I don't usually write about male singers, because, you know, "DIVA" devotee and all. However, something is telling me I should post yesterday's Bruno Mars half-time Super Bowl XLVIII showing.
Maybe it's because I've posted on the half-time show two years previously [See past Madonna/ Beyonce performances] and feel like it's become a tradition that should be maintained. Whatever the case, it'll give those who wish to discuss his polished set a forum to do so.
For those who don't want to talk about it, I'll broaden the appeal of this post by asking: who do you want to perform at next year's Super Bowl?
Thoughts?
I'd personally like to see P!nk, Shakira, or Kylie Minogue give a half-time show. All of the ladies have massive hits under their belts, large generational fan bases, and all the ladies know how to put on a show.
ReplyDeleteI cannot stand him and his high larynx.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, yes, Kylie Minogue - She is not massive in the USA, but she is one hell of a performer.
Pink has the hits and performance skills to do it. Don't know about Shakira. Not enough hits, I think. Rihanna could very much be the next one to perform at the Superbowl Halftime. Although, I don't like most of her music, she has the hits and can put an okay show, so Pepsi might ask her to do it. Gaga's underperformance with ARTPOP may have hurt her chances, but she's still an option, I think.
ReplyDeleteNot Katy please. And I don't want my fave do it at that point in her career. So I pick Pink.
Rihanna...please no.
ReplyDeleteMy "Top- 12" Choices Are:
ReplyDelete1) Coldplay
2) Usher
3) Rihanna
4) Jennifer Lopez
5) Hip Hop - Young Money Extravaganza (Lil' Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake & Co.)
6) Hip-Hop - Def Jam Extravaganza (Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West & Co.)
7) Outkast
8) Janelle Monet'
9) Daft Punk
10) Maroon 5
11) Florence & The Machine
12) Lady Gaga
Anybody from this list would suffice, although I am a little more biased towards my "Top- 8". :-D
Usher or Lady Gaga. They can entertain you very well.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I don't want her to do it, but I think it's a bit unavoidable, sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteI liked it. It wasn't blow your mind but it was definitely really good. I've no idea who this woman is but her timbre is lovely. Her head voice is okay sounding. Again, not as familiar but from her timbre, she sounded somewhat Mezzo-ish to me. I wish more people would lean toward more outside of the box arrangements rather than the overly done, practical ones. Fleming's rendition was a huge step up, thank god. This is one of the very few I'll remember along with Houston's, Clarkson's and Brian McKnight's.
ReplyDeleteIm not a fan of bruno mars, robin thicke or phrelle. i list them together because these are the male performers we have in the charts yet all of them give me the creeps. they way the sing about women never feels entirely true, more of sleazy act and funny enough they are all collaborators, birds of a feather and all that. ugh cringe, following gif sums up my feelings, http://25.media.tumblr.com/4e743a0b3c6e8586e802da8b0f4205a0/tumblr_n0fqc7i1pt1ql5yr7o1_400.gif
ReplyDeleteAnyway in terms of people id like to see id say id like to see someone with good vocal stamina, lady gaga's vocals are consistent throught her live shows so thats a plus but i feel there isnt much she can do to shock me so it could be dull,
Lana del rey but america wants sparkaly lights and choreography so thats out the window.
Although im not a huge fan i think p!nk could pul it off well. AVOID Rihanna,katy perry .
dude, not everyone signs up for a conservatory.
ReplyDeleteHis voice/tessitura seems so high that it has not THAT much effect on him. He also smokes, which can't be good for such a high voicr.
Not my cup of tea
ReplyDeleteI don't particularly like her more back of the mouth placement at the beginning but when she started going further up she sounded amazing. I will say though that this woman is a total D-I-V-A. Love it. Though there are others I would preferred listening to it was interesting and quite refreshing to hear someone take an operatic approach to this song...aside from Kristen Chenoweth.
ReplyDeleteI really want Fall Out Boy, Paramore, or Panic! At the Disco. Not many people know them very well, but I want the Super Bowl to venture into the alternative rock side of things. If they all performed together I think my balls would melt from all of the awesomeness lol
ReplyDelete*Throws hands in worship to Hayley Williams and Paramore."
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed it, she has a very impressive voice and a formidable range but gurrrll needs to calm down that vibrato.
ReplyDeleteOmg it could so be Outkast, with all their reunion festival showings! That would be amazing
ReplyDeleteYeah. Lost Without U was an amazing Single...give me the old Robin Thicke and I wouldn't care lol
ReplyDeleteI kinda liked it but I've heard versions I liked better. It's good to hear something different.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note...Each year I am more annoyed with the display of patriotism connected to a sports game. And even more so with the connection to the US war machine.
Doesn't anybody in charge there realize how it makes the US look ?
I love Queen Latifah both as a rapper and singer and this performance continue on my love fest. She has sang for a while even on some of her old rap albums if not mistaken. I love how in this performance and several others she doesn't need to oversing to sing, she doesn't have to be the main star but rather one among many.
ReplyDeleteOr Dolly Parton. EVERYBODY loves Dolly and she has proven over many decades..she can put on an entertaining show.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipmRzDDpyCk
Mariah Carey, Of Course.
ReplyDeleteShe can't because..it's outside, no time to do three takes, she won't have time to rehearse, she doesn't know how to find her place, she has nodules, broke her arm,she had some champagne....etc etc etc
ReplyDeleteMaybe next year they can do it this way? ;-)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz7dVYJg3bk
It's crazy that you have never heard of her/don't know who she is, haha. She's thought of as the current QUEEN of Sopranos in the Opera world.
