March 15, 2010 
Picture Courtesy Of AmericanIdol.Com
After weeks of auditions, performances, heartbreak and triumph, we are finally down to the to the Top 12 American Idol Season 9 Finalists.
And they are: Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox, Didi Benami, Katie Stevens, Lacey Brown, Lee Dewyze, Michael Lynche, Paige Miles, Siobhan Magnus and Tim Urban.
This season is shaping up to be a replication of American Idol Season 2 – where stars were born before our eyes and lifelong dreams achieved in two short, albeit, busy 2-month span.
At this moment, it is anyone’s game to lose. No one is safe or secure and, given this very fact, this will make for a very interesting season.
My heart goes out to all the semi-finalists, especially Alex Lambert, Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott and Toderick Hall, These four singers travelled the last step of this important journey, coming so close to achieving their Top 12 goal. I know that they will enjoy wonderful careers post-Idol if they continue to embrace their musical gifts with passion and determination
Best of luck to the Top 12 Finalists and feel welcome to add your comments before, during and after the live telecast tomorrow evening.
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I am hearing that Paige is very sick and can barely sing. Her throat is quite hoarse. She tweeted something about it to her fans. Also, Casey has the flu. I hope these two are up to giving it their best tomorrow night.
Here’s to the first theme of the finals – the Rolling Stones! Let the singing begin! Good luck to all!
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Mindy – well that’s horrendous news for sure! Hopefully, Casey will feel stronger today. It’s Paige’s throat that concerns me. Should be an interesting night. It always is, isn’t it?
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Happy Season 9, MCL!
I’m looking forward to your reviews of the contestants; I hope it’s ok once again to link your reviews of the top 12 to the AI Reality TV World Message Board.
I haven’t had a chance to read any of this season’s threads yet; just skimmed the top 16 thread and read your dismay of the ones who were booted.
I was wondering if you have seen the youtube videos of Siobhan in some of her high school musicals.
Here she is in Pirates of Penzance–ff to around 4:20 and listen to the end to hear her climb her higher range:
And did you know Lee Dewyze has already had a couple of albums out? Here’s one:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/leedewyze2/pid/americanidol
And then there’s this video that may be tied to a different album:
I think there’s more to this season yet…perhaps some have been holding back a bit?
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Hi Zazzy:
In a bit of a rush, but I retrieved your email from the spam folder. If this happens again, I will find it and add it to the comments section. Never worry that you have to re-type the comment – I am “on” it. The spam filter is very strong – better safe than sorry I suppose and I have no idea why this happened to you.
Anyway – yes, absolutely: you can provide a link to my Masterclass articles from the AI Reality TV World Message Board. Thank you!
I did see this video of Siobhan and was impressed. Will have to review Lee’s links – thanks again!
Looking forward to seeing the performances tonight.
Thanks again
MCL
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zazzy,
Thanks for posting those link of Siobhan! Those are the ones I referenced on the older blog about the results show.
I had no idea that Siobhan had that kind of operatic range. She is a wonder!
I can’t wait for tonight’s show!
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Hi Everyone! The song choices are up on mjs big blog. I can’t link, so I will cut and paste. There are a few that I picked and some surprises.
Michael – Miss You
Didi – Play with fire
Casey – It’s all over now
Lacey – Ruby Tuesday
Andrew – Gimme shelter
Katie – Wild horses
Tim – Under my thumb
Siobhan – Paint it black
Lee – Beast of burden
Paige – Honky Tonk women
Aaron – Angie
Crystal. You don’t always get what you want
First of all, I was kind of hoping Lacey would sing something like “Ruby Tuesday”. I think it’s a good choice for her. I cannot believe that Katie is singing “Wild Horses! That was one that I thought no one should touch. MJ actually predicted that she would sing it. I can only hope that she doesn’t do Susan Boyle’s version! Everyone on the blogosphere wanted Crystal to do “Gimme Shelter”, but surprisingly, Andrew is doing it. I wouldn’t have chosen that song for him.
I actually picked “It’s All Over Now” for either Casey or Lee. Good choice for Casey. I think Lee will be okay with “Beast of Burden”. I have to go back on itunes to listen to Didi’s choice. I don’t remember that song.
I am hearing on mjs blog that Paige has NO voice! She is in big trouble for tonight. “Honky Tonk Women” without a voice? I wouldn’t have thought she would pick that song. She is tweeting her fans and telling them to pray for her. I hope she is able to do this. It’s not sounding good at all.
Michael doing “Miss You” should be a good choice. I hate being out on the west coast in L.A. I have to wait an extra three hours to see the show!
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Thanks for adding those song picks, Mindy! I have added it to my Vocal Masterclass Top 12 article which should be online late Wednesday or early Thursday.
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Overall, I thought it was a good show tonight. There were some poorer performances, but there were also some standout performances. I enjoyed Siobhan, but thought that last couple of notes were screechy. Other than that, great vocal. Crystal rocked it out and turned in a solid performance as well. And I thought Didi stepped it up a bit. I actually quite enjoyed Lee’s performance, as he sounded on key and contrasted (in a good way) with Siobhan.
I give Paige major props for singing like that with laryngitis. Considering all that, she sang the song very well, even if she couldn’t hit the high notes.
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I forgot to add that Katie gave one of her best performances tonight and I enjoyed her as well.
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Great show tonight. Very impressive and some singers really blossomed in a huge way.
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Well, the best part of tonight’s show was hearing that my David Cook will be on tomorrow!! Can’t wait. Ha!
No, seriously I DID enjoy tonight!! Several of the singers impressed me. Siobhan, of course, was OUTSTANDING and yes she had some difficulty with one of those high notes but it’s easy to ignore that when she’s so stellar! Pure entertainment! Pure vocal genius. Love her! She hit that first high note and I though that was it, but then she surprised us with more. You never know what that girl is going to do and I love that. I’m glad Didi stepped up. Loved her tonight. Crystal, of course, was great as well but I do agree with the judges that it was’t explosive – kind of dull in some ways…but she sounded amazing. Ok…um call me stupid or weird but I really liked Tim Urban’s version of that song. Maybe I haven’t listened to the Stones version much – so I can see how Stones fans may hate it, but I thought it was good and that he sang well AND looked very comfortable up there – unlike many of the other contestants. If I have a complaint about tonight’s show it’s that – some of them looked scared and I found some of their sound was lost??? Like I wanted to turn up the volume… but I heard the band alright. Or kick the sound out of some of them. Know what I mean? First time on the big stage, maybe? And if that’s the case then I know they will only get better. And because they “appeared” scared I found their performances boring. Casey and Lee are good examples. Although I didn’t realize Casey was sick. But please boys, move around! Do something. I want Crystal to move around too – do something different. One person who didn’t appear scared tonight was Katie! Way to go girl! She sounded good and she looked good up there, confortable – much older than her 16 years….(except for the dress…). Aaron looked a bit more comfy up there but he was another one who had a good tone but I couldn’t hear him well. I wanted more sound from him.
And as much as I liked young Alex who was booted off last week, I can’t picture him up on that stage with the others. Love his voice but i don’t think he would have done well in this setting and feel the voting was right, there – this realization JUST came to me tonight. Up until now I was still mad that he wasn’t voted through. He just needs experience. Lilly of course was definitely missed by me. Saw her on Ellen and she was FANTASTIC! My ranking:
And I’ll have to give this without Michael because I missed him tonight BUT feel he should move on based on past performances. He’s just too good!
