Cynthia Erivo's I Forgive You has a simple but powerful premise: Amidst emotional toil, embrace the vulnerability and the imperfections that make us human.

"The more I've grown to know who I am, the more I've become more of myself," Erivo tells GRAMMY.com. "[I'm] taking on the parts of me that might not be perfect. Taking on the parts of me that I love has allowed me to free up who I am and become more creatively daring."

The GRAMMY winner has endeared audiences worldwide with her charisma, authenticity, and versatility since starring in “The Color Purple” on Broadway and London's West End between 2013 and 2015. These, plus her dedication to craftsmanship, have made her the recording, film, and stage artist she is today. 

But with her sophomore album, Erivo has doubled down — betting on herself and determined to shatter socially and self-imposed boundaries. 

"I just let myself be free." 

The luminous and ambitious I Forgive You ripples with R&B, pop, and folk, but even such categories cannot fully capture its depth. Erivo lets her unmistakable vocal prowess weave through the beats, vocal pedals, and swelling string crescendos. She shares her innermost observations about the torturous pain of heartbreak, the tender intimacy in partnership, and the emotional clarity that signals that healing is nonlinear.

Her voice radiates delicate warmth, speaking slightly above a whisper, protecting the instrument that has given her so much over the years. "In every song, there are things that you're hearing in there that you might not realize are actually me sampled or me making the sound. There are drones in there and basses in there that are in my voice," she says. Kevin Garrett's voice appears in "Holy Refrain," but everything else is Erivo.

As Erivo shares the technical aspects that went into crafting I Forgive You, it seems that, for the first time, she understands the greatness 

of this musical facet of her artistry: it's a complete portrait of herself. She has never sounded more comfortable in her skin. 

Cynthia Erivo spoke with GRAMMY.com about her most mature album to date, her pursuit of liberation as an artist and woman, and more. 

We last saw you in the film adaptation of Wicked, where you earned an Academy Award nomination. This time, you're singing as yourself and not a character. What was the process of returning to your music like?

I don't think I've ever left music. I've just been doing other things at the same time; I wrote the last album a while ago. I've always wanted to come back but have been a little bit apprehensive about it, and felt like I didn't really have the right team, and the time was filled with mostly live performances, film, and TV. 

Being in the space of doing all that and creating made me miss it, and so it felt like it was just time to get back to something I knew, loved, and connected with.

Read more: 'Wicked' Composer Stephen Schwartz Details His Journey Down The Yellow Brick Road

I Forgive You marks a turn from your 2021 debut album, which was heavily influenced by contemporary soul. It feels very liberated.

I think that for [Ch. 1 Vs. 1], I felt like it was going by the formula, trying to fit a formula that I thought might work, and I don't think I was fully being myself, and I didn't really get the chance to pick the writers I wanted to work with. I didn't feel like some moments on that album feel very much like me, and there are moments where I'm filling in the blanks, almost.

But this time around, this was all me. This was all informed by things I listened to when I was younger, things I loved, so it just sort of happened. I didn't put pressure on myself when it came to creating songs in different genres. Once you put a melody down, the song sort of wrote itself, and I wouldn't try to make it into something else. If it came out feeling like a country song, came up like a country song, if it came out feeling like a folk song, if that song came up feeling like R&B and gospel, that's how it came out. These things are part of the DNA of my musical taste and what I've grown up with, so I just let myself be free. 

How did you reach this creative, musical emancipation?

This was a quiet conversation I had with myself. It was like, Do I try to make this a particular type of album? Am I gonna adhere to making it a particular kind of album, an R&B or a soul album? Then I just stopped and said, No, I think I'm just gonna write. Whatever comes out, whichever are the songs I love, are the songs that I love, and whichever are the songs that tell the stories I want to tell will be the songs on the album. 

You collaborated with songwriter Justin Tranter on this album. How does your collaboration look in practice?

Justin would come in, and he would say, "What are we feeling like doing today? Do we want something deep? Do we want sexy? Do we want something loving? What do we feel like?"  And I'd say, "Well, I think I want to write something that's loving. I want to write something that's kind of upbeat but sweet, kind."  And then he goes, "Okay, so what about this?" And then I'll go, "I don't like that suggestion." 