ReplyDeleteIt's Opera, haha.. The vibrato is part and parcel of Bel Canto singing.
ReplyDeleteI know haha, but it was nearly unbearable on that last note!
ReplyDeleteLOL @ Y'all bein mad at the vibrato. I bet you guys all loved Whitney Probably-Got-It-From-Opera-And-Made-It-Soul Houston's thunderous vibrato (there's a debate as to wheter she did it wrong tho)
ReplyDeleteWhat a truly humble thing for her to say!
ReplyDeleteHalf an hour? More like 13 minutes. :) They can perform a medley of any number of songs they want; it's up to the artist. Plus, I think Pepsi will pick someone who has enough hits in the US since the Superbowl is mainly targeted at American viewers. That's not to say worldwide recognition is not important, but if you have WW recognition and little to no recognition in the US, you're most definitely not an option imo.
ReplyDeleteAs for Pink, she can sing, do acrobatics and interpretive dancing + normal dancing. It also helps that she has stage presence and has enough vocal abilities to attract the viewers attention without any gimmicks. I think she's the perfect pick for the Superbowl.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS coldplay i love them
ReplyDeleteme during the superbowl LOL (repost from tumblr)
ReplyDeleteWAS I THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT TICKLES IN THE EARS?
ReplyDeleteim gonna have to go with OPIE even though it destroys my heart. the woman is too DIVA
ReplyDeletehttp://25.media.tumblr.com/0086c0a1c3bea68d7f8b7f4dca5bf711/tumblr_myu1ar7uNE1r3feedo1_250.gif
I found Bruno extremely underwhelming. At the end of his performance, I wasn't sure whether it was over or what, it didn't even seem like a finale to me! Quite disappointed in this year's halftime show.
ReplyDeleteMy choice for Superbowl 49 Halftime Show is..... who else, P!nk, she never fails to please with her performances and she can really energize the crowd. I'd LOVE if The Pussycat Dolls miraculously got back together to do it, but that's just a fantasy that will never come true :-(
So, again, I choose P!nk
I forgot about Kylie, she'd be a nice change
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of Fall Out Boy, very high-energy
ReplyDeleteLOL, that is sooooooo true, it's ALMOST not funny ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love Florence + the Machine, like crazy, easily my favorite band out there today. But, sadly I don't really see them getting it, though I wouldn't completely count them out. And I like your taste, BTW :-)
ReplyDeleteJust thought of another one... Alanis Morissette
ReplyDeleteHaylely Williams will bring the heat lol. I would also say Demi, but I think she should wait it out a bit.
ReplyDelete"dudedude, not everyone signs up for a conservatory."
ReplyDeleteoF COURSE, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TONE AND EMOTION ;) lmao
Vibrato is the natural by-product of a well excercised, FIT voice. When a voice is not fully supported, held back or produced with a tight/closed throat, that's when the voice lacks vibrato.
ReplyDeleteShe is a rich voiced lyric soprano. She did sing in a more mezzo-soprano tessitura (she has a strong chest voice) probably in order to keep the words in a range where they would be more easily understood. But her range spans 4 octaves.
ReplyDeleteLMAO that's absolutely ridiculous. She is one of the most talented people in the whole world, she simply enhanced that talent with superb tecnique. That's how she can sing music 100 times more difficult than anything your faves ever sung or will ever be able to sing.
ReplyDeleteThe SSB was written in the early 19th century, when most certainly people sang with a more operatic placement. So it's not like she is transforming it into something it isn't.
ReplyDeleteSome of the comments in here are truly amazing. Obviously most people have not been expose to the fine art that is bel canto. But it's good they are at least exposed to it. The truth is that vocalists like Renee Fleming can and do sing music 100 times more challenging than the average Whitney, Mariah, Celine or Aretha song. Unlike with pop music, an operatic voice must be perfectly even through at least 2 full octaves and delivered with warm as well as resonant tones. Only a handful of contemporary vocalists could ever have careers in the operatic field (with further training): Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Mina, Caterina Valente, Lisa Fischer, Taylor Dayne...that's it.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's absolutely true. We classically trained people know that operatic singing or classical music simply doesn't appeal to most people. They might enjoy it if they hear it at movies or whatever, but they might not delve deeper into it. Ultimately a small percentage will truly be hooked.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly not a "back of the mouth" placement. If that were the case, the would need the microphone shoved as close to her mouth as possible - For example, Sarah Brightman.
ReplyDeleteThe placement you refer to is a low larynx, open throat placement with a high soft palate that opens up the voice. The sound is less "teeth and lips" than a regular pop sound, as it directs the sound towards the mask resonators as opposed to a sound that is closer to speech and that needs artificial amplification.
I love Dolly. Dolly & Miley show :P
ReplyDeleteWas old Robin Thicke less sex? Lost Without U is very sexual. It's just more romantic and less demeaning
ReplyDeleteThat would be cool too! :-)
ReplyDeleteBruno Mars was boring because he's too new and his hits are at the age where they are just annoying and over played. He's also not a star that can really entertain people outside of his fans group.
ReplyDeleteOsh, there we go again. *rolls eyes* Hadn't noticed TheItFactor being a "fat Christina wannabee tranny" but I guess he must be. Since he dared to point out not every singer has gone to a conservatory.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes Yoko sure proves you can lack vocal education AND tone AND emotion. I was wondering why you posted that horrible performance a second time but now I get it.You are trying to prove if a singer doesn't go to conservatory, she will sound like Yoko.