Siobhan
Crystal
Aaron (with hesitation…)
Didi
Katie
Tim (sorry – liked him tonight)
Paige – liked her a lot tonight but found her a bit awkward on stage…can’t put my finger on it – I’m glad she moved around, but she looked a bit stiff??
Lee – love his sound – sort of like Creed or Pearl Jam but can’t stand the mumbling and he needs to do more – be less boring – that’s why he is so low on my list)
Casey
Andrew
Lacey
So you know who I hope will go home tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow did I tell you how EXCITED I AM ABOUT SEEING DAVID COOK?
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I thoroughly enjoyed tonight’s show and felt the judges did a good job judging. Finally. What a vocal range Siobhan has – this girl is unbelievable! She is the total package and has the potential to become a star. To me, she hasn’t had a bad performance.
Like Beth, I also enjoyed Crystal and Didi’s performance. I would have thought Lee would have been more polished since he has already released some albums. Casey was pretty good, but needs to put away that guitar for a moment. Too much focus on the insturment and not the voice.
I was hoping one of the guys would just tear it up. But I realize that guys like Adam, Taylor, Constantine, and David Cook are the ones that can get into the true rocker mold. (I guess I should add Chris D., too.) These guys are much too mild mannered.
I am not sure who I think will leave, but it seems Paige has redeemed herself. She may well end up on the tour. At least it was a good night, even though it may have been a bit calm!
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I was wondering if I should give my comments ranking the contestants in order of how well I think they did or just in performance order. Well, here goes.
Siobhan – could there be any doubt? This girl just continues to amaze. I don’t think she needed that power high note. What she did with that song was unbelievable. It was like hearing three songs in one! Those key changes and the range! I didn’t like Kara comparing her to Adam. Just because she can hit high power notes doesn’t mean she is another Adam. She is herself, uniquely her own and a true original. Also, she is a diamond in the rough. Raw, unpolished, sublime talent. Adam had years of training in off-Broadway shows and years of vocal training. Some felt he was too professional for Idol. This girl hasn’t had a vocal lesson or any training. She is one of those people who are born to sing. She has a true God given talent. She can sing anything. I love her fearlessness, bravery, confidence and sheer force of will on stage.
Crystal – I didn’t love this song, but the girl can do no wrong. She kind of lost the notes in her lower register, a little breathy, but that’s nitpicking from me and my ears. It was understated, but the vocals were still excellent. She has such an ease and lovely confident presence on stage. It wasn’t as dramatic as Siobhan, but still beautiful. I don’t like looking too far ahead, but can’t help imagining a finale with these two incredible singers.
Didi – I thought this was an excellent song choice. She has to be careful not to push her voice beyond its range. That’s when she starts to go off pitch. I thought she was kind of doing a high wire act all through the song. She showed more of a voice than I have heard to date. I love that lilting quality, the tone and timbre of her voice. She is getting better every single week.
Michael – Right now this guy can do no wrong. I don’t think this song had the emotional power of last week’s “This Woman’s Work”, but it gave him a chance to show off those falsetto notes and his great feel for r&b soul, bluesy singing. His stage movements feel a little fake to me. Movement on stage should be dictated by the words and emotion of the song. It’s supposed to be an extension of your singing. I actually wrote in my notes – cut out the shtick! It’s an old word, but it just means doing stuff that is forced or phony. Mike is good enough without that.
Lee and Casey are ranked one after the other. They do have such a similar sound and style. Casey was the better performer, but something was off with his singing. He has that husky, raspy quality but he was either singing in the wrong key or just off pitch.
Lee’s problem is his stage presence, or the lack thereof. The guy has a great sound to his voice, but he just can’t let himself go. I felt like whispering two words in his ear – Remember Alex! He also did not enunciate the words clearly enough. In this song he was mostly on pitch, but he just has to let loose and connect with the audience. I see the potential, but not yet fully realized.
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I thought I would divide my comments into two posts – my top six and then the next six. I usually listen the next day, closing my eyes and focusing only on the vocals. I may change my mind about some of them. For now here are my next six.
Aaron did a really good job with “Angie”. This was exactly the right song for him. He did know his limits and didn’t try to push his voice too far. He had fewer pitch problems this week. He has a lot of emotion in his voice. He kind of surprised me.
Paige really stepped up and showed me something. I didn’t think she had that much power in her voice. I cringed when the judges said the hoarseness in her voice added a great quality. That was the hardest part of listening to her. You could hear her fighting the laryngitis and I hope she can rest her voice a bit. I think she did a good job with the song. She seems to still be on the verge of going off pitch at points, but this was a gutsy performance considering the condition of her voice. I still don’t see her as a true r&b diva, but I heard something that I haven’t heard from her yet.
Andrew just picked a song that was too big for his voice. He doesn’t have the power to pull it off. I love the tone in his voice, but he was straining and having all sorts of pitch problems. I really don’t know what is going on with him. I fear that he may not realize his potential.
Katie shouldn’t have done “Wild Horses”. She basically did pretty much the same version as Susan Boyle. I don’t think she connected with the lyrics at all. She was off pitch quite a bit. I do hear a voice, but it is so unfinished and not yet ready. I just didn’t love this.
Lacey confirmed my opinion that she doesn’t have enough voice for this competition. I think “Ruby Tuesday” was a good choice, but she pushed her voice into those higher notes and went off pitch completely. You can’t make your voice do what it can’t do. I think she has very limited range. There is a very distinct tone to her voice, but not enough there to hold up against the difficult themes.
Tim should not be in the top twelve. I really don’t know what to say after that performance of “Under My Thumb”. He honestly didn’t seem to have a clue as to the meaning of the words in that song. I realize that he tried to change it up so as not to compete with Mick Jagger, but it did not work on any level. I don’t think it helps to encourage someone who truly isn’t meant to be a singer. I still believe that he should not have made it through to the finals.
I have to say that I did miss Alex. He definitely deserved to be in the finals and would have done a great job with the Rolling Stones. I also miss Lilly and Katelyn.
If I change my mind after a second listen, I will come back on and give my thoughts.
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Mindy said much of what I wanted to say :), but I wanted to commend the following two ladies for their improvement and ongoing progress:
Minus the mishaps, I really liked Didi’s performance this week. Great choice of song, and she sounded lovely. I love her phrasing and how wonderfully her voice wraps around the right songs. I love how Mindy describes her voice as having a “lilting quality.”
I also have to applaud Paige tonight. This girl has been getting so much flack lately. (Did anyone see some of the vicious comments people left on the official AI9 Facebook in reply to her post that she was sick?) As Mindy said, this performance actually brought out some qualities and dimensions to her voice that we haven’t heard before, and the range of this song sat in a nice spot in her voice. This is the first performance in which I really believed that Paige might have the “big voice” the judges have been attributing to her. Considering that she could hardly talk, she sounded great, and I give her props for being a fighter.
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Dearest J,
I don’t know if you have retired for the night, but I just listened to Siobhan for the third time and I am blown away all over again.
Did you hear all those key changes? Also, was she singing sharp notes at points in the song? On mjsblog, she said that Siobhan was under pitch throughout the song. I am not hearing that at all. But that range and all those changes were unbelievable! I actually don’t think Siobhan needed that extra long high power note, which might have cracked just a bit. Now everyone is comparing her with Adam Lambert, which is making me very unhappy.
Adam was the finished product. Siobhan is raw material. For someone to sing like that without any formal training, is quite extraordinary. I promised myself that I wouldn’t go crazy this season, but when I hear a voice like that, I just cannot help it.
