Idina Menzel- Vocal Profile/ Range

Idina Menzel

Vocal Type Mezzo-Soprano
Vocal Range:2 Octaves 3 notes a semitone E3-Bb5
Whistle Register:No
Vocal Pluses: Idina Menzel is a technical singer, that has the understanding and training to be able to navigate the range with expert control, resulting in well supported and projected notes.  As well as able to single vocal runs, Indina can hold notes, with or without the addition of her thin vibrato.

Her midrange is solid, and begins to show signs of the steeliness of the belting range as it ascends. However, at its lower extremes it slightly softer, and more rounded.

Review: Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild", Better or worse than "Give Me All Your Luvin'"?

Girl Gone Wild is Madonna's second single to be lifted from upcoming album MDNA and its just hit the internet! But the question is, does it share the same corrupt (M)DNA as first and flop single Give Me All Your Luvin', or has Madonna finally given us a worthy comeback single?

I should say outright that I like Girl Gone Wild a lot more than her last single- though that doesn't seem to be an opinion shared by readers on the site if the chatbox comments are to believed (please let me know why below :P). But my fondness for it may be in large part due to it sounding like it would have fitted perfectly on the Confessions On A Dance floor album, an album I am quite fond of.

Alexandra Burke performs "Elephant" Live.

Alexandra Burke has stepped up the promotion for new single Elephant [review] this past week: hitting That Grape Juice's Youtube channel for an acoustic version of the song, which she then followed with a bigger production on prime time television show, "Lets dance".

Adele "Set Fire To The Rain" [Dubstep Skillrex Mashup]

Another mash-up for you guys. As with last time it features the lovely Adele's vocals being overlaid on to a more contemporary and electronic sound- much like her mash-up with Britney Spears' Till The World Ends [here]. This time the backing is provided by hipster Anti-Christ, and usurper of the dubstep sound, Skillrex and his song Kill Everybody (Bare Noize Remix).

Madonna:Top Twenty Biggest Selling Singles

With Madonna's latest, and might I add awful, single Give Me All Your luvin' [review] sliding down the charts faster than a Christina Aguilera vocal run, can we just all agree to pretend it never existed? Failing that, lets remember better days, and a Madonna that didn't pander to fads, and countdown her top ten biggest selling UK Singles.

Watch: Lana Del Rey Performs "Without You" (Live)

Yes Ms Lana Del Rey, you stay stuck to that piano, because its where you give your best performances!

Singing Without You from her debut album, Born To Die [Review], Lana showed the world she is a human being after all, giving a warmth and humility often missing from her performances. Perhaps it was due to her clearly being surrounded by fans, but Lana looked almost comfortable on stage and her surroundings, and this showed in her voice.

Displaying a raft of different timbres and parts to her range, she sang the love song gorgeously,  and in a way that deviated from the softer, Betty-Boop-like delivery of the album. It was a stark contrast to her robotic, and much ridiculed, Saturday Night Live performance [here], or her spot closing Jonathan Ross' chat show [here].

Jessica Jung [SNSD] Vocal Profile/ Range

Jessica Jung

Vocal Type: Light lyric soprano
Vocal Range: 3 Octaves D3-D6
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: Soft,delicate and innocent colouring to the whole of Jessica Jung's range. Her technique is such that she can hold notes for lengths of time with no deviation in pitch, but can also add a pleasing vibtrato if needed.

The lower notes are dark and heavy, with a smoky timbre to them, noticeably so when compared to the rest of the range. But that weight is quickly lost, though not the rounded quality of the notes, as it climbs into the midrange. This part of the range is perhaps the sweetest and warmest part of the voice.

[Watch] Florence + The Machine Perform "No Light, No Light" At The 2012 Brit Awards

The ethereal Florence + The Machine shut the 2012 Brit Awards down with their amazing performance of No Light, No Light; a song taking form their equally amazing second album Ceremonials. Yep, there were some tuning issues, and Florence Welch's voice was particularly cutting and shrill at points, but that held note [an A4] at 2.52 gave me chills.

My appetite is suitably wetted for the Florence+ The Machine gig in Cardiff next month!

[Watch] Adele's Performance of "Rolling In the Deep" at the 2012 Brit Awards

When it rains it pours, and that seems to be the case with Adele. Having suffered a drought of performances while the star underwent throat surgery, the rains have now come and Adele has performed live twice in as many weeks: firstly at the 2012 Grammy Awards [ Link] and tonight at the "Brits".