Well just going to point at....;-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N_chzNkcAU
I disagree. I am not a fan but I was entertained. If only by his pretty good James Brown imitation. ;-)
ReplyDeleteNice gif!
ReplyDeleteYour picture is really creepy lol
ReplyDeleteCharlotte Church. Btw Ella, Caterina and Whitney are dead and Barbra is in her seventies..hardly "contemporary singers who could have careers in the operatic filed".
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's Katherine Jenkins who is both a contemporary and classical singer already.
ReplyDeleteThere are more singers in the world than your favorites. ;-)
Now I'm a massive fan of Alanis, but I don't think she'd be a good choice. She's a bit too introspective for the Superbowl ;P
ReplyDeletePlus I don't want her fake guitar playing getting noticed at a major event, and her getting called out on it :P
Sarah Brightman. Song Zuying
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lXwcGLapo4
My thought exactly. Too introspective. As was the case for the first 10 people whose names popped up in my head first. LOL
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see Kelly Clarkson do it.. if we are being honest.
ReplyDeleterihanna??????? shes not a good enough vocalist or performance
ReplyDeletei dont think gaga will do it because shes not been very present this era - but she is capable of doing an epic halftime show
and pink would be a great choice but honestly her bigger hits are more somber and slow so idk how that would work out
just anyone besides katy or taylor and ill be fine
JLO?????????
ReplyDeleteAs much as I would love Kelly Clarkson or various rock bands to perform. I really want a performer that'll bring some sort of a spectacle, and Madonna already proved that singing isn't a requirement, so my list would probably consist of a bunch of pop stars that lots of people already hate on this site haha, Rihanna, Katy, Gaga, Britney, Taylor Swift, Miley, etc. Because I don't want to watch just anyone stand there for ten minutes singing if they're not gonna bring some energy and spectacle. I wanna see some dancing (or at least a little movement while backup dancers do the work) or some funky lights like Beyonce had, or something I can be excited about.
ReplyDeleteMust you always be such a mega bitch for no reason whatsoever?
ReplyDeleteI meant "could have HAD".
Sadly, though I like Charlotte and Katherine in their popera stuff, they are far from being able to sing real opera. Their techniques are mediocre at best. Specially Katherine.
I mentioned those artists specifically because they already sing with a 2 octave range that is even throughout and well supported. If it was about playing favorites I could have said Mariah Carey, whom I love, but Mariah develop the bad mannerism of dropping the support of her vocal line, going from a full belting to a whispering within the same phrase. Which works in pop but it's awful in opera.
You wish you had bone structure like mine. Stay mad.
ReplyDeleteI don't see Demi happening... ever. Honestly, she's too pitchy and inconsistent.
ReplyDeletehaha ok babe.
ReplyDeleteYeah Jenny from tha block ya hear!?
ReplyDelete"must you always be so unpleasant and stubborn for no reason at all?"
ReplyDeleteHahaha funny!!! Classic "pot calling the kettle black" I'd say.
You made a silly claim. I called you on it. It's utterly pointless to talk about the operatic career long dead popular singers COULD have had IF they had gone through a formal education with that aim. It's silly to call long dead singers "contemporary" and it is generally a "no reason whatsoever" claim.
And if you ARE going to make such a claim and include long dead singers, I am sure that list would be longer as well.
It is also hilarious how you argue Charlotte Church or Katherine Jenkins do not fall in the category of popular singers who COULD have sung opera IF they had followed the education (through) but pop singers who happen to sing in a style which allows them to display a bit wider vocal range than many other styles do fit your category. Such as Taylor Dane.
You are all over the place which is why you are forced to change the parameters now.
But hey, try again! Just one or two more steps and that category you talked about will really be defined to fit your faves and nobody but your faves. :-)
ps Much as I can be accused of being "unpleasant" at many times, I doubt my pointing out some in your list are long dead and calling out some names who do actually fit your original parameters can be called "unpleasant" or "stubborn".
ReplyDeleteBut then again, you probably meant the mere act of disagreeing with you constituted "unpleasant and stubborn" ;-)
https://gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/8019B6/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lo6oz2iGS01qh760io1_500.gif
No. I gave specific reasons why I mentioned those singers I mentioned. Read again, please.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte Church is a talented singer and I actually like her pop material, I have her "Tissues and Issues" album, but her voice is white and lacks a core when singing in an operatic placement, she only has about an octave of quality sound where it's resonant and well supported in that placement. Katherine Jenkins lacks the range to be either a successful mezzo soprano (no low notes) or a soprano (no high notes), she never cared to develop agility (as shown by her awful attempt at "Una voce poco fa"), and she often uses her throat muscles to support the sound as opposed to sing on the air. By contemporary singers I meant singers of contemporary music, which (in the USA) we refer to music other than classical music. Get it?
When I say something about a singer it's usually not based on sheer opinion and abstract or subjective taste, but on careful observation and critical listening :) can you say the same?
You can disagree all I want, but I ask that you at least give a more valid reason than "well, they are not alive", as I've given specific reasons why I see those particular singers as capable of having an operatic career based on careful observation and critical listening. To this day you haven't been able to do that, that's why it seems your replies are simply based on your prickly nature instead of on wanting to defend an actual truth or value.
