princess and stuff.

And it was just really hard. And every day the producers of American Idol would say, make sure you appeal to middle America. And I'd be like, what the – So it's kind of like you had to be – you almost had to tell a lie. Yeah. And I feel like a lot of people have felt that way. If you remember, Adam Lambert didn't say he was gay until after he got off the show. And he didn't dress differently. He kind of dressed like clean of dressed like clean cut yeah he was like a rocker still

but it was very he didn't put those rhinestones on his eye until the finale when all the voting was already done it's interesting i wonder um do you think anything would have been different if you would have been your fully expressed self and you just said screw you guys i'm gonna wear what i want i'm gonna dress and perform and talk like i want do you think things would have been differently i don't think that the outcome would have been different, honestly, because I wasn't used to the people that are on American Idol, even if they're just singing at their local bars or local churches, they know the songs that sound good on their voice.

And I feel like I made it that far by a fluke. I wrote a song, an audition song that was funny, and so they kept me going. And I always was like, I'm going to go home. So I wasn't trying to pick the songs that I thought would sound great on my voice. And I always wanted to like mash up things and do things differently, which now people appreciate online. But also I just think, I mean, five years ago, even though it was only five years, the world has come so far. So different. No Instagram.

There's no YouTube. There's none of this stuff online as well. Really? Yeah. That was that big, but people are being more accepted to what you're saying. Yeah. Yeah. It was, yeah.

Everything is just different. The social media is definitely different, but also I think someone being openly gay on American Idol five years ago would play out a lot differently now. Yeah. And so all I really learned from that experience is that I feel like I got voted off as someone else. Like I wasn't being myself and I always vowed to myself if I ever like I got voted off as someone else. Like I wasn't being myself. And I always vowed to myself, if I ever get an opportunity to be on television again,

I'm going to use my voice to represent people that are all over the world that are like me, that don't have people that are influences in their life that they can look up and say, I identify with this person. And that's why I think shows like Glee are so amazing because it's giving people that had never seen someone that they felt parallel to in their life. It gives them a voice and it gives them somebody to look up to that they think is cool. As opposed to being like, well, if I'm not a jock or a cheerleader or a football player, then where do I fit in? Because before, those characters weren't praised or appreciated. They were there, but they were yeah they were

there but they were like geeks and on the side and that not a person that you would want to be right and i think ryan murphy has done a really good job at like championing those people and making them seem cool and giving them a voice and making them talented and making even people who are like super straight athletes like watching the show yeah yeah and everybody can appreciate it and i think it's not such a foreign concept now like people you have ellen you have rosie o'donnell but you also have like sam smith who just came out amazing and no one even really talks about the fact that he's gay he's just an amazing artist and i think that's what it should be about if the music is great then

the person should be able to be on the radio and play right and sandwiched in between two straight guys no pun intended i like it what did you ever audition for glee i did audition for glee i put it out an audition video for glee i never got to go in and actually audition but they had a myspace audition that's how long ago this was myspace was still killing it wow and um time ago yeah and so i put up the audition you should check it out it's called i want to be on glee and it's on youtube it's a pretty good audition why didn't they bring you in what they were hating man what about the years following And so I put up the audition. You should check it out. It's called I Want to Be on Glee, and it's on YouTube. It's a pretty good audition. Why didn't they bring you in?

They were hating, man. What about the years following? It's like they brought on new characters constantly. Why didn't they – or were you off to bigger things? No, I went back to Broadway after I got off of American Idol, so I wasn't living in L.A. really to be able to audition for it. But I don't know. I just think it wasn't the right fit at the right time and i was really bummed out about it in the moment but now if i had been on glee i wouldn't be able to have my own show on mtv so everything happens for a reason and because those guys can't really do their own

thing right now they're kind of locked in right well they can do their own thing but my show right now is about an upcoming artist making a name for himself online and how important it is to be an online presence these days and if you are a star Glee, that doesn't necessarily make you an online presence. You're not a – yeah, yeah. You could also be, but you're a celebrity who just happens to have a YouTube channel. You're already a celebrity. Yeah. So how did you get the show and how did you get on Scooter Braun's radar?

