Michael Longoria Wants You to Get Emotional Listening to His New Album Like They Do in the Movies

Broadway alum Michael Longoria just released his album Like They Do in the Movies on Broadway Records, where he puts his own twist on his favorite love songs from movies like Titanic, Grease and Pretty Woman. To celebrate the new tunes, Longoria stopped by Broadway.com's #LiveatFive to chat with Paul Wontorek about his growing recording career, still singing Jersey Boys 10 years later and more.

Longoria's Like They Do in the Movies is his third solo album released in three years, and it's one of his most personal one yet. "When I was recording my second album, Merry Christmas, Darling, there was a tragic love song I wanted to do," he said. "I thought it was a little too tragic for Christmas, but when I found out it was from Pretty Woman soundtrack it gave me the idea to do love songs from all these movies that meant something to me in my childhood and make my own version. So, that's what I did."

To be able to bring a new sound to beloved love songs meant that Longoria had to bring his own emotions to the forefront. "I had to apply these words and songs to my life," he said. "All of a sudden the songs became about me. The goal is that you're going to get lost in the songs right away. I want you to make these words your words and go on this little journey with me and feel these songs and get emotional. There's so much feeling in the songs that you can cathartically let yourself go there. You can hear my tears in there; it's real emotion. I'm not acting."

Not only has Longoria been constantly in the studio, but he still spends a majority of time on the road with The Midtown Men, a group of four former Jersey Boys cast members who continue to sing the hit songs of the 1960s on tour. "It all started as a side gig," Longoria said. "We took a year apart after we finished our run in Jersey Boys, but we kept getting asked to do galas and fundraisers, so we decided to try out going on tour. I used to joke bitterly about still doing this in 2020 and now here we are. I've reached a maturity and great happiness with it. I'm stepping on stage with my best friends and singing for people who came to see us be us, not playing other people. It's the best."

Get your copy of Longoria's Like They Do in the Movies, available now!

Watch the full episode of #LiveatFive below!