Michael Bublé welcomed festive Diva, Mariah Carey, to his Christmas Special yesterday to duet on her holiday classic All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Now we've had our fair share of fluctuating vocals this holiday from Mariah [Hear: Bad /Good], so it was anyone's guess which way this recording would go. Good news is, she smashed it! There was some rasp at the top of the chest, but Mariah was nimble and dynamic, sounding healthy and rested throughout the rest of the range. I especially loved the way she didn't let that end riff go, still singing while Bublé was wrapping up the segment. #Diva!
Thoughts?
(weee I can finally take a little break from my exams :D)
ReplyDeleteAlthough. I. really. like. Michael. Bublé. in. studio. I. usually. hate. him. live. Not. that. he. shows. bad. vocals. or. doesn't. deliver. emotionally. but. that. he. always. sings. like. this. making. little. pauses. every. single. word. which. really. pisses. me. off.
Buble sounds a bit weird, but Mariah did well.
ReplyDeleteI never understood the phenomena surrounding Buble'. Im all up for the genre of which he sings but his stylings and arrangements are so boring to me.
ReplyDeleteHe looks like a little kid happy to be let sing
ReplyDeleteAgreed Brian. Especially if you know the real deal, a Sinatra or Martin ,you realize these crooners today are boring B class.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that this version is undubbed. It just sounds too clean. I really want to think it is undubbed, but I'm like 99% sure it's not.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, she sounded great (dubbed :D) but seriously, Michael Bublé was absolutely terrible. What was that?
I disagree. He has the exquisite diction and even tonality that was popularized in the early-mid 1900s by people like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. It's not exactly an exercise in vocal acrobatics, like we are used to from male R&B and rock vocalists, but it has an eloquence in its simplicity and ability to adhere to rhythm, time, and pitch more than we hear in current mainstream.
ReplyDeleteJust no. He is but a pale imitation of such singers.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYLuKp3qSMQ
Now there's a voice!
ReplyDeleteDespite my respect for both Mariah and Michael as pop musicians, that ending is what we call "abysmal ensemble." Fortunately for them, people rarely care about that sort of thing in pop music.
ReplyDeleteOH YES.
ReplyDeleteIronically, I was listening to this album earlier today with my Grandparents. What STUNNING voices these three Men have, especially Sammy, first and foremost, followed by Dean - my two personal favourites. I do admire Frank's exquisite phrasing and, overall, vocal subtlety & smoothness but I've always much preferred the richness & nobility within sammy's voice, as well as its extreme 'power', along with Dean's sassy vocal wit & character. : - )
His diction is quite good but it's also a little too restrictive. He sings in one word phrases and although I agree that his tone is quite more warm and pleasant than other pop and r&b acts its quite boring how it seems he sings in a monotone.
ReplyDeletehis face when Mariah sings and starts to showing off... hahaha. Mariah was on FIRE!
ReplyDeleteLove that song!
ReplyDeleteHis voice isn't boring, but this wasn't his type of song. The song hits most registers of the voice, and Buble's voice doesn't really shine in the lows or the highs. His other Christmas songs such as "I'll Be Home for Christmas" are pretty nice and compliment his voice better. But yeah, I do agree on this performance. It wasn't that good.
ReplyDeleteHe could have also been nervous, I mean, it is MC LOL.
It's not his voice which is boring, it's his phrasing. ;-)
ReplyDeleteLuke James??? REALLY? Nuh uh, you need to sit down with that. I was right up to you UNTIL you said Luke James....you bogus for that one man rofl
ReplyDelete& i love Jaz Sull/Brandy but >>Christina voice wise? Yall on sum else!
I love this.
ReplyDeleteBuble has no stage presence and is terribly awkward performing. Also, I do not find the tone of his voice pleasant at all.
ReplyDeleteI love Michael and yeah he is boring but i'll totally date him if he ever ask LOL LOL. i think he should add rnb in his genre. that would totally suit his voice
ReplyDeleteMARIAH IS THE QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteand i love that dress but those boots don't work for me
That doesn't sound dubbed...there are too many flaws, and I seriously doubt Buble would have let anyone dub their voice on his special. So, Mariah...oh thank GOD she's singing like it's mid-1997 again. I once again have faith in the Empress of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMariah's voice has always been thin; it just used to be more robust, allowing her to cover it up better with some tricks and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteYou're pretty. Please tell me that's your own face.
ReplyDeleteMariah sounded a little weird in the beginning, but later on - honey for my ears, loved it! About Michael Bublé... well, his name sounds similar to Polish word "bubel" - meaning "shitty product" - which (as for me) describes his singing perfectly. Like, God damn it - who in their right mind allows such person to get on the scene? He sounded completely unprepared, as if he heard the tune for the first time ever and tried to improvise (but, well, we can all agree he's no Ella Fitzgerald, can't we?). He just couldn't "fit" those words into the melody line properly - was either waaay to late or too soon - pardon my lack of professional vocabulary to describe such "phenomenon".
ReplyDeleteShe may not have ever had a voice as full as Chaka Khan's per say but Mariah voice was not really thin in 1990-93. I know thats such a long time ago but in 1994 there was the point where her voice was became clearly thin.
ReplyDeleteOmg
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm no fan, either. His voice also did not work with this arrangement of the song.
ReplyDeleteIt was thin though.. on songs like 'Vanishing', her voice sounds just as thin as it does now. Just with a creamier texture.
ReplyDeleteShe was actually sounding quite good during E=MC2. She was regaining some of the warmth and clarity in her chest voice. But after she had her children she's been sounding much more thin. Judging by how large and painful her pregnancy was I wonder if her core muscles are too scrambled up to perform as efficiently as they used to.
ReplyDeleteI agree her voice is quite thin on its own. Its just earlier on in her career she deployed a lot more traditional techniques while singing, so her voice carried a lot more and sounded "Bigger" than it really was.
