Now, the obvious thing to do would have been to have had Sia swinging from the lights whilst getting wasted for the video for Chandelier. But since Miley was straddling a wrecking ball not too long ago, Sia must have decided against that course of action- best for all not to court comparisons. Instead the Diva thought left field was the way to play it and refrained from featuring in the video at all.
What we got as her substitute is a child (Maddie Ziegler, apparently) in a wig and a flesh coloured leotard-thing doing an interpretive dance routine in a grubby looking flat. It's actually a bloody good watch, with some cool gymnasticy moments and odd choreography making for an entertaining few minutes. That is until the end, where it gets a little creepy....
Thoughts?
A friend sent me her video for the song last week saying "She is singing like a goddess".
ReplyDeleteWell, not quite a goddess, but her head voice notes are quite nice in this song
I found this oddly disturbing from the first moment. Somehow a child doing interpretitve dance seems "off" to me. Especially when that dance is interpreting, with the kind of choreography you usually see adults perform, a very adult lyric.
ReplyDeleteVery much a Miss imo
Also, maybe Sia had seen Anouk's most recent video? LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPkCYOsUPz0
Yea I don't see how a child Sia doing an interpretative dances goes well with the lyrics of the song.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I didn't really like was sometimes Maddie's "nude" leotard made her look straight up naked.
Maybe I'm just too tired, but I totally missed the inappropriateness of it. I just saw a child dancing- quite skillfully- to some music. I'll watch it again tmw, when I've had some sleep. Seriously been zonked out the last few days. ARgh to Work.
ReplyDeleteI think her voice is perhaps why she's had more success writing hits for others (and not so much for herself).
ReplyDeleteI don't find the dance inappropriate but the nude leotard is beyond soooo. I thought the little girl was naked.
ReplyDeleteDue to the nature of the lyric video, I would not have thought the music video would be anywhere close to this...but it's a good video and a nice dance. One thing I will say is that "One Takes" are really difficult, so I commend the dancer (if that is Sia).
ReplyDeleteI liked it overall. Dance is something that is interpreted differently by different people, and this dance definitely had emotion and a certain style. Hopefully I can dissect it to see how it correlates to the song's lyrics. :P
Congrats I guess on that lol. And I thought my F5 (F#5 on a good day lol) ability as a baritone was impressive lol. I'd guess 'lyric baritone' for myself. 'Low baritone' isn't really a voice type. Eb2-F5, just over 3 octaves...
ReplyDeleteTbh I just saw a child dancing. I at no point connected that leotard color to "nude".
ReplyDeleteThe "off" for me lies in it not having the feel of "a child dancing to some music" the way it has for DD at all. It's to me a child dancing oddly adult like to lyrics that are beyond it's years as well.
Why use a child for this? I guess it is supposed to be Sia as a child but why? This is not about how Sia felt as a child obviously. Nor does it strike me as a song about feeling "like a child" really.
That is why I find the use of a child basically moving and acting like an adult in this video oddly "off".
And though I did not think "nude" I guess I AM supposed to think that and that this is why they went for that color leotard.
Now that I find rather disturbing when I bother to think about that angle. I mean you have a supposedly nude clearly underage child dancing interpretively to "Party girls don't get hurt
Can't feel anything, when will I learn
I push it down, push it down
I'm the one "for a good time call"
Phone's blowin' up, they're ringin' my doorbell
I feel the love, feel the love
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink"
And "And I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight
On for tonight
Sun is up, I'm a mess
Gotta get out now, gotta run from this
Here comes the shame, here comes the shame
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink"
I agree. I wasn't a fan of their new EP, I didn't really connect to it as I did on their last albums. I was afraid it was because I was growing out of them, but idk I guess it's nice to know you feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteUnless this song and video is about sexual abuse of a child? In which case it still seems "off" to me to deliver that theme like this.
ReplyDeleteNope, no matter how I look at this..I find it oddly disturbing in a not positive way and I remain by the assessment.." a miss"
Well I liked it as well, but I miss some slower songs, I mean it's not the purpose of this tour, but I was hoping to hear Brooklin Nights live.
