Monday 22 July 2013

[New Music] Ariana Grande Comes Into Her Own With "Baby, I"



Ariana Grande returns with new single Baby, I, and like last single The Way, it's a track that's firmly rooted in the 1990's Rnb/Pop scene. To add to the authenticity of the sound, the Diva even managed to rope in the legendary Babyface- who created monster tracks in that very decade- to write and produce the cut. So if you were feeling her first single, odds are, you're probably going to enjoy this one. I certainly am!

What I was most looking forward to hearing from the new single was how/if Ariana was going to change her style of delivery after the Mariah comparisons The Way generated. With similar use of contrasting "airy" and solid tones, vocal runs that we'd heard before and a foray into the whistle register that was all very Mimi, it was a way of singing that though impressive, was entirely too reminiscent of her idol. And of course, nobody really takes serious an imitator when the original is still knocking out records.

Thankfully Baby, I doesn't suffer from any such identity crisis- much to my surprise- and Ariana's voice shines for all the right reasons (though the intonation is still a slight annoyance). It's a speedy evolution in sound that could just mark the beginning of her journey to her very own unique vocal style- something all great Divas need. If true, this makes the singer a whole lot more of an interesting musical proposition to me.





Thoughts?

50 comments:

  1. Wow. A solid song with a catchy beat. Not to mention some original vocal by Ari

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  2. Still a Mariah rip off....This is my worst nightmare....2 Mariah Careys...

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  3. You mean...... you didn't this this wasn't a Mariah rip off?

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  4. know* kiddo.....know*

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  5. While vocally the song is great I think it barely demonstrates that she's coming into her own. The production really sucks it sounds dated, annoying and repetitive. I loved 'The Way' but definitely not this song. Also I think she needs to say "Baby" a couple more hundred times...

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  6. How did I miss that? Thanks.

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  7. She needs to work on her enunciation as well.

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  8. Still an MC knockoff given it sounds SO much Like Mariah's Secret Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... . Not impressed because I really wish she find her own not-Mariah tone. Baby I is not the song that distinguishes her, it really pushes her more into Mariah copycat territory than ever. Sigh.

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  9. I think its more Ariana but some like Maroon are a little harder to please haha! Some people have been making comparisons to Mariahs "Secret Love" Because of the similar hooks "Baby". But Although I admit those are similar the rest of both songs contrast quite a bit-the only other similarities being their 90's hip hop sounds. I love the song! Im actually excited for her debut album to be released.

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  10. Lol, I liked it before Seren posted the link of the other song. I just don't think it is coincidental that they sound so similar.

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  11. I honestly dont hear much of a similarity aside from the "catch". '_' Maybe I just need to listen to both a few more times.

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  12. Her vocal style, at some parts of the song, is too similar to Mariah tbh. However, there were some parts that didn't have the MC vibe and those were the best ones.

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  13. Still sounds like A Mariah knockoff to me. I remain unimpressed.

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  14. Ricky Yong Chin Yuan23 July 2013 at 06:10

    Like it... That's all I'm gonna say. Everyone has already said what's supposed to be said.

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  15. like you said the intonation is annoying - very very annoying to me

    but other than that i really think shes a very talented singer

    and although mariah comparisons are going to haunt her i think she could still make a name for herself if she tries something to distance herself from mariah's shadow

    the song though is nowhere near as good or as catchy as "the way"



    i wouldnt count her out just yet but this song is a step backwards IMO
    the way was way better

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  16. I really don't hear Mariah in this at all! I'm surprised so many of you do- even the high note sounds more Christina than Carey to me. The "secret Love" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzbJug0C3hs] comparison I especially don't get. The song does however sound like something else, but I can't put my finger on it yet....

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  17. The song is a little bland but her vocals are sooo smoooooth. She used to annoy me with her facial expressions but seriously she's good :P

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  18. She's a good singer no doubt. She just very much lacks a musical identity of her own.

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  19. This actually is the first time i really heard Mariah from her. this song is ripped off of many songs from Mimi or even Christina. Girl get some originality!

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  20. I don't know why but I cannot take to Ariana, partly because I don't feel the music is doing her any kind of justice. For someone as young and talented as she is I just feel she should be doing something more modern and a little more carefree. I could be the only one to hold this opinion though...

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  21. *cough*secretlove*cough*

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  22. Oh please, this girl wishes.

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  23. IKR I mean, what is she singing?

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  24. Looks like she didn't copy Mariahs clarity.

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  25. Catherine Shumaker26 July 2013 at 07:32

    I figured out why this song annoys me in a way!!! The song was also co-written by singer Ashanti, which is why "Oh, baby" is repeated all throughout the songs. Ugh!!! This annoys me...

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  26. All I'm going to say is, she probably grew up listening to Mariah and Christina, therefore her music sounds a bit similar. Personally I wouldn't compare her to Mariah because they are in to extremely different leagues. The girl is very good and the sooner you stop trying to compare her to everybody the sooner you will see the artist she is.