ReplyDeleteI actually found her voice to be at its worst during "Emancipation of Mimi" because of how very thin and rough it sounded. During Butterfly and Charmbracelet she at least managed to sing like herself. I also find it odd she thinks that Pregnancy made her sound amazing when in my opinion she sounded quite odd during Merry Christmas II you. The album is great but her voice really started to sound Chhipmunky at this time. Not to mention her voice went through an obvious live filter during her Christmas special.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I completely agree with your first point. As commercially phenomenonal as the 'Emancipation of Mimi' era was, vocally speaking, she sounded excrutiatingly poor at times especially in 2006.
ReplyDeleteAlso, many people, fans, critics and casual listeners alike, consider her 'Butterfly' era to be the prime hallmark of her voice change and I suppose, in comparison to how she sounded during her 'Daydream' era, it's understandable. As for her 'Charmbracelet' era, it was definitely the most polarizing for me. On her studio records, her upper register sounded so free and resonant ('My Saving Grace' in particular - multiple F5's - G#5's) yet 'live', she was rasping excessively and finding extremely hard to sustain notes above D5? Then again, Mariah is known to dub alot on her recordings.
LOL. She did sound like a cat on helium, at times, during her 'MC2U' era.
That period of her working herself to the ground was in between Rainbow and Glitter I believe. Charmbracelet was her first release post breakdown so I would hope by then she had most of her (professional) issues sorted out. She didn't sound all bad though, except for the upper belts, but compared to Rainbow (on which one could really hear how tired her voice sounded) her voice clearly deteriorated more.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds more optimal actually. I just never thought that your phrasing could really change your performance that much. Crossed my mind, but I thought I would be thumbsed down for saying something that I thought people would believe is stupid Lol
ReplyDeleteEven Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby couldn't hold a candle to Tony Martin.
ReplyDeleteFor me "Charmbracelet" is her worst overall time, she was very nasal falsetto throughout.
ReplyDeleteNow this is the Mariah I know and love!
ReplyDeleteMariah sounded very good :) Michael Buble does not have the voice to handle this song, he is good in his own style, but doesn't have the range, power or agility to handle a Mariah song.
ReplyDeleteSome good belting, but I hate the quality her voice takes, it sounds always tired and about to break, like she hasn't gotten enough water or sleep.
ReplyDeleteWell I don't think it's stupid at all. For example here is better voice then Bubble but phrasing...boring.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYhcedGn2mo
Superior phrasing (and more my taste voice)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U43_f1LSKxs
To me Tony is singing a song, Frank seems to be talking to you and just you and you believe him.
ReplyDeleteI could tolerate her Chambraclet era, at least she had 1 or 2 solid fully live performances of my Saving Grace. I personally think Mariah does much better when she sings gospel songs such as My Saving Grace and Fly like a bird. It seems she seems to project better and is less self conscious. .
ReplyDeletePersonally I felt Rainbow and E=mc2 was her all time lows. Her performances sounded strange in 1999-2000. Her rendition of the national anthem is a prime example. Her belts had this thin piercing chipmunk sound that sounded very much studio pitched.
How can belting properly make your voice sound bigger than it already is?
ReplyDeleteI would say that's very much a matter of personal opinion, Tony Martin's phrasing is very sophisticated. Perhaps you prefer a more raw and spontaneous approach.
ReplyDeleteKeeping a neutral low larynx with open throat and high soft palate gives the voice richness and facilitates mask resonance, which gives the voice an amplified harmonic content.
ReplyDeleteYou also think Christina Aguilera is the greatest singer in the world and dare to talk about technical terms you know nothing about like you are an expert. Still laughing at your "you use more than 0 ms of delay" remark, as if delay exists at all at 0 ms, or if it were distinguishable at all as delay before 5 ms.
ReplyDeleteLOL i think the bar idea is bad.... Mariah might be drinking instead of singing
ReplyDeleteyeah her voice is hoarse, i think she needs some rest.
ReplyDeletewhy? but it's true i think she needs some rest. it's good if she will sleep some more and lessen some of her performance so her voice will sound healthier. you know im a fan of kelly that's why im saying this im just concern about her :))
ReplyDeleteLOL Just thought that might be a possible reason for your strange remark that Kelly sounded hoarse yet you thought Mariah's second song sounded great.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, just joking of course, because my assessment is the exact opposite in both cases from yours. :-)
Well, Aguilera may not be the best technical singer in the world (and she's nowhere close) but her (studio) phrasing is, at least to me, one of the most believeable ones. When she sings you truly believe what she's saying, even when she just tries to show off.
ReplyDeleteOh I really like Seth, I got his album and was surprised how good of a singer he really is
ReplyDeleteWell, Kelly has that "tired" quality all of the time. I think perhaps the natural size of her voice is like Leona Lewis, and as soon as she starts putting a bit of pressure on it, it gets a tired sound. I don't think she is a bad singer, I just personally prefer crystal clear voices. And yes, Mariah often also sounds tired, especially now, but when I think of Mariah in her prime, the sound was husky but not like "please bring me some water", it was actually very crystal bell-like in the upper-middle.
ReplyDeleteI think that is very much a matter of opinion. Interpretation and feeling in a song as well as beauty of tone are entirely matters of personal opinion. For example, I like Christina in some things (I even bought the CD single of "What a girl wants" the other day when I saw it for 99 cents, just to get the song "We're a miracle") and in other things she makes me cringe.
ReplyDeleteI know right. The Man's talent is otherworldy. To be the prime writer, director, producer and voice actor on, undoubtedly, the biggest animated show on Television and be able to sing all in the same breath is... Damn.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention he can sing and enunciate perfectly in even the most extremes of character voices.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's why I said "at least to me". Actually my comment was meant to remark that, because TheltFactor was talking about the phrasing and feeling and the guy that answered him used something that had nothing to do as an argument.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I think that this Christina song could be more approaching to your liking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GNwcqr7TzQ
Yes.
