Review: Nicki Minaj feat Rihanna "Fly"

 

New single, Fly, finds rapper Nicki Minaj showcasing a softer, more personal side, chronicling her own life's struggles and triumphs. The track also features Barbadian singer Rihanna, who offers up her vocals on a chorus that lyrically seeks to give the song a more inclusive feel than the verses by remaining general and broad with its imagery and empowering message. Its a combination that works well;  allowing the song to be both personal to Minaj while also being universally accessible to anyone listening.

Vanessa Hudgens- Vocal Profile/ Range

Vanessa Hudgens

Vocal Type: Mezzo-Soprano
Vocal Range: 2 Octaves 4 notes and a semitone F3-C#6
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: Lower part of the range is where the voice sounds healthiest, with it being fuller and more substantial than any other part.
Vocal Negatives: Thin, slightly nasal quality runs throughout the range and becomes more noticeable as it extends into the chest voice.

Live Review: Demi Lovato sings "Skyscraper" live on America's Got Talent

Now in all honestly I have no real idea who Demmi Lovato is. Other than knowing she's popular with the kids/tweens of the world and that I did a vocal profile on her a while back- that didn't really leave any lasting impression (see here)- she's not someone who I've ever had much cause to come into contact with. Well that all changed after she popped up on America's Got Talent to perform new single, and Broken Strings slight sound alike, Skyscraper. Not only did Demi Lovato give a confident and assured performance, but she brought a solid vocal too, with the G5 at 3.14 and sustained D5 at 3.30 totally taking me by surprise.

I won't be running out to devour her back catalougue any time soon, but this performance, and the song itself,  has certainly made me re-evaluate Ms Lovato and her place in the music world.

Eva Cassidy- Vocal Profile/ Range

Eva Cassidy

Vocal Type: Soprano
Vocal Range: 3 Octaves 3 notes B2-E6
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: Incredible control, and technique, means all parts of her range sound healthy and effortlessly accessed. Her chest voice is piercing and robust, with a slight smokiness to it that gives way to a clarity as it ascends. The head voice is large with it extending up to E6, which is usually whistle note territory.
Vocal Negatives: Suggestions?.

Sound alike: David Guetta feat Jennifer Hudson "Night of my Life" and Rihanna "Only Girl (In the World)"

Club track producer of the moment David Guetta isn't the most original guy in the world. In fact you can often quite easily identify what classic he's pillaged to create a particular song. Usually, I'm willing to ignore these indiscretions because of the sole, shallow fact that his songs are catchy and make me want to dance like a fool. With this in mind you can imagine my excitement when I heard he'd teamed up with Ms Power-Pipes herself, Jennifer Hudson, on song called Night of your life.

Lauryn Hill- Vocal Profile/ Range

Lauryn Hill

Vocal Type: Contralto
Vocal Range: 2 Octaves 7 notes and a semitone Bb2-A5
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: Smooth, dark low notes and clear, bright chest voice, with great dexterity and control that allows for complex melisma that can span the different parts of the voice.
Vocal Negatives: The voice has become coarser and the chest voice has been reduced in scale in recent years.

Duelling Divas: "Over the Rainbow" Which Diva sang it best?

It's hard to believe that Over the Rainbow, the song that came to be the signature tune for the classic musical that was the Wizard of Oz, was almost omitted from the film after the chief executive at MGM and the film producer felt that it "slowed down the picture". Luckily the song was reinstated and went on to win the hearts of audiences from the moment it was released, eventually being voted the song of the 20th Century.

Judy Garland, at the age of 16, was the original vocalist of Over the Rainbow. Her sweet, rounded, thick contralto voice, with its perfect phrasing and strict adherence to the melody gave the world a master class in effective singing, belying her youthful years. Until this day her rendition has never been matched for its purity or ability to communicate the innocent, almost naive, sentiments of desire and hope the lyrics speak on.