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  27. The sooner she stops imitating Mariah Carey, the sooner the comparing will stop.
    Kelly Clarkson grew up listening to Mariah, yet she never sounded like she imitated Mariah. hell, not even when she was singing Mariah song on AI did she sound as much as if imitating as Ariana does on every song I heard her sing.

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  28. I agree with DD, this is very little Mariah-esque (though the smooth runs at 2:03 and towards the end reminded me of her) her voice did remind me of someone a little on certain parts though Beyonce possibly. I think she is stuck in a hard position due to her range, vocal type, and genre but hopefully she finds the way. Nevertheless I am a new fan of her voice, I just hope she never say baby again!

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  29. Yes, this one sounds much less like a Mariah-infused song, but I just can't seem to warm up to her voice like some have already. It's even more tuneless (or 'less catchy', as Diva put it) than The Way, IMO, especially with the incessant 'Oh baby' repeated over and over again! I can't listen to it more than 10 seconds at a time! lol

    I can definitely feel the Beyonce vibe here as well; the run from 1:20 to 1:21 reminded me especially of her vocal styling and timbre.

    Not sure if I'll ever be a fan if she continues churning out the same kind of RnB tunes, but she's still very new as an artist so I hope she'll experiment more with her 'art'.

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  30. OK, after listening to the entire song...(first time I just couldn't deal..), I have to say her belting is lackluster. I hear nothing but tight jaw. I'm no where near a soprano and at the top of my chest I can remain crystal clear. I think her issue is that she tries to be too free in the throat but tries to contort her jaw so that the sound comes out in her preferred way. But it sounds slurred which suggests to me she is not using correct jaw recoil. I mean seriously, open your mouth child and relax up there...Project a bit... What is it? Is it an attempt to sound more weighty, more full? On these lighter lyric voices with a slightly dark color over all (her upper belts are extremely bright and sharp) Should maintain a certain level of clarity. I mean that should be the general rule of thumb. It is cute in her other registers but in her belting register, just no... I can't even take her belting serious now...

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  31. thedigblackbick29 July 2013 at 15:22

    The song is catchy, I agree - her background beats seem to be the best part of the song.


    There's just something missing...Idk what, but it feels empty. Anyone else know what I mean? Hopefully I'm not talking gibberish.

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  32. Sounds like Mariah's "Fantasy" & "Secret Love" meets Justin Bieber's "Baby"

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  33. Yay.I thought I was going crazy when I typed Beyonce but I don't understand how so many feel Mariah in this song. The song is less catchy than The Way especially with her repeating baby, but I love it because she has taking a step away from the Songbird Supreme shadow and delivered solid vocals. I too hope she experiments more, but I kinda like 90's themed music so I am complacent.

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  34. thedigblackbick31 July 2013 at 01:38

    Remember guys, many artists "imitated other artists".

    Example; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIYG8QT8CNQ



    The thing is, though, in the example, Demi found out what kind of artist she is and what her genre should be. Ariana is still searching.

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  35. Oh Robin, you ever took any part of her seriously?

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  36. I took her seriously on Victorious before they made her character dumb as hell.

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  37. Wow Demi almost copied the whole song style from Christina thank you for sharing this

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  38. There is no doubt that she has an amazing voice but she just sounds soooo much like Mariah, Christina, or Whitney.

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  39. thedigblackbick5 August 2013 at 15:43

    LOL I thought I was the only that noticed that...she's so shallow minded on shows now

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  40. Mariah I can understand, Christina and Whitney are two different ball parks.

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  41. It depends listen to her singing give it up on victorious among other performances and tell me it doesn't scream Christina with her melismas. And something about her belts are a little whitney to me however much less than the other two especially Mariah listen to her cover of Whitney Houston's I believe in you and me.

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  42. Here's the links to both: Give it up: /watch?v=64DGo_hVuCM and I believe in you and me: /watch?v=G-ud5wQeOCk

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  43. Give it up DID sound like Christina. Her covers just lack originality..I hope she finds her place soon before her next album because I would hate a voice like that to go to waste :/

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  44. Yes I agree and me too she's got such an amazing voice she just needs time to come into her own:-)

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  45. I agree Opie she truly needs to figure out what her sound is before it's too late because at this point it's not even influenced is almost imitating.

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  46. I think she has a great voice and her songs are catchy, but she has little to no passion for the actual lyrics she sings.

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  47. I agree I don't hear Mariah... The same sound and music style is def similar and people assume "mariah knockoff", but her voice is different in many ways if you compare all of the tones, timbres, and even the mixing are all miles different.


    Mariah has an airer quality to her voice, and her mixing and belts tend to be a lil bit raspier and is held in the throat for a few seconds before pushing it trough her diaphragm and Ariana actually has a piercing quality to her voice. Mariah tend to also have rounder vocals at times than Ariana. Phrasing is different, Whistle is different, I mean I can name all these differences but people already have their minds made up that she's trying to be Mariah, people said Mariah was trying to be Mini Ripperton before, So We will see as time goes by how big she will get. She has a lot, I mean a lot of potential...

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  48. Not a bad song but too Mariah Carey for my liking. Still, this song showcases her whistles and her talent for singing.

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