ReplyDelete'Ed Ames, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis & Andy Williams' were great also - other extreme favourites and inspirations of mine. : - )
Oh yes, that also.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watch his live performances and observe the way he switches, so effortlessly, from the voices of 'Peter to Brian to Stewie and Cleveland' and back, whilst singing, and then reverts to his modal voice all in the same breath... I want to cry. LOL.
He is, indefinitely, an inspiration of mine. A gorgeous 'Lyric 'Baritone' voice he has.
She sounds so angelic :D Her voice is just so clear and perfect, love her <3 Demi and her are probably the only two people I won't be shutting up :P
ReplyDeleteomg she sound amazing!! gotta love mariah
ReplyDeletewell im used with mariah but not really with kelly. i still can't forget when she performed Tennessee Waltz and Natural Woman back in the Grammys. absolutely stunnig i cried literally. it was packed with amazing vocals and captivating emotions.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRJuyL8KFik
Well, it's just different opinions. :-)
ReplyDeleteOf course I DO agree regarding Kelly's Grammy performance. ;-)
oh ew what
ReplyDeleteYeah, i also think her voice sounds thin and brittle, especially in the upper reaches of her voice. Like, i think the belt at 5:54 showcases this quality perfectly.
ReplyDeleteUnless you were referring to something else.
That was essentially the gist of my comments.
ReplyDeleteomg "Mine Again" epitome of this
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that her dexterity was pretty bad and as a result her runs were sloppy and poorly delineated throughout that era. And her belting was scratchy, thin, and pushed.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to Leona's voice? It sounds different to me, but I can't put my finger on it.
ReplyDelete@Brian I agree with this. Mariah's voice, from the beginning was always relatively, small--possessing a light and feminine like quality. I believe it was her technique that gave her edge in the "power" department. She had a brilliant mix--resonating brightly in the sinus cavities of the head. This provided her with the ease, freedom, and resonance needed to really pull off those dramatic belts.
ReplyDeleteHer resume states that her vocal fach is of a lyric soprano (i venture to think perhaps a full lyric soprano) but with a vocal range of a mezzo soprano. Which might suggest that she feels more comfortable with her chest register and lower notes which might make her head register suffer or is a regular lyric soprano but with a decent lower extension. her resume also states that she is classically trained.
ReplyDeleteLOL can't i get a support here guys hahaha xD
ReplyDeleteWell...I for one can't help you there Josh. Don't think I could even if I was straight I fear.
ReplyDeleteBut hey...the less people agreeing, the less competition! :-)
She has been singing off key and wobbling on the low register, don't know why though, it seems that by her second album she developed some vocal problems. Perhaps after her nose job.
ReplyDeleteYes, I actually know her repertoire better than most of her fans. I used to be a fan myself, until I started noticing her vocal issues, and once I heard them I couldn't unhear them, and they seemed to grow - and they did.
ReplyDeleteLOL but he's cute?? hahaha. He's married though and they have a son so i don't think me and him will happen anytime soon
ReplyDeleteGod that is awful!!! he still cute though ;) im all after the voice, the face and his nice personality. l
ReplyDeleteYeah, he's got a handsome face, but he's still not my type (voice and physical appeareance speaking) so I'll leave it all to you if the chance ever comes up :P
ReplyDeleteWhy? does he make you feel horny? http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llmvfdyRsJ1qixleeo1_500.gif
ReplyDeleteLOL. No, absolutely not...
ReplyDeleteBut do you want to know one person who I do find attractive: 'Jimmy Fallon'. LMAO.
I think he is just... Ugh. I seriously cannot. My friends find him so "ugly" (I don't like to use that word); "Funny but Ugly". Either way, I don't give a f*ck - I would 'Rock his Mic' anytime, anyplace, anywhere, anyday, anyhow. I'm just saying. : - /
Well, I don't find him attractive at all but I know that feeling of being turned on by a person who is normally considered as ugly. Actually, when I graduate in college that is gonna be the main point of my doctorate because I alredy have some theories about why we feel attracted by "ugly" people.
ReplyDeleteBTW, that "rock his mic" was priceless lol
so rude.
ReplyDeleteShe started singing so perfectly that got me thinking if it was lipped, but when the little flaws come up, that's when I love her the most.
ReplyDeleteLOL. I seriously would...
ReplyDeleteSo, which male celebrities, off the top of your head, do you find 'attractive'? 'Tyson Beckford, Shemar Moore, Luke James & Usher' will forever be my four ultimate husbands but that's a completely different story.
And, I'm guessing that you've been "attracted" to "ugly people"? Why and Who? LOL.
the best thing about this performance? Mariah walked into the stage like a normal and healthy person, with no one holding her hand. And Gosh! She's finally moving her body.
ReplyDeleteMy top four are Liam Hemsworth, Stephen Amell, Darren Criss and hell, the one I'd TOTALLY marry right away is Alejandro Manzano, the lead vocalist from Boyce Avenue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfAh3uDXWEo. He's one of the "ugly" (I mean, he's not ugly, but he's not as handsome as the ones I listed, objectively speaking) people I feel attracted by. The other ones are people in my close enviroment, I can't come up with any "ugly" celebrity I feel attracted by.
ReplyDeleteThe theories I thought out about why we feel attracted by certain not-too-attractive people while we don't feel anything for more attractive ones are quite long to explain, but in my case I love men with beard, brown hair and big nose because that makes them look like good-hearted people.
Oh, okay. Well, personally speaking, I like Men of all Races. Of course, I have a larger preference for, and attraction to, 'Black Men' because I am 'Black' but, nevertheless, I love people of all Ethnicities. The majority of my partners have been either 'Black, White or Arab' though, for some strange reason, so...
ReplyDeleteWell, three Male celebrities, of whom are considered "unattractive" (to most but me"), that I think are pretty hot are 'Jay-Z & Seth Rogan'. LOL. They're all cute and I would proudly date any one of them. ;- D
Hang on ..YOU Luis just called me "rude"???
ReplyDeleteThat is just...
