Britney's unedited vocals...ouch

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 121
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This isn't a hate thread by any means, as I'm actually a fan of Britney, but an unedited vocal version of recent album track 'Alien' has leaked and to say they're it's not great is probably the understatement of the year :o

Listen here: http://trollney.tumblr.com/post/90520734708/yoncevevo-x-for-those-of-you-who-doubt

However William Orbit, the songs procucer, has spoken out in her defense and what he has to say is quite interesting:

Dearest Music Lovers, I have heard that Britney vocal link that everybody’s been discussing. It has been impossible not to as there have been many comments directing my attention to it. [I won’t re-posting it here]. I'd like to affirm that ANY singer when first at the mic at the start of a long session can make a multitude of vocalisations in order to get warmed up.

Warming up is essential if you’re a pro, as it is with a runner doing stretches, and it takes a while to do properly. I’ve heard all manner of sounds emitted during warmups. The point is that it is not supposed to be shared with millions of listeners.
A generous singer will put something down the mic to help the engineer get their systems warmed up and at the right level, maybe whilst having a cup of herb tea and checking through lyrics before the session really kicks off. It’s not expected to be a ‘take’.

I think that 99% of you reading this will totally understand.
Whomever put this on the internet must have done so in a spirit of unkindness, but it can in no way detract from the fact that Britney is and always will be beyond Stellar! She is magnificent! And that’s that.
Sincerely, William


Thoughts?
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Comments

  • Luner13Luner13 Posts: 2,968
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    I love Britneys music but her voice is dreadful outwith the studio (as is many others she is not alone there) and its no wonder she mimes every single concert she ever does.

    It doesn't take away from the fact she is a great performer and releases (most of the time) great music. She has lost it in recent years though as Britney Jean was tragic and I have no idea what made her think that was a fitting record to put out into the world.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 121
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    Luner13 wrote: »
    I love Britneys music but her voice is dreadful outwith the studio (as is many others she is not alone there) and its no wonder she mimes every single concert she ever does.

    It doesn't take away from the fact she is a great performer and releases (most of the time) great music. She has lost it in recent years though as Britney Jean was tragic and I have no idea what made her think that was a fitting record to put out into the world.

    Have to agree with everything you said. There's another article here about the production of Britney Jean which sheds a little light about why it ended up so bad:
    http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/89417403.html

    It's a shame that she clearly isn't bothered any more, because she used to be a truly great pop star and her legacy is really suffering.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    Luner13 wrote: »
    I love Britneys music but her voice is dreadful outwith the studio (as is many others she is not alone there) and its no wonder she mimes every single concert she ever does.

    It doesn't take away from the fact she is a great performer and releases (most of the time) great music. She has lost it in recent years though as Britney Jean was tragic and I have no idea what made her think that was a fitting record to put out into the world.

    I'm a massive Britney fan but sadly I have to agree :( I was supposed to go to the Circus tour five years ago but I kinda went off the idea after reading complaints about her miming. She has released some great music. Blackout and In The Zone are without a doubt her best albums. I've been saying that for a long time and nothing can change my mind there. Britney Jean was pants and definitely her worst album. Even BOMT was a better album! What happened to Blackout 2.0 and Feed The Wolves? :(
  • AdzPowerAdzPower Posts: 4,861
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    At first I thought it was a fake, but after reading what orbit has to say it seems as though she wasn't really trying and was probably being bad on purpose either for a laugh or to just warm her voice up before she really started putting her all into it. People who say she can't sing are fools, OF COURSE she can sing, not everyone has to sound like Whitney to show they can sing.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 122
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    She ain't no whitney or Mariah n as william orbit said she was warming up so I dont know why there is so much bashing or her voice she has never had a exceptional voice since 1999 and I dont think britney cares to be honest shes got quite far on her voice and I would rather have britney and her unique voice who is down to earth n one of the nicest celebrities out there instead of other singers with better voices who act like they are the one n up themselves
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    She ain't no whitney or Mariah n as william orbit said she was warming up so I dont know why there is so much bashing or her voice she has never had a exceptional voice since 1999 and I dont think britney cares to be honest shes got quite far on her voice and I would rather have britney and her unique voice who is down to earth n one of the nicest celebrities out there instead of other singers with better voices who act like they are the one n up themselves

    I would agree with this. I prefer popstars who are down to earth and don't put on any airs and graces rather than those who are up their own backsides and full of themselves (eg Jessie J). Even Lady Gaga, who has a great singing voice, can be very pretentious and it's put me right off her. I quite like Britney's voice, even though I know it isn't the greatest on earth.
  • d56d56 Posts: 5,471
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    It's terrible. She's just a shadow of the artist she used to be.

    Yes she was never Whitney or Mariah, but the girl had that X Factor. She could perform the hell out of her songs, had great music, came across really well and sweet in interviews, she looked beautiful and fresh faced, had so many iconic moments (particularly at the VMA's). She was the ultimate popstar. So many people's first crush, so many people's first record they bought.

    As much as I want her to get back to her best (and she may well do in time) - she's just never been the same since 2007 :(
  • scratchy23scratchy23 Posts: 3,675
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    Oh here come the deluded stans making excuses "she was only warming up", "she was doing it on purpose to be funny"... LISTEN TO YOURSELVES. Just admit that she can't sing anymore! She could barely even sing in the first place. She's a talentless wench and this video proves that.
  • Master OzzyMaster Ozzy Posts: 18,925
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    scratchy23 wrote: »
    Oh here come the deluded stans making excuses "she was only warming up", "she was doing it on purpose to be funny"... LISTEN TO YOURSELVES. Just admit that she can't sing anymore! She could barely even sing in the first place. She's a talentless wench and this video proves that.

