Hi, this is Kate Snow. So Broadway star and singer Jessica Vosk and I recently met up at juniors, a fitting location in the heart of Manhattan on Broadway.

But she was not always a Broadway star. In fact, she told me a story about American Idol that stunned me.

After singing her whole childhood, she was about 20 when she got a crushing review in that audition.

She takes a job in finance on Wall Street after that, but the job gave her panic attacks,

and one day she decided to risk it all to pursue her lifelong dream of performing.

We talk about that moment, her role as Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, her new Christmas album, and a new role in Hell's Kitchen.

It's a great conversation.

I hope you enjoy it.

As always, you can catch all of my conversations with top artists, entrepreneurs, visionaries, all of them at NBCNews.com slash the drink.

Around 20, you try out for American Idol.

Eventually, you end up in front of the judges.

The celebrity judges.

I walked in.

I sang hearts alone.

Everybody knows that song.

Now, no, we've got it.

And I sang it.

And Simon looked at me and said that was pathetic.

No!

Yeah.

Oh my god.

Yes.

...