One of the highlights of our huge music calendar last year was undoubtedly MICHAEL BUBLÉ, a show which was delayed and rescheduled thanks to that thing we don’t like to mention anymore. Well, Michael had such a great time, as did the sell-out crowd, that he’s back again with a 20th anniversary show to celebrate.
He’s also got a Grammy win under his Canadian belt for best traditional pop vocal album, so what better time to get on the road with another date at Cardiff’s International Arena this evening (Thursday 4th May).
Michael is bringing his Higher tour to celebrate 20 years since the release of his debut album. This is actually the first arena tour Michael has done in more than four years but will be the second time the singer has visited Wales in under 12 months – we told you he likes us.
This year’s shows follow Michael’s sold-out global two-year tour, which saw him joinThe O2’s 21 Club in 2019 as one of only five musicians to have performed at the venue more than 21 times–a record only achieved by Prince, One Direction,Take That and Drake. The international ‘Higher’ Tour kicked off in the US in August 2022 to critical-acclaim and will visit Canada and Australia before coming to the UK for its European leg. Join Michael Bublé to celebrate his 20th anniversary on next year’s ‘Higher’Tour and experience an unmissable night to remember.
Michael has been asked to sing many duets over the years, the recent single with Gary Barlow is at the bottom of this page. Michael was asked to sing another last festive season, and this was really special and unique. Michael told Toronto City News presenter Lindsay Dunn about the letter that Dolly Parton wrote him and how they actually have never met before.
You can watch that interview below…..
We reckon what is so endearing about Michael is the fact that what you see, is what you get. He clearly loves what he does, feels blessed to be up on stage performing and he seems to delight in taking the audience along with him on this ride. You can see that if you’ve ever been to one of his shows. They are fantastic, but also fantastically unpredictable in the best possible way.
When we originally wrote this feature Michael was revelling in the glow of his European tour, dates we never thought he’d play. Yes, he’s sold more than 60 million albums and for him and his family, life really couldn’t be any better. But as we all know, life has a strange way of throwing us a curved puck when we least expect it.
The week that his album, 2016’s Nobody But Me was released, Michael and his family went through an emotional journey that completely changed his life. He was understandably unsure how or if music was going to remain part of his life. He said……
“What the experience did was give me a real perspective. It completely changed my outlook on what mattered and what was important to me.”
But the desire to express himself creatively slowly came back into focus when he invited his band mates over to his house, not with the intention of making music, but simply to enjoy each other’s company and drink, eat pizza and play video games.
“Once we got bored with that, we started jamming and there was this wonderful click, this moment where I went, ‘Oh, yeah! I forgot how much I loved this’
“I think I just needed a little helpful reminder. The concept for the new album flowed. “Then, the only question was not ‘Am I going back to work.’ It was ‘Can I do it on my terms? Can I do the songs I love with the people I love the way that I love and do it with pure joy and bliss?’ And once I knew that was possible, it was a go.”
We certainly don’t want to dwell on the horrific time the Bublé family went through following their son Noah’s cancer diagnosis. The fact he has been able to talk so openly about the condition and the devastating effect it had on everyone around him has helped many others going through a similar situation. We would direct you to Michael’s Carpool Karaoke – Stand Up To Cancer Special.
Through all of this his album Love came through, and for us in the SOUTH WALES LIFE office, it’s one of his best. We feel it was a personal journey and that certainly comes through in the songs. Michael said……
“This would be my group of short stories that would be my theory of love. The good, the bad, the light, the dark, and I think that took a lot of pressure off of my co-producers David Foster and Jochem van der Saag and me. There was just great ease of having done our homework and knowing what the record was.”
The album is filled with great classics such as, My Funny Valentine, La Vie En Rose and a new twist on Kris Kristofferson’s Help Me Make It Through The Night. The emotional centerpiece of the album is Forever Now, a tune co-written by Michael about his favourite role, being a dad, and the vulnerability and strength that comes with unconditional love. And Charlie Puth stepped in with backing vocals on Love You Anymore.
With a Bublé show you get the whole package. You’ve seen the pictures of him getting up close and personal with the audience. He loves a chat, and the crowd even more so. But I have to say, although it’s Michael’s name on the poster it really is a group effort. His band are incredible. They say Music Maketh The Man, in this case, and we’re sure Michael won’t mind us saying, the band maketh Michael.
And if you wonder how a show like this is put together, here is a Michael Bublé gig, start to finish, in just two minutes – HERE.
The Higher tour gets to Cardiff’s International Arena this evening (Thursday, May 4th). Tickets for the Cardiff date, and there are a few left, are available HERE.
Just one final note. We know that Michael is a massive Ice Hockey fan, in fact he was even signed up for the day to play with his beloved Vancouver Canucks. We only mention this as he may want to pop in to watch the Cardiff Play at the Viola Arena.