ReplyDeleteActually, I gave no reason whatsoever for the singers on your list not belonging there. I am afraid you missed the point. Which was that they are not as you claim "the ONLY" ones who should be on such a list.
ReplyDeleteOf course I am not giving "valid reasons" for things I never claimed. Duh!
Once again you are arguing things never said and dragging in imaginary comments (or more likely, comments other people made in entirely different conversations again)
"to this day" ? LOL dude, it's only been 6 hours ago since I started arguing your claim.
As for my 'prickly nature"..you are still the pot calling the kettle black.
After you tried to read my replies in as carefully observant and critical fashion as you feel you (and only you) listen to music. I advise you to do the same with ALL your own replies in just this thread. :-)
Until such time, I am done here for now as this is becoming one of those beside the point back and forths again.
* was not your claim* that should have been.
ReplyDeleteIf there is one thing I have been exposed to on this thread it's that you are a pretentious douche, congrats :)
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected on Caterina Valente being dead. She is indeed still alive, she can get that operatic training still. ;-D
ReplyDeleteNot my fault your socio economic situation never allowed you to aspire to a higher cultural standard.
ReplyDeletehttp://media.tumblr.com/61a11f6cb0b7af5f993e204537daa695/tumblr_inline_muoe799aT61r1g2q7.gif
The point is not if you have a musical education or not. The point is you are not even reading what I actually wrote or simply not understanding what I'm saying.
ReplyDeleteThe vocalists I mentioned was not because of their potential but because of their already existing technical skill. One could very well claim Rihanna could become the next Maria Callas with the proper musical education and vocal training, that's besides the point. My point is that of the contemporary singers I've seen in the last...60 years or so, those are the ones I see that have actually produced a sound that could translate to operatic sound WITHOUT having all the extensive training. Clear? should I explain it using stick figures?
Actually, you did claim, or at least implied that I was only mentioning my favorites. And obviously you completely missed the point of what I was saying. That those female singers I mentioned already show the potential for an operatic sound without having the extensive operatic training.
ReplyDeletePlease take a moment to check out this video :) it shows Renee's wonderful voice :) with rich low chest tones and gorgeous top notes
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00LhMMkIMwg
Your extremism is disturbing. The point was that one could easily claim that Yoko was "singing" with emotion as she was really into it, and one could claim Yoko has a beautiful tone as that is entirely a subjective matter. That was the point.
ReplyDeleteAnd no. Did Luther Vandross or Peabo Bryson or Jackie Wilson or Ella Fitzgerald or Judy Garland, etc go to conservatoires? No, but they sure knew how to sing technically well. Bruno, does not.
Yeah, her DEMI era has bad intonation, which is way I think she should wait a few more years, at least until her next album release.
ReplyDeleteYES.
ReplyDeleteIf she were to perform, I want "Jenny From The Block" back. I had/have, absolutely, no interest in J.Lo's musical output as of late (the past 5 years or so) because I want to hear her sing/create/perform the songs that made her a 'Pop Icon' and solidified my childhood; 'If You Had My Love, I'm Real (Remix), Ain't It Funny (Remix), Jenny From The Block & All I Have' etc. : - D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjx9oSJDAVQ
I know. Florence & the Machine are an incredibly,musically creative, band - they deserve success in spades.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that would be SO COOL! Fall Out Body, Paramore (don't know them that well though), or Panic! At the Disco.
ReplyDeleteAngelica Houston REALNESS! And no offence but with that near monobrow of yours, you shouldn't be high and mighty about cultural standards :)
ReplyDeleteI won't deny having a boogie to 'On the Floor' but I agree a medley of old hits would be EPIC. Not to mention JLO has been absolutely KILLING her latest live performances (three costumes and a flip at the AMAs helloooo) I would need 'Love Don't Cost a Thing' and 'Get Right' to make an appearance however.
ReplyDeleteHere's your answer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s2_QLjF2Vs
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify...What I implied was that you made a list with parameters, it only so happens purely coincidental (/s),which are only hit by the people you know and like already. And that is what you did. Soon as I pointed at some flaws in your wording which actually made your claim incorrect (the part where you claim they are the ONLY ones) and makes way more names than your short list eligible, you changed the parameters.
ReplyDeleteThat was not at all in your original statement...the one I responded to.
ReplyDeleteBut okay, so now you are saying those singers on your list could already sing opera if they chose to. Riiiiight.
And actually yes. Many graduate falling within those parameters you originally said. But of course you now AGAIN changed the parameters. AND think, erroneously, that naming a few people who didn't graduate able to fit your parameters, disprove my claim than many do graduate with said abilities.
Good thing you are not studying logic. So no, don't bother with stick figures. They would still not make you correct. :-)
LOL at Tebaldi being on your little list. Who just so happens to have had a great rivalry with ....your fave Callas.
(of course people like Toscanini were it seemed of the opinion she sang pretty good. But of course..what the hell did he know. He was not Anyello/Primo after all.)
And btw her career lasted from her debut in 1944 to her retirement in 1973. Hardly a 10-15 year burn out.
I cannot stand 'On the Floor' but 'I'm Into You' would have me HOLLERING!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, 'Love Don't Cost A Thing, It's Gonna Be Alright & Papi' will HAVE to be included and to make her performance truly unique - I want her to add some of her Spanish & Reggaeton material into the mix; I need to see some 'African/Afro-Caribbean/Latino & Hispanic' vibes. HELL YES.
I am the one supposedly misreading dude. Where exactly did I say anything....anything AT ALL about Bruno's technique???
