Listen to Tuesday: Audra McDonald

When I started listening to Audra McDonald a couple of weeks ago, my first thought was "How on earth did I not know about this amazing woman earlier?" A five-time winner of the Tony Award and a Julliard graduate, Audra was classically trained but performs in musical theatre and acting.

Her voice is nothing short of stunning - it's truly one of the most remarkable voices I've ever heard. A master of agility, she seems to tackle challenging repertoire with ease. In one word: wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS9eBqmqfmA

After a seven-year gap, Audra's newest album, Go Back Home, is interesting because popular showtune standards are noticeably absent. There's no Wicked, no Gypsy, and nothing anywhere near any Andrew Lloyd Webber. Instead are lesser-known but beautiful pieces by Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown - so it also makes for a great introduction for those wanting to venture more into the world of musical theatre.

Buy on Amazon or iTunes.