The world was shocked by Cory Monteith's sudden death in 2013. The 31-year-old actor, who was dating Glee co-star Lea Michele at the time, was the inspiration behind Michele's song "If You Say So" off her 2014 album Louder. Now back in the recording studio, Michele revealed to Billboard that Monteith is continuing to indirectly inspire her songwriting.
The New Year's Eve star told Billboard that a book Stevie Nicks gave her shortly after Monteith's passing was a huge help in writing the music on her upcoming album Places.
"[Nicks] gave me this art book of hers that she put notes in over the years and song lyrics, and then she rewrote personal notes for me that say things like, ‘Keep singing, and have faith.' ...I was looking through this book and praying that there was an answer in it, somewhere. And there was something in there that said, 'The only thing that matters is you, and who you are.’ That’s what I’ve been trying to do with this whole record — just connect to me and where I’m from.” While Louder helped Michele deal with her immediate grief — the singer told Billboard that the album was "clouded by a big tragedy that had happened to me" — Places promises to be an album where Michele gets back to herself. According to the former Rachel Berry, the title of the album came from her Broadway days — when "places!" would be called to indicate a show was about to start. It's a title that indicates that Michele is ready to put her personal music into the spotlight. Michele is proof that the darkest times can lead to beautiful things. Her self-assuredness in her work is enough reason for fans to want to hear what this woman is doing next.
"[Nicks] gave me this art book of hers that she put notes in over the years and song lyrics, and then she rewrote personal notes for me that say things like, ‘Keep singing, and have faith.' ...I was looking through this book and praying that there was an answer in it, somewhere. And there was something in there that said, 'The only thing that matters is you, and who you are.’ That’s what I’ve been trying to do with this whole record — just connect to me and where I’m from.” While Louder helped Michele deal with her immediate grief — the singer told Billboard that the album was "clouded by a big tragedy that had happened to me" — Places promises to be an album where Michele gets back to herself. According to the former Rachel Berry, the title of the album came from her Broadway days — when "places!" would be called to indicate a show was about to start. It's a title that indicates that Michele is ready to put her personal music into the spotlight. Michele is proof that the darkest times can lead to beautiful things. Her self-assuredness in her work is enough reason for fans to want to hear what this woman is doing next.