Jennifer Nettles Belts Out ‘As Long As You’re Mine’ From ‘Wicked’
Nettles is no stranger to Broadway tunes, as she played the starring role of Roxie Hart in 'Chicago' back in 2014.
Jennifer Nettles has been to Broadway and back, but she never lost that special touch from the stage as heard throughout her duet of “As Long As You’re Mine” from the hit musical, Wicked.
Singing alongside Wicked actress Annaleigh Ashford, the two use all the power to command the duet for their “Out of Oz” contribution. Bringing the song to life without all the makeup and stage, the track remains beautifully done nonetheless without either of the women missing a single note for the Broadway smash.
Although Nettles recently returned back to her country roots by reuniting with Kristian Bush for new Sugarland music, she still keeps the theater close to her heart. Performing something from Wicked meant the world to her and Nettles wanted to do the song justice due to its prominence in the show and in her favorite songs catalogue.
“I love it within the show. It’s such a beautiful moment where you get to see their romance really bud within all of this chaos that’s happening in her life and she’s trying to figure out what she wants to do and trying to escape everybody. I think it’s a beautiful moment for them and a really poignant moment that kind of sets up the arc of their relationship. And melodically, just from a music standpoint, it’s gorgeous. That [version] was what I was invited to do. Getting to sing with Annaleigh, who is amazing and has done such wonderful work on stage, that was an honor and a treat for me to get to sing with her as well on this song. You talk about a wonderful re-imagining of a song – I think it’s refreshing that it is two women,” she explained to Billboard.
No stranger to the depths of Broadway, Nettles previously played the starring role of Roxie Hart in Chicago back in 2014 and thrived off the live reactions. Connecting herself directly to Wicked though, the country singer also got to sing alongside original castmember Idina Menzel and the moment was magical indeed for Nettles.
“In having had the soundtrack to Wicked and having sung along with her for so long, to be able to sing with that voice, I was of course thrilled for that,” Nettles admitted. “And then, as a person, she is just as lovely and intelligent and kind and gracious. So I really just enjoy her as an artist and as a woman. Big time fan-girling!”
Watch the cover of “As Long As You’re Mine” above, and be sure to catch Sugarland when they tour later this year on the road.