I am already anxious to hear MCL’s critique of the performances. She may clear up some of what bothered me in a few of the performances. I only watched Siobhan again on the video posted on mjsblog. But tomorrow, I will listen to my dvr recording. I want to hear all of them again. Then I will see if I change my mind after my first impressions.
I am pleased that you agreed with me about Paige. I will be the first to give credit where credit is due. Didi seems to be gaining confidence and this was her best performance yet.
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I was pleasantly surprised at how well most of the kids sang last night…my order of my fav to my least fav, will be totally different from what I am reading here.
1. Lee – I love his voice, I was waiting for him to break out any minute with Born in the USA, and I would have jumped outta my recliner and held up my lighter, if I had one and we woulda had a concert!!! He so lacks self-confidence. kariann 1, I was thinking the same thing about him, already having an album, maybe this is what has knocked his confidence, getting beat up by the system…I don’t know!
2. Crystal – I would like to see her without her guitar one week. I would also love to hear her sing something by Melissa Etheridge, I think she sounds so much like her.
3. Didi – I really like her! Her voice is so pretty.
4. Lacey – I like her, I hope she stays around till country week, cause I think she is missing her calling. She has such a country voice.
5. Michael – I like him, I’m not blown away, but I do like him!
6. Paige – I thought she did very well last night, I was really expecting a train wreck with her.
7. Aaron – He really surprsied me with that song, I’m still like not over the top with him, but I thought he did a good job.
8. Andrew – He just can’t seem to pull it together, I do like the tone of his voice. He needs to find a niche and stick with it. I know that’s easier said than done. His songs all sound the same.
9. Katie – I liked her last night too, she like many of the others, I’m not over the top with her, but she did good.
10. Casey – I actually liked him last night! I think he has a country vibe too. He would be received very well in the country genre.
11. Tim – This isn’t saying much if I could tie him for last I would. I didn’t like him last week and I certainly didn’t like him this week.
12. Siobhan – Sorry guys, she just does nothing for me, I thought she was nasaly the entire time and her rock scream is just that, a scream. I thought the whole performance was a wreck. She watched last year!!!
I am not a technical singer, I think we are all aware of my musical abilities, LOL. So I go with what sounds good to my ears! At the end of the day, that is the music I’m going to buy!
Judges; Ellen gets a standing O from me! I thought she was funny and I agreed with her for the most part!
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Cookie Monster – you and your David Cook! haha You are the real Cookie Monster. But I am so excited to see him as well.
To everyone else – thank you for your comments. Great analysis from all of you! Okay – off to write my VM article for the Top 12!
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I see that I’m in the minority here, but last night’s show was a little disappointing to me. I thought most of the contestants did fine, but none of the performances really blew me away. I guess I just wasn’t that excited about the songs. I think Siobhan was the best, and I also liked Lee. Even though I’m not a huge fan, I thought Aaron did a good job. Crystal was really good, but it wasn’t the best I’ve heard from her. I also thought Casey was pretty good. As for the others, I can barely remember their performances. I know that Katie’s voice sounded fine, but there was nothing about her performance that would make me want to hear it again.
I usually listen to the show again in the morning before I go to work, but there just wasn’t anything about last night’s show that made me want to do that today.
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Dearest Mindy,
You were really spot on in your comments, so I just wanted to point out some highlights: I definitely love Crystal’s understated style and ease. She’s one of those people who possesses more range than people probably expect of her because when she reaches into her upper range, she does so without any airs. And that’s what I love about her. She doesn’t show off when she does it; she’s following the flow of the song. It’s a really elusive skill to sing without excess, and she’s refreshing in light of some of the modern singers who throw in vocal acrobatics for their own sake. (I can think of two “pop divas” off the top of my head.)
Also, I’m glad that Katie’s getting some encouraging words, but I don’t think she connected with the lyrics at all either. The arrangement was also very slow. Her tone is glorious, but I didn’t feel any emotion either. And Tim’s arrangement of his song was bizarre; it didn’t have any edge at all. Apparently, “Under My Thumb” is one of the Rolling Stones’ most bitter songs, and I didn’t get that sense from Tim’s performance at all.
*
And regrettably, I had gone to bed at the time of your comments, but I’m responding now. 🙂 I love the arrangement of this song as well! I think the changes were mainly in tempo/percussion (and the introduction of the back-up singers at the end)—I’m checking, and it sounds as though she always resumed singing in the same key—but at one point, she came in one octave higher than she had been singing, so little tweaks like that created shifts in mood and atmosphere, definitely. And the effect was amazing; I like your “three songs in one” comment! She really maximized those two minutes, didn’t she? I love, love the spot of pure head voice near the very end. She probably has one of the prettiest head voices I’ve ever heard displayed on this show; she’s always so in tune and resonant in the way she uses it.
I love her raw natural talent. And I love the drama of this performance (and she looked beautiful in that dress and necklace!). I felt that it was tastefully done; it wasn’t over the top. (For me anyway. Siobhan sold the whole visual aspect of this song!)
Yes, I think you’re right. I hear some sharp notes too. I think MJ’s comment is really a testament to how tonal quality and timbre can really affect how people perceive pitch. For example, if someone sings a note with a particularly bright sound color, people often mistake it to be at a higher pitch than someone singing that same note with a dark sound color. Also, listeners sometimes mistake a note sung in head voice—’with its light ethereal quality—to be at a higher pitch than it actually is. I think Siobhan’s dark timbre (and the next point I will mention) fools the listener into thinking that she’s flat.
I can see why MJ would think that she’s under pitch (but as I’m listening to Siobhan, I think you’re right that she’s not). It has to do with the fact that her tone is slightly muddier than we’re used to hearing in that part of the range. I’m not sure if MCL will address this or whether she’ll frame it in these terms, but the way I hear it, Siobhan is singing with a tad less chest or “bite” than people normally do in this part of her range, yet she’s doing so in a focused manner, so it’s kind of anomalous for people. Singing with a slightly lower larynx and/or with less chest presence makes the sound a tad muddy, so actually, that’s one of the cases where more “chest” would give the tone more clarity. I know for me, I’ve sometimes been accused of being flat when I was just singing notes with a lower larynx and not quite as much “chest.”
This ties into what we were talking about with “depth” in Siobhan’s voice, as well. Coordination in singing is always about balance, and achieving a nice chest-head balance gives sound depth. And since she’s in her low range here, I think she could use a tad more chest. (I know people don’t mention singers needing more chest that often, but it happens!)
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Dearest J,
I love, love, love your analysis of Siobhan’s vocals! I think you definitely clarified what people are hearing in some of her notes. It is the lack of chest voice. I can see why some people would think it didn’t sound right. Do you think she had enough chest voice or just doesn’t yet know how to use it? She is still learning about her voice.
I am going to change my rankings of some of the performances based on a second listen with my eyes closed and focusing more on the vocals. I believe that both Paige and Aaron deserve a spot in the top six. I am sticking with Siobhan as number one. She is phenomenal. I can see why some might not like it, because it was daring, unusual and gutsy. There was a lot going on in that performance. But the girl has a one in a million voice. I hate the fact that she is being compared to Adam. The girl hasn’t had any vocal training, unlike Adam who many considered to be almost too professional for the show. That video link to her singing the Pirates of Penzance in high school, shows an ethereal operatic range and sound. I don’t think we have seen the best of her yet.