Review: Brandy And Monica Reunite On "It All Belongs To Me" Plus First Live Performance On Leno

The Rodney Jerkins produced smash hit, The Boy is Mine, was created the last time Divas Brandy and Monica took to the studio together way back in 1998- listen below.

At the time of the release, both singers were at the peak of their celebrity, so it was no small wonder that it was a massively successful collaboration, spending a record breaking 13 weeks atop the Billboard charts.

However, it wasn't just the combined star power that led to the success, but the quality of the song itself: a feisty battle between the two females over a single man, that played on the "rivalry" many thought existed between the pair. All played out vocally atop a synthesised harp loop and a contemporary R'n'b production, that still sounds as good today as it did over a decade ago.

Needless to say I was excited to hear what the pair would come up with when rumours surfaced they were recording together again.

Stars Pay Musical Tribute To Whitney Houston

With a Legacy as great as Whitney Houston's, it's no surprise that singers are continuing to pay tribute, many during their own shows, to the vocal genius since her untimely death. I'm sure this will be a list that grows as time progresses, but here are those I've found so far.

Please let me know of any others missed.

Watch: Jessie J Reworks Rihanna's "We Found Love" for Radio One's "Live Lounge"

Taking the lyrics of Rihanna's We Found Love back to their emotive roots- those that the original club banger somewhat obscured- Jessie J delivered a delicate, acoustic rendition of the song at her Radio 1 Live Lounge session.

She also treated viewers/listeners to a rendition of her UK number one hit single, Domino. Listen out for the impressive, G5 hitting, vocal-run-laden ending. Impressive- if not slightly excessive!

Siti Nurhaliza Vocal Profile/ Range [2 octaves/Coloratura mezzo-soprano]

I didn't know of her, until she was recommended, so here is a little blurb about Siti Nurhaliza to get you up to speed:

Siti Nurhaliza is a Malaysian artist, who to date, has garnered more than 200 local, as well as many international, awards. She rose to fame after winning a talent show in 1995, at the age 16- she's now 33- and has since released fifteen studio albums, with her latest, All Your Love, being her first in English.

Siti Nurhaliza

Vocal Type: Coloratura mezzo-soprano
Vocal Range: 2 Octaves 4 notes D3-A5
Whistle Register:No
Vocal Pluses: Siti Nurhaliza is a technical singer that sounds to have excellent understanding of her voice. She is capable of complex melisma that often dips into the major Locrian Scale, producing exotic and alluring melodies. It's skill that can be used throughout the range - listen to Kunia Dalam Samaran to hear how she jumps effortlessly between registers- and can be done so at incredible speeds.

Watch: Bet Honours Mariah Carey, While Kelly Rowland And Patti LaBelle Pay Musical Tribute

The Black Entertainment Television ( BET) Honours are designed to promote and celebrate the achievements of African Americans across a number of fields. The show, in its fifth year, attracted the presence of not only musical royalty, like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, but also that of the political kind, with none other than Michelle Obama making an appearance!

This year's musical honoraries included the Diva with the 5 Octave range, Mariah Carey. Not only did she receive an award for her contribution to music, but the lucky lady received two musical performances: one from Destiny's Child member, Kelly Rowland, and the other from musical legend Patti Labelle.

[ NOTE: The show was filmed last month but only screened this week .]

Review: Cassie "King Of Hearts"

Do you guys remember noughties singer Cassie? She was responsible for the ambient, R'n'B hit Me and U back in 2006? If you don't I'll post it below, maybe it'll jog the old noggin. Well, the 25 year old has been teasing with promises of new music for six years now, and finally delivered with new single King Of Hearts.

Watch: Jeniffer Hudson's Tribute To Whitney Houston At The 2012 Grammy Awards

With the loss of one of the music industry's brightest talents only two days before the 2012 Grammy Awards, it was obvious that Whitney Houston would be at the forefront of everyone's mind during the ceremony.

Review: Adele's Performance of "Rolling In the Deep" At 2012 Grammys [watch]

Adele has finally returned to the spotlight after months out of the public eye, healing from surgery on her vocal chords following a vocal hemorrhage last year. And what better time to make that return than at the biggest music award ceremony on the calender, the 2012 Grammys. Not only performing tonight, the singer is also nominated for six Grammy awards, including the coveted album of the year for 21.