Well, I made a video called – okay. So after I went – got off American Idol, I made a video of me singing my order to drive through at McDonald's. And that video went super viral, and I started realizing I was getting more recognized from being the McDonald's guy, quote-unquote. And the Target guy. Yeah, exactly, from those things than being on American Idol. And so I started saying, there's something about this YouTube thing. I could probably make a name for myself here. And that way I don't have to answer to anybody. I don't have to be judged by Simon Cowell. I don't have to have people or producers

like projecting me in a light that I don't feel like is really representing who I truly am. I can put myself out the way I want to be represented. Also being on American Idol, it kind of made me lose a little confidence. And so being on YouTube was a way for me to film myself with no one really seeing me and being able to put it out and regain my confidence as a performer because it really does something to you when you're on a show like that and you get kicked off everyone's judging you and this and that yeah it makes you question what you the talent that you knew you had before i knew that i'd been on broadway before and that wasn't a fluke that they would cast me in a broadway show so i was like right i clearly talent. But it took me a while to get my swag back.

And so anyway, I made a video called Beauty and the Beat. And it was the opening number of Beauty and the Beast where Belle is walking through the village. But she was in the hood. And everybody was ratchet. And all these ghetto fabulous people were talking to her. And it ended up being really super viral. It got a million views in less than a day wow and ironically justin bieber's song beauty and the beat was about to come out the next week no way i had never knew that no one had ever known the song it was the same name it

was the same name and it was just a god-sent thing that i named it that they thought that the song leaked and so people were reaching out to scooter bra and me like someone's leaked this song this video is going viral a week early he watched the the video and was like, this is brilliant. I got to meet this kid. And he scheduled a meeting with me. Had I not done that video, I would not have been represented by him. But he was like, I don't know exactly what to do with you. You're crazy. You're quirky. I don't know what you're wearing right now. But I think you're really interesting and really talented. And I'd like to work with you. So he signed me immediately and the rest is history. It was crazy because when I lived in New York, before I made the decision to move to LA,

I watched the Justin Bieber Never Say Never movie. I'll tell you what. I just had John Chu on last week. Can we direct a video with you? And John Chu and I did Virgin America commercial together. So I just had him. He was sitting here last week and I I go, dude, never say never. Again, this is telling you who I am.

I watched it three times, first off. You did not cry. And I cried. Every time. When the grandparents are talking about him leaving. And I just re-watched it last week because I was so inspired after we got in here of how cool that video was. That's so funny. Sorry, go ahead.

No, it was a life-changing movie for me and um it was that's so crazy dude it did you see it i feel this 5 000 volts of friendship energy going across this table right now um so the movie changed it changed the game for me and i actually made a bucket list or like a vision board and said, I'm going to move to LA and I'm going to find my own version of Scooter. And ironically, I moved here and found the real Scooter. Oh, my goodness. The real Scooter found me. And it's just a crazy like rags to riches story because since I've signed there, my life is completely, in the words of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, turned upside down.

And – In what ways? Tell me, this is two years you've been with him now? Yeah. So what has he done for you or what has happened or what doors have opened up that have given you where you're at now? Well, he and his team have just put me in a position with the best lawyers, the best business management,

the best agents, and people that really work hard for me. Like his team and the lady, Penny, that he – Oh, you know Penny. She's amazing. She's the most amazing person ever, and she's his right-hand woman, and she is like completely – every night she's the type of person that will stay up until 6 a.m. if that's what it takes to make somebody's dreams come true.

And I'm just so appreciative to have her as a part of my team. And I mean I got the Virgin America gig. I mean just life has just changed, and being attached to his name has given me a much greater platform. Yeah. Yeah, and then he and his team helped me work on the deal with MTV to get my show on MTV. And so that was a dream come true because I love the fact that I have a show where people get to see the hard work that goes on behind our videos. Because sometimes you watch a video and you don't realize the lighting and the costumes and the hair and the shoes. You realize that it all looks like it's in place. It takes forever to get done. Yeah, and if someone was on television with a ball gown but she had some Nikes on, you'd be like, the shoes you realize that it all looks like it's in place but it takes forever but you don't yeah

and if someone was on television with a ball gown but she had like some nikes on you'd be like oh shit something's not right right but um it's like recreating a broadway play every every week episode yeah every yeah every week and only doing it once and with a very small budget is the problem we don't have a lot of money we have to stretch the little money that we have and just make it work for ourselves. And so that's, what's really hard about it, but it's just been, I'm just so grateful for where I am right now in life. And sometimes I wake up in my house that looks like Pee Wee Herman's playhouse. I have like eight foot tall ice cream. You should come over. You should come. You will love it. I'll be out of place, but I'll appreciate it. I'm curious now, place, but I'll appreciate it.

