Leslie Odom, Jr.

Leslie Odom Jr. may be best known for his star-making turn as Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s megahit musical Hamilton, but his talents extend well beyond that undeniably spectacular role. Odom was born in New York in 1981 and grew up in Philadelphia, where he discovered singing and acting—his twin loves—early on. He made his Broadway debut at the age of 17, playing the role of Paul in the musical Rent, and went on to study drama at Carnegie Mellon University. After a move to Los Angeles, he worked steadily in both theatre and television before returning to New York with the musical Leap of Faith in 2012. Though that show closed quickly, Odom was not done singing: he flexed his exquisite vocal control and miraculous falsetto on a 2014 self-titled debut album of jazz and pop standards that included gems like “Look For the Silver Lining” and “Autumn Leaves”. (The album was re-released in 2016 after Hamilton made him a household name.) In Hamilton, Odom found the perfect role, in part because it forced the innately charming performer to play against his nature. He made the bitter, jealous Aaron Burr into a nuanced and complex character, winning both a Tony and a Grammy for his efforts. Since then, he’s released two splendid Christmas albums and 2019’s excellent Mr, an album of exuberantly style-hopping original songs penned with Rafael Casal, including the funky “Go Crazy”.