[Countdown] Top Five Diva Albums Of 2012

2012 was a surprising year. Although we had releases from the big names- like Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and Alicia keys- it wasn't from these seasoned Divas that the quality material came. And let's be real, some of their albums were downright disappointing.

This was the year of the newcomer. They burst periodically onto the scene throughout the year, bringing with them fresh and exciting new music that simultaneously put the old guard to shame while offering hope to a sagging, hit-chasing industry.

Check out my top five albums of this year, and don't forget to let me know what albums floated your boat in 2012 in the comments.

Remember, That One Time, When Taylor Swift Tried To Be Lana Del Rey

So, I sat down to watch the new (I should really call it "latest" because its been out for two weeks) Taylor Swift video for "I Knew You Were Trouble". Having forgotten how the song sounded, the introspective spoken introduction, and the premise that the unusual (for Taylor) visuals were laying down were surprisingly intriguing. Then, after two minutes of reeling me in, the song actually started and I was like:

Britney Spears And Beyonce Penalised By YouTube For "Fake Views"

In a surprising move by YouTube, the most watched video sharing site on the internet, the Google owned company has slashed billions of views off of videos it considers having obtained those numbers via shady means.

The largest channel to suffer from the number cull is record label Universal, which has lost a staggering 1,015,800,118 views! However, our Diva's didn't come off too well either, with Britney Spears and Beyonce's videos dropping 462,567,893 and 151,445,205 views respectively, placing them at number 3 and 10 of the channels most penalised for fake views.

[Listen] Lana Del Rey's Original Demo Of Cheryl's " Ghetto Baby"

Now, I'm sure that Cheryl Cole- I just can't get used to the single moniker name she's going by now- can at least dance. But for some reason, her Rankin directed video for "Ghetto Baby" features the kind of camera angles and fast edits that seem to contest my surety.

So, either she was less rehearsed than usual with the choreography, leading to the less than polished routine, or Rankin isn't quite as adept a director as he is a photographer, and it's his fault. But since I don't really care either way, it's whatever it is.

Fontella Bass Passes Away

Fontella Bass sadly passed away on Wednesday due to complications brought on from a heart attack she suffered three weeks ago.

The 72-year-old, who is perhaps best known for her co-written hit "Rescue Me", is survived by four children. Her daughter, Neuka Mitchell, said of her outgoing mother, "She had a very big personality. Any room she entered, she just lit the room up, whether she was on stage or just going out to eat."

[Vocal profile] Chris Colfer AKA Kurt From Glee

Chris Colfer

Vocal Type: Lyric Countertenor
Vocal Range:3.1 octaves A2-Bb5
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: An unusually high voice for a man, Colfer has an outstanding capability for production of notes in a way that is both light and powerful, giving him a very identifiable voice that can be sweet and lyric, as well as powerful and piercing.

The lower register (below D3) is hardly ever used, but is actually quite powerful for his voice type [Give Up the Funk]. Though it sounds as though the larynx may have been lowered slightly to enhance the sound, the technique used to reach his absolute lows is otherwise perfect.

The chest register, when unconnected to the head voice, can be powerful and capable, having an extremely punchy, belty sound [Rose's Turn]. Otherwise, when the sound is more often than not mixed with the head voice, the sound can either be light and sweet [Defying Gravity], or can have an extremely focused, edgy sound [Le Jazz Hot].

The head voice is the defining feature of Colfer's voice, and the clearest aspect of the individual sound he has. The lower head voice has a covered and cloudy sound that eventually gives way at around D5 to an immensely clear and piercing high head voice, up to Bb5.

Overall, all of the registers of his voice overlap consistently, so while the tone may not be identical from bottom to top, it is all produced in a healthy manner, and is extremely well-mixed with a head-dominant sound. The registers are easily connected, and can be demonstrated best in the final vocal slide from F#3 to F#5 in [Le Jazz Hot].

Vocal Negatives:The voice's sound can get a little too piercing at times. Also, sometimes, the mixing is done unevenly, with a head voice that is almost too flute-like to be used viably, belying problems with using a fuller, rounder support. This was more so a problem in earlier seasons of 'Glee', and has all but vanished starting mid-season 2.

[Watch] Lion Babe - "Treat Me Like Fire"

Looks like Vanessa Williams' daughter has caught the vocal bug too. No, not laryngitis you cowbell! A passion for singing!

Whereas her mother enjoyed most of her biggest success in the Adult Contemporary field- with songs like "Save the Best For Last" and "Colours Of The Wind"- daughter, Jillian Hervey, has taken a contemporary, neo-soul approach to her own sound.