I am sticking with my top four of Siobhan, Crystal, Mike and Didi. Mike sounded better just listening to his vocals. Some of his movements on stage are kind of corny and a bit over the top. Come on Mike, you don’t need that! Didi sounded really good just concentrating on her vocals At one point she pushed her voice a bit beyond her range and kind of lost pitch, but overall this was a beautiful interpretation of the song. The girl is showing me more every week!
I would put Paige and Aaron right after my top four. Paige gave a courageous performance. How she pulled that off with the laryngitis, I have no idea. She still tends to veer off pitch at times, but she showed a more powerful r&b voice than I thought possible. Kudos to her! Aaron did a wonderful job with “Angie”. He loses the notes when he sings softly and his lower range is almost non existent at this point, but he has real emotion and feeling in his voice. He sang the words with commitment and feeling. Great song choice and smart singing. He didn’t push himself too far, stayed within the capabilities of his voice and gave perhaps his best performance to date.
I love Lee, but I just think he isn’t getting the job done. Closing my eyes and listening to his voice, I can hear the great husky tone. He was on pitch more in this song, but I am not getting the feeling and passion from him. He does have a great voice, much better than Casey. But Casey is the better performer. I know Casey was sick, too, but he was off pitch and straining all through his song. I picked that song for him and believe it was a great choice, but he may be struggling with poor vocal technique. I cannot put either of them in the top six based on what I heard with a second listen. I truly want Lee to realize that great potential. I like him a lot, but he has to step it up.
Andrew would come next. He is really struggling right now. He started off good, but lost pitch and just seemed to be swallowed up by a song that was simply too big for his voice. I just feel that he doesn’t know what works for him.
Katie did a song that was done so much better by Susan Boyle. I realize that Susan is 48 and Katie is just seventeen, but there was no understanding of the lyrics and emotion of the song. Also, she was way off pitch through most of it. I do hear a lovely tone in her voice, but that’s not enough.
Lacey could have been singing the phone book with her flat performance of Ruby Tuesday. When she tried to sing the higher notes, she lost the pitch completely. Her voice definitely has a distinctive tone to it, but very limited range. It’s a stylized kind of voice, but not up to the demands of this competition.
Tim, Tim, Tim. Did he understand the words of this song at all? This is a mysogynistic song. It’s all about a guy saying that he has total control over the girl in his life. But Tim did this sing-song reggae version that virtually destroyed the meaning and integrity of the song. I am sorry, but he truly doesn’t belong here.
I have no idea who will go home tonight. At this point, I am not willing to even guess. It’s usually not about who did the worst performance anyway.
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OK, it’s my turn to give my opinion. It was an interesting night. I appreciate the thoughtfulness in the comments that everyone has made. I am going to apologize in advance because most of my comments are going to be in regard to star potential vs. an analysis of vocal techniques. Siobhan was my favorite going into last night & she is still my favorite. Her vocals may not be perfect but she is by far the most creative performer in this group. She takes the most risks (I would argue that last night she took the only risks with perhaps the exception of Aaron Kelly) and she is definitely the most interesting contestant now that Lilly is gone (that was a genuine tragedy). I do wish she would stay out of that upper upper range – I think she has some genuinely good notes in the E flat through F range but above that she loses the beautiful timbre that she can produce. And it gives people who don’t like her ammunition with which to attack her. Although I think she’s wonderfully resilient & courageous so those comments probably don’t bother her all that much.
Aaron Kelly was amazing last night. His song choice and delivery were wonderful. It’s hard to believe he’s only 16 – he has such an ache & a yearning in his voice. I will be heartbroken if somehow he gets voted off tonight.
Crystal was solid but, in my opinion, not heartstopping. I think she needs to break out of her comfort zone a little. But people do like her and rightfully so – she’s a comfortable performer & has a lovely voice.
From there it gets quite muddy, in my opinion. Lee had a reasonably competent, easy to listen to performance but there was nothing particularly special about it. Paige was OK and I think it was admirable that she was able to do what she did in spite of having laryngitis. However, I don’t think it would have been all that much better without the laryngitis. She is simply not a star. Unfortunately, I think the same is true of Didi – pleasant voice, pretty, but not star quality. And lack of star quality is even more of an issue with Lacey & Katie. Katie has a sweet voice but she’s too young to be doing this. Lacey’s performance was lackluster & what was that sitting down about?
Casey & Mike were OK. Andrew’s performance was bad & Tim – oh Tim – just plain bizarre. But he’s got the tweener vote. So he might just make it through another week.
I’m a bit sleep deprived so I apologize that my comments are not more insightful. Again, I appreciate what everyone has said even if I don’t agree with all of it.
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Also, I need to say one more quick thing about Siobhan. There has been a few criticisms, including my own, about the high notes towards the end. But they were most definitely not the “last notes”. People seem to have not been listening to her final a capella line (after the very high note that cracked a bit – OK, to be honest more than a bit). She came out of that note into an absolutely gorgeous, softly delivered, floating line (I didn’t identify the exact pitches – maybe a D??). THAT was the last notes of the song & the ones that should earn her the most admiration for sheer vocal talent.
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Sleep deprivation – just realized by verbs & subjects were at total odds with each other as in “there HAVE been a few criticisms” and “THOSE WERE the last notes…” Sorry about that. I’m usually better at writing than I am right now.Thanks.
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Darlene,
Thanks for your insightful comments about Siobhan. I admit that I thought she could have done without that last high power note. She did so much with her vocals in that performance that it almost risked being overkill. Also, it is making people compare her with Adam and that infuriates me. Also, as you so thoughtfully pointed out, the last a cappella line that was delivered in positively ethereal quality, almost got lost. To go from that high note and then come out of that and be able to pull off that last line! I am just absolutely in awe of her at this point.
Siohban is NOT Adam! This is a girl who hasn’t had any real vocal training. She was born with this incomparable instrument, which she is now learning to use in front of millions of viewers. I feel privileged to watch her on this journey.
I had a few more thoughts. Lee did not enunciate the words. I wrote that in my notes, but didn’t include it in my earlier posts. That is a big no-no with me. The words came out garbled. I keep going back and forth as to whether Lee or Paige should be in my top six, not that it matters all that much. Aaron definitely earned a spot there. But Lee has to find a way to relax, engage with the audience and reall step up his game. I hear the voice, but it’s not being used to full potential.
I do not see any originality whatsoever with Casey. Yes, he has that nice raspy sound of a country, rocker guy, but so do thousands of others. He hasn’t really showed me enough for me to enthusiastically support him.
Paige may not be a star, but she showed me more than I have heard in her previous performances. This was a nice comeback from that horrendous “Smile” debacle. I still have an open mind about her. However, I have closed the door on Tim and Lacey. I don’t know how long they will stay in this competition, but for me it’s over. Lacey seems to be kind of posing and has some affectations that are bothersome to me. Also the voice does not hold up. Didi has some real potential to break out. She is improving every week.
I love Siohban’s willingness to be bold and take risks. She is fearless and gutsy and takes no prisoners on stage. I am so excited by her. I promised that I wouldn’t get carried away this season, but it’s getting hard.
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Mindy,
Siohban is NOT Adam!~~~I’m so glad you said this! I don’t like when contestants are compared to former contestants…each year these guys should be judged on their own merits. Even though I am not a fan of Siobhan, I love her personality and her desire to set herself apart from the others. Shame on Kara for wanting to compare!
I must say, I am a little jealous this year; I don’t have that one person that I am passionate about. I have only had two contestants that I was “obsessed” with and that was Taylor and Adam.