And then I bring up my pen and paper, and Justin is excellent when it comes to sitting back and stepping out of the way to let me write. I'll relay the lyrics to him, and he'll say, "That sounds really cool, but what about…" and he'll make a small melody change that changes the entire thing in the way that I wanted to because it helps them to come through once that song is completely recorded.

Justin will listen to it, and I say, "Oh yeah, I know you. But what if we add this bass right here? What if we add this whistle right here, or add your nails instead of a clap?" That's what Justin is really beautiful at doing: making sure the finer details are also taken care of. I look for those things. But when you have someone like Justin in the room, you can trust that those things will be handled. So you could just kind of go. 

Speaking of details, the songs in this album mostly feature sounds from you. Can you walk me through the reason for adding a string section in "You First?"

I love the sound of strings, but there's a tonality in the quality of texture they bring that you can't really do with a voice. It opens everything up and makes things more dramatic. And you can accent a storyline with the right string orchestra. 

Tell me about the child whose voice is featured at the end of "Grace."

The child at the end of "Grace" is Grace. She passed away when she was about 13. I met her last year when she watched Wicked. Then we started sending videos to each other, and I finally had a FaceTime with her. She was a sweet, sweet girl, and that was a message she had sent me.

You beautifully chronicle the contradictions of being human and our ability to transform and change. Was there a song on the album that had the most significant transformation from when you began working on it to the final version that will be released?

"Holy Refrain," I wrote it four years ago and didn't finish it. It was a different song, and it had no backgrounds on it, and it was just one vocal line that was a very simple melody, and then, we finished it, and it became what it has become: this big, all-out love song. It was a very simple folky-type song before it became what I think is very gospel, so that song had the biggest transformation. 

"Brick By Brick" had a big transformation as well. Before, it was like one verse and one chorus, and the structure changed as I understood what it was that I really wanted to say. 

My introduction to you was "The Color Purple" on Broadway in late 2015. What's your relationship to Broadway now?

I'm going to be hosting The Tonys. I'm still very close, and I see as much as I can. This time, I get to see almost everything. I haven't disappeared, that's for sure. I may be back soon. Once you have the Broadway bug, you can't leave it forever. It's something you always get back to. It's like sharpening the tools. 

How has your musicianship and self-preservation evolved with your internal identity and relationship to yourself?

My choices as a musician have become more adventurous, trying new things with my voice, like at the end of "More Than Twice," that sort of ululating, which I've never done in public. I've never done it on anything. It allows me to play with the use of breath and the falsetto. 

When you find out who you are fully, you get to find out who you are as a musician fully, so that discovery of self keeps happening. Writing this album has been really freeing. I got to really dive into the love I have for music, the love I have for making it, not just singing, but the making of it, the sound of a violin and the difference between a cello and a double bass, the difference between the soprano sax and a saxophone and going back to the root of who I am, those things that I knew when I was younger and learned about when I was younger, I get to now express and share as well as a musician. 

When teen popstars like Britney Spears, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys broke through in the late '90s, one producer/songwriter made it all possible: Max Martin. The Swedish hitmaker, responsible for era-defining songs like "Oops!... I Did It Again," "It's Gonna Be Me" and "I Want It That Way," built on his country's tradition of melody-rich dance-pop to usher in a bold new wave of global pop stardom — powered by dynamic production and unforgettable hooks.

With five GRAMMY wins, 25 GRAMMY nominations, and countless hits spanning more than three decades — including chart-topping work with GRAMMY-winning and -nominated artists like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and Katy Perry — Martin's influence still echoes across radio, streaming platforms, and, since 2019, musical theater.

"& Juliet," the Max Martin-inspired jukebox musical created by "Schitt's Creek" writer and executive producer David West Read, reinvents Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" with one key twist: Juliet lives. Featuring blended and reimagined versions of Martin's biggest hits adapted for the stage, the Tony-nominated musical has become a hit in its own right since premiering in 2019.

Now, the GRAMMY Museum in downtown Los Angeles is honoring both Martin's legacy and the impact of "& Juliet" in a new exhibit, & Juliet: The Music of Max Martin and Friends, which is on view now through Monday, Oct. 27. The exhibit features behind-the-scenes insights, original props from the musical, and rare memorabilia from Martin's storied career. For fans looking to experience the musical in person, "& Juliet" is hosting a summer run at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles from Aug. 13 through Sept. 7.

Here are five must-see highlights from the GRAMMY Museum's & Juliet: The Music of Max Martin and Friends exhibit.