LOL never say never Josh.
ReplyDeleteSeth Rogan (after that weight loss) is totally my physical kind, I wouldn't hestitate to take him to my bed lol The only two guys I've been with were south american, one from Venezuela and the other one... to be honest I don't know, I only know that he had an accent ^^U But I really don't mind the race, although I must admit that I barely find blonde blue-eyed people to be attractive to me, just very few cases.
ReplyDeleteHaha that is my face. Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thats why Ariana Grande ended up with such a light voice, after heavily idolising Mariah (an alto) and Christina? Trust me, if Christina was a soprano then she is definitely not your average soprano.
ReplyDeleteIt was a joke hahahahaha!! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah sometimes I think that too, but then I remember when her voiced thinned and lost some of its ring during her "Emancipation" era, but then suddenly, one night, she starts growling her whole way through a live rendition of "Its Like That" without her voice giving way.
Why does everybody think that because she has a light and high speaking voice she must be a soprano? It is just as easy to manipulate your speaking voice as it is your singing voice and a lot of people nowadays (especially women) like to alter and manipulate their speaking voices to their liking.
ReplyDeleteWatch from 11:02
ReplyDeleteAlthough the whole video is great, only the last bits really show what Christina's real voice sounds like. And it doesn't sound like a Soprano to me either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlT26rr3CU8
I agree - I love her voice during her MMC days, not so much during her debut - a bit surprised when Stripped came out as there's a bit of improvement - b2b is completely happy as it's fully being improved - then it all went downhill afterwards - however - part of voice training is becoming a raw voiced singer as you unlearn your old techniques and apply the new techniques - I think this is the part where she is having difficulties with her training - she's clearly trying to relax while singing and belting yet her old habits comes in and she tries to hold them back but couldnt - so what happens is a mixture of her old habits and her trying to sing with proper vocal placements fighting for dominance - I can hear it on her lotus live performance - she's trying to relax her soft palette and her larynx and keep her tongue relaxed but the urge to scream out just keeps coming so the end result is a bad combination of both.
ReplyDeleteI think what she failed to understand is to use her mix voice - she needs to be taught how to align her falsetto/head voice/ down to her chest/middle register so that she can transition between her registers smoothly like all singers (funny how she can listen to all other singers and realize that singers are mixing the higher belts and not pushing their chest voices) meaning - when she needs to go higher, she needs to stop shouting her chest voice up and relax, and start using her mix - like what she uses when she sings randomly (watch when she introduces "make the world move" in a listening party and she sings Ceelo's part - she was mixing, but I bet she doesnt recognize it and doesn't know she have to use that voice when singing all the time)
also I think it's the semantics - I experienced the same thing - old coaches keep telling me to relax my larynx, breathe in, blah blah - but I never got it right - until I met a coach who gave me the simple and easier to understand terms - sing in my falsetto - then from there my new coach taught me to turn my falsetto into mix voice and from mix voice to my head voice - and after more practice my higher registers is now aligned to my lower register and can easily transition from all of my vocal registers and now can sing without shouting and being too loud.
with that - I bet she knows what to do physically (like how to breathe, relax the tongue, whatever - but still thinks that she needs to use her chest voice on the higher part of her range thus the still evident strain - so I hope someone (maybe a new coach) will tell her to start using her falsetto/head voice and eventually teach her to mix it so that she can finally sing and not shout.
Since when the singer you idolise dictates your vocal fach? because my sister has always been a fan of Cher and Etta James (and pretty much any woman with a low voice) and she has one of the thinnest (and most annoying) soprano voices I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteChristina totally sounds to me like a high soprano who idolised contralto singers (Etta James is her biggest idol) and therefore tried to imitate their tone by using improper technique. The fact that she can't sing (let alone resonate) in the soprano tessitura is just due to her crappy technique. I had a phase when I tried to sing a la Christina by lowering my larynx to try to sound like a baritone and I couldn't get past the B3 without damaging my voice.
Yes. Please watch the video on top of my previous comment. Starting around 11:00 when she sings "The Voice Within" you can clearly hear in the demo that she knows how to mix. I'm starting to think her studio performances are not messed with that much and she sings like her larynx is about to pop during live shows.
ReplyDelete(Was going to say, "And she sings like he**'s burning her lungs when singing live). Thought that was too much even for Miss Aguilera. I still love her though. Her voice is so unique and that instantly pulls me to her (Shouting or not). Unique voices, whether it's Rihanna's or Whitney's pulls me to them like a magnet.
That's close to what the average dude's body is in America. Fuck, he might even be considered lean by American averages in some states.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he has that "Pretty boi rock" that some others have. He's not even coming for Luke Bryan's wig. But he isn't ugly. This picture has him making some kind of "I just smelled a hardy turd in the pool" face.
Just like Jennifer Lawrence ain't that pretty but she slays. They can be average cute without being drop dead panty/boxer droppers.
Not all sopranos can utilize their voice in the correct manner. Some of them have the natural range but because they are raw talents they may not actually have had proper training. But sometimes this is what separates them from other singer.
ReplyDeleteXtina has a very distinct tone, If everyone sang alike and all sang properly, people would get very bored.
I am not saying do not take voice lessons, but if you can manage to make music and have the recognition, part of it is sounding different.
At one time people said Xtina sounded like Mariah, do u wonder why all of a sudden she wanted to have a vocal identity after stripped era?
There's something about Buble (which I say as bubble). It's sexy as hell, but I think it's that crooner vibe. Thankx to you girls showing me he's not that hot :(
ReplyDeleteAnyone have thoughts on Christina's latest performances of We Remain on The Voice and Say Something at the AMAs? I personally see an improvement in clarity.
ReplyDeleteplease do mariah, and lara fabian c:
ReplyDeleteShe didn't really change anything about her 'next Mariah' image in terms of her voice, she just distanced herself from Mariah by publicly insulting and humiliating her in 2004...
