Groban’s flirtation with destiny continues on his latest album, Closer . The album sprinted to the Top 10 just months after its release, earning multi-platinum status and spawning the AC hit “You Raise Me Up.” Juxtaposing pop gems like “Remember When It Rains” with Eurocentric tracks like “Oceano” and “Il Postino,” Groban’s new album has brought the singer “Closer” to household word status.

Discovered by veteran record producer David Foster, Groban began his ascent after a last-minute appearance as a stand-in for Andrea Bocelli at the 1999 Grammy Awards dress rehearsal. His duet with Celine Dion won the attention of several influential fans, including Grammy host Rosie O’Donnell. Subsequent performances and appearances on O’Donnell’s talk show, the “Ally McBeal” TV series and the 2002 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony cemented Groban’s reputation as a unique talent in contemporary music.

Groban has since become a television mainstay, appearing on “Good Morning America,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Today Show” and “The Tonight Show,” not to mention a bravura performance at Super Bowl 2004. PBS anointed the singer with his own “Great Performances” special, which the network has used to promote its crucial pledge drives. The special, which spawned the CD/DVD package Josh Groban in Concert , documents the remarkable genesis of a superstar career in the making.