Because music is generally more accessible than literature, critics tend to be less forgiving and more finicky with artists who put out an album. They are ready to pounce at every opportune moment, poised to pick on every nitty gritty detail such as contrived lyrics or cheesy chord progressions.
But Kelly Clarkson is the kind that breaks all rules. She perfectly fits the image of a bubblegum pop star while coming off as totally out-of-the-box. She can belt out a ballad in the tradition of Celine Dion but at the same time beat the dickens out of rousing anthems like “Home” and “Hear Me”. In interviews, she’s usually her bubbly self, putting on the aw-shucks face that earned her the distinction of being America’s Sweetheart, but there would be moments when she would transition to someone else, as if in a trance, and say something really insightful about music. For instance, when describing Melissa Etheridge’s voice, she said that it’s the kind of voice that “has really lived.”
Whoever said that Kelly Clarkson is a case study couldn’t have been more precise. Here is someone who stayed strong in the business despite the fickle nature of pop music. How did she manage to weave longevity and a valid career out of her Idol background? (more…)
When Scott MacIntyre sang Michael Jackson’s “Keep the Faith” during the top 13 round of American Idol, he earned negative remarks from Simon who said he should have chosen a more popular, mainstream tune off of MJ’s catalog. Scott tried to defend his stance, saying that he wanted to be more “artistic” to which Simon blurted out a not-so-subtle condemnation of artistry on the show.
“It’s fine to be artistic,” Simon said, “Just not on this show.” This single, smug statement, however valid, perfectly defines why music in the past 5 years or so has been racing downhill. Kudos to Scott, although his performance is hardly something that would qualify for a more in-depth categorization of the word “artistic,” he managed to elicit a response from Simon that would explain the show’s premise since its inception. (more…)
American Idol starts another season and I have yet to see an episode. However, I did catch the last few minutes from this week’s show as they were showing a recap of all the performances.
Although it didn’t get a big wow from Randy Jackson and Simon called her “Forgettable”, I was diggin’ Jesse Langseth’s performance of “Betty Davis Eyes”, a song that I really, really like.
I don’t know what it is about Jesse’s voice that I like. It’s raw. It’s different.
Exciting news for American Idol fans… Kara DioGuardi will join the judging panel when the eighth season of the wildly popular singing contest begins. Definitely a smart move by the producers as it brings a new dynamic and adds “freshness” to the show.
Kara DioGuardi has a very impressive resume and certainly has the credentials to be a judge. She’s written songs for Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, Pussycat Dolls, Tom Jones, and Hannah Montana, just to name a few. The list of artists she’s written for and collaborated with is just way too long to list!
It’s amazing how a song can spur up so many long-forgotten memories…I was in a restaurant last night having dinner and the background music consisted of melodies from the 80’s – a time when my family and I did quite a bit of traveling, especially summer camping trips. As they say, “It was the good ole days…”
It’s interesting to me how songs can carry with them so many stories. Of course, the singer singing the song has a story to share, but all the people that a particular song reached also have a story that coincides with that song. In essence, there’s a great deal of sentiment and emotion related to songs. For one person, hearing a certain song brings memories of love while that same song could mean heartache for another. For me, music has a way of bringing out these feelings of nostalgia that photographs can’t do.
Last night David Cook sang “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran. I suddenly felt this wave of giddy-like excitement wash over me as if I was a teenager watching Duran Duran performing on TV again. Here’s the video from David Cook’s performance…
That’s the advice Neil Diamond gave to the last five contestants of American Idol as they awaited their fate during tonight’s show.
I think I still have yet to meet any artist who doesn’t have a passion for their craft. It’s something about art or creating music that conjures up feelings of bliss. Unless you let your ego listen to naysayers, you continue to produce pieces that come from the heart and soul. You keep creating music because you love it – no matter if you’re paid or not.
And that, my friends, is the secret to longevity in the music business!
Many of us use music as a way of expressing ourselves while others use music as a therapeutic tool to heal the soul. I know I feel my spirit soar when I sing a song I feel emotionally connected to!
Then there are others who use music as a platform to give back. Simon Cowell, the producer of American Idol, has used the power that the show has had to do good by putting on the “Idol Gives Back” special every year. It’s a show full of guest performances by some of the hottest names in the industry – all coming together to bring awareness to the people who are less fortunate than us.
I had no idea who was going to be performing, so I was pleasantly surprised to see Gloria Estefan with Sheila E! My favorite performance of the night was by Mariah Carey who’ve I’ve admired ever since her career started.
Let’s rewind a little to last night when Idol contestants sang inspirational songs. I’ve been teetering between David Cooke and David Archuleta as the winner, but regardless I think all of them will go far in the business.
Because music is generally more accessible than literature, critics tend to be less forgiving and more finicky with artists who put out an album. They are ready to pounce at every opportune moment, poised to pick on every nitty gritty detail such as contrived lyrics or cheesy chord progressions. 
Exciting news for American Idol fans… 
“If you love it, don’t stop ever, ever, ever….”