ReplyDeleteYa gotta love Dolly! Always good for a great quote or two!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite from this interview " I am not gay, but if I were I would be the first one running out of the closet."
http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=65953
I wanted BN as well ! She managed to hit the Fis DWUW last night, one of her bests !
ReplyDeleteOk. I liked this video. I'm a fan of the song, and a big fan of Maddie.
ReplyDeleteHere's how I saw it: The use of a child dancing to adult lyrics and in a adult(ish) manner is an exaggeration of the songs content - the party girl who goes out drinking all the time in attempt to quell certain feelings about herself and emotions in general that she does not have the emotional maturity to deal with otherwise. The whole idea of the song, to me, and the entire "party girl" "gets super drunk" sort of thing is, to me, an expression of someone legally allowed to access a certain lifestyle without being emotionally and maturely prepared for something, so they do it to excess and in a way that a lot of adults view as "childish". I know, personally, that I got to the stage where I was continuing to go out drinking, but started to view people who got extremely drunk regularly for no other apparent reason (in terms of social events, etc, just going out for the sake of it instead) as a little less mature and still acting like it was a new and exciting thing.
Anyway, Sia is a massive creative and probably has some completely opposing view and intent behind this, but dance is always going to leave so much open to interpretation. Congratulations Maddie on such a massive break in a world where dance isn't often viewed as a stable career, unless accompanied by singing and acting, or as a teacher of dance.
Well, I just feel it would have worked better with an adult dancer. Or at least like a 16 or 18 year old one.
ReplyDeleteAnd that has little to do with dance interpretation but with lyric interpretation by whomever came up with the concept.
Like I said, I had no trouble interpreting the dance. That is why I found the choice for a child dancing odd.
But I have to say, I never enjoy seeing children act as adults. Like vocal child prodigy singing adult content songs or child actors acting characters which are responding like adults rather than children etc etc.
I don't find it "endearing", I find it always vaguely "disturbing".
I am not entirely sure congratulations are in order for the child yet. Looks like some serious talent has been already combined with some serious training. Let's hope it won't go to waste in a pursuit of fleeting fame of "light" entertainment.
Wow, so, she had no respect for her audience for a long time. It's not shocking that she ended up in prison. This was really pretty by the way! Relaxed me after a stressful few days.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I only found out very recently where that high opinion of herself lead to eventually. After seeing her that time..I was done with her. Never paid her any attention after that until someone mentioned her here on the blog not too long ago.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed Baaba Maal. If you found that relaxing, you should check out this one next time you have stressful days again.. :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxItKLvyCWE
It's not bad, just very quirky, and she pronounces like she is drunk or has a speech impediment.
ReplyDeleteReally? Because my flatmates and I love it, it is soooo relaxing... they usually play it when they're smoking joints and I play it while I'm drawing.
ReplyDeleteWell, that video that you're talking about is pitched up. Actually she sang it lower then she did live. When she comes to the climax, she belted up till D5, that's it. Her range has lowered since the last years, that's why I said that. I believe that she was a soprano but, due less training and standing almost every day in dry air, her vocal chords are drying up, so less lubrication. I also never understood why Barbara is classified as a mezzo while she sings almost as light as Céline..
ReplyDeleteI liked the video, not loved, but liked, what I like more about Sia is her voice :)
ReplyDeleteBtw, this is me singing "I know" by Drake Bell, please, can you tell me your opinions about my voice? Thanks.
https://soundcloud.com/jos-aguilera-1/drake-bell-i-know-cover-by-jose-aguilera
I am pissing my pants :D Katy Perrry is basically using "vomit art" in one of inteludes for Prismatic Tour, hm, and yet, no one comes for her !
ReplyDeleteHey guys! I want your opinion. This is me singing "I know" (Drake Bell). The audio quality is not very good (mic of webcam) but I want your opinion, thanks!