    You'll now have them all coming in the thread with the usual line "It doesn't matter if she can't sing...she's not a singer, she's a performer".
  • MicrokorgMicrokorg Posts: 2,670
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    She's a lousy performer too IMHO
  • mimicolemimicole Posts: 50,916
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    Ouch. I've always loved Britney but this isn't great is it? :blush:
  • dillandillan Posts: 2,247
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    I don't get how this is a big deal. Britney has never been known as having an amazing voice.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 122
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    scratchy23 wrote: »
    Oh here come the deluded stans making excuses "she was only warming up", "she was doing it on purpose to be funny"... LISTEN TO YOURSELVES. Just admit that she can't sing anymore! She could barely even sing in the first place. She's a talentless wench and this video proves that.

    Yer but the only people who know if she was warming up or not are her team, her and willam orbit the producer and hes the one who said she was warming up so his opinion has more weight then urs u not being there shes not the best singer but she can sing Okay not like adele or beyonce but u can tell her voice as soon as she starts
  • MaksonMakson Posts: 30,451
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    I actually prefer this more natural voice with all it's imperfections to the robotic, autotuned one we are accustomed to.
  • chuck_wipplchuck_wippl Posts: 5,099
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    Wow. I love Britney but this had me literally LOL-ing :D Hoooooowwwww baaaaaaaad does she sound?!
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,435
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    Yer but the only people who know if she was warming up or not are her team, her and willam orbit the producer and hes the one who said she was warming up so his opinion has more weight then urs u not being there shes not the best singer but she can sing Okay not like adele or beyonce but u can tell her voice as soon as she starts

    Please point out the exact bit that said she was actually warming up.
  • LewnaticcLewnaticc Posts: 3,933
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    Warming up?! Generally, warm ups are when the voice sounds so in tune.
  • scratchy23scratchy23 Posts: 3,675
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    Yer but the only people who know if she was warming up or not are her team, her and willam orbit the producer and hes the one who said she was warming up so his opinion has more weight then urs u not being there shes not the best singer but she can sing Okay not like adele or beyonce but u can tell her voice as soon as she starts

    Explain to me why, in order to warm up, someone would sing an ENTIRE song, into a RECORDING MICROPHONE, completely out of tune? It makes no sense at all. When singers warm up, they do very short exercises that put their whole range into practice, not even singing any actual words half of the time. Think "do re mi fa so la ti do". That's a warm up. Not "Alien".
    She's a lousy performer too IMHO

    Agreed. All she does is walk and point. And dance really woodenly.

    Sorry if I'm coming across as a massive hater (well, I am a massive hater) but the way people hail Britney as some sort of Goddess really riles me. She has NO talent. I agree she's an icon and she has a good back catalogue of tunes, but for her to have a two year residency in Vegas, featuring her walking round a stage and waving her arms around, is a total joke.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 121
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    scratchy23 wrote: »
    Agreed. All she does is walk and point. And dance really woodenly.

    Sorry if I'm coming across as a massive hater (well, I am a massive hater) but the way people hail Britney as some sort of Goddess really riles me. She has NO talent. I agree she's an icon and she has a good back catalogue of tunes, but for her to have a two year residency in Vegas, featuring her walking round a stage and waving her arms around, is a total joke.

    Even though I'm a fan, it's hard to disagree with you.

    Although I do think back in her heyday she was an excellent performer. She used to dance better than most of her backing dancers. It's hard to believe it's even the same person we have now.
  • LMLM Posts: 63,327
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    She used to be a good vocalist. Especially when she was a kid and did a few talent shows. She never looked after her vocals once she became a big star and herself and her team failed are fault for this.
  • mickmarsmickmars Posts: 7,438
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    She doesn't sing live at any of her gigs and her voice is altered to sound like it's actually in tune in the recording studio. Record companies just do not care as long as she makes them a profit.
    video killed the radio star
  • River_TamRiver_Tam Posts: 10,080
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    She did used to have a pretty good voice when she was a kid. Shame.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    mimicole wrote: »
    Ouch. I've always loved Britney but this isn't great is it? :blush:

    No I have to admit it isn't :( Shame. Kinda makes me sad when I think of what she once was. I'll still remain a fan though, no matter what. Anyway her music has been the soundtrack to the last few months of college for me ;-)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 846
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    I don't know what to say i'm a massive fan of hers and I have to agree them vocals are horrible and people wonder why she doesn't sing live lets face it we can't put it down to strenuous performances anymore tbh.

    Still love her music though and would support her but I think most of us need to stop comparing her old self to her new self they are completely different either accept her for what and who she is now as a performer/singer or move on really.
  • gelbma0991gelbma0991 Posts: 4,783
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    I don't think anyone's said she was warming up, Orbit's just saying there's a variety of factors that could attribute to why a raw vocal like this might sound bad. I know when I'm learning a song, it takes me a while to figure out the notes in my head and I sound dreadful until I've had a few run throughs and gotten to used to what I'm meant to be singing.

    I mean I know she's been preeeeetty bad over the past few years, but the girl can (/could) sing. She was an incredible singer as a kid, and she didn't have her 'vocal quirk' as strong until her album came out. I'm sure I read a story that it was the label's idea to play up on that style of singing for her, but I'm sure that would be another factor to take it's toll on her voice.

    It might sound out of tune, but it's nice to actually hear her recent 'live' voice for once, so to speak aha.
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