The Voice Battle Performances: Week 2

Tonight I had the pleasure of really dissecting the second week of The Voice's Battle Performances. Singers from each team competed against each other to prove that they were worthy enough to stay. They were given the opportunity to be mentored by some of the music industry's greatest talents, such as Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, Babyface, Ne-Yo, Jewel, Alanis Morisette, Robin Thicke and Lionel Richie. Two singers from each team were chosen by their respective coaches to prepare a song and "battle" against each other.

As I watched each singer get coached and perform their songs, I realized that I agreed with 2/3 of the decisions that were made by the coaches. This is how it all went down:

Battle #1: Geoff McBride vs Sera Hill from Team Christina sing "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin

Overall, Sera and Geoff are both stellar vocalists. Sera lacked the control and support that Geoff consistently delivered. Geoff overcame the range and style choice of the song and showcased great versatility. However, Sera's style fit this song like a glove; she was able to shine her excellent r&b chops and rifftastic abilities.

• My choice: Geoff- because of overall consistency, ability and power
• Christina's Choice: Sera - because of her marketability and vocal style

Battle #2: Lex Land vs Charlotte Sometimes from Team Blake perform"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People

Both singers have excellent unique vocal qualities and textures in their voices. They possess a naturally indie kind of sound. Charlotte's voice was slightly affected, in my opinion, with elements of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. However, her stage presence was really strong. Lex has an unbelievable tone to her lower register; its breathy, sexy and undeniably special. Overall, I felt both singers are on the lower end of talent throughout the entire competition.

• My choice:  Charlotte - because of her level of vocal control and confidence
• Blake's Choice: Charlotte - because of her presence and versatility

Battle #3: Sarah Golden vs Juliet Simms from Team Cee Lo sing "Stay With Me" by Rod Stewart

In this battle round, there was a clear and obvious winner for me. Sarah has a solid acoustic folk singer vibe and really did a great job stretching out of her comfort zone during her performance. Juliet however has an impressive combo of beauty and ugliness in her voice. She can croon and she can growl. Unlike Sarah who is an excellent underground Ani DiFranco type, Juliet is already packaged and ready to go.

• My Choice: Juliet - solid and natural
• Cee-Lo: Juliet - marketability and vocal versatility

Battle #4: Kim Yarbrough vs Whitney Myer from Team Adam sing "No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige

This was a tough battle round because both singers were so strong and so talented. Kim's vocal performance was naturally more intense and showcased more soul, richness and depth. Her years of experience propelled the song's believability. Whitney's voice was solid, unique and demonstrated great potential and range. I was so impressed by her ability to push the envelope in such a short amount of time.

• My Choice: Whitney- her potential, style and ability to grow
• Adam's Choice: Kim- her maturity and extremely high level of talent

Battle #5: Lee Koch vs Lindsey Pavao from Team Christina sing "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana

This was quite possibly the most boring performance of the night. Both singers exposed pitch problems and nervous energy. Lee grew very nicely and opened his voice as the song progressed. Lindsey showed off her lovely seamless connection between registers and chose beautiful alternate melodies. 

• My Choice: Lindsey- most believable and least boring
• Christina's Choice: Lindsey- her unique style and vocal ability

Battle #6: Jamar Rogers vs Jamie Lono sing "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner

This song showcased an obvious superstar...Jamar. His opening phrase captured me more than anyone else did the entire night. They both blended really well and created a beautiful harmony. Jamie pushed the limits of his vocal abilities and failed to deliver the song as necessary; his style is adorable and slightly kitschy. Jamar was simply believable and visceral. I loved his sustained notes.. they simply soared.

• My Choice: Jamar- for being raw and passionate
• CeeLo's Choice: Jamar- power and emotional delivery

If we were to learn anything from tonight's battle round performances, its that power will only get you so far. As singers, we must be able to emotionally connect through our songs to convey a captivating message and tell a story. Getting out of our heads and tapping into our hearts is the key to enticing those who are listening to us. 

Don't be afraid to be vulnerable!

Looking forward to next week's episode!

Disney's American Idol Experience

If you are ever curious as to how one would be able to audition for The American Idol Experience and be a part of this great attraction, here is a cool video that explains the process:



Hope you can come visit one day! =)

American Idol Season 11 - Goodbye Jeremy Rosado

Last night was the first elimination round of American Idol Season 11's Top 13 Finalists. Each singer was given critiques of their performances from the night before and special guest performances were made by mentor Mary J. Blige and last year's runner-up Lauren Alaina. The results were somewhat predictable as both the boy and the girl with the lowest number of votes were Elise Testone and Jeremy Rosado. The judges had to decide which singer was going to be the first finalist to go home.

It was a difficult decision but America said goodbye to Jeremy Rosado for the last time. The results were announced by J.Lo who had saved Jeremy the week before.

I knew Jeremy was in trouble. Despite his strong vocal chops, his last performance failed to stand out among this season's strong talent. The competition is the most difficult it has ever been.

This boy is very talented and I believe great things are headed his way! Jeremy, you will be missed!

American Idol Season 11: Top 13 Finalists Compete

Last night we watched American Idol Season 11's Top 13 Finalists compete against each other. The girls paid tribute to Whitney Houston and the boys rocked out to Stevie Wonder. Special guests were Jimmy and Mary J. Blige. With the exception of a couple performances, the shows were solid. Here's my take on each performance:

1- Joshua Ledet - It's never easy being the first performance of the night, but he killed it with a wonderfully styled and controlled "I Wish." His time feel was spot on---passionately delivering every phrase right in the pocket. Great job over all!