ReplyDeleteNo he's not real it's actually 3 different people's faces and he used his talent in Photoshop to create an entirely untraceable face.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell if you are joking or trolling?
ReplyDeleteBut yes, that IS his face.
I agree he is one of the best male voices out there bringing a classical type of genre...
ReplyDeleteTrue. Christina had a voice that honed correctly could have taken her to heights we would have never imagined. Although I would disagree with the first bits of the comment. "-not the best, but good-" I would have to say Christina is by far one of the greatest vocalist (Shouting or not) and musician in our generation. Tamar has a over-rated personality, Ariana is lacking originality, and the other "vocalists' rely on gimmicks and computerized sounds to reach the top. Jessica and Christina were the only ones during the Depression of Music era (2000-2004) who sang their faces off. Their techniques maybe horrid but they were involved in turning the tides for new comers although the new comers weren't great. Ever since then we've had great voices; Destiny's Child, Beyonce, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Tamar, Ariana, Nicole, Carrie Underwood, Leona Lewis, Kelly Clarkson, and many more. These woman paved the path for our generation's music. Amy touched us with her heart-stopping voice and a paved a path for UK/US artists such as Adele.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a highly personal read on history from you Natsu. :-)
ReplyDeleteTo me it seems rather over rating Christina's past and present influence.
I don't think Christina "turned the tide" for anybody. She didn't cause any significant changes. She is just one in a list of succesful female singers since pop music started. Her career nor her music seem to me to have opened any doors that weren't open already.
It also seems to be ignoring the presence of other singers during the same years such as Pink, Alanis Morissette or Norah Jones and her 5 grammy winning 2002 album for instance.
Also Amy's album Frank dropped in 2003. And of course Mariah was around as well. And so was Celine.
Destiny's child dropped their first album in 1997, Kelly Clarkson in 2003.
It's funny how you dismiss all the singers active as well during 2000-2004 yet list some people as "great voices today'' who really pretty consistently excuses have to be made for. I mean..Tamar? Leona Lewis?
And really, Adele may be giving such praise to Amy but that is her speaking as a friend and fan of Amy. As a matter of fact there were a lot of other British female singers who had already paved the path for Adele prior to Amy. In fact, seeing as Amy was a really different kind of singer than Adele, I personally question if she actually paved any path for Adele. More likely she paved a way for British Jazz singers into the US market.
Finally, I am wondering what you exactly mean by calling Adele an UK/US singer?
What I meant was that before Amy, the crossover artists from UK either had a one-minute success or didn't get any significant pour from the public. In my mind and opinion, Amy really did something for the crossover artists. She proved to them that having success and be a crossover artist (And jazz artist) at the same time was indeed possible. Yes, there were many artists before Amy who paved the path for today's UK artists but without the success that Amy garnered, Adele would not have been as famous as she is now. There have many BIG crossover artists before we were even born but without Amy, I don't think the public would have payed much attention.
ReplyDeleteChristina however was a young girl. Come on, we all know she can't be compared to Pink, Celine, and Mariah (Renaissance Era 2004). During those years and what I dub as the Depression of Music was during the early 000's when good singers seemed to have been on a decline. Christina and Jessica hit (And missed) those notes and Christina and Pink rocked the Grammy. I wouldn't really call Destiny's Child, Destiny's Child unless Michele is included (I love her voice and her voice complimented the other's voices so much). Without the defining voices of our era, I don't think Adele, Emeli, and other artists would have made it big. I think good voices are finally returning and writers as well. And yes, I' am biased towards Tamar. Her voice when rested and trying not to act like Bey sounds amazing. List of my favorites
2009 - Now
Nicole Scherzinger, Ariana, and Tamar
2000 - 2008:
Michelle Williams, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Amy Winehouse
1980 - 1999:
Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey
Problem here is..."our era" are very different. When I was your age Natsu, it was 1973.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on Garland,Streisand, Shirley Bassey, Liza Minelli, Aretha Franklin and such as the big belters. FFS Ella was still performing! And until I was 8, Janis Joplin was still around.
Because of that, I remember the many excellent singers around at that time. I know for instance of Dusty Springfield. ;-)
I presume with "crossover" you mean crossing the ocean? (which is a bit of a confusing way to put it as "crossover singer" usually means crossing over into another genre.)
Funnily enough, you don't seem to realize that works both ways.
My era started a time long before autotune and most of the stuff now in standard use in studios.
A time where there was no such term as "studio vocalist''. In my preteen days we used to call those "fakes" or poor singers instead and did not think they were respectable musicians.
And also you talk as if there are/were no singers but pop singers around.
As for favorites...I don't divide by decades and have too many and in different genres over the course of time but all time favorite as in being imo the best pop singer I ever heard most definitely Streisand.
But Bassey, Doris Day, Kate Bush, Vera Lynn, Elki Brooks, Joan Armatrading, Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, Dusty Springfield, Norah Jones, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Shelby Lynne, Anouk, Callas, Sumi Jo,Bonnie Raitt, Patti Griffin, Edith Piaf, Ofra Haza, Peggy Lee, Patsy Cline are all singers I greatly enjoy
And of course Kelly Clarkson and Pink and Amy Winehouse and Sarah Jarosz and....see what I mean? I experienced no "depression of music" era.
ReplyDeleteI think it was badly done on my part. What I failed to explain was the amount success good voices have versus entertainers. Today, it's much more about entertaining than trying to convey emotions through pure talent and vocals.
ReplyDeleteNow there's a point I can't argue. Except that you are of course talking pop music mainly. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes. That's why I'm thinking of doing a cross-over to country...
ReplyDeleteSo Hyang SLAYS all right. She can do more things with her 3 octave voice than Georgia Brown with her supposed 8 octave range.
ReplyDeleteI might have defined 'cross-over' as something different. In my mind I thought cross-over can be generalized as change between genre or cross-over as in artists who actually come from a different part of the world than the US.
ReplyDeleteHow do you mean that Natsu? As a listener or as a singer?
