[Vocal Profile] Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson

Vocal Type: Light-Lyric Soprano
Whistle Register:No
Vocal Range: C3-D6 (3 Octaves 1 Note )
Vocal Pluses: Janet Jackson is a Diva who knows her instrument, working its strengths and weaknesses to best effect. The voice has an overarching sweet and warm timbre that carries throughout the range, which works beautifully to create layered harmonies [Discipline/ What's It Gonna Be].

The lower-range isn't often used by Janet, being mostly weaved into harmonies[Take Care]. When she does showcase it, it sounds to be comfortable, dark and surprisingly solid [Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)].

The mid-range is where Janet's voice begins to shine, and is where she finds herself most comfortable. Here Janet shows her versatility, being able to play with texture and weight to create contrasting tones. Most often used is a soft, breathy and warm colouring [Rock With You], but she she can also solidify the sound, adding attitude and character to her delivery [Black Cat]. Both styles can be heard used brilliantly in tandem in domestic abuse song What About.

[Vocal Profile] Aaliyah

Aaliyah

Vocal Type: Light Lyric Soprano
Vocal Range:G2-E6 (3 Octaves 5 Note ) ( E3-G5)
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: This Diva possessed a remarkably smooth and seductive tone that carried through much of the range. Never considered a "powerhouse" vocalist, the strength in this voice lay in the texture, phrasing and canny use of the different registers to impress. [Listen as she creates drama in I Refuse without falling back on the cliches of power or increased dynamics to do so.]

Aaliyah possessed a solid lower range that was dark and warm. Slightly smokey, the voice was always well supported here, resulting in a sound that was clear, strong and free from the fogginess many Diva's suffer at the bottom of their voice [Death of A Playa].

Watch the Anita Baker Tribute Medley at the 2010 Soul Train Awards

Tamia at the Soul Train
awards

THE 2010 Soul Train awards took place on the weekend and I had to post this video of a tribute to Anita Baker sung by a group of amazingly talented divas. The full list of divas who performed in the medleyand the time they entered the stage were:
-Chrisette Michele (0.00)
-Tamia (1.23)
-Faith Evans (3.36)
-Rachelle ferrel (5.30)
-Lalah Hathaway (7.25)
-Goapele  (9.20)
-Dionne Farris (9.20)

Currently Listening to: Keri Hilson "Turn my Swag on" Remix

Cher Lloyd Performs
"Turn my swagger on"

Cher Lloyd is the 17 year old X-Factor hopeful (see left) that brought to the United Kingdoms' -and I'm embarrassed to say that includes mine too- attention the club banger that is Keri Hilsons' remix  of "Turn My Swagger on".

The performance is one of my stand outs from the current series of the X-factor and its partially due to the massive transformation that occurred in Cher within the space of  a few seconds. When she first came out onto the stage she seemed nervous, afraid and overwhelmed by the whole thing but as soon as the music started her whole demeanour changed and suddenly she was a feisty, confident, and commanding performer. Watch the performance below

Below is  the Keri Hilson original and the Cher Loyds performance. What do you think about it?

 

Keri Hilson - Turn my swag on REMIX

Watch the video for Mariah Carey & Patricia Carey - Oh Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus

Mariah Carey and her mother Patricia
Carey perform "Oh Come all ye Faithful"

The video for one of my favourite cuts from Mariah Careys' Merry Christmas ii You album, "Oh come All ye Faithful" has just been released. The video features both Carey and her mother, Patricia, singing the medley in a Christmassy studio environment.

Watch and read the review of Keri Hilson ‘The Way You Love Me (ft. Rick Ross)

>

Kerri Hilson gets practically
nude in the video of "The way
you love me". 

So what do you do when your last album didn't live up to industry expectations. You do what Keri Hilson has done with her new single "The way You love me" off her upcoming second album  and switch to sex to sell your music.

The song:
Don't let the title of the song fool you; this is not a love song or  a ballad. Its an up-tempo track about sex that is neither subtle or poetic about it. In fact I'm surprised they went with such a tame title considering the lyrical content being so crude and the obvious desire to shock with this release.

Warning to anyone listening with kids about: DON'T! This song has repeated swears in the chorus!The whole thing is all just TMI (too much information).

The video:
The video looks like its had a lot of money thrown at it and features a lot of suggestive dancing and semi clothed ladies.To "cleverly" try and disguise it from being being a desperate attempt to sell music using ones body, they've thrown in a thin plot about Kerri and a group of femme fatales-including Faith Evans(?!) - successfully carrying out a heist for a group of  male gangsters who doubted their ability. In fact if you concentrate REAL hard you can see that its not actually a load of smut, but an advert for feminism and female empowerment...(!)

Unfortunately for all there is more to come because the video ends with the joyous line"to be continued.". Yikes

Summary: "The way you Love me" and it's video were undoubtedly chosen to wake the world up to Kerri Hilson again, and it succeeds for the duration of its playtime. However, once you get over the lyrics and the seedy video , the song, at its core, is ultimately bad and forgettable.

Comment as to what you think of the video/song/review/Kerri Hilson/ at the bottom of the post or by clicking here.

Keri Hilson and Rick Ross together in her new video "The Way you Love me"

[Vocal Profile] Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole Scherzinger

Vocal Type: Lyric Soprano
Whistle Register:Yes
Vocal Range: D3-G#6 (3 Octaves 2 Note and a semi tone)
Vocal Pluses: A trained singer, this Diva is comfortable singing in a variety of styles [Jazz: Feeling Good/ Theater: Phantom Of The Opera / Classical: Io Ti Penso Amore ] Along with control and power, Nicole is able to sing complex melisma throughout her range, expertly alter the dynamics of her voice mid-phrase and, thanks to excellent breath control, hold notes effortlessly [all demoed  here].

This Diva's mid-range is versatile and can be manipulated to add character and emotional colouring to a vocal. For instance: Nicole gives her delivery attitude and aggression and an icy, slightly gritty tone in Poison; while softening, aerating and warming her tone in Happily Never After. Whatever choices she takes with her mid-range, the character of Nicole's voice is retained making a song easily attributable.

Present is a flexible and elastic belt that is expertly controlled. The lower half is dark and rich [Right Now] with a suitable volume to it. As it climbs the fifth octave the voice takes on a nasal placement causing it to thin and and take on a metallic timbre. It's due to this shift that Nicole is able to impressively hit, and hold, upper fifth octave notes (even with with a measured vibrato) [Club Banger Nation]. It should be noted that Nicole can add a rock edge to her belts by "pulling up" her chest voice [Run Live].

Nicole's head voice has a dual aspect to it. In a contemporary setting the Diva is able to produce a soft and sweet head-voice that can be harmonized and remains unobtrusive to a song's backing [Heartbeat]. However, it can be made to sound impressively resonant with a theatrical quality to it. In this styling her tone is full, warm and measured, and the Diva is able to add a controlled vibrato, play with volume and crescendo beautifully [Io Ti Penso Amore ].

Vocal Negatives: Belted notes can sometimes sound harsh and more akin to shouting due to improper placement of the voice, especially when it forgoes vibrato.