2- Elise Testone - I've never been crazy about her and this performance only justified that. Her voice is thick, soulful and passionate. However, her rendition of "I'm Your Baby Tonight" was literally rough sounding. There was no holding back, no emotional connection and no finesse. Her voice is amazing but she lacked the tenderness that you need when you are singing a love song. 

3- Jermaine Jones - This dude has an amazing velvety chocolatey tone quality to his voice. However, his rendition of "Knocks Me Off My Feet" was simply boring. He was a little pitchy during some of the runs in the middle of the song and he failed to capture me during his moment. 

4- Erika Van Pelt - Her vocals captured me the second she began "I Believe In You In Me." Sultry alto vocals led up to a beautiful mix in the middle register. She eloquently build up to the chorus with finesse. Her performance is a perfect example of how to balance power and grace. Solid, Solid Solid. 

5- Colton Dixon - This boy is starting to grow on me. He has such a true rocker sound. He did an amazing job recreating "Lately." His performance was genuine, unique and absolutely on point. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to hearing more from this kid.

6- Shannon Magrane - Poor girl. She might be going home this week. Her rendition of "I Have Nothing" was shakey all around. Pitch problems and lack of control basically swallowed her. This 16-year-old has great talent and potential but last night her nerves got the best of her and her song choice became bigger than her. 

7- DeAndre Brackensick - This kid is starting to grow on me. He is a naive talent with so much potential. His performance of "Master Blaster" showcased great personality and rhythmic prowess. It was refreshing to hear him sing more in his chest voice. He did very well.

8- Skylar Laine - This little pistol did a wonderful job adapting to this week's theme with her rendition of "Where Do Broken Hearts Go." Her voice is still young and needs time to develop but she has the makings of a star. Her vocal delivery and stage presence speak volumes for her age.

9- Heejun Han - Another beautiful voice that puts me to sleep.. but not in a good way. His version of "All In Love is Fair" was tender and vulnerable. He did a wonderful job conveying the emotion in the story of the song. However, he was a little pitchy and failed to capture me as well in his moment.

10- Hollie Cavanagh - This little girl is surprisingly solid and extremely polished. Such a powerful vocal on "All The Man That I Need." She has a great future ahead of her. I can see her having an amazing career in the contemporary Broadway circuit. I'm a fan.

11- Jeremy Rosado - I'm a huge fan of this guy's voice. He needs to be signed whether or not he wins this thing. His version of "Ribbon In The Sky" just needed a little bit more control--it was almost there. I am looking forward to hearing more from him. He's gonna need to rock out an uptempo soon. 

12- Jessica Sanchez - Flawless. This girl has been driving me crazy lately. I was a little afraid of her song choice, but her performance of "I Will Always Love You" was absolutely ridiculous. Her talent is truly a gift from God. Perfect from start to finish!

13- Phillip Phillips - He's very good to look at so I believe America will keep him in this competition, but honestly, he is not the best singer in this competition. I love his style but vocally, he pushed and screamed a little bit too much on "Superstition." I didn't love his performance last night.

So these are my thoughts on last night's performance. Tonight the results will be announced and the judges will need to decide who gets to stay between the lowest girl and lowest boy. I predict Elise, Shannon and Jermaine are in trouble. Judges will most likely choose a female to go home. What do you think?!

Invest in a Starter Mic: Shure SM58

If you are looking to invest in a microphone for performing and practicing, a great starter mic is Shure's SM58.  As a vocalist, it is very important to own a microphone for the following reasons:

1- It helps tremendously with your practicing. You can't really hear yourself when you sing acoustically. Vocal subtleties, nuances and textures can sometimes only be heard through amplification.
2- Its great not to have to rely on others when you are at a gig or rehearsal.
3- It makes your more professional.
4- It calls for better hygiene. I like to get personal with my mic, so sharing with others is kinda gross.
5- It'll make you a better vocalist by allowing you to experiment with different microphone techniques.
6- It is the closest thing you have to an instrument because it amplifies what you have inside-- your voice!
7- It is an investment! This particular microphone will last you a lifetime!

Now that I have given you my spiel, if you've never owned a microphone before, check out Shure's SM58. Its sturdy, industry-standard and gives you a nice clean sound. Its great for practicing, performing live, and I've actually even recorded with it. It has an isolated cardioid which means that it picks up your sound very clearly while eliminating unwanted background noise.

If you're thinking that you might want something cheap or feel like you may need to have something expensive, think again. If you want to be cheap, you'll end up buying something that won't last you and will need to be replaced. And if you want to spend a lot of money, use your money on a nice monitor/PA system. In terms of microphones, you've got everything you need here for about $90 depending on where you buy it. 

I tend to be a very technical singer... so I get nerdy. But I hope this helps!

Til next time Divas,

Katrina =)

Record Your Practicing!

Hello Divas!

I know its been a while since I've updated the blog--I'm so sorry! I have been busy wedding planning and getting things together as I embark on my many adventures!

Well, I wanted to let you all know that I will be singing this Friday, August 19th at Full Sail's new venue with jazz musician Johnny Holliday.

I also wanted to give you a quick tip when you are practicing.. RECORD YOURSELF! As I get ready for Friday's show, I record run through's of my songs and then play back and analyze the recordings. I write down parts that I can improve on and note parts that sound awesome! Its important to keep your performance spontaneous, but if you record your practice sessions, then you'll be able to gain a MUCH better idea of how you will sound like! What you hear while you are singing is not really an accurate representation! Only recordings can recreate what the audience will hear!

Hope this tip helps! I will be back soon. =)

Katrina

Diva of the Week: Adele

Adele has the voice. She can belt a song with intense power, emotion and character. She is this generation's rising diva simply because of her absolutely, incredible voice. Sometimes, you're just born with it.