ReplyDeleteThat's true, but as Opie says, you're making a mistake by not considering other genres besides pop. During that era you call "Depression of Music" some great artists that belonged to other genres appeard and blew us with their emotional lyrics: Evanescence, Simple Plan, Eminem, Linkin Park, Muse, Coldplay... I think it'd be better to call it "Depression of pop music"
ReplyDeleteI think Leith, Natsu was speaking of the blog subject though...female singers. :-)
ReplyDeleteOops, I screwed it up http://www.vayagif.com/141479/el-tiro-por-la-culata-version-arco
ReplyDeleteLOL That must be some kind of gif. If I click on the link I get the message "forbidden"???
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a guy being hit by his own bow while trying to throw an arrow, but since it doesn't work, enjoy this one http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8333/gelatina.gif
ReplyDeleteLeona's lower register has always been weak and wobbly.
ReplyDeleteWow, you really have a lot of bitchy things to say about pretty much every diva on this site, is there anyone you do like?
ReplyDeleteMariah has rarely toured - at least not huge world tours (she hasn't done one in 10 years) - and she has been known to rest well before big performances. Whitney on the other hand, over-toured and that was partly to blame for her decline, but I wouldn't say that's a factor for Mariah.
ReplyDeleteI watched this performance...I thought it was terrible how you all lead on below...It wasn't half bad....
ReplyDeleteBetter name indeed. "Depression of POP Music." Although I would like to point out, Opie and I were only talking about female singers. :D Anyway, since Pop is one that is most heard, you have to understand that it's not easy these days to hear music besides Pop. RnB... It's good but what todays singers call RnB is barely RnB.
ReplyDeleteListener.
ReplyDeleteActually, what people call nowadays Pop is also far from Pop; it's usually EMD, which I've never really liked as opposed to real pop.
ReplyDeleteLea right now reaches C6
ReplyDeleteLate as I came to it....I DID enjoy that one :-)
ReplyDeleteAha! Good thinking! ;-) Though it very much depends on which "Country".
ReplyDeleteAll this Bitch does is scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looooooooooooool. Seriously. I cant with her voice.
ReplyDeleteSo sad what's happened to her voice. Still sounds great when singing softly, but when she powers up these days (which she's adopted as her trademark and the way she has to sing her big hits), it's permanently raspy and very damaged sounding. I think it started to get that way after 2008 or so. There are so many videos of her voice outright cracking or otherwise failing when she gets even near a high note now. It's so sad =(.
ReplyDeleteMore negative stuff to add perhaps is that even in her vocal prime, she rarely attempted to hit the highest notes of her recordings. Examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgYeLowiG0k
One can sing on sheer talent and strength up to age 25. The voice will take a lot of abuse when it's young and fresh. But as one gets closer to age 30, the voice ages extremely fast if it has not been protected.
ReplyDeleteSinging on pure talent versus singing on good technique is like living on your capital versus living off the interests. If you live off the capital, it will eventually run out. If you live off the interests, the capital will be protected and will grow and keep giving dividends as long as it can.
As I told someone before...one can sing up to age 25 on pure talent as the voice will take a lot of abuse when it's young and fresh, but as one approaches 30, the voices ages really fast if it hasn't been protected.
ReplyDeleteWell, when I think of the BEST voice in pop music I think of someone like...Whitney Houston before the drugs. A voice with power, richness, agility, connected range, variety of vocal colors and dynamics, plenty of resonance, a solid column of sound across 2 completely even octaves, etc.
ReplyDeleteSo compared to that, I don't think Christina's voice was ever "the best". She has a good throat, with lots of potential. But potential is not actuality.
And there are other singers throughout the world, within Christina's age range, who are quite simply technically superior vocalists. For example Vanessa Amorosi, SoHyang and (yes) Beyonce. There's even some lesser known ones that came out around the same time as Christina or in the mid-early 00's who could sing circles around Christina, such as Debelah Morgan, Kylie Dean, Cherie, etc.
dramatic leggiero? :P
ReplyDeletehttp://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/179/e/0/chef_bot___does_not_compute__by_giframa-d555wi8.gif
Do you mean like a dramatic voice with agility? or would you actually mean a lyric voice with power? which would be more of a lyric-spinto, I think.
ReplyDeleteCherie, Kylie Dean, Debelah Morgan, Katherine Mcphee, Megan Hilty...etc
ReplyDeleteHer resume states that her vocal fach is of a lyric soprano (i venture to think perhaps a full lyric soprano) but with a vocal range of a mezzo soprano. Which might suggest that she feels more comfortable with her chest register and lower notes which might make her head register suffer or is a regular lyric soprano but with a decent lower extension. her resume also states that she is classically trained.
ReplyDeletealso can this page please be updated :)
ReplyDeleteShe is not a Soprano, her tessitura is lower and her tone is too powerful, she is most likely a mezzo soprano. A5 is very low for a trained Soprano
ReplyDeleteWell... you could always say that Renee Fleming and Anna Netrebko and well every other famous opera singer is far more technically skilled then both of them. So what is the point of complaining about comparisons between two unskilled singers like Streisand and Lea?
ReplyDeleteShe's reached Bb5 with a crazy amount of chest voice and in head voice/falsetto has done an incredibly effortless D6 live (which leads me to think that she can go higher). Lea is definetly a Soprano.
ReplyDeleteThis is just my opinion, but her voice is rather annoying. It's like a cartoon character. She also does a kind of very brief high sort of squeak at the end of some notes which doesn't help.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceZCU_1aKFk WATCH!