I'm curious now, as a performer, is it a quadruple threat? Is that what I heard you are? What does that mean, a quadruple threat? Well, a quadruple threat means you're more than a singer, dancer, actor. You also – Something else. But someone gave me the name octothreat, which I'm now taking on because I direct, I choreograph. I do sing, dance, and act, but I do also the costume designs, and I help edit the videos, and I cast my own videos. So there's just so many aspects of the videos that we do.

And I am very, very hands-on, so I do every single aspect of the video. You're a producer and performer. Yeah. It's essentially everything. Exactly. You've got to come be in a video one day because people would freak out. They would love it. I don't know what I'd do.

I can salsa dance. I heard. I heard a little birdie told me you could salsa dance. If you find a girl who's really good at salsa, I will make you look like the man. Okay. Awesome. I'll make your video great. Deal.

Yeah, yeah. Deal. I definitely know some girls. I know a beautiful girl with a big old bubble butt. She would look amazing. The hourglass figure for days. We call her Kaylee Cakes. She can salsa? She can salsa. Let's do it. Yeah. I'm in. She would look amazing. The hourglass figure for days. We call her Kaylee Cakes. She can salsa?

She can salsa. Let's do it. I'm in. She's in. Okay. Now, I'm curious. So you've been on Broadway, American Idol. You've got your own TV show.

You've done a lot of other performances in between, opening up for Kids' Choice Awards and a lot of other stuff. What is the mantra or process before a performance, a big moment that you do for yourself? Is there something you say to yourself? Is there a ritual? Do you do something weird or do you ground yourself? Do you pray?

What's something you do? Usually our life is so crazy and we're trying to do something that should take a normal team of people that is like a 50-man army. We will be doing with four people and we're doing something that it would take that 50-man army two months to do. We're doing it in literally two to three days. So usually there's not a moment. We are literally rushing until that moment. But right before I go on stage, I always just bow my head and pray. I'm not the most crazy, like overly religious person.

But I do believe that there's no way I could be here without somebody much bigger than I watching over me and guiding my footsteps and making sure that I was in the in the room with the right people at the right time. And so I just like have to pray and like ground myself to get myself prepared because otherwise I will I will go crazy. And it's like I always get this calming feeling like 30 seconds before I go on. I'm a nervous wreck until 30 seconds before I go on. And then I get calm and I'm like, okay, you can do this. And then we make magic. Well, I love that. What would you say to someone who feels like overwhelmed and anxious and has a lot of pressure on themselves when they want to perform?

Whether it be a business pitch meeting or singing or dancing, whatever it may be, some type of performance going on their first date, what would advice would you give to someone to overcome pressure? I would just say that this whole world is like a big game, you know, and you have to walk into a room and at least have a great poker face. You can be nervous and that's normal. I think a lot of people think that nerves are not normal. And then that means that they're second guessing themselves or doubting the talent that they know that they have. But I don't think that's what it means. I think if you're not nervous, then you're way too confident and you're probably not going to get the things that you are looking for. I think anybody who's an artist or really passionate about anything that they're going in for, a good amount of nerves is important. I think put on a

good poker face and go in there and remember that every single person that is in a position to make decisions to guide your career or change your career are also just people and people are attracted to confidence. And if an idea is great or if the talent is truly there, then I think ultimately in the end that will always prevail. That's great. With all the talents you have, what would you say is your superpower? My superpower is that I feel like I, I would say my superpower is being a chameleon. And I say that because chameleons can transform into any place that they are. They can talk to anybody. They can blend into any surrounding. I went on Broadway. Oh, I don't blend in. I always stand out. Just remember that. But, but I to change and make sure that I fit into it.

I can talk to anybody about anything, I feel. You can connect with people. Yeah. And I went to Broadway. I had never been in a Broadway show, but I made myself fit in there. And I went to American Idol and made it pretty far for somebody who wasn't constantly singing and stuff. And also, I don't miss anything i'm that person like if something happens behind me i will see it i will catch it i will clock every

little detail of any room that when i walk in you have a good memory then or yeah and that's why i say chameleon off the off the cuff because chameleons also have those eyes that are they're one of the few animals that their eyes can move differently. At the same time, they can be looking in four different directions. I love that. Yeah. What keeps you grounded with all the success you're getting and the recognition and the YouTube crazies? What keeps me grounded is I have the most amazing mom in the world.

