[quote=MorganleFay;40152920]Sometimes the song choice can work against the performer when its a popular song. I love 'On My Own' and Lea Salonga's version is my favourite. I didn't think Danielle sang it that well until the softer bit at the end and she made me cringe when she shouted halfway through. So it put me off her, I'd have like to hear Jenny or Lauren sing it, I think they'd have done a better job.[
On my own is very difficult. Its also got Salonga as the established standard and some people won't like it if you go off the standard. At the other extreme there's also a lot of people who will have heard the tour version with its modern riffs. The WestEnd version tends to move between Salonga and Rufelle's (more obviously troubled. and less imposing) Personally, I don't believe Salonga sounds anything like Eponine could and love the current Westend version which acts her like Thenardier's daughter every second Eponine is on stage and acts every emotion the song goes through. I don't even mind if it verges on shouting if Eponine has something that would make her shout at that point - the sound system can't tell the difference anyway often.
Danielle's problem was that she took the words somewhere they had no meaning and managed to do bizarre things on the money moments - not sure if thats her or the vocal coach though.
As usual the panel seemed to be marking something else. Having said that there's an awful lot of past Eponines who don't sound that much like Eponine would, act the odd word and avoid the money moments.
Give me West Side Story any day.
