The moon. That’s how it starts. Two simple words, but when Denée Benton sang them on the stage of the Imperial Theatre, the entire room shifted. Honestly, if you were lucky enough to see Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 on Broadway, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The "no one else denée benton lyrics" aren't just lines from a musical; they are a masterclass in capturing that terrifying, beautiful, and slightly delusional feeling of being seventeen and desperately in love.
Dave Malloy, the genius who wrote the show, did something pretty wild here. He took a tiny sliver of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and turned it into an "electropop opera." But "No One Else" is the moment where the electronic beats fade away. It’s just Natasha, a piano, and a lot of moonlight. It’s the show's "I want" song, but it feels more like a prayer.
What the Lyrics are Actually Saying
At this point in the story, Natasha Rostova is in Moscow. She’s waiting for her fiancé, Andrey, who is off fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. Her future in-laws, the Bolkonskys, have just been incredibly cruel to her. She’s lonely. She’s vulnerable. And then she looks at the moon.
The lyrics go:
"The moon—
First time I heard your voice
Moonlight burst into the room
And I saw your eyes
And I saw your smile"👉 See also: Album Hopes and Fears: Why We Obsess Over Music That Doesn't Exist Yet
She isn't just reminiscing. She’s trying to convince herself that Andrey is the only one for her. The phrase "You and I and no one else" becomes a mantra. It’s romantic, sure, but if you look closely at the no one else denée benton lyrics, there’s a heavy dose of irony baked in. Natasha is promising a forever that she’s about to break in about twenty minutes when she meets the rogue Anatole Kuragin.
The Tolstoy Connection
Most people don’t realize how much of this song is ripped straight from the book. When Natasha sings, "How can anyone sleep?" she’s quoting a specific scene from War and Peace (Volume 2, Part 3, Chapter 2). In the novel, Andrey actually overhears Natasha saying this to her cousin Sonya from a window above. Malloy took that piece of prose and turned it into a soaring melody. It’s a literal bridge between 19th-century Russian literature and modern musical theater.
Why Denée Benton’s Performance Was Different
Before the show hit Broadway, Phillipa Soo (of Hamilton fame) played Natasha Off-Broadway. She was incredible—regal and precise. But when Denée Benton took over for the Broadway run, she brought a different kind of "vitality," as she’s called it in interviews.
Benton’s Natasha felt younger. Rawer. When she sings about her "childlike eyes" and "distant smile," you believe she’s a girl who actually thinks she can fly if she just squeezes her knees tight enough. There’s a specific "blush" in her voice.
✨ Don't miss: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads: Why This Live Album Still Beats the Studio Records
One of the most interesting things about the no one else denée benton lyrics is the shift in perspective halfway through. She goes from addressing Andrey directly ("You are so good for me") to talking about him in the third person ("Maybe he’ll come today"). It’s a subtle sign that her grip on the connection is slipping. She’s lonely, and "he" is becoming a concept rather than a person.
The Technical Brilliance of the Song
If you’re a music nerd, you’ll notice that "No One Else" is one of the few songs in the show that starts with a pure, clean major chord. No weird dissonant notes. No unsettling rhythms. It’s meant to represent Natasha’s purity and her idealized version of love.
- Key: F Major (mostly).
- Vibe: Lyrical, aria-like, but with an indie-folk heart.
- Best Moment: The high note on "flying away" where the orchestration just swells.
But then there's the ending. The song doesn't end on a big, triumphant Broadway belt. It peters out. She sings, "Maybe he came already... and I simply forgot." It’s a heartbreaking little lie she tells herself to stay sane in a house where nobody wants her.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
We’re still talking about these lyrics years later because they tap into something universal. We’ve all been that person waiting for a text, or a sign, or a person to return, while trying to hold onto a memory that’s starting to fade around the edges.
🔗 Read more: Wrong Address: Why This Nigerian Drama Is Still Sparking Conversations
Denée Benton’s portrayal also broke huge ground. Seeing a Black woman play a 19th-century Russian countess in a "princess" role was a massive moment for Broadway. She’s spoken about how young girls would come to the stage door crying because they finally saw someone who looked like them in a role that was purely romantic and soft, not defined by trauma or struggle.
How to Use This Knowledge
If you’re a performer looking to tackle this song, don’t just sing the notes.
- Read the scene in the book. Understanding that Andrey is actually listening (at least in the source material) adds a whole layer of "secretive" energy to the performance.
- Focus on the breath. The lyrics mention "I catch my breath" for a reason. The song should feel like a series of gasps and sighs.
- Watch the lighting. If you're staging this, remember that "No One Else" is the first time the "red and gold" world of the club turns blue. It’s a visual reset.
Honestly, just go back and listen to the Original Broadway Cast recording. Pay attention to how Denée handles the word "moonlight." It’s not just a word; it’s a whole mood. The no one else denée benton lyrics remind us that even if we’ll "never be this happy again," the attempt to capture that happiness is what makes us human.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of The Great Comet, your best bet is to pick up the Liner Notes book by Dave Malloy. It breaks down every single reference to Tolstoy's original text, from the "guitars" Natasha hears to the specific phrasing of her longing. It’s essentially a roadmap for how to adapt a classic into something that feels alive today.