Tag Archives: Music

Music Musings: Jaci Velásquez

If there’s one place that most people can be assured to experience music their week, that place is their house of worship.  Music traditions are as old as the churches, synagogues and mosques that practice them, if not older.  That’s why it’s no surprise that some of the best contemporary singers come from Contemporary Christian music.  This is definitely the case with Houston native and bi-lingual superstar Jaci Velásquez.

As the child of evangelical ministers, Velásquez literally grew up singing in the church.  By the time she had her first breakout hit at 16, she was already a more experienced singer than many young stars of a similar age.  The song that was that hit, On My Knees, is one that touched the hearts of millions.

Since then, Velásquez has gone on to win 7 Dove awards, Grammy nominations and various other accolades, fielding successful albums in both English and Spanish.  The emotional and dynamic range of her voice is what sets this singer apart, and has undoubtedly been a key ingredient to her worldwide fame in the Christian community.  Check out some of her songs below.

On My Knees

 

Un Lugar Celestial  (A Heavenly Place)

 

Llegar A Ti

Music Musings: Jessie J + Ariana Grande + Nicki Minaj– BANG BANG

In today’s music industry, it’s rare to find a talent like British singer-songwriter Jessie J. Her gifts lie in solid melodic composition, a wealth of pop music knowledge and versatility. She’s a well-known presence throughout the music industry, having written Miley Cyrus chart-topper Party in the USA, and other hits for artists like Chris Brown. But her greatest gift by far is a unique voice, which can only be closely described as the power of Patti Labelle combined with the agile melismatic skills of Whitney Houston. But even comparisons to those singers don’t quite fit Jessie J.

And fitting in, at least for marketing to US audiences, has been the issue. Of course she is not entirely without her successes in the United States.  Her song Domino reached Number 6 on the Billboard charts, and she had another significant worldwide hit with ‘Price Tag‘…  both of which came from her debut album Who You Are.  But due to a string of bad decisions by her management, most Americans know very little about her or her incredible talent.  While finding great success in countries like Brazil and her native UK, the artist has struggled to even have the chance of releasing music stateside.  In fact, the singer’s entire second album Alive has yet to be brought into the US market.

After a rocky road, Jessie J is giving US fans another go.  This week, her new co-single Bang Bang with fellow pop stars Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj was released worldwide, and was an immediate success.  Thus far, the song has already skyrocketed to Number 1 on US iTunes, as well as 20 other countries, cementing its status as a certified hit.

The tune is a fun romp into the world of pop collaboration (something surprisingly missing so far in 2014), and could be destined to become one of this decade’s “girl power” anthems.  All three ladies bring their best on this fiery track, but instead of being a vocal duel, the trio manages a fair level of cohesiveness.  Jessie J and Ariana Grande both have a great show of their respective vocal skills, while Nicki Minaj almost steals the show with her rapid fire rap. It’s a great song for the summer.

Besides the official record, Jessie J did a live acoustic version of Bang Bang. With just her and guitarist Lewie Allen Jessie J proves her worth as one of today’s best pop singers, navigating massive registration shifts with utmost precision and clarity. As Vibe magazine said when tweeting out the video, “she kills it.” Check out the track below.

Here is the record version with partners in crime Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj…

 

 

Music Musings: Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea “Problem”

Every so often, a singer comes along that forms an immediate, tangible connection with her or his fans.  They possess that unique combination of talent, dedication and relevance which allows them to become the voice of their generation.  For younger millennials  one of those voices seems destined to be Ariana Grande.

A native of Florida, the singer actually got her start in theater, landing a banner role on Broadway at the tender age of thirteen.  From there, she went to Nickelodeon, starring in hit shows Victorious and Sam and Kat.  Before belting a single professional note, Grande was on her way to becoming a pop phenom with a legion of fans.

But with a pop-friendly vocal tone and four octave range (particularly strong in the whistle register), music was never too far away.  Ariana has a very active YouTube channel, and posted several covers of songs by Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and other artists, sharing her voice with the world.  It all proved to be a great lead-in to her  debut album Yours Truly, which spawned the smash hit The Way.

Now, Grande is back with her Sophomore effort, and it’s lead single Problem featuring rapper Iggy Azalea. This is a catchy tune that proves a nice venue for Grande to show off a nice power range in her upper register, along with some other vocal skills. Though she’s often compared to Mariah Carey due to the strength of her whistle register, Problem further reveals the singer’s voice as a true soprano with a strong head voice.

But enough with the musician’s speak. Take a listen to Problem and see what you think…