Idina Menzel
National Medal of Arts recipient Idina Menzel with President and First Lady Biden. Photo courtesy of White House
Bio
Idina Menzel is a Tony Award-winning, powerhouse multi-hyphenate: a singer, a songwriter, an actress in film and television, a Broadway performer, and a philanthropist. Her career took off when she won a Tony Award for her role as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the smash musical Wicked. She voiced Elsa in Disney’s Oscar-winning Frozen, the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time. The film’s “Let It Go,” sung by Menzel, won the Oscar for Best Original Song—which she performed at the ceremony—and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. The track reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Menzel the first artist with both a Billboard Top 10 hit and a Tony Award for acting. Her acting credits include Uncut Gems, Enchanted, Ask the Dust, and a recurring role on the series Glee. Menzel was also recently seen in Amazon Studios’ smash hit Cinderella, for which she wrote and sang the song “Dream Girl.” A skillful songwriter, Menzel’s prolific recording career includes multiple cast albums as well as solo albums: Still I Can’t Be Still, Here, I Stand, Drama Queen, and Idina, which landed in the Top 30 on Billboard’s Top 200 charts. Philanthropy is also important to Menzel, who co-founded the A BroaderWay Foundation in 2010. The organization is dedicated to offering girls from underserved communities an outlet for self-expression and creativity through arts-centered programs.
White House citation:
For magical songs that lift our spirits and stir our souls. From Broadway stages to movie screens, Idina Menzel’s powerful voice has sold out shows, topped Billboard charts, and above all, empowered millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds to be strong, use their voice, and lead with their hearts.
This is such an incredible honor. I started my singing and acting career when I was a young girl in the hope of being able to entertain people but never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would one day take me to the White House to be recognized by the President of the United States. This is such a special moment for me in my career and I’m humbled that they’re awarding me with this medal.