Kimbra Johnson
Vocal Type: Lyric Soprano
Vocal Range: 4 Octaves 1 note and a semi-tone (C#3-D#7)
Whistle Register:Yes
Vocal Pluses: Kimbra's voice isn't like that of a powerhouse Diva, but instead its strength lies in its unique timbre and the the quirky jazz-inspired way she wields it.
Her low notes are not well supported (though an artistic decision) but are still characterful and identifiable [as demonstrated by the A#2 in Somebody Please]. She's at her most comfortable between the notes F3-C5; where the voice has a surprising warmth, tinges of smokiness, and a delicate quality [Hear: Limbo].
Overall her voice is head-dominate, which is perhaps why the weight of the voice is so light. In this upper-register, Kimbra exhibits much freedom, being able to navigate it easily and effortlessly [Settle Down] and able to jump from a belt to a head-voice note with impressive dexterity.
Her belting range shares this dexterity-she can jump from a F3-F#5 in elastic and energetic bouts [Hear: Call Me]. However, as the voice climbs past A4 it drops weight quickly, becoming lighter but brighter and steelier in tone. To give the upper belts more substance Kimbra often layers and incorporates them within harmonies, or uses studio effects to give the sound an "artificially cavernous" one.
Vocal Negatives: Kimbra's voice doesn't carry much weight, which is surprisingly light considering how dark her tessitura is (F3-D5). Her chest voice also has a tendency to sound "throaty", which, in combination with her unusual vibrato and quirky styling, may not be to everyone's taste.
Whistle @ 4:18
Thanks Black Robin (This is the name he comments with on DD) for help with the write up and creating the video itself!
You're most certainly welcome!
ReplyDeleteI left some of the stuff out of the profile, because I wasn't sure everyone would understand, but please feel free to add them below. Seriously, this was much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteKimbra's voice is warm, slightly smoky with a hickory tang (sweet yet biting tone) to it, most noticeable in her song "Something in the way you are." I've seen some of her work from pre-debut and the warmth to her voice is definitely and artistic decision. When she did the "Cookie cutter" pop work when she was 17, her tone was thicker extremely dark and very steely. Listen to "Simply on my Lips"
ReplyDeleteShe has found herself as an artist and is not scared to "experiment" live using looping and other things to evolve her songs. She can sing very supported low notes as well as very unsupported ones. On her rendition of "Plain Gold ring Live", she song some not so ressonant but surprisingly supported Bb2s and B2s.
I also made some errors in the video. I had trouble deciphering which note was which in the belting portion due to such heavy layering she did, so the G#5 on "Come into My Head is more akin to A5. (She reached F#5/G5 on the trills but at the very end she climbed her way to A5) I also left out a lot of background belts on her songs. On her song "Call me" towards the ending, there was a flood of Eb5s, E5s and F5s with her characterful steely chest belt.
It is obvious that there is a lot of artistry and time placed into each song. Each and every song has double tracking and layering as well as intricate harmonies. I simply admire her work and hope that one day ore people will appreciate her artistry.
Even my personal favorite singer gave Kimbra a ''shout out''
ReplyDeleteFrom the 04.00 mark...:-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ea1Ot2IbUQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I'm not sure everyone will be able to see this video, as it says it has been blocked in my country, but I've seen this interview before :). I've been meaning to check out her music, maybe you could provide me with some links opie??
ReplyDeleteI really like Kimbra and I think her debut album Vows was seriously overlooked.
ReplyDeleteThere might be another uploader who uploaded it. I will see. Weird though...a CNN video being blocked to viewers in the US. Least....it is my assumption you are in the US?
ReplyDeleteAnyway..I would gladly link you up Mel.
Here's the link to my channel. Most of my uploads are of Alison, there's a playlist of her work, of her work with Robert Plant and a short one I made in an attempt to aide DD or Serendipity in creating a vocal profile titled ''high-low''
http://www.youtube.com/user/reddragonready
Yeah, I'm from the the U.S. I'm not sure why Youtube blocked it here... weird. I haven't watched that many videos on your playlist, but so far I really like Trampled rose.
ReplyDeleteI been waiting for this for a good minute.
ReplyDeleteCool! That's a Tom Waits tune from the Raising Sand album she did with Robert Plant. So maybe you should check that playlist.
ReplyDeleteThat happens to be the album which got me into Krauss. :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evn800oWyi4
ReplyDeleteThis one of the best live songs I've seen of Kimbra.....This is not an easy song to sing......her technique was near perfect except for that coarse F#5 belt at the end. She didn't dodge any high notes and was a semi note higher than the studio version.
I think I have fallen in love :)
ReplyDeleteAgain another artist who I have heard of but never really heard! She has a very interesting voice indeed. I like the quirky sound she has going on too! Thanks for making this Robin, and thanks to DD for posting it up! Goes to wikipedia to check out her discography ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm not hearing those 2nd octave notes.... The A#2/Bb2s sound more like Eb3s. I even checked multiple times. :L
ReplyDeleteI can't blame you....
ReplyDeleteThose low notes are very warm BTW....When I first heard those notes I thought the same thing. They were too dark to be Eb3s but they are pitched correctly.
ReplyDeleteHey @divadevotee:disqus , I'm making a live vocal range show case for Kimbra that is about 30 minutes and I have to say she is hilarious live. She did this amazing portamento from C#6-F5 on her rendition of her song Good intent and OMG.... she rolled her eyes in the back of her head and slid out of the view of the camera...it was so funny....then she hit a whole and very tenor like B2 that had me on the edge of my seat while singing Good Intent.... Her belts though, they were coarse which makes me question her technique at the time....And OMG, she belted a C6 in good intent as well....I'm like half way finished...It'll be uploaded soon.. over all through the video, there are countless D5 belts, F5 belts, and her personal favorite, the G5 belt...LMBO....
ReplyDeletei love kimbra
ReplyDeleteWe need more singers like her today. Thank god she's becoming popular!
ReplyDeleteGAH that range video is painful to watch! Not because her singing isn't great-it is! But it's so so inaccurate! I have perfect pitch, there was nothing from the second octave. Most of the notes were identified wrong. Aaaaahhhhh.
ReplyDeleteCan you do Regina Spektor as well? and Beth Ditto from The Gossip?
ReplyDelete