Christina Aguilera didn't have the best year, performance wise,in 2012; rounding it off with the worst performance of her career at the American Music Awards [here]. It's now 2013, and thanks to the People's Choice Awards, we have our first chance to see/hear if this downward trend will continue into the new year.
Picking a ballad from Lotus- in the form of the Sia assisted Blank Page- the Diva dropped the gimmicks and tight costumes that have so far plagued this era. Instead, Christina chose to share the stage with only a piano and her trusty red microphone, leaving it to her voice to impress. The result was an elegant and mesmerising performance of a great song.
It wasn't perfect, mind. There were problems from the get go with her tuning and timing in her lower register, and this kept reoccurring during the song's verses. This could have been down to control, or it could have been- like she mentioned during her acceptance speech- the emotion of the piece causing the wavering. However, the belting (which was where she needed to shine) was pretty darn spot on, so despite the problems, the overall simplicity and emotion of the performance gave me chills and thrills in equal measure.
The pageant style acceptance speech at the end, as she took her award for winning the People's Voice Award, was something else though. I think someone's resolution this year is to work on improving her public image...
For me, it's been darn long to see her like this. Loved every second of it. I might be biased, but... it's all for the best. <3
ReplyDeleteLoved it. A lil tricky on the lows, but exceptional on the top.
ReplyDeleteThis performance is a slight improvement from the recent slew of strain fests she's had. However, the ballad screams generic (especially its chord progression).
ReplyDeleteHow is this beautiful Sia co-wrote ballad evne close to being generic? Someone needs to clear ears.
ReplyDeleteA bit too off key for my liking.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only who doesnt' like her tone? That Hermit the Frog thing gets old, especially with that bland phrasing, and less than stellar lower range..... But ironically I did enjoy this performance...lol IDK why and how but I did. Crocodila Aguilara did well by her standards.
ReplyDeletethere was hardly an kermit in this one...lol
ReplyDeleteWOW. She was actually...spot on. I was surprised. She held back. She was resonant. She projected. I mean yeah her lower range still lacks any carrying power- but shes not forcing it. Shes improved a lot! THE IMPOSSIBLE HAS OCCURRED BITCHES.
ReplyDeleteI was beginning to think she was incapable of delivering a song appropriately, as you say recent performances have left a great deal to be desired!
ReplyDeleteI like how she has deviated away from the excessive use of runs, riffs and overkilling with melisma by singing it straight through, sure the loss of breath and off sounding beginning were slightly off putting but she pulled it all together in her upper register belts. Personally I think she should just concentrate on releasing ballad heavy material as it seems to be the material she can bring to a live setting with the level of standard one would expect but I know her over-sexing and provocative nature will always veer towards the carnal and thumping beats she has become so taken with.
Overall a great performance, this should be the next single!
I really like this performance I think this is her best one to date. Yes she does sound a bit shrill in the lower ranges but from what I heard in an article I read she was very emotional singing this song during rehearsals so I think that's why she was a bit off-key.
ReplyDeleteMAH LOVE!!!! YES!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this performance. Yes, she had some issues with her lower register and some other issues; but at the end of the day, it was a very good performance, very emotional and classy (a word I think Xtina had forgotten long ago). I think this song should have been the first single, and the album should have had more ballads like this one and less club generic songs and pointless mid-tempos. I'm so happy that Xtina decided to give us at least one truly amazing performance in this era.
ReplyDeleteWelll no. that was so rough and thick, I have no other words. I sincerely hope she was sick because it's really the downhill road for her vocally.
ReplyDeleteNOW LET'S CROSS OUR FINGERS FOR THIS TO CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF HER CAREEEER!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete*Christina pisses on my dreams within the next two weeks*
... but it lacks commercial viability in the modern music market...
ReplyDeleteNo... but it wasn't exactly Christina either... it sounded off... nothing like the recorded version.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but this song DOES scream generic. The song basically goes:
ReplyDelete"I've done wrong, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO sorry, please, please, please take me back again."
It's WBT+Hurt x10 worse.
At least she started off singing in her actual voice, but then she started closing her throat to gain this artificial weight and she ruined it for me.
ReplyDeleteAs does everything else she has released of recent, especially considering she has flirted with the "chart sound" by releasing Your Body, which flopped. Maybe releasing the best song of the album here is not such a bad idea...
ReplyDeleteI think this sounded more like her. The resonance pattern of the Stripped era was here. She obviously sounded better on the higher chest notes (the lower fifth octave). The lower notes were muted and lack the resonance of the other areas of her voice but perhaps because she wasn't forcing them, even if they lacked power, they do sound healthier. There was slight frogging around the passaggio, but I have just accepted that as a part of her individual sound. This is arguably one of her best live performances in the Lotus era.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, was it just me or did anyone else not like this performance Her tone sounded soo strange and a little weighty like she was struggling with her voice. idk.
ReplyDeleteI loved it very emotionally charged. Lets pray 2013 brings some very good vocal performances from Chisssy!!!
ReplyDelete"Your Body" was a top 40 single... I actually think it's a bit unreasonable to ask for more from Xtina, seeing how hard all her efforts flopped prior to "Your Body".
ReplyDeleteTrue, which is sad. I personally thought Bionic for example was a great album, she really seemed to push her own personal musical limits with that whole sound...I think it will be a little bit like Madonna's Erotica album in that with time people will see it for how innovative it was at the time, innovative for her per se rather than the industry that is :)
ReplyDeleteSO NICE TO SEE SOMETHING FROM YOU SPARK! I had a feeling you've moved on from us here on DD...even if I respond to this 6 days late...lol
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha! I just needed some time away to re-center things. Left town. Many adventures are in store for me. Good to see you guys again!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back sir! Hope all is well and your keeping out of trouble :p
ReplyDeleteHello, good sir! Missed you heaps, too! But your friendly"likes" have kept me company. You have to fill me in on the latest in Stuland.
ReplyDeleteLikewise! Your chat has been sorely missed! I have just been swamped with college work, I can feel myself getting more and more grey and bald as the weeks pass haha! What has one been getting up to?
ReplyDeleteWas up in the mountains from which I partly descend! Returned to the highlands for a post-holiday getaway with my mother. Plenty of cultural and personal explorations there. And how is college life? What new events have come your way?
ReplyDeleteThe mountains! I bet that was serene, sounds like heaven! Sounds like my kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteCollege is good, the workload has exploded though, I have so much stuff to do and very little motivation lol I will get there though (hopefully).
Not any new events per se. I am just waiting to hear back about my application for uni, there goes a further 3/4 years of my life in study...I am gonna totally work the nerd look soon, might as well play the part huh!
Yes, they were amazing! I think you would enjoy something much like that. The air was so fresh and clear. I liked to explore the trails, forests, and valleys throughout the region.
ReplyDeleteAh, isn't college life grand? Whew...I remember all of the work and weight I lost coming through that and graduate school. But worry not fellow nerd! You have a fan in me! And nerds get much better with age...trust me! :P
Haha thank you :) I will take your word for it, the only thing I need with growing age is an increasingly large can of oil to get the old joints working in the morning lol
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you're going through troubled times Sparkilu. Hang in there dude. As I'm sure you heard..''the dude abides'' and I for one hope you will prove that to be true. :-)
ReplyDeleteChin up dude! Sending you some healing cyber hugs! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the concern, Opie. I am okay now, but my time in grad school was something else two years back! I was basically a zombie. Very gray times filled with Joni Mitchell songs. I think the bitter winter in my first year filed with blizzards and the isolation of my studies was trying. But I did compete my program with top marks!
ReplyDeleteIndeed. My last course was in pubic policy. And how about you?
ReplyDelete