Learn more about and buy tickets for & Juliet: The Music of Max Martin and Friends.

Max Martin Helped Make Britney Spears Pop Royalty

From the moment she breathed, "Oh, baby, baby" on her 1998 debut single, "...Baby One More Time," Britney Spears was destined for pop stardom. While the then-teenager delivered her signature breathy vocals, Martin shaped the song's piano-stabbed production (alongside Rami Yacoub) and aching lyrics. It became a global smash, kicking off a long-running creative partnership between Spears and Martin that produced some of her biggest hits, including "Oops!... I Did It Again" and "Stronger." Crowned the "Princess of Pop," Spears is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, so it's fitting that she's featured in an exhibit honoring Martin's legacy.

Two of her original tour outfits greet visitors at the gallery entrance: a pink-and-white vinyl look from her 1999 debut headlining tour and a crystal-studded jumpsuit from her 2001-2002 Dream Within a Dream tour.

Britney Spears' original tour outfits from her 1999 debut headlining tour (R) and her 2001-2002 Dream Within a Dream tour (L). | Photo: Rebecca Sapp

"& Juliet" Was Years In The Making … And Martin Was There For Every Step

Past Spears' outfits, the exhibit is a booth located near the back of the gallery. Eye-catching items, including a playbill from the musical's Broadway run, script pages and sheet music, decorate the outer walls, accompanied by context labels. On the inside, blown-up performance photos line the walls, and a behind-the-scenes video plays from a screen with intimate seating.

According to the video, Martin began taking musical pitches in 2016, seeking an unconventional vehicle for his catalog — something beyond the standard popstar story. Read, combing through hundreds of his songs, had an idea: Since so many of Martin's songs center on young love and heartbreak, why not use them to rewrite one of history's most famous love stories of all time? By flipping the play's ending, the team found a way to let the music guide the narrative into something cohesive and emotionally impactful.

Martin was hands-on throughout the creative process, reviewing song selections, sitting in on rehearsals, and encouraging the cast to push the boundaries of his work. That collaborative ethos is what's made him such an enduring pop force and a key player in the sound of the "& Juliet" musical.

His Songs Weren't Rewritten For Broadway — They Were Reimagined

One of the musical's most surprising aspects is that Martin's songs remain lyrically intact. Instead, it's the arrangement and narrative context in which they're played that make them sound radically different.

Spears' "...Baby One More Time" is synonymous with its iconic music video. But in the musical, the song is stripped of its youthful visuals and slowed to a ballad, becoming a haunting lament as Juliet mourns Romeo's death. In another scene, Shakespeare and his wife argue through the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way."

Some of Martin's songs were even mashed up, thanks to music supervisor and arranger Bill Sherman ("Hamilton," "In The Heights"). Sheet music on display shows how songs like Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" merge with Ariana Grande's "Break Free," and how Grande's "Problem" blends with The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face" — pairings that drive the narrative by creating a dialogue between the songs themselves and the characters who sing them.

The Show's Genre-Bending Style Mirrors Martin's Own

Part of Martin's pop wizardry is rooted in his skill at borrowing from multiple genres to make something new. This superpower sensibility is enmeshed in all parts of the "& Juliet" production.

In the behind-the-scenes video, Paloma Young, a costume designer for the musical, explains her creative process, describing the fashion as a mix of Elizabethan/Georgian and Y2K styles: Think ruffled collars and trim, denim vests, lace-up corseted dresses, sneakers, and bomber jackets with puff sleeves. For example, check out Romeo's embellished leather jacket (Young's take on an Elizabethan doublet, or fitted jacket) mounted in a case below the initial sketch, its painted roses and strategically placed safety pins combining streetwear edge with Renaissance motifs. Nearby, an encased set of studded trucker hats takes two Y2K trends (snakeskin patterns and metallic sheen) back in time with chainmail panels and monogrammed initials in Old English lettering. The video, which also shows performance clips from the musical, features input from "& Juliet" choreographer Jennifer Weber, who shares that she created her dance numbers by blending hip-hop, K-pop and Broadway elements.

