Image Credit: Justin Lubin/Fox
Glee has been a tremendously fertile musical venue for stars both established (Gwyneth Paltrow, John Stamos) and new (Matthew Morrison’s album is due out next month).
The latest beneficiary of the Glee effect is Darren Criss—a.k.a. gay dreamboat Blaine Anderson—now the undisputed star of the new album Glee: The Music Presents The Warblers.
In a cover story in the new issue of Billboard, Criss talks about the album (which hits stores tomorrow), his projects outside of the show, and the sudden success that has been thrust upon him. “When I look back on Glee and on this album, it’s like I was offered to live in a golden marshmallow house in the sky,” he told the magazine. “It’s like, ‘Sure! I’ll take it!’ I never thought that it would ever happen, that I would get a magical marshmallow castle in the sky, but my God, thank you.”
Criss had already developed something of a reputation before joining the Glee cast last year, as the mastermind behind the viral hit A Very Potter Musical, and also made waves in the musical community with his company StarKid.
According to Criss, he’s still trying to balance everything with the pressure of being the new guy on one of the most feverishly followed shows on TV. Still, he’s carving out a place for himself. “I’m still the new guy, so I don’t want to go around saying, ‘We should do this. We should do that.’ But Ryan [Murphy] is always open to ideas, and I did at one point say, ‘Hey, Neon Trees’ “Animal” is a really great song,’” he explained. “And about a week later it showed up in the script.”
As for a possible upcoming solo album, he says: “We’re working on it—we’re really excited and it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I’m so thrilled that it’s something that can happen because of Glee, and like the Warblers album, I hope I can do it justice and make it something that people can really enjoy.”
And just in case you think the show has gone a little overboard with Blaine in the past few weeks, don’t worry—Criss feels your pain. “They kind of called it out, which I’m glad they did,” he joked. “Blaine definitely had his moment in the sun. I think it’s time to focus back on the characters that fans of the show really know and love … I think we’re focusing a little more back on New Directions and taking a little bit of a break from the Warblers.”
Do you agree, Gleeks? Or is there no such thing as too much Blaine? Let us know in the comments below.
More on EW.com:
‘Glee’ premiere: Hear Darren Criss and the Warblers cover ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’
‘Glee’: Darren Criss and the Warblers cover Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know’: Hear it here
‘Glee’: Warblers album to be released in April
