Donny Osmond’s “Who”: The Audience is the True Star

A celebratory ode to the electrifying connection between a performer and his devoted audience.

For those of us who grew up under the soft glow of television screens and the vibrant posters of teen idols, the name Donny Osmond conjures a flood of sparkling, innocent memories. From the Osmond Brothers‘ wholesome harmonies to the dazzling charisma of the Donny & Marie variety show, Donny has been a fixture in American entertainment for six incredible decades. In 2021, at the venerable age of 63, Donny proved he was anything but a relic of the past with the release of the single “Who,” a track from his 65th—yes, 65th—solo album, Start Again.

Unlike the colossal chart-toppers of his youth, like “Puppy Love” or “Go Away Little Girl,” “Who” was a late-career entry, a mature and self-aware piece of pop that spoke to his enduring energy rather than his teen-idol past. Released as a single on June 30, 2021, the song did not register on the major US Billboard Hot 100 or UK Singles charts, a common occurrence for an artist decades into his career who is simultaneously transitioning from pure pop to a more adult contemporary/pop hybrid that reflects his Las Vegas residency era. However, the song’s importance isn’t found in its chart position, but in its personal, inspirational story and its meaning as a musical ‘reset.’

The story behind “Who” is wonderfully intimate and speaks volumes about the connection Donny Osmond has maintained with his lifelong fans. The song’s inception was a burst of creative adrenaline following a particularly electric show at the Flamingo in Las Vegas with his sister, Marie, in July 2019, shortly before their famous 11-year residency concluded. Donny was driving home, still buzzing from the crowd’s energy, when the core ideas and phrases began to coalesce. Co-written and produced by Osmond himself, reportedly in a feverish three-hour session, the song is a direct acknowledgment of the fuel that powers his six-decade run: the audience. The lyrics, “Who keeps me up all night? Who can make it feel so right?” are not a romantic query, but a heartfelt homage to the devoted fans who give him that emotional high, that undeniable surge of excitement every time he steps on stage. It’s a genuine expression of gratitude for the power of the communal experience that is live entertainment.

The meaning of “Who” is therefore twofold. On the surface, it’s an upbeat, driving pop track that showcases Donny’s vocal versatility and desire to remain current—a desire he highlighted by playing three versions of himself in the accompanying music video: the conservative figure, the jokester, and the commanding entertainer. More profoundly, it serves as the ultimate self-affirmation, a triumphant answer to the perennial question asked of any enduring star: Who are you, now that the lights have changed?

For older readers, this song resonates with a beautiful kind of nostalgia. We remember the days when Donny was everywhere, a clean-cut, dazzling presence who seemed to embody a simpler time. “Who” offers a reflection on the longevity of passion. It suggests that the person we were, the person who loved that music, is still there, just as the boy who sang “Puppy Love” evolved into the masterful showman who composed this track. It’s an anthem for the “Start Again” philosophy of the album—that it’s never too late to reinvent, to feel the rush of excitement, and to give thanks for the people who supported you through every phase of life. It’s an infectious, life-affirming celebration of a career that has spanned generations, proving Donny Osmond is no “one trick pony,” but an entertainer whose identity is fundamentally tied to the joyous energy he shares with those who have loved his music for so long.

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