Romeo's leather jacket from the GRAMMY Museum's '& Juliet: The Music Of Max Martin And Friends' exhibit. | Photo: Rebecca Sapp

Visitors Can Play Hitmaker, Too

The & Juliet exhibit doesn't end with the Museum's fourth-floor display. On the second floor's Sonic Playground, visitors can step into the Electric Forest, an immersive installation where anyone, regardless of musical skill, can try their hand at mixing and remixing. Using an interactive set of colorful light columns, guests can control the audio levels and dynamics of various instrument loops — including vocals from "& Juliet" — to shape a custom song. It might not top the charts, but it's about fun and creativity, reflecting the spirit that keeps pop pushing forward.

When the historical musical  "Hamilton" premiered on Broadway on Aug. 6, 2015, it almost immediately revolutionized Broadway. 

"Hamilton" chronicles founding father Alexander Hamilton’s involvement in the Revolutionary War, the writing of the Constitution, the development of Wall Street, and several early American presidencies. It also tells the story of his personal life and death — he was famously shot in a duel by sitting Vice President Aaron Burr. Burr narrates the show and famous figures Washington, Jefferson, King George III, and others are Hamilton’s supporting characters.   

"Hamilton" was a hot ticket even before it opened, selling 200,000 seats in advance and raking in $27.6 million, all based on hype. Tickets were famously expensive, even before the show opened.  

The show did live up to its hype. "Hamilton" won big at the 2016 Tony Awards (it took home 11 trophies including Best Musical), won a Pulitzer, and won the GRAMMY Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. The cast performed at the 2015 GRAMMYs via satellite from New York — only the eighth time musical theater had been featured during Music's Biggest Night.

Three years after its debut, Miranda and "Hamilton" creators were presented with a first-of-its-kind Kennedy Center honor for their trailblazing efforts to develop "a transformative work that defies category."

Ten years into its run, the show is still going strong. The album continues to be a best-seller, while both the Broadway and touring shows are popular. In 2025, "Hamilton" was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.

In honor of this historic anniversary, let’s look at the many ways "Hamilton" changed Broadway — and theatre at large.

It Made Lin-Manuel Miranda A Household Name

While no show is created in a vacuum, "Hamilton" is inextricably tied to five-time GRAMMY winner Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda wrote the show, played the title role and composed much of its music. The success of "Hamilton" made Miranda the most recognizable living member of the Broadway community in recent years. 

He’s fast and witty (on the page and in real life), and is an enthusiastic and unapologetic theater kid. Miranda's personality, passion and ubiquity (and, of course, the success of "Hamilton") soon led to a slew of other projects, all of which had his signature style. Those post-"Hamilton" writing acting, and directing projects were huge hits, which dictated the style of popular children’s film and filmic adaptations of musicals for the next decade.  

Without Miranda's success with "Hamilton," audiences would likely not have the magic of Moana or Encanto (both of which won Miranda GRAMMY Awards for Best Song Written for Visual Media). 

The film version of Miranda's 2005 musical "In the Heights" and the as well as a film adaptation Miranda directed of "Tick, Tick, Boom!" were critically acclaimed. Miranda’s 2024 project, "Warriors," a feminist concept album take on the 1979 film, was also highly anticipated.

Additionally, "He’s the biggest champion for Broadway. He sees every show. He posts about every show. He takes the photos backstage. He’s incredibly generous," sBroadway marketer, brand strategist and producer Katharine Quinn told GRAMMY.com. Championing other work helps new, diverse art enter the canon.

It Mainstreamed The Hip-Hop Musical

While "In the Heights" was a hugely successful hip-hop musical when it premiered on Broadway in 2008 and took home a golden gramophone for Best Musical Show Album, it wasn’t the juggernaut "Hamilton" is.

Miranda and company wanted "Hamilton" to tell the story of America’s inception and also reflect the America we live in today — complete with modern music styles not often featured in musical theatre. He thought Hamilton’s life story was much like the rise and fall of Tupac Shakur, that it was "a hip-hop story." Using rap was a deliberate dramaturgical choice to help reflect the revolutionary aspects of "Hamilton." (After all, the founding fathers were young and edgy; they changed the world). 

While musicals often utilize popular music of the day, "Hamilton" is the biggest and most successful musical to use hip-hop as its primary genre. It also largely abandoned "Broadway style" song constructs, which typically reflect pop music. The most "Broadway-style" song in the show is "You’ll Be Back," sung by the mad King George of England — often the only white principal cast member. By using the "old" Broadway style, his song reflects both the old worlds of England and Broadway. 

Hamilton: An American Musical soundtrack spent 100 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 in 2017. The soundtrack also sold more units than that of "Rent," making the historical musical the sixth best-selling original musical cast album since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991.