ReplyDeleteDat falsetto *_*
ReplyDeleteThe fact that people even compare LEA, not Leah, to Barbra is evidence of Lea's amazing voice. Barbra loves Lea and is honored that she is bringing back some of these standards. She even sent her a Barbra Doll and requested Lea sing at some events for Barbra. I adore Barbra but love that there is a new generation of women who can belt out one song and make me cry in another. Lea has never said she was as good or better than Barbra. In fact, when asked if she would like to do a duet with Barbra, she said she would prefer to just listen to her sing. She is not mimicking Barbra, she's honoring her. Glee did not want Lea in full voice when the show started, because it would be unreal for a sophomore in high school to sing that well. They also worked with her to drop the vibrato - same with Matt Morrison. I knew her from Broadway and couldn't figure out what they did to her voice the first half of season one. There's only one Barbra but I think it's wonderful that Lea aspires to be that good rather than selling out to pop.
ReplyDeleteNow your meanness is making you irrelevant. My devotion to Barbra for over 40 years, led me to Lea. Fans of Lea obviously respect quality singing or they wouldn't be fans.
ReplyDeleteLea won her Grammy for Spring Awakening when she was 20 years old. Lea's debut album came out as #1 on ITunes and then #4 on Billboard, not a bad start. She also had the solo or lead in 6 of the top 10 songs by the Glee cast on Billboard. It's difficult to compare the two and the times - decades separate the two.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you could listen to any of her songs with an open mind. You seem to have dug in pretty deep with your insults. Lea is a remarkable young lady who is introducing a new generation to musicals.
ReplyDeleteThere was this formula of park and bark for Amber - her thing was to take the last high note, not Lea. It frustrated me that Glee looked more like a middle school choir where everyone takes their turn being the star. I love Amber's voice as well, but those notes were given to Amber. However, Lea easily hit those notes without the need of a run in many songs, but they were blended not featured. I think she was using her head voice as Maria in WSS.
ReplyDeleteVery informative post, thank you.
ReplyDeleteYour opinion. The poster is owning her experience with the words "I", and "To Me". Unlike you who state everything as fact when it is simply your opinion. This is the beauty of music - there is something there for everyone in different ways.
ReplyDeleteProbably her best performance - I loved that song and her vocal capabilities were really evidence in the last minute.
ReplyDeleteBut it does suggest potential and training.
ReplyDeleteI loved DIng Dong - she sang that so flawlessly - in true Broadway form. I wish they did more of that, but I know the Glee critics would blast them for too much Broadway.
ReplyDeleteUsually I do but in this case...I simply WAS talking fact. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHitting a note is much different than sustaining a note comfortably. Or needing a run to hit the note and then drop it is not good singing.
ReplyDeleteNo, it is evidence to Lea's choice of material. And there is a difference between what an singer herself says and what her fans say. I was talking to irate fans and addressing THEIR claims. Not to Lea herself.
ReplyDeleteThat was a cast Grammy. Not a "Lea" Grammy. Her first solo album did not do all that well and got mixed reviews. The Glee fame gave it a head start but the subsequent numbers suggest it didn't manage to carry it through to success outside of the Glee fan base.
ReplyDeleteWhile Lea has a beautiful voice, she a some vocal 'tic' that drive me nuts. Many times she will do a little 'yip' or slide up into a high or big note. I'm sure she's had vocal coaching, and I'm surprised they didn't train it out of her--it's a pretty major flaw, and once you notice it, it's hard to unhear!
ReplyDeleteand you know this how? Are you seriously downgrading cast Grammy's? She was a lead, not supporting and that is how they do it for plays. On reported credentials, they list the Spring Awakening Grammy as earned. And, Lea, like virtually all singers, received mixed reviews on her debut album. I didn't read any that didn't say she was a marvelous singer, the negatives were around song choice and writing. There are a lot of her fans who do not watch Glee, but saw her on stage or just heard her sing. Does it really matter - a dollar is a dollar. You seem to be taking this thread personally, or you would not start to sound like a seventh grade student.
ReplyDeleteThey give Amber the featured diva notes, but Lea has hit them in other songs. The show loves to keep their good singers down so everyone wins a ribbon.
ReplyDeleteShe showed it to her mom (Idina) in the episode she was preparing her application for NYADA. I am not ashamed to say I watch Glee.
ReplyDeleteCan you share an example? A song that shows that "tic"?
ReplyDeleteI know what how?
ReplyDeleteI simply pointed out a few facts easily found in a simple,basic internet search
Obviously if it is a cast album like that, you don't know why people voted for it. But likely they voted for the whole cast. But either way, no telling and therefor not something which can reasonable be used as proof of the appeal of just one of the cast. Even if it is one of the leads.
And no, there really are not "a lot" who saw her sing on stage. Not if you compare that the potential audience out there. One radio airplay probably already reaches more than saw her on stage. LOL
And that is silly negative reasoning. Just because others also got mixed reviews for their solo album doesn't make Lea a great singer.
And btw there are also many who did not get mixed reviews but mostly good, or mostly bad reviews.
And yes, I presume when folks use the reply function under my comment and address me personally to take it they are addressing me personally. Duh!!!
The only seventh grader here seems to me to be the one desperately attempting to artificially up the "credits" of their favorite singer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU1isAvIMHQ Here, in the pre-chorus, when she sings "so close, yet so far" she does it twice, and yes, I also love Lea's voice but hate that habit lol
ReplyDeleteFor example, in 'Don't Rain On My Parade', she does it before 'Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter', and before '...Parade' at the end of the song. It may be a stylistic thing for her, but most music coaches would have 'beaten' that little habit out of her.
ReplyDeleteCan you post a link for the live D6?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt-hqLNDrK8 Although the video says "studio range", the note was hit live in the show (she did those warm ups live) and is really easily accessed.
ReplyDeleteWere you under the impression Lea was trying too? Wow she sang a few of her songs, must want to be her... Lea sounds NOTHING Like Barbra and she doesn't even want to!
ReplyDeleteRe: The Barbra Streisand comments and comparisons and subsequent negativity towards Lea (partially looking at you, Opie, sorry, you know I love you).
ReplyDeleteI think what everyone needs to remember is Lea isn't TRYING to be like Barbra, or better than Barbra, or even anything comparable. The CHARACTER she plays in a TV Show (Rachel Berry on Glee) is given Barbra songs to sing IN CHARACTER (the way Lea would approach a Barbra song as herself could be phenomenal, could be nothing special, we don't know). She is singing with the characteristics of Rachel Berry, not herself.
