Self-Made Superstar Todrick Hall Takes A Trip Over The Rainbow

In the biz they call show, the most talented performers are described as "triple threats", so named for their mastery of the three principal stage skills: dancing, singing and acting. By comparison, Todrick Hall seems just plain greedy. The American Idol alum and YouTube icon not only has the standard trio of talents down pat, he also boasts a plethora of other artistic skills, as a rapper, director, choreographer, composer, drag queen, producer and judge.

"It wasn't really a conscious choice to have so much diversity in my career, there's just so many things I love doing as a performer. It's just like somebody who is a lover of all different types of food — I wouldn't want to just eat pizza when I also love Mexican and sushi and a whole bunch of other things, you know," Hall laughs. "I always liked singing, because I loved Lauren Hill growing up, and the pop greats like Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston. I loved trying to sing like them. I love writing songs because I grew up where country music was all the rage, in Plainview, Texas, and I loved how those country hits could tell a story with these beautiful melodies. I loved dancing because I was obsessed with The Nutcracker when I was a kid, so I think all these things separately fascinated me growing up and all ended up becoming big parts of how I express myself. It all happened very organically."

"You have to know that any measure of success you achieve could so easily be taken away, so you've got to make the most out of every chance you get."

But despite this impressive number of abilities, not to mention the more than 2.5 million subscribers who follow his YouTube channel, Hall's career path has often been fraught with 'close, but no cigar' moments. After being knocked out at the semi-final stages of season 9 of Idol, Hall went on to miss out on a potential role in the hit show Glee. His MTV docuseries Todrick was cancelled after just eight episodes, and in 2015, a bid to play the Scarecrow in NBC's epic live broadcast of Motown marvel The Wiz — a role immortalised by Michael Jackson in the 1978 film original — would prove fruitless.

But if the 32-year-old performer has proven anything during his years chasing the limelight, it's that he's not afraid to put in the hard yards. Turning to YouTube as a key platform for showcasing his extraordinary creativity, Hall's music videos, boasting production values usually reserved for major labels, have earned him a cult following. He's also forged impressive stage credentials on Broadway, most notably as the drag queen cabaret star Lola in the hit musical Kinky Boots. On screen, Hall reached a new level of notoriety in 2016, appearing as a guest judge on Season 8 of the international TV phenomenon RuPaul's Drag Race, before becoming a regular face on the show's judging panel in subsequent seasons.

Hall credits his success to a tenacious work ethic developed early in his training as a fledgling performer. "I grew up in a ballet school and there was a very strict way of doing things. You not only have to turn up on time, you've got to be ready to work, in your uniform, warmed up. You couldn't miss rehearsals or turn up unprepared, so I've always approached everything I do with that level of commitment," he explains. "You can't take anything for granted in this life. So I just look at every single opportunity I have as another chance to be able to let my story be told. You have to know that any measure of success you achieve could so easily be taken away, so you've got to make the most out of every chance you get."

This self-made star has no intentions of resting on his laurels as his Wizard Of Oz inspired album, Straight Outta Oz, begins a world tour. Originally conceived as a YouTube spectacle, using L. Frank Baum's bittersweet tale to tell the ups and downs of Hall's own life story, the glitz and sparkle of the album's online incarnation has been painstakingly translated into a live stage version. "You can expect a lot of razzle-dazzle," Hall beams. "We spent a lot of time coming up with concepts that we felt not only looked really impressive, but also told a story. It's a concert version, so not fully staged, but I've been talking with several Broadway producers about developing the show, so I think this will give audiences a glimpse of what it might look like in a fully realised production. And it's just a lot of fun — you might cry, you might laugh, but you will definitely be up and dancing."