I will not be mad if Siobhan wins this year, I don’t have a clear favorite, so it ahs been kind of fun for me to watch and listen and be able to be objective; now had Katelyn and Alex made it to top 12, I could be singing a whole other song!!!
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Dearest Mindy,
Thank you so much—for your kind words and your receptiveness. I am very humbled and glad that my words fall on fertile ground here because it’s definitely one of the reasons why I keep coming back. This site is filled with inquisitive minds who are eager to learn and share, and I love it! You asked a very good question. As a matter of aesthetic preference, I think Siobhan’s voice would have sounded more “grounded” if she had sung with a tad more chest at certain parts; however, what Siobhan was doing isn’t necessarily “wrong.” From what I’ve heard from Siobhan, I would say that she could still discover how to add more chest voice without constriction for more powerhouse-type singing. I think the coordinations she used in “Wicked Game” and “House of the Rising Sun” were spot on, but for “Think” and “Paint It Black,” there were parts that could’ve been “meatier.” That said, Siobhan is just brimming with raw talent! And the energy and artistic vision she brings to the stage make her such an exciting contestant; she really is a diamond in the rough. I’m so looking forward to seeing her grow over the course of this competition.
Darlene –
The top note of the spot of pure head voice is an E5 (the second E above middle C). And I agree that the very last notes were lovely; I mentioned so a few posts above you. =)
I also wrote comments to another part of your post, but I wanted to verify my vocal analysis with a friend first, just to make sure! =)
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Vonnie,
Thanks for understanding where I was coming from with the Adam comparison. It’s not that I don’t “get” why people are thinking this way, it’s just that it’s not really accurate. That’s the reason I kind of hope that Siobhan will stay away from those high power notes. It’s awesome to be able to do that and show off that part of your voice, but I don’t want the comparison to Adam to weigh her down. It would be so unfair.
Adam had years of training to achieve the vocal heights he scaled on Idol. Siobhan is much more, as I keep saying “a diamond in the rough”. This is raw, uncompromising, unmatched vocal brilliance. She is enormously talented and we haven’t even heard the best of her yet.
I kind of thought you liked both Crystal and Lee. I happen to like both of them, too. I think Crystal is perhaps the one person who may be able to handle this whole “early front runner” status. She seems pretty cool, calm and collected. Lee has so much potential, that it’s killing me to see him fall short. I have to call it as I see it, even with those that I like. I try so hard to be objective. It’s hard, especially with people like Casey and Tim, who I just am not impressed with at all. I try to give them a fair hearing, but with Tim I just think that I am done. Maybe it’s wrong, but I can’t help the way I feel.
It may be a wonderful high to find that special “one”, but it can also make it very hard. I don’t want to invest myself too much emotionally. I am also being careful not to compare Siobhan with Adam or any of the great female singers I love. I won’t make that mistake again. I went overboard with Adam. So I want to avoid the hyperbole this time around.
Hang in there and enjoy the singing. Someone may still end up being your favorite. It’s still early in the finals!
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Dearest Mindy,
I just wanted to quickly clarify my comments (in case you read MCL’s recent article and felt confused in any way). The short version is this: terminology is the culprit! (Ah, the peskiness of terminology! =P) I’ll probably write a more extensive explanation of how I use the terms “chest voice” and “head voice,” but I do use them slightly differently than most people do. To be honest, my preferred system of terminology does not use the terms “chest voice” and “head voice” at all. (Instead, it uses concepts like “metal” and different “modes.” And no, I did not invent it, lol!) “Metal” is similar to “chest,” but it’s not the exact same thing, and it doesn’t necessarily carry all the negative baggage of “weight,” “heaviness,” etc. that gets associated with “chest.” Defining “metal” is difficult, but hearing it is easier! And some of its auditory characteristics include a certain “laser beam quality” and “intensity” among other things.
More of this “laser beam quality+intensity,” then, was what I was suggesting that Siobhan add to her tone, all the while not losing any of the warmth, freedom, and focus already in her voice (which I believe is what MCL associates with head voice). I hope that makes sense. =)
I’m sorry I can’t define what metal is more specifically. The system of terminology I prefer is more precise, but it’s also, admittedly, very esoteric. I greatly oversimplified some concepts (note that a laser beam quality in itself is NOT the same thing as metal), but I hope that helps. 😉
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Dearest J,
Thanks for the clarification. I don’t get confused between what you and MCL say, I just have more questions!
The only thing I would ask, since I do understand that this is a difficult thing to pinpoint in words, is if you hear it in Siobhan at some point, then let me know. That way I will know what to look for and what I am hearing. But I think that I understand the basic idea of balance between head and chest voice. I do think some people incorrectly think they are hearing someone being off pitch, when in fact it is the absence of more chest voice. I can hear that with Siobhan.
Thanks again for helping me to understand what my sophisticated ears are hearing. They are miles ahead of my brain! I don’t know why God gave me this little gift, if that is what it is, but I want to put it to full use. Since I hear every little tiny thing imaginable when I listen to singing, it opens up a whole new world when I can identify it.
If I ever tire you out with my questions, just let me know. I don’t want them to be a burden to you in any way.
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Dearest Mindy,
*nods* That is exactly what I’m saying. I am glad you understand after all. =) I just wanted to make sure.
And of course, I will let you know if I hear Siobhan doing this again or if I hear her improve in the areas we’ve mentioned.
You are very welcome! It really isn’t a hassle at all; I hope you know that! It’s a joy and a privilege. You definitely have gifted ears, and I’m glad to be able to help you identify and describe the little differences you’re hearing.
And I don’t think you’ll ever tire me with your questions! Don’t worry. 😀
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Mindy,
I do really like Crystal and Lee, I also like Didi, Lacey and Andrew…but not to the point that I liked Adam and Taylor!
I’m trying very hard to stay objective this year, we’ll see how that works for me, LOL!!!
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Just listened to the “Pirates of Penzance” video. Wow! She is quite wonderful in that aria. More than I could sing even on a good day. I really believe that with lessons from a competent teacher she could quickly overcome the few flaws in her voice. I agree that she could benefit from a bit more chest voice in her middle range (but not a lot more) and there is a definite “break” between her chest & head registers (I am not as conversant with the meaning of passaggio as I would like to be but I think that is the major problem in Siobhan’s voice). It has taken me 7 years of formal lessons to get a handle on that; I think Siobhan could do it in a quarter of that time. And after listening to the Penzance video, I believe she had that note Tuesday night but had a nervous moment. Bless her heart for trying.
I have to say that I am a little disturbed by some of the meanness that people have been displaying towards her (not in this venue). It is reminiscent of some of the comments that were directed toward Adam Lambert last year. And unfortunately because of the unwise comparisons that the judges have been throwing around between Siobhan & Adam, some of the negativity is coming from people who love Adam. It all strikes me as a bit weird. Anyway, as you can tell, I adore Siobhan & just hope she is enjoying herself & can shake off whatever nerves she might have through this crazy process. Enjoying herself is what is most important of all.
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Darlene,
I find most often that when people start being mean-spirited it is because they feel threatened…Siobhan is a huge threat to most if not all of the contestants on the show, this coming from someone who is not a fan of her singing! She has set herself apart from the others and that is not a bad thing, it’s wonderful…something some of the other kids needs to take notice of and follow.
I love Adam; my reasons for not liking her being compared to him are because, just as Adam is his own unique person, Siobhan is her own unique person and she should be judged by the judges on HER abilities.