Not to go on a 20 minute tangent about my mom, but there was no dance studio where I lived. My mom got a new job so she could drive me an hour and a half to dance class every day in an hour and a half home. She never let me miss class. She never let me be late. And I don't think without her telling me, even though she had no idea what to do with a child like me, because she had never seen anybody like this and for me to be her child, I think she really jumped on the bandwagon and just tried to learn as much as she could about getting me out there. And also, I have amazing, amazing friends who not only are there to support me at any day,

any time, but they also tell me when I'm wrong. And I think that's the most important thing to keep someone humble. Yeah. And you're receptive to it, probably. It sounds like. Yeah. Because I know that they wouldn't lead me astray. And even if sometimes I don't want to hear it, I'm always, always, always so grateful that I have friends that will be like, Todrick, I love you, but you're being ridiculous right now. This is not a good move or this would be better. Sure, sure. movie, a performance, a play, a video that you could create the biggest dream that you could think of with one person that you want to collaborate with? What would the person, who would the person be to collaborate with and what would the

performance be in what stage? Um, I just thought about this the other day. First of all, Beyonce is like my favorite person in the world. So that goes without saying, I would love to people you're following on Instagram. Yeah. Uh, yeah. So I would without saying. She's one of the two people you're following on Instagram. Yeah. Yeah. So I would love to work with her. But I think my dream thing that I want to do,

and I just decided this last week, is I want to make the first fairy tale with two princes. And I don't want it to be like a super gay story, even though that's hard to make that not super gay. But I want it to be a story about two princes that just happen to fall in love. Because I imagine that in maybe 100, maybe 1,000 years from now, people will be born and there will be cartoons that have gay characters and stuff. So that a character being on a show and being gay is not the subject of that character being there.

That just also happens to be what they are. But there's no movies about people being straight. Like, oh, that's the situation that they have to overcome. And I just think that that would be such – it's such a simple thing, but I think it would be such a beautiful and epic thing if there was a gay couple and their problem was not that they were gay. That just happened to be two princes that fell in love in a fairy tale one day. So who would play those parts?

Well, I would want to be one of them because not only are they going to be gay, but they're going to be interracial. It's going to be a gay black prince and ebony and ivory. If you want to play the other prince, we could be two salsa dancing princes in a fairy tale. I don't know if I could play it. Just think on it, though. Just think on it. If I was gay, I would be

100% in. Awesome. Thank you. That's all I needed. If I was gay, I would be in. Awesome. Okay you. That's all I needed. That's all I needed for today. If I was gay, I would be in. Awesome. Okay. But I will appreciate and support your choice of who you want to choose. You'll buy a ticket to my movie. I'll buy a ticket.

Okay. I'll watch it on YouTube or whatever it is. Okay. But if it could be any actor, who would it be? I would probably choose somebody who is not gay. I would probably choose someone like a Zac Efron or someone. That would be interesting. Or my main man, Joseph Gordon-Levitt because I think he's such an amazing actor and he has become a good friend of mine recently.

He's amazing. He'd be great at that role. Yeah. I just wanted to break boundaries and be so out of the box but be so amazing that people are talking about it and everybody has to go see it. So when do you want to create that by? I would like to be – I have two movies that I want to create before that. I want to be the new mixture between Tyler Perry because I look up to him so much. He's so hilarious.

And he's somebody who came from being homeless to creating this huge brand and is now a multimillionaire. And Walt Disney because I love creating content for kids and I just think it's so powerful. I can see you being that. That's cool. Yeah. So I don't know how many years, but in the next five years, I hope that at least my first great movie is out.

Okay. And I'm going to invite you to the premiere. Please do. And we're going to salsa dance. I'll come. Go ahead. And salsa. What's next for you after this show?

You know, the show, tell us a little bit about the show and then what's after the show. The show is almost over. We have one more week. This week I'm doing Peter Perry, which I'm so proud of. It's telling the story of Peter Pan with all Katy Perry songs. This is amazing. Yeah, so that comes on this Monday. It's kind of like Glee.

Yeah, exactly. I feel like our show is like the reality version of Glee. Yeah, that's cool. And what's next for me is I would love to EGOT. I would love to go back to Broadway, but I want to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony. So I got to talk to my team and figure out exactly which one of those we want to go after first. But I would love to have a song on the radio. I think that's like my biggest dream.

And one of my songs has been playing on the radio all over the country. It's called Wind It Up and it's doing pretty well. So I'm excited about that. But I would love to go back to Broadway. I would love to be a recurring character on a major network, on a scripted show, not just a reality show.

