Ben Platt Is Kicking Off His 'Gay Americana' Era With A Concert Residency

Ben Platt is set to usher in the next phase of his music career this spring with a Broadway return and a nod to his self-proclaimed foremothers , Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli.

To celebrate his third album, Honeymind , Platt will perform a series of 18 concerts at New Yorks Palace Theatre, beginning May 28. In doing so, the Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-winning actor and singer follows in the footsteps of Garland and Minnelli, both of whom played the Palace in their primes with sold-out residencies. Hes also the first performer confirmed to appear on the century-old theaters stage since 2018, when it closed for a $2.5 billion renovation . 

Though the May 31 release of Honeymind seems auspiciously timed to the Palaces reopening, Platt never envisioned himself playing the historic venue as a solo artist. Still, hed been looking for ways to bridge his Broadway background with his work as a singer-songwriter, so when the Palace opportunity arose, it felt like the universe really did me a favor, he said. 

So many people I admire, from the days of yore to the Barbra [Streisands] of the world ... that kind of synergy doesnt really exist anymore, Platt told HuffPost in an interview. Doing something that felt like a little tapestry of all the things that I do felt like an exciting idea.

As for those foremothers, he added: I wouldnt be here, as happy and openly queer as I am, without those two women and everything they stood for, and the support they gave the LGBTQ+ community. So I feel immense pride, and I want it to be a show they would both love.

Platts residency concerts will be directed by Michael Arden , who won a Tony last year for the Broadway revival of Parade, in which Platt also starred. Songs from Honeymind will be prominently featured on the shows set list, but Platt also plans to include a number of special guests as well as some classic covers and a Broadway moment or two.

A Los Angeles native, Platt rose to national prominence in 2012 when he portrayed Benji Applebaum in the movie musical Pitch Perfect . His breakout role, however, arrived four years later when he endeared himself to a generation of theatergoers as the tormented teen protagonist of the Broadway smash Dear Evan Hansen .

It was during his Evan Hansen run that he signed with Atlantic Records. His debut solo album, 2019s Sing to Me Instead , was a sterling showcase for his powerhouse vocals, featuring piano ballads and other self-reflective tracks. His sophomore effort, 2021s Reverie , found him embracing an electro-pop vibe. 

According to Platt, Honeymind was partly inspired by iconic 1970s musicians like Carole King and James Taylor; its also his initial release under a new deal with Interscope Records. The albums first single and music video, Andrew , finds him recalling the unrequited crushes he had on a number of his straight male friends as a closeted gay teen.

Watch the music video for Andrew below: 

No ones to blame and its no ones fault, he said. Its just a shitty situation. The irreverent melancholy of that immediately felt like a song to me. 

The remainder of Honeymind, however, will reflect what Platt describes as his gay Americana era. The albums cover art finds him and his fianc, fellow stage and screen actor Noah Galvin , sharing a steamy embrace in a vintage convertible.

I was inspired by very traditional American imagery, he said. Things like Coca-Cola and drive-in theaters that feel almost clich in how American they are. ... I wanted to twist them through a queer lens and reclaim them. I had this image of two guys in the 1950s at a drive-in, getting it on in the back seat, and the joy and excitement of what it wouldve felt like if they didnt have to worry about being seen.

Galvins presence on the Honeymind cover is fitting, as Platt feels their relationship has afforded him such comfort, freedom and confidence that he had yet to experience before the two were together.

Its clear on the album that Im at a turning point, and having the support of my partner allows me to feel a lot freer creatively and less afraid, he said.