It Demonstrated That Casting Could Be Done Differently

Many shows on Broadway employ "color conscious" casting, where the show is cast with race and culture in mind, or that roles not previously played by people of color are open to a wider range of diversity (the current cast of "Gypsy" is a good example of this process). Less en vogue is"color blind" casting, where a show is cast completely independently of race. Other shows cast along racial lines based on story and lived experience, such as "The Wiz." 

"Hamilton" doesn’t quite fit into any of these categories, and instead made something of a radical casting decision. Producers cast actors of color as the famously-white founding fathers, a defiance of realistic casting. "Our cast looks like America looks now, and that’s certainly intentional," Miranda told the New York Times. "It’s a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have about the founding fathers at the door."

The diverse cast in the original run of "Hamilton" allowed voices to sing about the American experience and in the American theatre in a way previously unseen. Since "Hamilton," stage shows such as "Hadestown" (also a Best Musical Tony winner and Best Musical Theatre Album GRAMMY Winner), and television-smash-hits like "Bridgerton," have employed color conscious casting to great success. 

It Created A Ticketing Frenzy — And Changed The Process Entirely

"Hamilton" was — and remains — one of the hottest tickets on Broadway and on tour. The show has grossed a billion dollars during its decade-long run, making it the fourth highest grossing show of all time. During the week of Christmas 2018, the show brought in over $4 million. In July 2025, it topped 2 million a week every week. 

At the time when the original cast was performing, it was nearly impossible to get a ticket, and if you could, you likely paid a sky-high price. The average ticket today costs over $200, and, during Christmas 2018, the most expensive ticket cost more than $800. During Christmas 2016, the best seat in the house was nearly $1,000.

As ticket prices surged, the historical musical about "America today" became inaccessible to most people in America. Lin-Manuel Miranda then came up with Ham4Ham, a lottery system where winners could pay $10 (a Hamilton) and see "Hamilton" from the front row. People didn’t need to have to win the real lottery to afford tickets — they could win the "Hamilton" lottery.

Lotteries were not invented by "Hamilton," but part of the Ham4Ham experience was that surprise guests and cast members would come out on the steps of the theatre and perform. Sometimes they did songs from the show, often with fun twists like a gender-bent version of "The Schulyer Sisters." Sometimes, cast members from other huge Broadway shows performed. In the last couple years, Ham4Ham has come back, often showcasing Best Musical nominees ahead of the Tonys. 

Lin-Manual Miranda was a vocal opponent of bots that buy out tickets for popular shows as soon as they go on sale and then resell them at higher prices. He championed laws to ban these ticket-selling practices and the Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act) was signed into law in December 2016. Once again, Miranda used his celebrity to help his community. 

It Showed How Musicals Could Go Viral

"Hamilton" came along at the point at which social media became ubiquitous, and buzz about the musical could be found across platforms. Not only were fans posting "Hamilton" content, but the cast and crew did as well. Behind the scenes videos of the cast goofing off, warming up, or hanging out backstage. Official promotional footage of the show and the #Ham4Ham preshows also went viral, and still circulate on social media. 

Lin-Manuel Miranda used multiple platforms to bring "Hamilton" from the stage to phone screens. He often posted morning and evening tweets, which were positive messages to his fans. Quinn says the way the show used social media, "created a digital event outside the show itself." People could participate in the fandom who otherwise wouldn’t have access, and fervor increased as a result of exposure.

"Lin-Manuel Miranda is a marketing genius," says Quinn, who praised Miranda for being "a branding guy. He’s a community guy, which is what social media at its best is all about." 

Through social media, "Hamilton" grew its community and fanbase; the show still has a robust social media presence.

Hamilton's Pro-Shot Proved Everyone Wrong

In 2020, Disney+ began streaming a professionally shot version of "Hamilton" featuring the original cast. "Hamilton" was five years into its Broadway run, though live performances were halted due to COVID restrictions.  

The prevailing wisdom about pro-shots is, if they’re made at all, they should not premiere while the show is still on Broadway for fear that audiences won’t pay to see a performance they can stream at home. The "Hamilton" pro-shot proved this theory wrong.

"It’s an advertisement for the show," Quinn says. "It only makes people want to have the live experience more," because "It brings the experience and the brand of ‘Hamilton’ to anyone who isn’t able to travel to the city where ‘Hamilton’ is playing which is net positive for the production and culture as a whole." 