And I would love to be in a huge movie, preferably one that had to do with music and dancing, like a musical movie or something that is very life-changing, like something about something powerful. Epic, yeah. So this is the question from Penny. Oh, geez. I just said, what's the question that I should ask that no one asked him?

And she said, no one ever asked him about relationships and love, only about sexuality. Got it. So when I ask you about relationships and love, how does love and relationships play into your success? And do you feel like, with where you're at in your life right now, are you able to have a great relationship

and still pursue your dreams and your passion and have the freedom and flexibility to be creative and artistic? Is it possible to have both with where you're at? Yeah. Well, the answer is yes. I only follow two people on Instagram and the other person is my partner and his name is Jesse and he's awesome. And I've dated a lot of people before him that it was difficult because my life requires a lot of me not being around or there's always people around. There's hardly ever any sleep. Sometimes we're together for days, but we don't ever get to talk to each other hardly

because we literally wake up 6 a.m. and go to sleep at 4 a.m. And that whole day we were working the entire time. But I just feel like if you find the right person who believes in you so much and wants you to be so successful, then all of the problems that you would normally have with someone not being there or them not feeling loved or supported go out the window. So I'm really, really happy where I am in my relationship right now. Who knows what the future holds? I can see us being together for a very, very long time. And I'm just happy that I have somebody that really understands me. And it's like not judgmental of the fact that i live in a

candy house and like and uh it's literally a candy house i mean it's literally i mean the chairs are ice creams the table is a cupcake perry's house like pbee Wee Harmon and Katy Perry. Katy Perry. That sounds like a bad situation, Katy Perry. But yeah. That's amazing. Okay. Well, I'm glad to know that you've been able to make it work. That's pretty cool. How about you?

We'll talk about that afterwards. Got it. I'll see how the tables have turned. Okay. We're going to find out all the juice afterwards and I'll just tweet it to everybody. So I want to do something. I have a couple of questions left for you. But I want to hear your voice.

I want to hear you, if you're open to it, to singing something. Okay. I should have whipped out my guitar and played something. But I think it would be better just to hear maybe something you love to sing. Here's what I want to hear. Something you love to sing. It can be like 30 to 60 seconds. Let's not get wrong.

Here's what I want to hear. Something you love to sing. It can be like 30 to 60 seconds. Let's not go wrong. That tells about who you are, speaks about who you are, and also shares a message to the world of what you want the world to be. Is there a song or a verse or a message that you can sing that would do that um i would say the song that i have haters is like a song that to me means a lot because i always wished that i had like some anthem that i could rock out to when i got home after people were like making fun of me and uh and when i felt like nobody understood me i wrote

this song and i put it out and people the kids are like going crazy for this and all of these kids around the country are performing this song at their talent shows and at dance recitals and stuff. Can we hear a part of it? Yeah. Okay. Go ahead. Okay.

I don't need your love, love, love to tell me I'm good enough. And you ain't worth my time If you don't think I'm fine And you don't need to lose one more pound To keep that scrub of yours around If you don't know you're beautiful If you don't know you're beautiful Then turn the radio up

Play that beat loud For anyone that tried to bring me down This one's for you This one's for you So make the radio blast Hands in the air They can kiss my Ask me if I care

This one's for you This one's for you. This one's for you. Haters. Wow. I love that, man. That was epic. That was amazing. I did not think I was going to be singing anything today, but because I love you so much and because we're best friends and also separated at birth and also going to be salsa dancing and also going to be gay prince lovers in a video possibly hypothetically thinking about it then i just like i'll just go

ahead and sing this little diddy that was amazing man thank you thank you i really appreciate that thank you um wow i'm inspired you know i can listen to people sing all day it's for me it's like uh it's a dream to be able to do that stuff and i appreciate the craft and the art and the talent that you've developed because i know it's been a lot of hard work over the years. So, um, couple final questions. If all your videos were erased for some reason, all the shows you've ever done, I just, or let's just say, let's say they're all up. I just got hot a little bit. I know how much hours has been into that. Let's say they're still there there. I just got hot a little bit. A little bit. I know how much hours has been into that. Yeah. Let's say they're still there, but there's one final message that you want to share with people.

