Honoring the Jackson 5 at the 2014 BET Honors was everyone's favorite Electric Lady: Janelle Monae!
The monochromatic-loving Diva managed to nicely capture the essence of the young Jacko's voice while covering Want You Back and ABC. But she wasn't just content singing! Janelle also rocked the choreography, putting on an energetic and exuberant show for the distinguished crowd.
Side note: has anyone seen Janelle Monae and Bruno Mars together at the same time. The more I see of the pair, the more I'm convinced they're the same person. Anyone who disagrees is clearly in on the ruse- so don't even try it!
Thoughts?
This felt even more awesome after watching MC lip her way through You're mine.
ReplyDeleteI just made a comment on the MC post noting how silly she looked when compared with the other Divas on the night. Those were singers. I'm not sure what she is at this moment in time. Makes me a little sad. https://31.media.tumblr.com/385c83985bfcb17057b70eadb615b6a7/tumblr_inline_mwh8ykWMrF1roz8qt.gif
ReplyDeleteNot much of a singer anyway. And as you say, it is really sad. I've never been a stan of hers, but i can understand the pain. Had Céline gone down the same path Mariah has for the past few years, I know I'd be devastated. Let's hope it will get better :-)
ReplyDeleteThere's no doubt J. Hud can sing but am I the only one who thinks Aretha has that warmth in her voice that fits her song well?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think she definitely performed well. Makes me wanna be a black lady with the way she sang!
Jennifer Hudson is the epitome of a "SINGER" with a voice born & bred within the Church; PURE, 100%, AUTHENTIC, SOUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://25.media.tumblr.com/a7fb96ef04ce7637bb39919a6786f201/tumblr_mvaui32CTj1slibiio1_250.gif
Sometimes her voice irritates me. Her talent however, is undeniable.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't anyone talking about the elephant in the room. Yassss Jenifer slayed but how the hell did they turn her gray as well with the rest of the set? LOL.
ReplyDelete....it just may be a rhetorical question but, am I the only one who found this to be underwhelming and alright? I've heard worse but I'm not sure if I'd personally say she slayed. Honestly, her voice at many points sounded as though it was about to give away. It was colder, the mix was dividing and that larynx was just yikes. Sometimes it's worthy of condoning if the sound overall sounds nice but in her case the sound was very constricted and thin. Jennifer's voice isn't cold, not normally anyway. There's nothing hollow about her voice either. Here I saw an entirely new Jennifer. This was messy. I'd expect this deliver from someone as vocally deficient as Ariana Grande, but not Jennifer. I didn't like this tribute at all. The Jennifer I know and love is capable of much better.
ReplyDeleteHowever, dat ass though 0_o
And Karen Clark sucked to me...just no lol
See, this is the problem of creating a career based on vocal pyrotechnics. When you lose the capability to produce the expectation-defying vocal productions of your youth, you have to endure endless ridicule and ribbing. Whitney went through it, now poor Mariah is too. And because most of your fans are here for the melisma and belting, they abandon you for newer singers with better voices. Yes, this is my not-so-subtle way of poking fun at some of the lovely derisive comments from the lambily. Of the divas, Mariah has the most fickle fans.
ReplyDeleteAs for what she is at this moment, I'd say a poorly done parody of her former self. It's clear that she wants to be the kind of 'singer' she used to be- proven by the over-the-top reintegration of melisma into her new music-turds(as opposed to the Emancipation and the EMC2 eras where runs were notably absent.)
I'm still here for her! I wouldn't really mind if she keeps making music like "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time". Not much skill is needed for that song and yet I always loved her in it. But I do get your point... Especially when YouTube comments kinda of prove that she does have one of the most fickle fans... o.o
ReplyDeleteI was expecting Ms. Karen to provide me with & deliver unto me ALL SORTS OF LIFE....... I was disappointed. Her runs & growls were, of course, still inhuman but, all in all, it was all too much. That performance may have just been one of her worst.
ReplyDeleteMuch improved from performances I've seen by Jennifer in which she is going through the whole circle of fifths in a few bars. Some of the runs are not so solid, but overall better than I've heard in earlier years. Also, I feel her growl and shouting is not on the throat anymore but a bit more on the back, still squeezed, but not as unhealthy as dragging the larynx up.
ReplyDeleteYes, WAY too much. All of those runs, it was getting sloppy. And she was flat in a lot of places. Way below her calibre. Maybe I'm holding her to a higher standard being aware of her talent but man that was a train wreck. It wasn't bad bad but I'll be damned if I were to personally deem it as great lol
ReplyDeleteYoutube comments *Cringes*
ReplyDeleteI agree, her voice sounded really bad compared to how she usually sounds.
ReplyDeleteHer upper range sounded thinner than usual, coarser and shriller too.
ReplyDeleteThat was so amazing! I knew she was going to be a star back in her idol days I was only 12 and already knew she was going to be big.
ReplyDeleteMusic-turds? Er, no, her music is still great. Hell of a lot better than most of the crap out there. Plus, she still slays vocally even if she ain't what she used to be.
ReplyDeleteNot much of a singer? Oh, okay, clearly you have no idea what you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteI too noticed that
ReplyDeleteJennifer's voice, after her tremendous weight loss has lost it's warmth. Compared to her Dream-girls and Idol years, the change is very prominent. I was looking for that powerful, enormous voice yet I was left with a coarse, shrilly, thin and almost problematic voice. We need the "New Whitney Houston" back! Two of my favorite performances by her.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erbr3L2NRo4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYZJSiQQFlM
lbr Mariah isn't slaying anything but eardrums.
ReplyDeleteAnd her new music is bad. TAOLG was a spew of words without regard for rhythm, YME was a whisper fest (and she strugg;ed with the whispering), #B was a brief feature, and Almost Home was an edited mess.
Yes, it's better than what's out there. But seriously, I can basically fart three or four times and make better music than most of what's out there.
I with you on that, she looked totally silly lipping that performance. Not only that, there's a time in a place that its more acceptable for an artist to mim, (the Macy's Parade, Summer Jam Fest, The Teen Choice Awards etc.) The BET Honors is not one of them considering the audience is infused with music greats and people who expect great vocal performances and the level of vocal talent performing is a superior level that Ciara or Taylor Swift. That's just my opinion, and I am afraid of what the future holds for her music career.
ReplyDeleteLOL. Even my Grandmomma was screw-facing. To an extent, she made the performance more about herself.
ReplyDeleteShe's certainly improved (still needs to work on the lower register) but am I the only one who is more concerned about how (far too) skinny she's looking? :/
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think technically she's improved but her voice overall hasn't wowed me in a while :/ not since her last album anyway
ReplyDelete