Barbra Streisand back on "The Tonight Show" after 50-year absence
She’s the original “Funny Girl” and has an Academy Award to prove it. Not to mention an Oscar for songwriting, eight Grammys, five Emmys, and a Tony too. So after five decades of staying clear of “The Tonight Show” couch, why has Barbra Streisand decided to sit down with Jimmy Fallon now?
The 72-year old singer-actress-director-activist will join Fallon as his only guest Monday night for the hour-long program. She will promote her new album, “Partners,” which features duets with some of the biggest male performers in the music business. It releases Tuesday.
The legendary diva is reportedly looking forward to the appearance. EW Live radio host Jessica Shaw recently interviewed Streisand and tells Yahoo Finance that Babs was already “plotting what she was going to do on the show.” That could mean Streisand showing off her comic chops in some of Fallon’s well-known skits.
Streisand was last on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1963, to promote her debut album. Many speculate the return to the legendary late night talk show has to do with reaching out to a new audience. For “Partners,” she teamed up with some younger, big-name artists like John Legend, John Mayer and Blake Shelton.
What’s more, Streisand recently joined Instagram, has a Twitter account, and has been reinventing her film career over the past two decades. She was in both "Meet the Parents” sequels alongside Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and she starred in “The Guilt Trip” with Seth Rogen. But does Streisand need Millennials?
The business of Barbra Streisand is a already very lucrative one. She has released more than 50 albums and acted in nearly 20 films. She is the only recording artist with a number one album in five different decades.
But whether or not she wins over new fans tonight, “Partners” is expected to be a hot seller among her loyal—and older-- fans. Streisand sings with Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie and Elvis Presley on the new album. Andrew Hampp, Billboard’s senior branding correspondent says, “These types of albums are the kinds that still get older fans to a store. She appeals to an older fan base and they will spend $10 - $15 on a full album” versus single digital downloads more popular with younger listeners.
Beyond “Partners,” the Streisand brand will grow more this fall. There's a coffee table book set to release later this year, featuring more than 240 photographs of the legendary diva. SiriusXM is also launching an exclusive, limited-run Streisand channel.