No other shows have released a full pro-shot simultaneously with a Broadway run, but there hasn’t been as big of a hit since "Hamilton."  In spite of its pro-shot, or perhaps because of it, "Hamilton" is still going strong on stage, which sets the precedent that putting a show on film helps, or at least doesn't hurt, a show’s longevity.  

"Hamilton" Defined, And Permeated, Pop Culture 

Love for "Hamilton" reached farther and wider than traditional theatre fandom; Quinn calls the show "a cultural event." 

The Obamas were early fans, and hosted a concert at The White House, which saw the Clintons and Bernie Sanders saw the show on Broadway. Beyoncé, Daniel Radcliff, Eminem, Oprah, and Reese Witherspoon are fans as well. A combination of critical acclaim, popularity, and social media ubiquity made "Hamilton" equivalently popular as any pop singer. No other show has been able to reach the heights of mainstream popularity like "Hamilton." 

The historical connection was part of the reason everyone was on board with the show. Schools and educational, political, or historical organizations brought schoolchildren to see the show or created lesson plans that incorporated it. In 2016, 20,000 New York students saw the show on Broadway. When the musical went on tour, the Rockefeller Foundation donated $6 million so 100,000 students could see the show, pairing with the "#EduHam" program to tie history lessons into the theatrical experience. The programs were geared towards Title I schools, where most students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches.  

While its initial wave of popularity has abated, "Hamilton" remains culturally relevant, even as or maybe especially as politics change the American landscape. 2016's The Hamilton Mixtape, which featured assorted and deleted tracks from the musical, directly addressed topics like immigration with a host of A-list rappers and singers. Two years later, Miranda brought "Hamilton" to Puerto Rico for a 24-show run to raise spirits and funds after Hurricane Maria. Miranda guest starred on "SNL" twice in season 50, dressed in his "Hamilton" costume, rapping about the state of our union. 

"Hamilton" was an optimistic look at the past, present, and future of America. Though much has changed in the decade since it debuted, "Hamilton" endures because of the show itself — the music and story make the show stand alone as a great work of art, but also because of the way the production became part of the zeitgeist, weaving itself into American culture and history much like the actual founding fathers themselves.

Shakespeare and Britney Spears may not be the most obvious pairing, but in the Broadway musical "& Juliet," the mash-up doesn’t just work: it sings.  The GRAMMY Museum is now honoring the award-winning musical, and the music behind it, with the debut of & Juliet: The Music of Max Martin and Friends, a dynamic, new pop-up exhibit that explores how the Swedish GRAMMY-winning hitmaker Max Martin transformed three decades of pop smashes into the foundation of a globally acclaimed Broadway production. The exhibit is on view at the GRAMMY Museum in Downtown Los Angeles from Wednesday, July 23, through Monday, Oct. 27. Learn more about and buy tickets for & Juliet: The Music of Max Martin and Friends.

The high-energy, Oliver Award-winning jukebox musical "& Juliet” flips the ending of Shakespeare’s classic “Romeo & Juliet,” imagining what might happen if Juliet didn’t follow Shakespeare’s tragic script and instead took control of her future. Juliet's story unfolds through some of the most iconic pop songs of the past three decades, all written or co-written by five-time GRAMMY winner Max Martin and reimagined for the Broadway stage. Featuring hits like "Since U Been Gone," "Roar," "Confident," "I Want It That Way," and "…Baby One More Time," the show channels heartbreak and empowerment into a dance-floor-ready theatrical experience.

Timed with the Los Angeles run of "& Juliet" at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre (Aug. 13-Sept. 7), the new exhibit includes original props and costume pieces from the musical, including Romeo’s jacket, sheet music from the musical signed by Max Martin, and rare performance outfits from Britney Spears’ iconic …Baby One More Time and Dream Within A Dream tours.

"'& Juliet' is a clever, hilarious, and empowering jukebox musical that gives new context to an impressive playlist of timeless Max Martin tracks," GRAMMY Museum Curator Kelsey Goelz said in a statement. "I hope our GRAMMY Museum visitors will walk away with a new appreciation for Martin's pop music legacy and a better understanding of all the hard work that goes into creating a Broadway production."