New year, new contestants, come on judges let’s move forward and make this about the singers at hand!!!
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Darlene,
Your comments about the meanness coming from some people, including Adam fans, towards Siobhan, are absolutely spot on! Thank you so much for telling it like it is! I am truly disturbed by much of what I have been reading online.
I find it interesting that so many people who said that they loved Adam’s so-called screaming, are now going after Siobhan. As if that’s all she does! Were they listening to that performance of “Paint it Black”? Or do they choose to focus on one single note? It’s a sad state of affairs when an entire performance that involved some incredible originality and virtuoso singing, gets reduced to a single high power note!
Sometimes Kara makes me want to scream, literally! She gets on my nerves more than any of the other judges. I would have preferred to see her gone, even with her considerable industry experience in writing successful songs for so many singers. When she blurted out on performance night, that Siobhan reminded her of Adam last season, I screamed at her – Nooooooooo!! I really wish she had not gone there. Essentially it’s setting Siobhan up for failure as a female imitation of one of the great male singers ever on Idol.
Adam was my favorite last season. But now I have beconme a bit disillusioned by the direction in which he has chosen to take his career. The voice is becoming secondary to superficial, outrageous appearance. However, that’s Adam choice to make. We have discussed this at length after Adam’s controversial performance on the AMA’s.
I am kind of hoping that Siobhan stays away from those high power notes. She is distinctively and uniquely her own. That is how she deserves to be judges. Unlike Adam, I don’t think Siobhan has a hidden agenda. I think her song choices and unpredictability come from being true to herself. She is not on the show to shock and awe for the sake of it. I love how she makes unconventional song choices and cannot be easily categorized or put into a convenient niche.
Also, I agree after a few more listens to her performance, that she did hit that note and that a bit of nerves affected the sound. I am pleased that you commented about her performance in “Pirates of Penzance”. I don’t have your technical vocal experience, but even I could hear some incredible vocals. Unbelievable for a girl still in high school. She was unpolished in those arias, but the raw singing ability is definitely there. I think we got into a discussion of “passagio” last season. Is that how a singer makes the transition from chest to head voice or is it the balance between chest and head voice?
Some of the technical discussions are challenging to me, but very interesting. Anyway, it is my sincere hope that Siobhan will be judged on her own merits. She deserves no less.
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Vonnie, this comparison by the judges just happened this week. Siobhan has been outstanding for severeal weeks. For me, I have difficulty comparing female singers with male singers. That would be like comparing Elvis Presley to Barbra Streisand. Now, I am sure our extraordinary music experts could do it, but I cannot. To me, they are all unique in their own way. With time, we may convince you Siobhan should be the winner of Idol OR maybe just the runner-up? 😉
Darlene, I ventured onto the OT (Other Topics) threads at the main Idol site and was shocked that some are discussing Siobhan’s sexual orientation. This comes from what? It upset me a bit. It doesn’t matter that this just turned 20 year-old has a boyfriend, but rather why should anyone be discussing this. There are no pictures or articles to even begin the conversation! And it is no one’s business.
I appreciate all the discussions on voice technique. I hope someone from her family listens to my suggestions. 🙂
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kariann 1,
I don’t like comparing singers to any other whether same gender or not…I may say that I think a singer sounds like someone else, and that is usually because I like the someone else, LOL
If I am remembering right (tired old brain at work here), Kara did make a comparison during Hollywood week to one of the contestants about Adam, and I thought during top 24 I may be wrong. Can’t remember to who! Doesn’t matter, I was just saying that I wish they wouldn’t compare them to anyone other singer than themself.
I don’t know if I will be convinced that Siobhan needs to win, but, the season is still young! I have my ears open!
This year is kind of funny for me, I am not usually taken with female singers, don’t know why, just prefer male voices. But a couple of the girls this year has very good voices. So who knows Siobhan may win me over before the season is over; I may be converted!!!
My reasons for not liking the comparisons isn’t because I think no one can come even close to Adam…that is not the case, I just think it is un-fair for that contestant to stand in front of the judeges and be compared to any one, especially each other, like Simon did Crystal the other night…that is just wrong on all levels for all of these kids. Give them fair criticism and leave it at that.
I hope I am making sense, I am not in the least upset that Kara compares Siobhan to Adam, she should take it as a huge complement as far as I am concerened, but it just isn’t fair to her, she deserves to be judged by her own merits…does that make sense???
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Mindy, thanks for your comments. It’s great to have a place to come to where I feel respected & understood. I am wondering if Siobhan thought that she sing that power note because of what Simon said the week before e.g. that she didn’t have a “moment” in “House of the Rising Sun”. So she may have felt compelled to try to a put a “moment” in “Paint it Black”. I also hope that she stays away from the really high notes. She has plenty of good F’s in that voice – she does not need A’s and B’s.
Before addressing your question about passaggio, I need to qualify by saying that pretty much everything I know about singing I learned from my singing teacher. Passaggio as I understand it is a range of notes in which one switches from chest voice (or register) to head voice (or vice versa) although some writers talk about three areas of the voice (low, medium, high). I don’t like the latter terminology because what I have been taught is that I should try to outsmart gravity to some extent by thinking horizontally not vertically. My singing teacher doesn’t actually use the term passaggio very often. Instead he talks about sounding like the same singer throughout a singer’s range, in other words, not separating the chest and head voices from one another so abruptly. I think Siobhan does sound like two different singers at times, for instance, in “Wicked Game”; however, I think I like both singers very much :). Plus Siobhan is more than her voice; she has charisma and stage savvy. But the voice is certainly important. And some instruction on how to integrate her head & chest registers better will help her sing both better & longer.
And for Kariann, I continue to be both astounded & horrified by what some people think is appropriate for online discussion e.g. Siobhan’s sexual orientation, whether or not she has a boyfriend, etc. Sometimes it all just makes me a little sad.
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okay I have a question, this is for whom ever wants to answer;
Why, do I really like Adam’s (I’ll call it rock wail), rock wail, but I don’t like Siobhan’s rock wail…Adam’s seems to my ears to be in pitch and an actual note(s) while Siobhan sounds like more of a scream than in pitch and a note(s). Can it be the tone in which I hear in? does that make a difference?
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Hi Vonnie. I think you’re missing the forest for the trees. You’re focusing on one note in an entire song. You are right that Siobhan’s “power” notes are not as pleasant to listen to as Adam’s although, for the record, they’re also a half to a whole step higher than what Adam was generally singing on Idol (Adam usually went up to G5, Siobhan has been trying G#5 & even A5). I think she has those notes & has not been as successful in producing them on Idol as she has been elsewhere. In her studio version of “Paint it Black” she does pretty well with those notes (although it’s entirely possible that they’ve been sonically airbrushed – but I hope not). But I think it’s more important to listen to the rest of what Siobhan is singing & not focus on those notes. I would like to see her stick to E5 & F5 because I think she’s got those notes with absolute ease & they sound good. Here’s crossing fingers for someone with genuine talent.
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Addendum – from a sound production standpoint – I think Adam has always had an interesting way of producing his high notes that involves protruding his tongue – not at all what I would try to do on those notes. But somehow by doing that he was able to increase his pharyngeal space & produce beautiful high notes. What I think has happened to Siobhan is that she has not been able to get enough pharyngeal space to make the note “ring” (i.e. have harmonics & “spin”). Possibly she has been pushing too hard & trying to oversing the note. And that can happen to anyone who tries to sing those notes. Anyway, hope this helps to answer your question.