ReplyDeletehttp://soundcloud.com/jos-aguilera-1/drake-bell-i-know-cover-by-jose-aguilera?fb_action_ids=705431216187696&fb_action_types=soundcloud%3Apublish&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
Your voice is extremely good, I like it! Your voice reminds me of perhaps my all-time favourite male singers (Klaus Meine of the Scorpions). IN fact if you sung a Scorpions song you'd probably sound very much like him.
ReplyDeleteCheck this out, your voices are kind of similar :).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohOtDA3dTAA
Thank you, I'll se if I learn that song, suits with my voice.
ReplyDeleteThe girl dancing was good, but her mannerisms and the choreography just didn't work for me. I think I understand what they were getting at, but it just wasn't well executed. I imagine it could be a lack of emotional maturity on the dancer's part, or the fact that whatever they were aiming for was too pretentious to work for this song. Kind of a miss for me
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hUMz3ZSqq4&list=UUS2tiwEXn9_CK1hIOR_m_hA
ReplyDeleteAnd even in Chinese in the mean time. :-)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13fXWgNyLsw
Thanks for posting that video of All by Myself, I hadn't heard it before and I think it illustrates both what I like a bout CD and what I dislike about her. I agree that she is a talented technical singer but she relies on that talent rather than engaging in any genuine emotional interpretation of the material. That inability is best seen between 2:40 and 3:17. There is great dynamic control but it adds nothing to the song and the piercing quality that it ends on at 3:17 seems totally at odds with what is in fact a mournful set of lyrics. She should be defiant, strong and instead she distracts from the emotional message with "see what I can do" technique by holding the note. Bah. It's like admiring a robot.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the most ridiculous statements I've read on Celine Dion in this blog.
ReplyDeleteFirst off Dion is particularly good at emoting, second...''mournful lyrics'' translates for you to ''defiant,strong''? But then again holding a note, which you describe as ''see what I can do'' does not translate to you as ''defiant, strong''?
No wonder you can't connect to the emoting of Dion, you are ....all over the map regarding emotional interpretation.
Thank you for making all my points for me all over again. It is much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome. I always enjoy highlighting stupid remarks.
ReplyDeleteI'd say "keep'm coming" but I doubt you need the encouragement. Obviously ! :-)
Better be careful, not everyone has the keen wit and sharp eye you do. You know what they say, no such thing as bad publicity. You push stupid remarks to the top and the next thing you know it becomes conventional wisdom. Which, come to think about it, is probably how you came to approve Celine Dion in the first place.
ReplyDeleteTrue, not everybody does. It already has been established, you for one do not.
ReplyDeleteResponses to your comment don't "push it to the top" actually. But I think that remark gives some indication what your intentions here are. ;-)
Couldn't it be that she is in her passagio and she doesn't know how to belt it because it takes to much weight on her voice?
ReplyDeleteI believe she's a mezzo anyway, but if she isn't a soprano now, she never was. I saw a recent vid, she was singing "My Heart Will Go On" acapella and she sounded exactly like the 90s/prime years. It's on this one somewhere (just skip past the Mariah bits to get to it)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzg3LzGLtk
I heard this song for the first time recently. Basically I'm on the 'this is BS humblebragging' side of the fence. It's been a while since a song annoyed me so much due to hypocrisy or similar reasons, but this one definitely did. Beyonce doesn't have a freaking clue what it feels like to be seen as unattractive. I like some of her music but she's one of the most fake celebrities with a manufactured image around.
ReplyDeleteThe Queen of four "lead" singles for an ultra-delayed, now labelled 'surprise' album . lol
ReplyDeleteWell, nobody is flawless, but there's certainly a range, if that makes sense. And I think it's everybody's duty to make themselves as beautiful and fit as they possibly can at that moment in their lives. So I take the meaning of the song as feeling the best you that you can be in that moment.
ReplyDeleteIs Celine not a mezzo-soprano?
ReplyDeleteAnyway one of the biggest mysteries about her singing to me is her struggle with the "Power of Love" ending note. The note isn't that high, and videos have proven that she never actually sings that note live anymore - not since sometime in the 90s. Live, she's sung (and still does sing) notes way higher than that. I don't understand how just that one note could cause her so much trouble.