ReplyDeleteAgain responding to something I never said. My response was clearly to your use of that Yoko Ono video and your misplaced assumption on TheItFactor's stance re tone and emotion and technique.
And
the extremism is all yours as well. Fact is, first off all, you make out
as if Yoko Ono's video is an average example of "tone and emotion" when
it is in fact not considered an example of those by anybody here who
propagates the importance of those.
Secondly, it is your extremism,
which even makes it out as if my stance does not include an expectation
of sufficient technique to cover the songs (live and fairly consistently), one chooses to record before I would call a singer one of the greats.
DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lmaoooooooooooooo.
ReplyDeleteI didn't say I wanted Rihanna. I just said that they might pick her for it because she has a lot of hits and can put on an okay show.
ReplyDeleteSuch a disappointment. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteDon't forget "Play"!!! Anthem of 2001 for me :D
ReplyDeleteI love Mariah but I would never want her to do the Superbowl halftime show. At least not current Mariah. The only halftime show she has done that involved an outdoor spectacle was lackluster at best and she lip synced the entire performance obviously.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think even Mariah would go on a strict regiment for the Super Bowl - though she would have to do all her rehearsing at least a week before the actual performance, to ensure that her voice would be in top condition for the day of. It might kill her a little (no alcohol, regular sleep, no excessive singing or talking), but I think she could pull it off.
ReplyDeleteIt would definitely be eargasmic and different, that's for sure. Hopefully it will be taken into consideration lol...I doubt it though
ReplyDeleteLol DAMN SPELL CHECK. Which reminds me...I have a Macbeth test tomorrow I should probably get to studying lol
ReplyDeleteThat diminuendo at 2:10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like a SWITCH! My GOODNESS! Pretty sure she's an Android! lol You are right, she IS a Soprano! Any clips of her executing a messa di voce??????
ReplyDeleteDude, it was a bit of sarcasm. What ARE you talking about.."strict regime"? You know and I know she would simply lip herself through 13 minutes of her greatest hits in grand pop diva style.
ReplyDeleteAnd if she did it in a good show...I wouldn't really care.
(Until I started seeing blind fans posting nonsense about it. At which point I'd start arguing the nonsense bits)
Do you have any tips of how I can start getting into 'Opera/Classical' music? Who should I start listening too first? What should I read for a more basic understanding of that art? I want to study classical voice soon - my choir teacher tells I should - but I don't have any knowledge on 'Opera/Classical' music? Can you please help me? Thanks Primo.
ReplyDeleteOkay. Thanks. Well, I don't mind if you answer my question instead, lol. I only asked Primo because he seems to be arguing his point about Classical music pretty well and so I assumed he'd be best to ask but I'm open to anyone helping me - I just need help. Haha. This is an interesting video, anything else to push me a little more? Videos? Books? Cheers.
ReplyDeleteWell I just happen to see this videos in my own searches but Primo is THE dude to knowledgeable answer your question.
ReplyDeleteit was not very clear but there is second link there. It's one of a series of master sessions Renee Fleming organised called American Voices. You might want to check that one out as it also has sessions on the state of vocal education and on vocal health. Very interesting stuff!
ps it's the link to Kennedy center and in the sidebar there you will find the videos I mean in the section "related videos"
ReplyDeleteWell, she's proven that if she does get REALLY strict with herself, she can still deliver some stellar vocals - her pregnancy vocals in 2010 attest to that. It's not as common as it should be, but the last two years have been more live than lipped (which is an improvement for her - give her that much credit). I think that if she really needed to, she could definitely give an awesome vocal with enough prep.
ReplyDeleteI mean, P!nk is the obvious choice for a perfect performance any time, but if we're entertaining even in jest the notion of Mariah, I was simply thinking it through.
"stellar vocals"? Nope, she has not proven that imo.
ReplyDeleteUnless one feels a singer hitting an occasional "stellar" note can be called "stellar vocals".
I am not such a one therefor to me..she has been a major and constant disappointment as far as stellar vocals go the last decade.
But I don't think stellar vocals are a requirement for the Super Bowl HT show.
The requirement for that is a, to a broad audience, entertaining 13 minutes. Hence the success of Madonna's HT show. Very very far from stellar vocals but an excellent show.
I actually have no doubt Mariah can deliver an excellent show as well. That is why I said...my remark was but sarcasm.
That belt is like heaven to my ears :) it has much more emotion that the way she belted it live...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnIccwjbvpg just listen to the coloratura which starts at 2:43
ReplyDeleteColdplay, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Usher or Justin Timberlake, I won't take anything less (Unless they bring MJ or Freddie Mercury back to life)
ReplyDeleteShedidthat.com! Tamar showed those peeps that she CAN sing! The fearlessness and presence of young Mariah Carey! One of the best live singers this year.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkbQbyhSMY0
i think the only songs that people would really recognize by shakira would be hips don't lie and waka waka (and the latter would be odd to sing for an american football game).
ReplyDeleteYeah I think she could be good and those bands you mentioned too.
ReplyDeleteWhenever Wherever, Underneath Your Clothes, Objection (Tango), She-Wolf, Beautiful Liar, Can't Remember To Forget You… all of them, bar Objection, were top 20 hits in the US - She-Wolf peaked just outside the top 10 and her latest one is at No.15 right now so think she's got quite a few under her belt there.
