It takes a brave, or stupid person, to go up against powerhouse vocalist Jennifer Holliday. So whoever thought it would be a good idea to pair American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez up against her- well technically it was a "duet", but it sure didn't sound like it- was clearly either deluded about her talent or wanting to sabotage her chances of winning the series.
This performance of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going could have, in theory, worked for Jessica Sanchez if she had sung it solo, or duetted with a lessor singer. Her voice clearly has the styling and range to sing the power anthem. But in putting her up against Jennifer Holliday- who made the song famous, and who sang it best- it only highlighted Ms Sanchezs' weaknesses.
Instead of giving us a performance wrought with emotion and fire, that ultimately should have put her own spin on the song, Sanchez served up her best impression of the Jennifer Hudson rendition of And I Am Telling You. It was a ploy that was never going to work standing next to the Diva who even Hudson couldn't compete with. Especially when it was clear that Holliday wasn't going to be pulling any punches when delivering her vocals on the night.
Ultimately, going up against the real thing only dulled Jessica Sanchezs' talent by comparison, and showed it for what it is:imitation and mimicry. It was a classic example of style over substance. She should really try dropping that fuller, heavier sound- which its clear she's manipulating her voice to create- and use her natural voice. It might make her singing more believable.
But perhaps I'm being too hard. This is the first performance I've seen from Jessica Sanchez, and it might not be a true representation of her singing style. Also it's clear she has talent, what with the way she held notes, was always on key and held her nerve, up against Holliday. If you know of any better performances, comment below.
Jennifer Holliday Singing And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
Jennifer Hudson Singing And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
