Imagine being told by your own father not to perform a song that would later become the cornerstone of a cultural phenomenon. That’s exactly what happened to Lin-Manuel Miranda when his dad, Luis A. Miranda Jr., advised him against debuting a track from Hamilton at a White House event in 2009. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was this a missed opportunity or a father’s instinct to protect his son from potential failure? Let’s dive into the story behind this pivotal moment and the bold decision that changed everything.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Luis A. Miranda Jr. revealed that he initially urged his son, already a Tony Award winner, to stick with what was proven to work. Specifically, he suggested performing a song from In the Heights, Lin-Manuel’s Broadway debut that had already earned critical acclaim. At the time, Lin-Manuel was invited to the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word, an event early in Barack Obama’s presidency. But Lin-Manuel had other plans.
‘Dad, you know I’ve been working on Hamilton. Do you think I could play the only song I have?’ Luis recalled his son asking. His response? ‘No. Why don’t you go with what we know works, which is In the Heights?’ Luis explained. And this is the part most people miss: Lin-Manuel chose to ignore his father’s advice, taking a risk that could have backfired spectacularly. Instead, he presented an early version of what would become the opening number of Hamilton, titled ‘Alexander Hamilton.’ The White House loved it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Hamilton began as a mixtape album before evolving into a stage musical that premiered on Broadway in 2015. It went on to win 11 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score for Lin-Manuel. The show’s success was so monumental that a film version of the original Broadway production was released in 2020, bringing the story to audiences who, like Luis and his family, couldn’t afford Broadway tickets but could enjoy it on the big screen.
‘We expect greatness to continue because this is such an incredible work of art,’ Luis told People while celebrating the musical’s 10th anniversary. ‘For us, it’s even more significant because we couldn’t go to Broadway, but we went to the movies all the time. I know there are lots of families out there who can now experience Hamilton on the big screen.’
But here’s the question that lingers: If Lin-Manuel had followed his father’s advice, would Hamilton have become the global sensation it is today? Or was it the risk itself that paved the way for its success? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—did Luis’s caution make sense, or was Lin-Manuel right to trust his gut? One thing’s for sure: sometimes, the boldest choices lead to the most extraordinary outcomes.