"I’m so thrilled that the GRAMMY Museum is highlighting '& Juliet,'" Martin said in a statement. "Working on '& Juliet'  has truly been a highlight of my career, and I’m so glad L.A. residents will have a chance to check out the show that has brought so much joy to so many people and at the same time visit the GRAMMY Museum to learn more about the songs and artifacts that inspired the score."

Created by Emmy-winning "Schitt’s Creek" writer David West Read, “& Juliet” premiered in London’s West End in 2019 before opening on Broadway in 2022, where it earned nine Tony nominations, including Best Musical, with additional runs in nine countries and four continents.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of "& Juliet" was released in October 2022 via Atlantic Records.

Broadway had one of its biggest years this year, between A-list stars gracing the stage, exciting new musicals, and highly anticipated revivals.

Held June 8, the 78th Tony Awards proved to be a fitting celebration. The awards ceremony featured performances from all Best Musical nominees, as well as tributes to beloved shows from the past and bright new stars.

Host, Wicked star and GRAMMY winner Cynthia Erivo began the evening with a soaring opening song — an original by Pasek and Paul with Mark Shaiman — celebrating the year’s shows. The crowd at Radio City Music Hall in New York City jumped to their feet as Erivo took her mic into the audience and had original "Wicked" cast member Kristin Chenoweth, along with Aaron Tveit and Adam Lambert, sing along from their seats. 

Read more: Cynthia Erivo’s Evolution: How The Actor & Singer Embraced Her Whole Self On 'I Forgive You'

Among the evening's highlights were Megan Hilty singing an affirming and highly theatrical number from "Death Becomes Her," complete with Liza Minelli and Judy Garland costumes. GRAMMY winner Johnathan Groff stole the show when he took his "Just In Time" performance into the audience and climbed atop Keanu Reeves, who seemed to be happy to participate. 

Beyond the nominee performances, major moments included a "Hamilton" 10-year reunion which featured a medley of songs from the GRAMMY- winning show sung by members of the original Broadway cast. 

For the Tony's "In Memoriam" performance, Erivo joined two-time GRAMMY winner Sara Bareilles to sing a harmony-infused duet of "Tomorrow" from "Annie" — a song written by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, both of whom passed away this year. The segment also honored screen actors who also performed on The Great White Way such as 28-time GRAMMY winner Quincy Jones, James Earl Jones, and Dame Maggie Smith.

When it came to the awards themselves, there were no absolute shoe-ins for any of the major awards. One race that was anyone’s game was Best Musical. The nominations this year for Best New Musical were "Death Becomes Her," (adapted from the 1992 Meryl Streep film), "Maybe Happy Ending," an original piece about robots in love, and "Buena Vista Social Club," based on true events surrounding the Cuban band’s album of the same name. "Dead Outlaw," which had the creative marketing scheme of plopping a casket with an actor outside around New York, and "Operation Mincemeat" based on a World War II British deception operation were also nominated in the category. 

"Maybe Happy Ending"  was the evening's big winner, with six awards including the coveted Best Musical. It also took home awards for Best Book and Best Original Score, with Will Aronson and Hue Park taking home the trophies.

While they didn’t win for Best Musical, the musicians who make up "Buena Vista Social Club" received a special, noncompetitive Tony Award for their work in the show. The musical also won for Best Orchestrations. 

One of the most talked about categories this year was Best Revival, particularly because of the powerhouse actresses leading the top two contenders. Frontrunners in the category were "Sunset Boulevard," which had Nicole Scherzinger in the leading role, and "Gypsy" led by Audra McDonald. The two-time GRAMMY winner also has the most Tonys of any performer, ever and has them in all four of her eligible acting categories. Scherzinger prevailed and won for her performance of actress Norma Desmond as did "Sunset Boulevard," which won for Revival.

The Best Actor category was also highly competitive this year, with two actors playing recording artist legends, James Monroe Inglehart as Louis Armstrong in "A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical," and Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin in "Just in Time." Had he won, Groff would have made history for getting two consecutive leading actor Tonys (he took home the Best Actor award in 2024 for "Merrily We Roll Along"). However, his former "Glee" co-star Darren Criss won yet another award for "Maybe Happy Ending."

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Erivo declared at the top of the show that "Broadway is definitely back," and the proof is both on the stage and at the ceremony itself. With stars flocking from TV and movies to work onstage, shows making more money than ever, and innovative takes on new and returning shows, it does seem that live theatre is stronger than ever.