Hamilton

Hamilton is by far one of the most ambitious, emotive and creative musicals of our time.

On May 12, 2009, Miranda was invited to perform music from In the Heights at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music and the Spoken Word. Instead, he performed the first song from The Hamilton Mixtape, an early version of what would later become "Alexander Hamilton", Hamilton's opening number. He spent a year after that working on "My Shot", another early number from the show. The music in Hamilton is a contemporary mix of hip hop, rap, pop, R&B, soul and traditional style show tunes. Though initially the performance was laughed at, little did anyone realise how big it would go on to become. Obama was also one of the first people to back the show. The musical has now gone on to win multiple awards and has been performed all over the world. The reason I find Hamilton so inspiring is because the music reflects on someone who was very much forgotten about. When thinking of the founding fathers of America, Hamilton never sprung to mind. His story is very much one that contains hardships and shows struggles and tackles issues. This is what was needed to be shown - that people can overcome so much, and have such a difficult life, yet still they are able to rise and do incredible things. I feel that Miranda was likely reflecting upon his own life also when he wrote Hamilton, especially with the song “My Shot”, as it’s about not throwing away your opportunities, as Miranda has very much risen from very little, like Hamilton. Miranda and Hamilton both were immigrants, and the musical includes actors and actresses of all backgrounds and sexualities. This inclusiveness is another large factor in the reasons why Hamilton is incredible and moving. Seeing it in London (twice) after having listened to the music for a year was an amazing feeling. Musicals are very good at making you feel included, drawing you in, and passionately telling you a story that you engage with fully. Hamilton’s music is catchy, emotive and thrilling.