Idina Menzel shows off engagement ring
Things are going from great to even greater for actress and singer Idina Menzel this week. Not only does she have a top 10 album on the iTunes charts but she got engaged to fellow theater star, Aaron Lohr. ET’s Elvis Duran caught up with the songstress backstage at the iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas on Saturday, where she gushed about her new fiancé and her fantasy duet partner.
News of the “Let It Go” singer’s engagement broke on Friday after she announced it on Twitter, the same week her new album was released.
“I’m super happy, yeah! Very happy,” the 45-year-old “Rent” star told Duran.
“I’m happy because it’s all coming together, everything feels good. I went through a lot of stuff and it’s new beginnings,” she added.
Menzel, whose divorce from actor Taye Diggs was finalized in 2014, wowed on the red carpet in a form-fitting, cleavage-baring black pantsuit and casually displayed her engagement bling on her left hand.
The Broadway star’s self-titled album, “idina.,” has been climbing the charts since its recent release but Menzel says it’s her love of singing that motivates her to keep creating. “It’s just what I’ve been wanting to do my whole life. Just make music and sing for a living. To get accolades is great,” the Tony winner said, “but it’s just the need to sing.”
Still, mainstream success hasn’t always been something she was sure of. “Coming from the theater, everybody always said you couldn’t break through with the pop thing and I always believed in myself that I could, so I appreciate people giving me a chance,” Menzel marveled.
The naysayers motivated her to prove them wrong. “I’m very competitive and defiant,” she added.
Although the “Glee” actress has performed for the likes of President Obama and with major symphony orchestras around the world, as well as playing the role of Elsa in the top-grossing Disney film, “Frozen¸” there is one dream collaborator she is too shy to reach out to -- Bono!
“I’ve always said if I could do a duet with someone, it’d be Bono,” she admits. “My whole life, that’s all I’ve ever said. I still have not done a duet with him.” Menzel recalls attending the 2014 Oscars when “Let it go” beat out U2’s “Ordinary Love” for Best Original Song. “They didn’t win but I love you Bono and I really want to sing with you anyway!”
There’s still time to check that off the bucket list, Idina!
Menzel recently opened up to ET about the her “very personal” new album. Check out what she had to say in the video below.