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Darlene,
Thank you for responding to my question…I really like Siobhan’s personality and her desire to set herself apart from what seems to be a field of talent this year, I think she is absolutly adorable. I just don’t care for her voice, she reminds me alot of Kathryn McPhee and I didn’t care for her voice either.
That aside, my question is my ears; LOL!!! What am I hearing when she hits that rock wail? I hear crackling instead of pure notes! I only used Adam as an example because his rock wail sounded very pure and clear to me…While Siobhan’s sounds more like a screetch! Not saying that in a mean way, only trying to describe what I hear when she does that!
I re-listened to her song with my eyes closed, she sounds nasaly in her lower register to me…I am not nit picking, I will not be upset if she wins this year, just trying to understand what it is that I am hearing that others are not.
I do not have a trained voice or ear, I have a voice that should not be heard in public!!! I play piano, and I can tell if an instrument is out of tune or if someone hits a bad note. So I guess when I listen to someone sing I listen with this same kind of tuning…does this make sense?
I’m the only one on this site who feels this way about Siobhan, I think! So just wondering why this sounds bad to me while it sounds wonderful to others!!!
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After a few minutes of pondering this, I can relate this to last year when some did not like Adam…I couldn’t understand why! I was always like, you’ve got to be kidding me, really???
But I get it now, they were hearing what I was hearing the only difference is they didn’t like what they were hearing! Kind of like finger nails on a chalk board, I can’t stand it, doesn’t bother my husband or son at all.
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Vonnie, I hear what you hear. She does sound very nasally to me, and I am as surprised as you are that no one has mentioned that.
I am guessing — J would know, and perhaps Darlene, since she seems to know something about singing — that Siobhan is choosing to use more head voice than chest voice when she blends the two together, and that is why her voice sounds thinner to me. (J discussed her lack of understanding of how to best support her voice in a previous post, and it’s been a while since I read that post, so I’ve probably misinterpreted it and have to go back to reread it.) I’ve never liked most sopranos because I like a fuller-bodied voice, although there is an occasional soprano that I find thrilling to listen to.
And yes, the scream sounds screetchy to me, too, and with apologies to Darlene, it is hard for me to separate that from the rest of the singing. The fact that she has gone for notes that are higher than what Adam went for is inconsequential to me — go for the notes you can do well and leave the rest alone. I take Darlene’s word for it that the E5 and F5 she recommends Siobhan stick to are notes she can handle well.
Perhaps, if I wasn’t already bothered by the reediness of her voice, I would find it easier to overlook the screetch. I think she has a great natural instrument and is willing to approach her songs in a more creative way, although I am wondering, this season, to what extent the arrangements are the product of the singers vs. AI’s musical director and band. I think that in at least some cases, it is AI’s staff at work. I am not convinced that all of Siobhan’s artistry is her own, although I am keeping an open mind in this regard. But I do think everyone is sort of wishing that we had an Adam Lambert this season and so have passed the crown on to Siobhan as the only possible heir, whether she deserves it or not.
I love Siobhan and look forward to seeing her grow over the season, but I do think the praise is just a little out of proportion and wonder if it may backfire in the long run.
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The nasality of Siobhan’s voice, which I agree is definitely there, does not bother me all that much for some reason. I think there are so many interesting corners to her voice, for instance, her ability to float a higher note (as in Wicked Game & the final part of Paint it Blake) that I am willing to forgive the lack of fullness. And I honestly think that could be fixed very quickly. And I think all of us would like her to stay away from the high notes for the time being. I think she allowed herself to be egged on to some extent by Simon & probably also by the AI creative staff & it did not go well. But clearly there are voices that appeal to some people & not to others. I personally am not a big fan of Renee Fleming (heresy? If so, I take responsibility for it). To me, her voice is thick & sometimes downright dull. There is an amazing brightness to Siobhan’s voice that I like a lot. We can all agree to disagree.
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Paint it Black. Sorry about that; my fingers are listening to my brain any more.
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Darlene, I know nothing about Renee Fleming, but I do like the brightness of Siobhan’s voice. And she does hit notes that I love. What has disappointed me thus far is that I like her high school performances on youtube better than what I’ve seen on Idol.
I’m keeping an open mind; I have no problem with the idea that I may see a performance and be wowed by it. But as Vonnie says, and you and J, too, it is interesting how differently we can react to the same singer.
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Jeanne…I love you!!! LOL
Thank you for validating what I have been saying about Siobhan’s voice. I thought she did a good job on “House of the Rising Sun, I wasn’t head over heels in love with it, but it sounded good. This week not so good for me!
I also agree about Soprano voices, I tend to go for more of the Stevie Nicks type of voice…other than Skeeter Davis and Patsy Cline they are exceptions to my usual types of voices.
I guess that is why I like Crystal she is more of that type of voice…I like Didi’s voice too, because it sounds so clear.
I’m not familiar with Renee Fleming either! What kind of music does she sing?
This site is alot of fun, because we can agree to disagree!
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Renee Fleming is currently the top operatic soprano in the United States. She puts out tons of CD’s & does all the major soprano leads. Sometimes she’s very good, sometimes not quite as good in my opinion (an opinion that my singing teacher shares). A mezzosoprano that I love (you can find her on YouTube) is Joyce DiDonato. Some people find the brightness of her voice a problem in some roles but in my eyes she can do no wrong.
Here are two links – the first is Renee
Second is Joyce
You’re also welcome to visit my YouTube page & browse my favorited videos. I got by JRZGRL55 over there.
http://www.youtube.com/user/JRZGRL55?feature=mhw4
Did you like Siobhan’s performance of “Wicked Game”? That was the performance that sold me on her. I have to be honest – in this year’s group of performers she’s the standout in spite of any flaws in her voice. I’m not as wowed by Crystal as everyone else. Siobhan’s performances are, to me, more authentic & compelling. But Crystal is absolutely competent & has a lovely voice.
Incidentally, I adore Stevie Nicks, have always loved her, & I’m also a huge Patsy Cline fan.
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vonnie — I originally wrote this post in response to Darlene‘s comment on how she wished Siobhan would stay out of her upper upper range, and I thought it was fitting to chime in now.
I think there are probably two main reasons why you dislike Siobhan’s “rock wail”: (1) the pitch and (2) the coordination; both of which are related. From my experience, I commonly hear very high notes (higher than G5 or so?) approached two ways: The first is a heavy mix (which is a mix that sounds like chest voice), and the second is head voice with a ton of twang. [There’s also a third possible coordination, which is difficult to describe, and I believe Siobhan might have used it in “Think” (for the start of the note) and/or “Living in the City,” but I’m almost positive that she didn’t use it at all in “Paint It Black.”] The first coordination gets increasingly difficult at high pitches because it takes tremendous support, and it also requires a type of compression that gets more difficult to hold onto with high notes. The highest note I’ve ever heard anyone achieve in this coordination is an A5 sung by Kelly Clarkson. (See “two” @ ~2:53 HERE.)
The second coordination (as well as the third) uses a TON of twang, and as a result, the “shrill” twangy and bright sound color is characteristic of notes produced that way. In other words, sounds at that pitch with that coordination are inevitably going to sound screechy. I do want to say that although that sound doesn’t fit my personal aesthetic, Siobhan is doing it “correctly” (or at least very close to correctly). Here’s a video of female singers hitting Soprano C in the same manner. The high note in “Think” was a Bb5, so I give her major props!