Review: Rihanna Performs "We Found Love" And Duets With Chris Martin On "Princess Of China" At The 2012 Grammy Awards [Watch]

Rihanna kept the energy levels up at the 2012 Grammy Awards Ceremony, delivering perhaps one of her most choreographed performances to date.

Her vocals during the piano led intro of We Found Love sounded good but became more pitchy as it progressed with her using some melisma to quickly get away from the missed note. However, once the substantial backing of the song started, she hit her stride, dancing and belting the notes, with a rasp at times, almost perfectly.

Whitney Houston Dies today :The world mourns the loss of another legend.

American singer and actress Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48, her publicist Kristen Foster has said.

The cause and the location of her death were unclear, Ms Foster told the Associated Press news agency.

Source: BBC

Adele's First Vocal Performance of 2012, After Surgery. But Has Her Voice Recovered? Listen and Judge For Yourself

Thank the heavens, Adele's voice is back! After the trauma it had been through last year [read more] and the vocal chord surgery, I was worried it would go the way of Julie Andrews', and come back a damaged instrument! Thankfully, this hasn't happened. Listen below!

Tarja Turunen- Vocal Range/ Profile [Lyric-Soprano: 3 Octaves]

Tarja Turunen

Vocal Type: Lyric Soprano
Vocal Range: 3 Octaves 1 note and a semitone (F3-Ab6)
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: Tarja Turnunen's voice has a duality to it that has been created by her classical training and her time in a rock band. Thus,she can create a sound that is operatic, but equally adapt to sing in a more contemporary tone.

The low note are achieved comfortably with great support, creating a controlled and measured tone that moves into its midrange with brilliant mirroring of timbre and tone. The head voice is the strongest part of Tarja Thunrunen's voice, thanks to its classical training. It's full, rounded and with a sweet timbre. It can create a resonant operatic tone, creating stunning crescendos, or utilise a softer timbre that contrasts texturally, but that's not so resonant. As the head voice climbs higher, towards the sixth octave, its colouring remains bright, polished and its tone stays clear and resonant, though less powerful than the lower half of the head voice- hear the introduction to Damned and Divine.

Tarja Turunen's brilliant technique allows for sweeping trills, resonant held notes and the implementation of a classical vibrato that is beautifully executed with even spacing.

Vocal Negatives:Over reliance on head notes, but that may be solely due to the type of music she sings. Still, it would be nice to hear how her belting range sounds in the fifth octave.

Christina Aguilera: "The Voice" Season 2, Prince Medley

Hit American talent show, The Voice, returned to spectacular ratings of 35 million plus viewers! It has to be said that this must have been helped, to a large degree, by it following the 2012 Super Bowl, because its first season was averaging 12 million. For reasons unbeknownst to me, the judges decided to sing a medley of Prince songs to open the second season with. NB:I don't watch the show so let me know if there was a reason.

Review: Watch Madonna's 2012 Super Bowl Extravaganza

Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl

Madonna clearly set out with the intention of making the 2012 Super Bowl half-time show the biggest the sporting event had ever hosted, and we wouldn't expect anything less from our Madge! Wanting to impress and grab headlines in ways that did not involve the flashing of body parts, a la a certain other Diva *cough* Janet Jackson *cough*, Madonna's plan was simply to overwhelm and impress with a gigantic budget and good old nostalgia!

Review: Madonna Feat Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. "Give Me All Your Luvin'". Yes, It's as Bad As The Leaked Demo Suggested It Was Going To Be

I'm conflicted about the new Madonna release. I really don't want to be ageist, or push on to her expectations of what someone in their fifties should be doing, or how they should be dressing, but its hard when you watch the new video for, or indeed just hear, the new single, Give Me All Your Luvin. In fact, scratch that. On second viewing its not that I take issue with the skimpy clothing or the suggesting dancing, because I actually don't. Its more the immaturity of the whole thing that gets to me. From the obnoxious cheerleader chants of the music itself, to the faux breastfeeding and discarding of a doll, it just all feels extremely tacky.

Rihanna: Love Her or Hate Her? Analysis of Rihanna's good and Bad points.

This will become a regular feature of the site, but with a different star obviously. Hopefully you guys will help fill out the reason why people love or hate the featured artist! So presenting to today's subject, the 23 year old, Barbadian whose full name is actually Robyn Rihanna Fenty .