Holly Stell

[HWI]

Hi someone,

Thanks for the update on Holly. The link originally given by Natasha no longer works so, I have corrected it in her original post to the new one.

I will also give it here for anyone who would like to take a look at the new site.

www.hollystell.com/hollystell.htm

keith.

[Natasha]

Congrats to Holly on her forthcoming album. Her website and new photos are really professional although I liked her cute "little girl" image better - like the ones on the old site but I guess everyone grows up, soooooooooooo sad, lol.

Looking forward to hearing some clips from the album which I hope will become available soon. Perhaps a forum or fan site as well....

Thanks for correcting that link, Uncel Keith!!

[kcuteus1]

on her website you can oder her cd.

[meagan]

Here are the songs on her new cd:

• 1. Hope
  
• 2. Forza Dentro Me
  
• 3. Return To Freedom
  
• 4. Gone
  
• 5. Go Where Love Goes
  
• 6. Perfect Shades of Blue
  
• 7. Anabelle Lee
  
• 8. O Mio Babbino Caro
  
• 9. End of Your Rainbow
  
• 10. Wings of a Dove
  
• 11. Where There Is Love
  
• 12. Jewel Song
  
• 13. Star To Guide You
  
• 14. Peace Again
  

[gareth]

Hi doggurl14,

That's a really nice touch in presenting the tracklisting. I thoroughly enjoyed that

Cheers,

Gerrit

[portia]

Jewel Song?

Oh god, they really do never learn.

[meagan]

portia said:

Jewel Song?

Oh god, they really do never learn.

What's wrong with Holly singing that song? I think that Charlotte sang it beautifully, and I can't wait to hear Holly sing it.

[Natasha]

Portia, as I said before we can't judge whether Holly is prepared to handle a song until we actually HEAR her sing it.

Lets try not to be negative before poor Holly even gets a listen, OK? If after you hear her sing it you still think she's to young for this song, well that's your opinion. At least give her the benefit of the doubt.

[glow=red,2,300]Natasha[/glow]

[roger]

Fair comment, Natasha. Thanks.

Roger

[fusilier23]

I agree, at least give the piece in her hands a chance. To do otherwise is slightly unfair.

[portia]

No, I've heard Holly's voice and I don't think she'll do a good job with Jewel Song. For the record, I thought Charlotte Church didn't do such a great job with it either. I've heard trained sopranos and coloraturas who don't do it well. I don't think Holly gives me much reason that she, at thirteen can surpass them. She might cut out lots of runs, and put it a key lower, but considering Jewel Song's popularity, it's just going to sound "off" to me. Why not pick better, simpler songs suited for a thirteen year old, is my burning question. Oh, but of course not, they have to somehow showcase her to be a "prodigy," which is a label I honestly think has been used far too lightly. These days, a prodigy seems, to me, anyone who's young and can do something with passable technique. Ok, rant over.

Who knows, maybe Holly will surprise me. Maybe my prediction is wrong. But all I'm saying is, with the current samples of her voice that I've come across, I'm pretty pessimistic about the way she will handle Jewel Song.

Feel free to disagree, but my opinion holds.

[fusilier23]

Portia, no offense, but do you really think your sarcasm and negativity is any help to anyone here? You're entitled to hold whatever opinion you wish about anything, but there are times when it might be preferable to keep that opinion under wraps.

In the end you may be right, Charl did a stripped-down version of the Jewel Song as well and I tended to pass that track over in the days when I still listened to her CDs, but to pre-judge an effort before you have even heard it is not fair to the performer, especially when you are also "in training."

You may also be right about the question of the "prodigy" label being used far too lightly and maybe to exploit young performers, but that's really a subject for a thread all its own.

American tenor Daniel Rodriguez once told me the old adage that if you don't have something nice to say it's better not to say anything at all.

[portia]

I didn't intend my sarcasm to help anyone. And no, I don't think this is a time to keep an opinion under wraps. The first statement, you can tell by the tone, is largely me doing internal eye rolling to myself. I say largely, because I know that on an internet forum, any statement you put out is subject to response. And I put that statement out knowing that it would generate a response. A response wasn't really what I cared about, much less the effect of the response. But I figure, a reasonable person can deal with such sarcasm.

I think pre-judging is part of human nature, and the most I can do is expect people to pre-judge me. I think, that within reason, if I can tolerate the pre-judging, I will pre-judge. I don't think it's at all unfair to the performer even when I'm a student to be critical. If I can't form opinions and critique now, when am I going to say it? And most of all, how can I be critical of my own performance? As long as I don't say that my performances are the only stellar ones on the planet, or any other arrogant, bigheaded statement of the like, I think it's fine to be critical. People have impressions of you whether you like it or not, and honestly, I think that anyone saying they do not prejudge in the slightest is a hypocrite.

Well, I'd say that Daniel Rodriguez's statement is far too general, and that "nice" is relative. And someone has got to say the things that are negative, or opposite to the accepted, otherwise, where's my free speech? I have standards. I have morals. I'm not a deranged amoral psychopath.

Back to Holly. And I will reiterate again. I am not completely alien to Holly's efforts. I've seen her Bocelli performance and listened to her Perfect Shades of Blue. I feel, coming from my experience with singing and knowledge of singing, that I can't expect much of Holly Stell. Holly Stell has not impressed me in the past. I don't feel like Holly will impress me in the future. Who knows, maybe I will change my mind. But that will have to wait until I listen to her actual song. I'm not a stubborn goat who's unwilling to be pleasantly surprised.

I also feel that Jewel Song itself is not a song to be sung at age thirteen. The beginning run itself is a strain on a developing voice, not to mention the fast tempo and oscillating notes that run throughout the entire piece. Prodigy or not, there shouldn't be any rush to sing those songs. There are plenty of other songs that train coloratura, should anyone wish to sing coloratura. Think of Me is a good choice.

I think Holly or her management or whoever in charge of her made a bad decision including Jewel Song, but then again, I'm not ruling out the fact that she could surprise me.

[Dave]

OK, we know where you both stand on this, and you're both entitled to your opinions - which is fine. Let's keep it cool this time.

Dave

[fusilier23]

Hmmm. Trying to be cool about this, I do have to say that as an American lawyer the concept of free speech is of course important. But, and here's the big but, free speech isn't absolute. Regulations are permissible as to time, place and manner. And a website isn't government property and its owners aren't government people. Hence, no state action, no rights. The owners of this site can ban any of us just like that.

Now, I don't believe this site was set up to be mindless rah-rah for Hayley, but I do like to think it was meant to be a positive site. I also believe that when it comes to the younger singers here we should give them all the support we can, and if we have to criticize, we should be as diplomatic as possible, and private if we can be. Hayley, Holly, Claire, Natasha, Crystal, Kristyn, these are all flesh-and-blood people with hearts and feelings who are making an effort, and it really doesn't serve any purpose to "roll one's eyes" in a public forum or say things that would bruise feelings if you said them face to face.

I was in choir in college with a number of very good voice students, alas, too many of them thought that gave them the right to not only be the best they could be, but make ripping comments on others, leading to bruised feelings, heated arguments, and so on. Who needs or wants that?