There's a message that is everything you've learned from now until you were born about three truths of what you've learned about life. The three simple truths. If you had a video that was 60 seconds long, it was you in a video, no costumes, no music, no dancing. Got it. And you got to say, here are the three simple truths by Todrick. What would you say are the three simple truths? I would say the first truth is make sure that you are nice to every single person that you ever meet and anybody that you encounter. Always treat them as if they – as if how you would treat the Beyonce

or whatever of your life because you never know where someone will be tomorrow and where you will be next week. That's number one. Number two, I would say keep great people around you that love you and that are really, truly friends. And if people show you who they are, don't give them a million chances because more than likely what they showed you the first time was who they really are. And thirdly, I would say be true to who you are, like above and beyond anything else. above and beyond anything else. I think before I was like,

I just want to be famous at whatever cost, even if it means I don't ever tell people that I'm straight, I mean, that I'm gay, or that I don't, you know, whatever the situation may be. I would rather now be 10 times less famous and be happy and be at least successful doing what I love to do. And maybe I will never sell out Staples Center or Madison Square Garden,

but I will sell out a 500 seat theater with fans that really love and appreciate me. And my voice will be a voice for people who really need to hear what I have to say. So I think being true to yourself as cliche as that sounds is the most important of those three things. I love that. Very cool.

One final question before I ask. Okay. I want to acknowledge you for a moment. Okay. For your gift, your unique gift to inspire and entertain and make people think and open up and love in a different way. I think it's really beautiful what you've created over your whole career and your life by being true to who you are. Well, thank you. It's really inspiring.

Thank you. in your life by being true to who you are. Well, thank you. It's really inspiring. And I want to acknowledge you for maximizing your gifts because you're impacting the world in a major way, even if you don't think you are. So I acknowledge you for that. Thank you. And my final question, it's what I ask all my guests at the end.

Okay. This is the school of greatness. So my- Wait, wait, wait. Can I say one more thing? Yes. I wish that I had four things. This is really important.

The fourth thing is don't wait for the opportunity to come knock at your door because we live in a day and age where anybody can make their own dreams come true. And I think that is the most important thing. I should have said that in there. That's how I've gotten here is not waiting for opportunity. I go seize those opportunities. I like that. So as being the school of greatness, I would ask you what's your definition of greatness? the school of greatness, I would ask you, what's your definition of greatness?

The definition of greatness is someone who naturally can command an audience and have a voice that is authentic and true to themselves and not have to have gimmicks or anything. I would say the definition of greatness is Beyonce. I love it. I love it. Where can we connect with you online? Where do you want us to hang out? YouTube? Where should we go? You can connect with me online on Twitter and Instagram at Toddy Rockstar. I'm on Facebook. You can look me up there. And also

on my YouTube channel, Search Todrick. My mom came up with a really unique name, so I think I'm the only one. Todrick, yeah. T-O-D-R-I-C-K. And I will pop up and entertain you. Awesome. Are you on Snapchat and everything else as well? I'm on Snapchat, so I think I'm the only one. Todrick, yeah. T-O-D-R-I-C-K, and I will pop up and entertain you. Are you on Snapchat and everything else as well? I'm on Snapchat, but I'm a little iffy. I'm inconsistent in that department, but I will be there occasionally.

Awesome. Todrick Hall, thanks so much for coming on. I appreciate it. Thanks so much for having me. It was great. And there you have it, guys. I hope you enjoyed this episode with the one, the only Todrick Hall. Make sure to share this with a guys. I hope you enjoyed this episode with the one, the only Todrick Hall. Make sure to share this with a friend.

If you know someone who would be inspired by Todrick's message, please email them. Lewis house.com slash two four zero. Send them this email and say, Hey man, or Hey girl, check out this episode. I think you're going to be really inspired by Todrick's message.

Check it out. Also share it with your friends over on Twitter, on Facebook. Tag both of us over on Instagram. Again, the link is lewishouse.com slash 240. You're going to get all of the show notes back if you go to that link as well

to see how you can connect with Todrick on all of his social media accounts. We'll put up a video there that he did of Taylor Swift remake that is incredible. So you can check out how talented this guy is on video and, and see all the great things he's doing. Make sure to check out his TV show.

You can watch the replays online as well. A lot of great stuff by this guy. I, I feel very connected to him. I want you guys to connect with him as well. And again, make sure to share this with your friends. The link is lewishouse.com slash 240.

I appreciate you all so very much for coming on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for all the greatness that we put out together. And it's all because of you that I continue to get amazing guests like Todrick. So thank you all for showing up in a powerful way in the world. Thank you for bringing your truth to what you're doing and for living a passionate, powerful life. You guys know what time it is. It's time to go out there and do something great. Outro Music