Who doesn't love Kelly Clarkson?
Funny, down to earth, kinda goofy and awkward, but with a voice that can crumble mountains.We fell in love with the gutsy singer on season one of American Idol back in 2002, and since then not only has she managed to maintain grounded and normal, but has also held on to a successful music career- unlike fellow season one runners up Nikki McKibbin and Justin Guarini, (remember them? I sure don't). As if to mark her decade in the music industry the singer just scored her latest Billboard number one with single Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You).
Here's to another decade of success!
Watching the performance I now have two more reasons to add to my "Why I love Kelly Clarkson" list. Not only did she cover, and profess love for, one my favorite singles of last year -Britney Spears' Till the World Ends- but she also shared her pathological hate of exercise and the gym at the end of it! attagirl, Kelly! A woman after my own, cholesterol covered, heart!
Instead of covering the song in the dance style of the original, Kelly opted to take the arrangement in an acoustic, stripped-back direction. If I'm honest, it wasn't doing much for me, with its hammy piano chords, and decrease in tempo, which stripped the song of the addictive energy of the original . Still, it was a light and fun take that gave the song a new spin.
The vocals were as exceptional as ever from Ms Clarkson- she is rarely ever anything but that- hitting, slightly raspy fifth octave chest notes with ease, and confidence. I would have loved to have heard her sing it over the Britney Spears production, but it may just have led to some sort of seizure from which I never would have awoken [much like the effect of this image times a thousand: epileptics beware], so I guess she did me a favor!
Take a peep below!
MariahJournal just posted this video of Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Gray covering the Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston duet When You Believe, so I thought I'd bundle it with this post.
Good try ladies, but, erm, no. This song was too wide, range wise, for either singer to truly sound comfortable, ultimately leading to tuning issues cropping up throughout. But credit to them for trying; it takes a brave duo to cover this song with the original vocal melody relatively unchanged.
Note to all and sundry: If this song can show up a vocalist like Kelly Clarkson it helps you realise just why Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are in a league of their own when it comes to vocal prowess and musicality.
Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston sing When You Believe live, how it should be: flawless.
Thoughts?