Adam Lambert’s high notes are produced by a version of the second coordination as well. (Sometimes, he adds a growl or similar effect, but there are instances when he produces them in a “pure” fashion.) think the main difference in layman’s terms is that Siobhan, having a female voice, doesn’t need as much twang to produce a “full” sound on these notes (the amount of twang provides the auditory illusion of a fuller sound), so the “extra” twang ends up making the sound “screechy.” For Adam, most of the twang is probably going into just making the sound full in the first place. He’d have to twang even more to have as much excess twang as Siobhan does. (And I’d imagine that’d be rather difficult because he’s already twanging like crazy!) I hope that makes some sort of sense.
And vonnie, I don’t think you’re the only one noticing these qualities about Siobhan, but perhaps, other fans are more likely to forgive her shortcomings because of her youth and the fact that she’s brimming with so much raw talent. 😉 To many, Siobhan is a bright spot in this year’s competition because of her potential, despite the things we can nitpick about her voice.
I understand where you’re coming from because I do remember feeling disappointed when I heard Siobhan’s “reediness” (as Jeanne describes it) throughout most of “Think.” I think the issue with her sounding “nasal” and “reedy” all relate to the fact that her tone sounds ever so slightly muddy, and that relates to what I was telling Mindy about—Siobhan needing more “chest” in certain parts of her voice to give her tone a tad more “clarity” and “bite” to her voice. As I also said, you don’t have to call it “chest” if you want to—I can think of at least two other ways of describing it that I prefer, but I think they might be confusing—but it’s that clarity, depth, and bite that she could use a little bit more of.
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Darlene and Jeanne — I actually love soprano voices (probably because I have one, lol), but interestingly enough, Renee Fleming’s voice never resonated with me for some reason. Perhaps, I need to listen to her voice again—as I gain more vocal knowledge, I feel that I’m listening to voices with “fresh ears” time and time again!—but I can say that in the past, I’ve felt that her tone didn’t have the same warmth and ease that I hear in other sopranos, such as Joan Sutherland, Kirsten Flagstad, Birgit Nilsson, and Barbara Bonney.
Tonal quality is definitely one of the things that draws me to or turns me off from singers almost immediately. In simplest terms, the tones I enjoy the most are free from affectation and exemplify the natural fullness (and warmth) possible in a singer’s voice. I love tones that are multi-dimensional and have wonderful dark and bright over- and undertones. I truly believe that anyone can have a beautiful tone. Any voice that’s produced in a technically secure way can exhibit the aforementioned qualities, no matter how light or heavy the voice type. The first three sopranos I listed above are darker-colored sopranos, but I also mentioned Barbara Bonney, who (being a lighter lyric voice) has such a sweet sound that’s also multi-dimensional and full (in its own right) as well.
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I’ve made a comment which is awaiting moderation (maybe because I included some links to illustrate what I like in operatic voices & what I don’t like). I really appreciate J’s comments about the production of very high notes. I continue to think that Siobhan really does have those notes but for a variety of reasons should stay away from them in this venue. She can use them later in her career when they work. I don’t think she’ll ever fall victim to the excesses that some pop “divas” have indulged in (in my opinion thankfully). And I totally agree with J’s assessment that Siobhan is the true bright spot in this competition. I shall continue to hold onto that opinion. I hear a lot of grumbling in other venues about how this year’s group of contestants are not as good as in other years. That may be true but my response would be a heartfelt “So What?” It’s the group we have. I so wish that Lilly had not been voted off. She was a true original & would have kept the competition more balanced. Sigh.
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Also to J: I agree with your choice of sopranos – they’re a lovely group – have you heard much by Diana Damrau? She’s one of my new faves. Another bright & utterly fabulous voice, in my opinion. Just got her CD “Coloraturas” but haven’t listened to it yet. And for the record, I’m a mezzo. :). Singing is a gift & I cherish every day that I can produce a decent song.
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Darlene – I’d love to read your post once it’s approved; it sounds really interesting! 🙂 And yes, I think those very, very high notes are in Siobhan’s range, but I’d love to see her showcase other parts of her range, where we’ll be able to hear the true warmth of her tone. To be honest, I was one of those people who was disappointed with the top 24 prior to the semi-finals; I felt that none of the singers completely fit the profile of “the” type of voice I’m most drawn to. However, Siobhan has given me something to look forward to because even though she’s not quite there yet, I really see her as capable of getting there with the right instruction (as you’ve said!). There is definitely a lot of grumbling (and I know I’m guilty of having done so in my head), but ever since I adopted the mentality that “this is the group we have; I might as well enjoy it as much as I can,” I’ve definitely been much happier. And I believe Siobhan showed this week that for what she may lack in her technique right now, she makes up for in her inventiveness, performance style, and all these other communicative elements that are part of singing as well.
Yay, I’m so glad you agree with my choice of sopranos! Even though I know preference is subjective, I like to think I have good taste (lol!), so I really do feel very encouraged when other people agree. 😉 I definitely will look into more of Diana’s performances now. I’ve heard her name mentioned very favorably in reference to her version of “Der Hölle Rache” (which I hear is very impressive!). I like the glimpse that I’m hearing of her so far; thanks for the suggestion! 😀
And yes, singing truly is a gift. I think I went through a phase where I forgot this because I kept thinking, “Oh, anyone can learn how to sing!” And that’s true, but I’ve realized that the learning process is a lot more difficult for some than for others. And sometimes, learning to successfully produce certain vocal coordinations really feels like an epiphany. After trying and failing many times, something finally “clicks.” And that epiphany when everything falls into place really is a gift. ‘Cause I’m realizing that some people don’t ever “get” it, and maybe that’s because they give up before they can, but then that just ties into how perseverance (and life itself!) is a gift as well.
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J, here is the link to Diana Damrau Queen of the Night II. Amazing.
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Also, J, for me, a good teacher has made all the difference in the world. What a gift mine has been to me.
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J,
Thank you! I appreciate your taking time to answer my somewhat silly questions!!! And if I may I would love to ask more questions about Siobhan’s range versus an Operatic range!
I hope that everyone knows that I am not dissing Siobhan in any way, like I said, “she is adorable”, vocally, she’s just not my cuppa tea! You will not hear me dissing her personally! Singing I may have questions!
Teen Idol Week? Anyone got any clues? I would love to see the list that they are to select from!
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Apparently, the theme has been changed to “BillBoard’s #1 Hits”. This hasn’t always been a successful theme, so I hope everyone chooses carefully!
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Kariann 1,
I wonder why the change? I wasn’t thinkin Teen Idol was sounding so good either! LOL
Wow! I’ll have to think on this a little…Lee should sing John Mayers new song…Heartbreak warfare!
Any ideas of what they should sing Or who they should stay away from?
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Oooppps! My bad…I didn’t read your new theme very well, John Mayers song may not be on that list!!!
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Darlene – Amazing, indeed! 🙂 And yes, a good voice teacher truly is a gift! I am thankful for all the mentors I’ve had—all the people who were patient to put up with all my questions and just helped me grow in understanding the human voice and in my own singing.
vonnie – No problem! 🙂 And yes, if you had any more questions about Siobhan’s range versus operatic range, feel free to let loose!
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And just to make a point of clarification, when I mentioned above that “I commonly hear very high notes (higher than G5 or so?) approached two ways,” I meant that I hear two approaches for trying to hit those notes and make it sound like full voice. Of course, you could hit those notes in pure head voice (in operatic fashion) as well. 😉
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