ReplyDeleteyeah, but hips don't lie and waka waka are the only ones that most of the people would really recognize.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that many people who would honestly consider Waka Waka more popular than the likes of Whenever Wherever, Underneath Your Clothes and Beautiful Liar tbh - all three were big worldwide hits whereas Waka Waka's success was quite limited. I'd say the rest I mentioned were also bigger than Waka Waka too.
ReplyDeleteMonobrow? LMAO, No babe, I look like a man :) like the kind you wish would do you rough. But sadly, those kinds of men are not interested in effeminate queens like you :) keep your AIDS to yourself, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThere are tons of recordings of Tebaldi cracking and going flat on notes above G5 as well as barking like a chihuahua when confronted with coloratura passages. That's why she sang maybe 5 or 6 roles at the most, all within the same level of medium difficulty. And by the way, Toscanini was fucking her, no mystery why he loved her singing so much. I thought you knew that.
ReplyDeleteYou get stupider and stupider. I didn't say they could sing opera as they were, I said their sound could translate to an operatic sound. Meaning 2 octaves of solid even sound well projected and resonant. Big difference.
I did not make those parameters to fit my favorites. They are some of my favorites because fit those parameters, DUH! Seriously, stop acting like you are smart. You are not. You are proving the contrary over and over each time.
ReplyDeleteAnd please, if you feel there are other vocalists who produce an even 2 octave sound equally supported and resonant at both ends, shows me :)
I'd say start with light music such as Handel and Mozart as well as Bellini, I think most people would more easily get into that that into the more musically challenging pieces that require more familiarity with the style.
ReplyDeleteHere are some little bits to get you started ;)
Renee singing Handel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xURzVFkN7Eg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8qt6QsYcbo
Renee singing Mozart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENrKQ1UiWvo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPD6PLiTJXc
Renee singing Bellini
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg4L5tcxFcA
And yet again you adjust your initial comment. The one I responded to.
ReplyDeleteWas Solti in love with both Tebaldi and Fleming? Because he said about Fleming " In my long life, I have met maybe two sopranos with this quality of singing; the other was Renata Tebaldi."
Or maybe Solti didn't mean that as a compliment at all? ;-)
And dude, you may have studied music theory whereas I did not, but that is not a measure for intelligence. If one had to go by your poor logic, and my sound logic..a not too smart person would in fact rather draw the opposite conclusion.
Sweetie, I actually have the paperwork to prove how smart I am. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf it was true that they are your favorites because they fit your parameter, your claim would have said that list are "some" singers who fit. Instead of claiming they are the ONLY ones. I am definitely smart enough to be fooled by that excuse.
And like I said, most singers only recorded and sang within their genre. In the history of recorded non classical music there was seldom call for an "even 2 octave sound equally resonant at both ends".
You studied music, you know this. That is why I said...you adjusted your initial claim to fit ONLY your favorites because of them this HAS been recorded.
Oops *to NOT be fooled* that of course should have been.
ReplyDeleteAnd to get back to both the singing of the national anthem- here's one I quite enjoyed. Even if it was a little fast.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwtgHk_kHrY
And here's Renee, absolutely gorgeously, singing Cohen's Hallelujah with, bless her, the original lyrics (singing starts at 03.00 mark)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghYpcdH4FCw
Well, I sure enjoyed that. Especially Handel is one of my favorite composers.
ReplyDeleteSurely "guest" will enjoy those introductions. :-)
This would be one of her best performances if her voice hadn't cracked on the money- Besides that it's awesome.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyw3ZKZ2agk
Coloratura is a technique, not a a fach. She can still be a Lyric Mezzo and Coloratura. However, a Coloratura she most certainly is not. She's got an agile voice but she's yet to execute any difficult melismatic passages or fioritura with accuracy and immaculation. I don't see how she could with that technique. Her placement is too throaty so the air flow is completely obstructed which limits support and agility. With her larynx as rampant as it is she could never achieve Coloratura. Based on natural ability, she most certainly could've. Not many are capable of achieving it, she however is one of the very few that could. Too bad she abandoned technique and defaulted to natural talent which has now reached its limits.
ReplyDeleteSorry to spam her page, I'm just a huge fan that's all =p.
ReplyDeleteI totally acknowledge Christina's vocal faults and that there has been some damage to her voice, but at the same time I think the damage is exaggerated and she's still more than capable of giving a good performance, studio or live. Here's the situation as I see.
1) She's been shrewdly using more overdubs and double-tracking vocals in the studio these days (mostly on Bionic and Lotus, not so much Burlesque). This doesn't help her live of course, but ensures still-pleasant studio vocals at least and lessens the effect of that acquired raspiness.
2) Her voice declined after '07 or so, but it seems to me like it's now 2014 and while it hasn't gotten better, it hasn't gotten worse at least. Perhaps it's found somewhat of a 'zone' which it's now staying in (this is wishful thinking but not impossible, at least at her current rate). I could live with that, so long as it stayed how it is now and didn't get worse.
3) Live, the access to belted notes above a high E seem to be probably permanently slammed shut (she used to hit high F's and F#'s live occasionally, in her younger, pre-damage years), but then again she's not really gone higher than that live in a long time anyway and rarely did even in her prime. Avoiding the above-E5 money notes is something Christina's pretty much always done. If you're a fan that's just an annoying reality sadly. But the point is, Christina's regular live range, even in belting, has not actually decreased by much. This is fact.
4) At least her tone when not belting pretty much hasn't changed. Voices can deteriorate in different ways (deeper eg. Whitney Houston, more nasal eg. Celine), and thankfully that's not the way Chistina's has, otherwise she'd be in even more trouble.