When people comment and say "I prefer her version" they are wrong, but not because of their opinion. They can personally enjoy that version more than Barbra's. That's fine - that's what music is all about. Variance of opinion and tastes. They are WRONG in saying I prefer HER version - that's not Lea Michele's version; it's the Glee producers version of a Barbra Streisand song, with Lea Michele being told how to sing and using what she considers as her character's stylings to approach the song.
At the end of the day, Barbra Streisand is a vocally virtuosic GODDESS. Anybody arguing that needs to a reality check.
BUT, simultaneously, Lea Michele is an incredible singer. She has a bell-soprano tone that most classical singers would envy (this is what I've gathered from talking to the bunch of friends I used to study Classical Voice Performance with, so it's statistically accurate, but whatever), her Broadway Belt is phenomenal (her On My Own, mainly), her head voice is absolutely stunning, with strong upper extension that she has yet to fully showcase, she has a beautiful and versatile mix (from the insane mix belt that reaches A5s and Bb5s in Halo, to the soft, head dominant mix where she glissandos in her cover of Radiohead's "Creep"), and is a well rounded singer. At the moment, we don't know much about Lea's actual voice. We know what we can see through her portrayal of Rachel Berry and her voice, in Glee, and from where she originated the role of Wendla (and grew with it for years) of Spring Awakening on Broadway (anyone who hasn't seen "Mama Who Bore Me, live, is missing out imo. Purity of tone jeSUS, ill post it in the comments).
AND we have what we can gather from her album which is that she's not trying to be ANYTHING like Barbra, but also is very constricted by her record label - she basically didn't have a say in the songs she took on board, or the promotion, or how to sing... she's pushed and been pushed too hard for a pop sound which sounds fake. We may see how she grows along the way.
That was a fucking marathon to write.
here's that link, by the way, she sings right off the bat, and I, personally, adore it and don't see anything wrong with her vocally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEYV5bNMZVo
ReplyDeleteLOL I knew the moment I saw the first line in the sidebar mPerry. And you know I will argue you. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf there is something to argue. But there actually wasn't much in your "marathon".
Like I said, my responses were mostly to those who claim Leah to be an equal or better singer. Not to those who express a liking of Leah over Barbra.(unless they coupled it with the remark that it but a matter of taste who is the better singe, thereby implying the two are on par.)
And not to Leah herself.
But I would argue the excuse for what I see as a lack of musicality of "she is being kept down" isn't really flying with me. Can you imagine anybody successfully keeping Barbra down? LOL
And though I find your rating of Leah's actual ability somewhat exaggerated, I do agree she is a good singer.
Ok, you are right that my reasoning on reviews was not well thought out and the 7th grade snap is embarrassing as I re-read my post- I don't want to be one of "those posters". However, I will stand by my thinking that a Grammy going to a lead in a cast album is significant. Bottom line is that I am so happy that Lea came along to introduce a new generation to the pure beauty of a single voice heard in an emotional ballad. I'm old enough to remember all the negativity that followed Barbra and how people wanted to pin her down to Broadway only.
ReplyDeleteComCon 2010 video where the producers, specifically made that comment regarding both Matt Morrison and Lea. Matt further explained how difficult that was.
ReplyDeleteI think she ,Lea, is an excellent singer.
ReplyDeleteI just argue any claim she is on Barbra's level.
But that is such a level that hardly anybody equals it and nobody has surpassed it.
There is absolutely no "shame" in not reaching that level. Lea certainly is way better than the vast majority of singers.
I also tend to argue reasoning which isn't strong. But that has nothing to do with Lea and her capabilities.
Certainly being part of a Grammy winning ensemble few can boast and it is nothing to be sneezed at. It just wasn't an argument for the case you were trying to make, was my only point in that. :-)
And you are a better person than me in posting that reply. Pretty sure I wouldn't have been that big about it and in such a nice way. :-)
I agree with you 100%. Barbra Streisand is absolutely amazing. Her vocal technique is outstanding and her timbre is unique. Her vibratto is beautiful, but not everybody enjoys it, for that matter. Lea Michele sees Barbra as an Idol since she was a little girl and she pays tribute to her whenever she has the opportunity to do so! I am a huge Broadway fan and I love both of them. Can we stop comparing super talented artists for a second? They're both amazing, in their own way!
ReplyDeleteLea's technique might not be as good as Barbra's (that's for sure), but she is a very experienced & trained singer too - enough to be the lead character on the Hit TV Show "Glee" for 5 consecutive years, interpreting a huge number of very difficult songs & singing most of them better than the original singer.
As far as timbre is concerned, I believe it plays a paramount role in determining which voice is the best (has the most quality). Actually, each person is born with a natural ear and timbre - that's what determines if someone is talented or not. However, technique does NOT equal talent, because everyone can obviously learn it and develop it throughout life.
All of those Barbra Streisand renditions were incredible, but Lea's "cleaner" and more modern performances of "My Man", "Don't Rain On My Parade", "Being Good Isn't Good Enough" & "I'm The Greatest Star" prove that she is a very talented Broadway-style singer, that far surpasses all expectations. She is considered, by many, "one of a kind" (just like Barbra was), and she deserves it.
"meanness" ? Now THAT is irrelevant actually!
ReplyDeleteWhether I put critique nice or "mean according to your standard is irrelevant to the relevance of the critique voiced.
And no, it does not logically follow that being a fan of Lea means you "respect quality singing".
Lea not Leah.
ReplyDeleteAdam Anders the music producer has said he likes it.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct and I apologize! I'd edit but since I posted under guest account, I am sorry to say I do not have that option. I will try to remember in future!
ReplyDeleteBut hey, at least I am not a fan. You don't want to know how many fans of Alison Krauss I have seen who still spell her name incorrectly. ;-)