Sara did it y'all. She delivered easily one of the best vocals of the year.
Sara seemed to be struggling with her upper register the past year, not getting the raw power on the high notes on Brave live like she did in studio. Those were D5's. In this performance she delivered flawlessly executed Db5's, incredibly vibratory Eb5's and two full voice F5's. And, unlike Sia, she did it without cracking like a pane of glass being shot by a missile. Sara is on track to become an unstoppable vocal monster. Keep up the good work Sara.
As Kiesza begins her ascent up the Billboard charts, Kiesza gave her all on Letterman last night. Working the stage probably more than anyone before her, Kiesza delievered a rousing performance that left Letterman himself ecstatic.
Giving a throwback to the New York shot video, Kiesza enlisted the help of several dancers and a fire hydrant to help her with this performance. The one shot video now has a cousin in a one shot performance. Doing a pretty rigorous dance routine, Kiesza managed to keep her breaths steady - and though there were a couple flat notes - she kept her energy level up until the very end.
The 90's throwback anthem Hideaway hit No.1 in the UK earlier this year, but Kiesza and her label are now pushing the song in the states. If Hideaway continues to perform on it's current track, we could be seeing a lot more of this song.
Overall Grade: A-
A note to my readers: I know the blog has been running really slow lately, I apologize. I'm still reading all of your comments and keeping this blog running! I'll be trying to post more!
Vocal Rating: B Recommended Listenings: Pretty Young Thing (PYT), Nobody Love, Thinking of You
Positives: Incredible melismatic prowess, being able to ascend and descend into any area of her voice with ease. Her runs have a pearl like clarity, with each note clearly defined. The lower register maintains clarity down to D3, with C#3's being noticeably less resonant (regardless, her ability to even hit a C#3 is something to be proud of). The midrange is bright and piercing, with no strain present, allowing her to hold notes for extended periods without fatigue. Her mid-upper belts maintain a piercing quality to a lesser degree. The head voice is soft and sweet, as is her whistle register. A quick, jaw free vibrato covers her voice outside of her lower register. Overall a unique instrument with excellent musicianship and decent technique.
Negatives: She utilizes her melismas very often, which can be irritable to some. Kelly also tends to close off her throat past Eb5, causing some belts to sound choked and thin. This seems to have improved recently (see the bridge of Nobody Love).
It's been 5 years since La Roux came out with their eponymous debut album. Now, Let Me Down Gently has graced the internet, with a digital release of May 13th. Did La Roux make a real comeback, or is it a bit underwhelming?
First off, this is no Bulletproof. It's no In For the Kill. It's not the typical dance-pop that we saw on their debut. This is much more tame in terms of tempo. The duo has adopted some drums to accompany some of lead singer Elly Jackson's less piercing vocal performances. The song starts out very dry and dare I say boring; there's an excruciating period where you wait for some monumental synths to take you away. When the synths come in, it's just enough to be satisfying, but you're also left wanting a tad more.
If this is the lead single and representative of what the album as a whole sounds like, one can expect to have some less radio friendly smashes to fill the albums track list. There does seem to be some growth here in terms of artistry however, they don't seem afraid to embrace a somewhat more minimalistic sound approach. If you're a Top 40 devotee, then this song and probably the album won't be of your taste. But if you're willing to take a breather from songs like Timber or Drunk in Love, then this might be your fit.
In honor of the Pop-Rock queens birthday earlier this week, it only seems fitting to put together her Top 5 most beautiful and epic performances, live and in studio. Buckle your seat belts and grab some tissues, it's going to be a wild ride.
5. Because of You
You probably expected this to be No.1 right? Though it's Kelly's biggest hit WW and one of her few smash ballads, Because of You isn't her best. But that doesn't mean it's not beautiful. Though the lyrics could be viewed as cliché, the fact that the song captures Clarkson's most pure and unfiltered thoughts from when she was 15 and going through her parents divorce makes the track even more potent. She's not screaming for attention, she's wailing for things to change. It's raw and very real, making her all the more relatable.
4. I Know You Won't
Originally a Carrie Underwood track, Kelly made sure no one could come within 100 miles of touching her impeccable cover. The growls, the falsetto, the belts make her sound convincingly angry, desperate and sad all at once. With her final "You won't" at the songs closing, Kelly has convinced herself and her audience that she knows things won't change, no matter how hard she tries. It's baffling how personal she gets to the song, when she didn't pen a single word to it. That's a true artist and singer right there.
3. If No One Will Listen
Another cover, Kelly took Keri Noble's If No One Will Listen to extraordinary heights. She's never sang the song live, and has rarely acknowledged its existence, which is such a shame because her cover is nothing short of a masterpiece. Her voice quivers through exhausted breaths in the bridge, before taking the final chorus to a magisterial height. Kelly drives her passion into her audience's gut, making sure that everyone feels as devastated and protective as she does.
2. My Country Tis' of Thee
After Beyoncé and the President of the United States took the stage before her, how was Kelly supposed to one up her predecessors? By delivering the greatest version of My Country Tis' of Thee the world has ever seen, no hyperbole. Seriously, her soprano chops blasted high E's throughout the National Mall and television sets across the world, giving the United States one of it's most crowning and regal moments of patriotism ever. It's such a shame that from this day everyone only remembers Beyoncé's lip-synching scandal over someone who sang live and killed it.
1. Sober
If you ask any hardcore Kelly Clarkson fan what their favorite song from her is, they'll probably say Sober, and for good reason. It's one of Kelly's lyrical highs from her entire career, and a vocal one as well. I don't have to say much because one listen to the track will allow it to speak for itself, but let me just say: Holy **** that bridge!