So bottom line, I'm worried about her vocal future but it could be a lot worse.
Okay didn't realise that I got a little confused with the terminology thank you for clearing that up for me :) and she's done a huge amount of extremely complex and difficult runs to say that she's never done a melodramatic passage well is just plain wrong and made clear when you see people who cover her songs they always avoid them even when they have better technique than her won't even attempt them. As for the fioritura this is a pop singer we're talking about here the types of genres she touches upon are not going to have much of that in it those kinds kind of embellishments are too ott for these kinda genres let's be realistic now. Also you say that last line in your comment as if she Haas lost her voice I think you'll find that it's perfectly intact she still has a vast range and the capability to do what she's done in the past she had a few performances where it went a little of during the lotus era but she was clearly going through some stuff to say the least but since then the performances she's done have been incredible. I admit I got confused about the term coloratura but I believe she still has the capability be that and as far as pop singers go she's probably one of the closest to it you'll find. But thank you for the correction it's always good to learn :) btw she does actually have a vocal coach nowand personally I think it's starting to show she is a lot more restrained with the vocals these days.
ReplyDeleteLooks like she's preggers with Baby #2, announced on Feb 21, 2014, a week after engagement to Matt Ruttler on Valentines Day.
ReplyDeleteCan someone answer me because I'm highly confused now. Why is Christina considered a Mezzo-Soprano if her highest note is C7? Isn't the highest capacity the one that defines the vocal classification we belong in? Clearly I thought wrong then, I'd really appreciate if someone could explain me how is it defined. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteX-tina is a very sad case. She has one of the most beautiful voices of all time, but she never learned to use it. Her tone is perfection,imo and had she received proper training as a young girl. She would would have been a force to reckon with. It's still pretty crazy that she was able to achieve as much as she did with the little training she had.
ReplyDeleteHer highest note is sung with whistle register or falsetto, not a connected head voice sound. I think the highest I've heard her sing in a connected manner was G#5.
ReplyDeleteThere are some men such as myself that can go into the 7th octave using whistle register, that doesn't make us sopranos. Vocal type is given not only by range but by vocal color, tessitura (range where the voices likes to sit), vocal weight, agility, etc.
Tarja Turunen have much better voice and range.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love her, her flaws are pretty clear.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the fact that she's managed not to get multiple cases of vocal cord nodules with the amount and force she sometimes uses could mean she's more of a soprano.
It's clear that she wants her tone to be very bold and dark, like that of Etta James. Her talking voice is light, and live when she first came out she'd default to her higher/lighter singing voice if she was straining.
I couldn't really see a mezzo getting away with that much barking above their natural range; maybe it's her natural range and she just uses a poor technique to achieve it. That'd give her the ability but the fails that we see I guess o.0
Also, the weight of her lower register is pretty bad, almost unusable live most of the time. Most mezzos, even possible Soprano Leona Lewis, can get down there with some heft. With her, it's about 80% air.
ReplyDeleteI'm calling her a soprano strainto
I think she simply has a remarkable set of vocal cords. My voice teacher says Christina has one hell of a throat, sadly she is not one hell of a vocalist.
ReplyDeleteshe has a really large range with a ton of power, but it seems like shes using full force way to much. Her voice often sounds strained and continuously crosses the line that separates yelling, and singing. She also wobbles her voice a lot which can become annoying.
ReplyDeleteChristina has a naturally 'thicker' sound common with a mezzo soprano. What some don't seem to understand is that the middle range has the strongest most full sounds of the mezzo-soprano. Her falsetto and extreme lows are NOT an example of how her voice 'really should be' like some have expressed. The truth is the falsetto and lows are a completely different technique, depending on each individual mezzo's range. Mezzos with a large range have to learn how to blend each compartment of voice and smooth them into one another. What some may think is or isn't her voice IS actually Christina's voice. Christina is also a pop singer... not exactly held to the same standards as an opera singer. If she wanted to sing opera--- she could. Does she exaggerate sometimes? Sure. It is pop music, not classical. Truth be told, she can do whatever she wants with the instrument she has...
ReplyDeleteThe middle voice for a female is F4-F5, not A3-A4, which is Christina's comfort range.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGcXipfIdCg
ReplyDeleteShe hit a D6 at 3:22. Was it intentional or just a break?
It wasn't sung, so it hardly matters, either way.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was sung. She phrased it: "THAT guy!" rather than just going "Woo!" like most of her exclamations.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a particularly impressive note anyway, just thought I should mention it :)
ReplyDeleteYou handle Primo much better than I do. Respekt (sic).
ReplyDeleteChristina Aguilera Top 25
ReplyDelete1. Fighter
2. Hurt
3. I'm OK
4. Birds of Prey
5. Your Body
6. Ain't No Other Man
7. The Voice Within
8. Keeps Gettin' Better
9. Lift Me Up
10. Beautiful
11. Lady Marmalade w/ P!nk, Mya & Lil' Kim feat. Missy Elliott
12. Back in the Day
13. Say Something w/ A Great Big World
14. Makes Me Wanna Pray feat. Steve Winwood
15. Genie in a Bottle
16. Dirrty feat. Redman
17. Oh Mother
18. I Got Trouble
19. Save Me from Myself
20. Mercy on Me
21. You Lost Me
22. I Turn to You
23. Come on Over Baby (All I Want is You)
24. We Remain
25. Not Myself Tonight
There are B2s and C3s harmonized in Brooklyn Nights ! And they are pretty audible...
