Rocking Robyn

Did you see Robyn on SNL?

She was amazing, it was a tour-de-force.  Robyn did her thing on the show.  I have enjoyed Robyn's music for awhile now and have claimed that her voice is very special.  But now watching her perform it is clear why very vocals are so strong.

She is an emotive singer, she does not play around about being in the moment as she sings.  Okay, so her moves where like she was dancing in her living room or Napoleon Dynamite.  but, what ever the case it was thrilling, unique and all from the heart.

Like her music,  her performance was intoxicating.  Robyn is singing with feeling, she is singing with emotion and a sense that the music will set you free.  after all, isn't that why we listen to music.

If you don't have the essential latest effort from Robyn, run and get it.

Maroon 5

Maroon 5

Face it, I love Adam Levine. It's hard not too whether you are gay or straight. The dude is hot and he gets all the hottest women like Jagger. Funny that.

Also, a few weeks ago Maroon 5 was on SNL and they were great. Adam showed how well he could sing live. It's not every artist nowadays who can sing in a live venue.  Levine didn't have any signs that singing and breathing were a problem.  Even on the Victoria Secret Show, Maroon 5 were in great vocal shape.

Its great to see an artist breathing and singing and moving around, really entertaining the crowd and still sound not winded or off pitch.

if there is any indication why the band has kept going and kept moving forward, it is the talents of Adam Levine as his voice beautiful and has an ease about it that is not normal for most singers.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry- I love her, but she sing live not so much

Live performance is key to vocal authority. Does Katy Perry have the vocal authority to be both a great performer and singer?

Katy Perry is a force to be reckoned with.  As the music business is changing and sales are changing, Perry is crafting a success that is global and smart.  She stays under the radar by not being too controversial or too pop or too much of anything. She seems to be doing just enough.

She uses the media well without over saturation.  She just had 5 number ones from her last release, Teenage Dream.  Her videos and performances are so exciting and monumental. She is on the bark of becoming one the most influential artists in music.

Creativity and songwriting she has proven. however she has struggled on the live performance. The Victoria Secret show last year where she sang live was a great spectacles but lacked the vocal range of her recordings. At the debut of her album, Perry did a live concert on David Letterman.  Again, she could have used a few singing tips and work with a vocal coach to make sure she matched the record.

I have never seen a solid live performance from Katy.  I think she be served by voice lessons and vocal instruction.

When you listen to Perry on the radio or the computer, you are inclined to move, dance and sing along.  Her music is infectious and thoughtful because at it's core we can relate.  I just wish that emotion and skill were more evident in the live performance.

P.S. i just started following Katy Perry on twitter.  She is supercool.

Missing Shania Twain

Shania Twain is and was the best selling country music female star. She stormed onto the country music scene in the the late 90s and ushered country pop all around the world. She is a brilliant and gorgeous pop star but her depth as a singer songwriter is her true beauty. She has a once in a lifetime quality that makes her relevant today and tomorrow.

When you listen to her slow songs, you hear how to sing high and how to sing high notes.  She is just so smooth and sweet, it melts your heart. It's not just the singing with emotion, it's the feeling behind her voice.

She has a clever, naughty sex appeal in her voice that is both loving and sad.  You feel what she feels.  You are just as vulnerable, or just as in love.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SING WITH FEELING.

Songs like, Woman in Me, You're still the One, I'm Jealous, I Ain't Going Down are just a few examples of the singing with feeling that enters your soul and won't let go.

Her recent news in the headlines tells of her private journey that is sad and triumphant.  I hope there is so great music that will come from her past few tumultuous years.

I just looked up her fan page and was she is performing at Las Vegas this winter for the next two years.

I will be there Ms. Twain.

Chris Brown- dancer or singer

 

Chris Brown - dancer or singer

I have to say that I honestly enjoy Chris Brown. He's a fun kid that seems to have endless energy. In fact, the music is so contagious that I find myself giving everything he does a try.

But the question always remains is he a dancer or singer. I refuse to argue he might be both. Michael Jackson was both. But everyone else pales in comparison. So Brown is no different. He is either a dancer or a singer.

And judging by his live performances as a late, he is leaning to being a better dancer than singer.  He tends to record a lot of his live performances.  But I will say I was Chris Brown live is very good.  I was him on his first headline tour.  If i were to give a him a free singing tip I would suggest he continue the live spots he did in the first tour.

It was impressive and exciting to see a pop performer sing live.  If this tend does not continue, I am afraid Brown will never live up to his Michael Jackson wish.  He will simply be a a dancer.

Foster the People- My New Crush

Foster the People

I have a new band crush. And yes, they may end up as a fad. Normally, I would reject any notion of a fake pop indie band but this group is fun and delightful. Surprisingly I am moved by their latest effort and their singing with emotion.

On Saturday Night Live, Foster the People gave a noteworthy performance; their energy was electric. Their belief in the music made the audience more enthusiastic. There was singing with emotion and maracas playing and head bobbing that was infectious.


Their music is a mix of rock,alternative and dance/ euro electronica but they somehow make it more than just a odd blend of music.

After this performance my respect grew so I checked out YouTube and found several live performances. Foster the People is that unique band that is just fun to watch. My crush on this band is both because they are an attractive group but also they are so entertaining.  It's fun to have a musical crush every now and then.

This is definitely the band to watch. Check out their smash hit, Pumped Up Kicks.  I know this is not my normal singing with emotion type of artist, but emotional singing is not always slow music.

I just hope the crush on the music does not wear thin.  Til then I will enjoy the radio play and getting to know this band.
Thomas

DO NO PASS GO. GO STRAIGHT TO NINA SIMONE.

DO NOT PASS GO. GO STRAIGHT TO NINA SIMONE.

DJ Shuffle with my ITunes Library is sometimes on point. When he gets it right with my mood, i am surprised and delighted, and I am always in the mood for Nina Simone.  

And I have to tell you to run, leap, do whatever you have to to hear her voice.

Nina Simone is like a requirement for music listeners as they are of a certain level of development.  Like the converse tennis shoe is a staple for the male wardrobe, Nina is part of the fabric of your closet, the make of your identity.  And if like me you did not grow up listening to her the good news is she shows you how to sing and how to sing well in minutes.

When her anthology first was listed in GQ, I thought here's a descent album with maybe a few songs to help put me in the know.  I really thought i was sampling a wine that i might never acquire a taste for.  But I trusted the recommendation and played song after song. Singing with feeling does not even bring to  describe her methods.

Simone uses singing with feeling to charter new ground, she sings about black pride and revolution while delivering a soulful jazz that is unparalleled.

Simone is part of the American story, the landscape.  She is the ultimate musician singer songwriter.  And If you don't have her on your play list then you will never have DJ shuffle force you into singing with feeling and emotion.

DO NOT PASS GO. GO STRAIGHT TO NINA SIMONE.