Amazing American Idol Performance

[LurkerSpeaks]

J Holiday will always be the ORIGINAL Effie..

[+ WilliamM]

Holliday will remain a legend...but as time passes to how many people?

 

Everything you describe about Ms. Holliday is exactly what makes her so great. It's what sets her apart from just being another black gospel type singer. It's her uniqueness.

 

There's no doubt she had her one "moment" with Dreamgirls and it couldn't be sustained into other projects over a fuller career. But so what? What a moment. It's theater that will NEVER be forgotten. How many can one say that about?

 

I was lucky to see Dreamgirls several times. To be clear, it was not just that one song that made Holliday unique and memorable...she was wonderful throughout the musical. The original cast album is incomplete, so someone who did not see Dreamgirls misses some of Holliday's best moments. Her performance was magical, but that was 30 years ago.

[Bosguy]

Loved the performance. Great to see a diva and a youngster combine individual talents to create a memorable duet. Not to be overly critical, but Jennifer's facial expressions kinda freaked me out. I actually listened to the remainer but did not watch.

 

Boston Bill

[RockHard]

What becomes a legend most?

 

Generally speaking, audiences, especially white audiences (especially white TV executives), don't have an affinity toward face-makers. When they watch a woman sing, they want to see a pretty singing face.

 

A lot of singers don't "look good" while they are singing. Yes, their facial distortions may be evidence of emotional intensity, which may be great for a character in a musical and/or for "acting" a song, but in the pop world (other genres as well), facial distortions are not readily embraced (except by drag queens). Even Janis Joplin's audience was limited, they knew she was on drugs, and one could argue anything goes in Rock n' Roll.

 

Jennifer is unique, and I agree, that makes her special. It's true, she will always be "the original Effie." But I fully understand why a recording career has been challenging for her to harness. The music industry is ugly enough for the true beauties. You can't imagine how much more ugly it is for overweight female singers who make distorted faces when they perform.

 

Jennifer can act, but the acting business is not that much different from the music business. Her resume is not quite what someone might expect for a Tony Award-winning actress. Life is unfair.

[+ WilliamM]

Remenbering Janis Joplin

 

I agree that Janis Joplin was not the most attractive woman when singing, and not singing for that matter. I saw her performance at Forest Hills twice (1969 & 1970). Both times she drank, and drank again throughout, from a large bottle of Southern Comfort .

 

But I not sure that anyone ever missed one of her concerts, or failed to buy her albums because of her drug problems. Everyone with whom I attended those two concerts at least smoked weed and a few used hash and/or LSD regularly. It's possible that Joplin's drug use may have even earned her more fans than she might otherwise have had. In my case, I became a drug user during my year in the military in Vietnam.

 

I would argue that Rock Stars, like Joplin, Grace Slick and Patti Smith were successful for their musical abilities rather than their looks...a different world from Pop Stars of that same era.

[+ WilliamM]

An Apology to RockHard & Everyone Else

 

But I not sure that anyone ever missed one of her concerts, or failed to buy her albums because of her drug problems. Everyone with whom I attended those two concerts at least smoked weed and a few used hash and/or LSD regularly. It's possible that Joplin's drug use may have even earned her more fans than she might otherwise have had. In my case, I became a drug user during my year in the military in Vietnam.

 

I apologize to RockHard and everyone else for the above. Whatever happened, too many years have gone by for me to blame my time in Vietnam for anything. It was inappropriate, and I deeply regret writing that paragraph.

[maxwellissmart]

Everything you describe about Ms. Holliday is exactly what makes her so great. It's what sets her apart from just being another black gospel type singer. It's her uniqueness.

 

There's no doubt she had her one "moment" with Dreamgirls and it couldn't be sustained into other projects over a fuller career. But so what? What a moment. It's theater that will NEVER be forgotten. How many can one say that about? As the great Billy Wilder once said "you are as good as the best thing you have ever done." By that standard, she's a legend and always will be.

 

The comment about Diana was a joke—seeing how she's directly responsible for the existence of "Dreamgirls." And you said something about the "one moment" that I was thinking, and what's funny is that it will likely be the same for JHud. She's not that great of an actress, and this movie and her talents happened to be the perfect combination to sway the Academy (that, and maybe just a touch of political correctness). Also, when I said "dramatic depth," I probably should have said "subtlety," which is what I prefer when weighing the two performances against each other. Obviously theatre requires big, brassy and bold, because there are no close-ups. Film is different, and whispers can make or break a performance. While I would most likely be more entertained by "Dreamgirls" as a play, I like JHud's performance better (in this particular song, anyway) because it's less theatrical. Both are impressive—and Little AI Girl's wailing wasn't too shabby either.

[RockHard]

I apologize to RockHard

 

No need to apologize to me. Drugs play an infamous role in the music industry but on this thread the subject may be slightly off-topic. I wasn't sure where Vietnam fit in (I was reluctant to mention Joplin), but it was interesting to learn more about you, WilliamM. Some close members of my family are military men, so I listen carefully when one speaks about his experiences.

 

The comment about Diana was a joke—seeing how she's directly responsible for the existence of "Dreamgirls."

 

Yes, but Effie's 11-o'clock number would have gone to Florence Ballard, and based on what I've heard, Florence was no Jennifer Holliday. I'm sure Diana Ross could have handled all of Deena Jones' numbers.

 

JHud (is) not that great of an actress...I like JHud's performance better (in this particular song, anyway) because it's less theatrical

 

Jennifer claims shock when she was offered the role. Acting was not foremost on her bucket list. Jennifer Hudson was required to "tone down" the vocal performance for the film. During her AI period, her vibrato vibrated off the charts, which is supposedly why many voters didn't like her. Jennifer has learned a lot about vocal control. She accepts direction. She's a much improved singer now.