Katherine Returns to Decca

[martindn]

Sept 6, 2013 4:52:04 GMT Libby said:

I'm sorry, but I think there are very few people who actually like lullabies. You all like it mostly because it's Hayley. I like it more than I would if it was Katherine, say.

It depends on what you are looking for Libby. If that album had been made by just about anyone else apart from Hayley I would not have considered buying it for sure. You are right about that.

As for her best album, depends what you mean by best. She uses her voice better and better all the time, and we hear different sides of her. Hushabye is no exception. I would agree that technically Paradiso is far better, so it is hard to find a reason why anyone would think Hushabye is her best effort unless they are totally in love with lullabies. But you can hear that in some ways her sining has progressed, and perrhaps her interpreation is better than on any other album.

It might also contain the best technical recordings of Hayley's voice, but I'll let Dave comment on that.

Martin D

[Simba]

Hushabye in terms of recording quality is indeed one of her best recordings

[Jillian]

Sept 6, 2013 15:41:02 GMT comet said:

Sept 6, 2013 14:56:45 GMT Jillian said:

The original of 'Can't Break it to My Heart' was done by famous Australian singer Delta Goodrem -- I think because I'm so familiar with the original I can't really wrap my head around Katherine's cover.

It just seems so polished, pretty and emotionless - which completely misses the point of the song. She's actually smiling in the music video...

Although to be fair to Katherine, classical crossover singers do this all the time to popular songs. Sometimes certain songs aren't meant to be sung like a textbook perfect recital.

A very similar thought crossed my mind while I was listening to Mirusia singing Don't cry for me Argentina,
much of the Julie Covington original was almost whispered or spoken. I know it so well

It's not an easy job for classical crossover singers is it? Because:

• The point of doing the pop covers is 'hey, let's show listeners just how perfect these popular songs can sound when sung perfectly in tune'.
  
  
• The songs they are covering are famous because the original artist was very popular and hence a lot of people have a strong connection to how the original song was sung.
  
  
• Many pop singers more than compensate for less than perfect technical ability by having a very distinctive tone, style, or expression which creates the appeal of their songs. So it's really difficult to recreate the sound without directly copying them and sounding like you're just doing some karaoke. :rollin
  

Examples where I think it did work really effectively is:

• Bring me to Life - Katherine Jenkins - The theatre of the big production of the song was pretty awesome and added a new dimension to the song.
  
  
• 2 Wuthering Heights - by Hayley - but more so the 2004 re-recording.
  
  
• Botany Bay - by Mirusia (because that song is usually sung by out of tune school kids in Australia It was a real shock to hear it sung properly)
  

[Libby]

I cannot imagine KJ singing Bring Me to Life. I don't think I even want to hear it.

[Simba]

Lol, I love delta goodrem too, one of my favorite singers, I like her version better. But Katherine's is nice to listen to too.
I liked Bring me to life as well, it was very different from Amy lee's and was very original too. The live performances are quite breathtaking.

But nothing that we mentioned are as bad as Hayley's My heart will go on, which could be called the most popular pop ballad at present. Which I genuinely think was her worst performance.

Many pop singers more than compensate for less than perfect technical ability by having a very distinctive tone, style, or expression

And this song was sung by Celine Dion, who has perfect technical ability and a distinctive tone, style or expression. So I could say that was the most disappointing Hayley moment in my life, because it was one of my all time favorite songs and was so excited that Hayley was going to sing it, and even thought she'd be better.

[martindn]

Actually I don't think Hayley's attempt at that song was at all bad. Yes, Celine owns that song, and is a hard act to follow. And we are used to Hayley taking on other people's songs and singing them better than the original. But perhaps MHWGO was too big an ask. But I gather Hayley was specifically asked to perform that song and did a decent job. It probably wasn't a song she would have chosen. But she did her best.
If you want to hear Hayley sing a James Horner song, try "Listen to the Wind". That is fabulous and is still one of my favourite Hayley recordings.

Martin D

[Libby]

I would guess that Simba has already heard Listen to the Wind, and does not need to try it.

[Simba]

Lol exactly Libby, Martin, I'm not a new fan XD I have most of her albums and have listened to almost all her performances out there, excluding some of the very old ones that are not available anymore.

And that's the song that made me dislike MHWGO, listen to the wind was a very similar type of ballad, infact similar in melody and pattern too, and hayley was perfect. My heart will go on was no greater a challenge. The problem with us fans is we tend to be very appreciative of Hayley which is good and in the end say she gave her best. Clearly that performance was anything but a good performance.

Okay, offtopicness in many threads XD...and I seem to have contributed a little here and there lol!

[Dave]

Sept 6, 2013 18:26:44 GMT martindn said:

Hushabye...

... might also contain the best technical recordings of Hayley's voice, but I'll let Dave comment on that.

Yes, I agree, but I'll let Simba comment on that.

Sept 6, 2013 19:42:59 GMT Simba said:

Hushabye in terms of recording quality is indeed one of her best recordings

Oh, he already did!

The way it was promoted and scheduled by Decca does, of course, leave something to be desired and it will be interesting to see if that kind of problem also pops up when Katherine next releases an album with them. She does of course have a distinct advantage in that she's made herself into much more of a media darling/celebrity in the UK than Hayley.

Cheers, Dave

[Simba]

Haha Dave

And going back to Katherine Jenkins and her probable new album, I hope it has more of her pop ballads!
Tell me I'm not dreaming
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6NsK2R4vU8 She's great when she sings songs like this! Her voice is so beautiful when all that fake vibrato is not forced into it. Until I listened to songs like these I never thought she'd be able to sing non-operatic songs. I liked this one too, Talking to the moon: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJJ-HowxX0A

[Libby]

Hayley's performance of MHWGO wasn't the best one out there, of course, but she did the best she could, and remember, she had a cold (or she certainly sounded like she did), so give her a break. I think it was good, but not amazing, of course. I still enjoyed it.

[Bamafan]

I thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed it, and that's what matters to me. Hayley certainly did better than some certain VMA non-singer who thinks her tongue should be shown to the world. :je

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[comet]

Marty Whelan just played Katherine singing I will Pray for you on RTE Lyric FM.

I know you guys are all sending in requests for Hayley..yes I know.

[Libby]

Sept 9, 2013 3:42:20 GMT Bamafan said:

I thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed it, and that's what matters to me. Hayley certainly did better than some certain VMA non-singer who thinks her tongue should be shown to the world.

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

I'd much rather hear Hayley's version than a rather warbly version I heard on PBS recently. I'll leave you to guess who that might be.

[Simba]

Jackie's? that was a disaster in its own league. I'd rather not listen to both the versions.