ReplyDeleteJust saw this. Will add
ReplyDeleteyou added a video, but you couldn't update her range to Bb2-B5? -_-
ReplyDeleteHer intonation should be added to her vocal pluses, as it is one of her greatest factors. Seriously, I don't think I've ever heard the girl sing off-key?
ReplyDeleteI think Jessica's voice is decent. Her upper belts wouldn't be something to scoff at if she had training.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean real mezzo a can't reach f6's?! I am a lyric coloratura contralto withh the vocal range of c2- f6...
ReplyDeleteI know this does not count but its cute :D https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152511435379574
ReplyDeleteEh, saw her jazz festival performances recently...she just does not go for notes anymore. Given up hope that she'll ever truly do justice to her past songs ever again. I think she should stick to a more doable vocal range for her future studio work as it will make her look better...but still, eh. I know she's pregnant, but I'm doubting that was a factor. If anything her voice should be better while pregnant 'cause she'd be off the booze.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Was this F5 at around 2:55 (or just after) in mixed voice? It kinda sounded like it to me. It sounds great :'(
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RQDIJ2CvbA
I think her voice tells her past.
ReplyDeleteBut still she needs more control. JUst sayin
You're a Chimpanzee...what the hell would you know? Nigga f*ck off -__-
ReplyDeleteI think that's part of the problem with aspiring singers that look to old blues singers. A lot of them lived in racist times and had hard lives. The rasp in their voice could often be traced to a tumultuous life or heavy drug addictions (heroin dries up the cords nicely). But they also didn't try as much with their voices as X does.
ReplyDeleteRude much. Smh.
ReplyDeleteHehehehe...
ReplyDeleteI found her lowest note, F#2, in "Do What U Want". She has hit notes in the 6th octave several times, but I am not sure if they were comfortable for her. I would say her vocal range is F#2-D6(F#6)
ReplyDeleteThis is the video I made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8lz7obvHTo
Dramatic Mezzo Soprano
ReplyDeleteSings better than Chrissy.
A5 1:34... ;)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUXWy9ev_0M
Christina's not a mezzo soprano. She's a lyric soprano. Her natural tone is very bright and light. It's just her technique that made you think her voice was dark and heavy but no. it all came from her putting tension on her larynx.
ReplyDeleteShe might have started as a light-lyric soprano, but with her manufactured sound and poor technique the voice dropped in tessitura a lot, and is now safely in the mezzo-soprano spectrum
ReplyDeleteIt was mixed. When it comes to Christina it's easy: if it's heavily constricted, it's a mixed (well, in her case, a pure chest) note.
ReplyDeleteIf you leave Walk Away, Infauation and Impossible out of that list, then sorry but I can't take it seriously. Specially the first one.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking that maybe the reason she pulls her larynx isn't necessarily because she's trying to create a bigger sounding voice (aka more powerful) but more that she is trying to create a thicker sound in the top part of her upper chest register. I don't believe she is a lyric mezzo as many have tried to claim, I think she is a coloratura, there's far to much natural power and malleability in relation to the thickness of her intonation, she can do sounds of both lyric and dramatic but doesn't necessarily fit either as it is not thick enough nor light enough. Due to this I think when she pushes her voice she can imitate sounds created by dramatic mezzos such as Whitney Houston whom she has sighted as a major influence on her and her vocal stylings, also Etta James is her favourite singer and Etta has an extremely rich voice so it would make sense that Christina would try to imitate these singers. Also if you've been paying attention to her recent performances she seems to be allowing her upper chest register to be slightly lighter i have been noticing a slight difference since she started vocal training and their is a definite difference in her technique in areas. (also i know her speaking voice is light and girly most of the time but i think that's because she lives in la and that seems to be a typical way la girls talk even if their voice isn't that high, listen to her speak to the audience when she's on stage it's quite a bit deeper so I wouldn't say she's a soprano although she could be but imo she's more mezzo). :)
ReplyDeleteI'm actually surprised to hear that she's not as well thought of as a singer. I love her rapping, and my knowledge of her singing talents come two songs performed in her role in Chicago. She's not as much as a chanteuse as she is a rapper, but I think she did a quite decent job, and she sounded good singing America The Beautiful as well.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lAqKm1GY5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuGUjMRE0oM
Was pretty decent I thought.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't happy with how it turned out, so I deleted it. I want to make a more detailed video, maybe even one for each album. There are so many harmonies I can't figure out tho :c
ReplyDeleteWas she lipping here? Lol, I don't know if they did usually lip since I don't think Christina did on the show.
ReplyDeleteJesus, this is ridiculously showy. Like, she can sing (or "sang") and she's obviously just having fun, but that really is a bit much for my ears :/ ha
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say "she isn't a vocalist" but more "she isn't *just* a vocalist". People seem to forget her roles in Hairspray and Chicago when she showcased she's just a good a singer as she an actress and was as you say, one of the most influential female rappers of yesteryear.
ReplyDeleteSomebody's clearly mad. And Christina received Grammy's when they were actually relevant, now they just given them away to whomever. You can pretty much buy them.
ReplyDeleteIt's the documentary "Lady Gaga - Inside The Outside" for MTV
ReplyDeleteAnd its a belted E♭.
ReplyDeleteShe mentions it on the interview e---e.
http://ladygaga.wikia.com/wiki/Lady_Gaga:_Inside_the_Outside