(May 16, 2025) The resume of Broadway star Brandon Victor Dixon reads thick. He left an indelible mark on some of Broadway’s biggest musicals, playing Harpo in The Color Purple, Berry Gordy, Jr. in Motown the Musical, emerging as Aaron Burr in Hamilton and Eubie Blake in Shuffle Along while also showing up in acclaimed revival productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Of Mice and Men, in which he also served as a producer.
On television, Dixon has flexed his skills on Starz’ Power, NBC’s This Is Us, Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It and wowed audiences during the 2018 live concert broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar playing Judas. And most recently, Dixon wrapped up his stint on the Alicia Keys’ Grammy-winning hit musical Hell’s Kitchen, from which he received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
Now he’s stepping into the studio for an exciting new chapter in his career as a solo artist. And the first track to be unveiled is “Maybe,” a selection blessed with the melodic grace of Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be” captured inside a lush tapestry made with a Ruben Studdard-esque urban AC design. With delicate precision, Dixon uses his smooth vocals to distribute layers of inspiration and healing to the weary soul through the song’s uplifting lyrics: “Maybe, maybe/We’re gonna make it alright/Maybe not today, but maybe tomorrow night.”
The rousing soulful power ballad, draped with Isaac Harlan’s piano and a powerful string arrangement, really takes off towards the end with a soaring gospel choir finish that wisely accentuates Dixon’s range.
“I wrote this song whole reading James Baldwin’s ‘The Fire Next Time’ with the intent to remind each other we are cycling through the same conflicts repeatedly as a society,” Dixon wrote on Instagram. “But maybe, just maybe, if we can recognize that fact, we can become whole again.”
A full-length solo album from Dixon is expected to be released later this year. More singles are scheduled to drop during the course, but “Maybe” – the first of the batch – is a smart and satisfying performance from the multi-hyphenate that will certainly satisfy his ardent fans and the curious listener.
By J Matthew Cobb
