Kelly Clarkson was fantastic!

[reformist2]

I'd even say she stole the show! People are going to be buying this version.

[Dawson Leery]

1. It could have been Kid Rock and Ted Nugent.

[Cha]

14. Or meatloaf.. rofl

[Sugarcoated]

56. Or plastic and fake like Beyonce

[still_one]

2. She was ok. Seemed overwhelmed, but nothing compared to Beyonce who displayed

A professionalism and style far surpassed

[reformist2]

4. I could barely hear Beyonce... Kelly, she could be heard in NYC!

[Sugarcoated]

7. They were both great

I've heard better from both of them, but they both came through. You could feel their heart in their voices.

[KittyWampus]

25. Beyonce knows how to hit notes accurately without resorting to runs to try and fake it.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

44. I beg to differ. She overdoes it quite a lot, but she did a great job yesterday.

[Sugarcoated]

48. Yes, she does it, too.

Plus, it's just been reported, Beonce lip-synced.

[Sugarcoated]

57. Yet Beyonce

resorted to faking it

[KittyWampus]

58. Ha Ha! Just read that.

[magical thyme]

91. actually I find singing runs makes it harder to hit high notes.

I always found it easiest to feel like I was dropping down into them versus trying to reach up into them. That way you have full support underneath from the diaphram, versus trying to sustain and increase your support as your breath is running lower.

I remember my voice teacher, who sang with Tanglewood's inner group, talking about Seiji Ozawa making fun of Kathleen Battle, who kept making an arm motion that reached up and then dropped down when she sang the high notes during rehearsal. I suspect it was for a similar mental image of dropping down into the note.

I don't particularly like what passes as artistry of any of the modern pop divas. But I do think it is patently unfair to compare one singer's live, outdoor performance with another's taped, studio performance.

[demwing]

78. And who lip-synced!!

You're right, Clarkson was nothing like that.

[KittyWampus]

92. very true! I guess that shows me. :-D

[Historic NY]

3. Gives me a lump in the throat.

[Mosby]

5. awesome!

[begin_within]

6. She pulled it off.

To my ears, the beginning was too low for her range; it seemed to me she was struggling to reach those lower notes. She should have moved it up so that she could have started it more in her comfort zone. But by the middle it was in her range and from that point on she was terrific. Beyonce was also excellent.

[rateyes]

8. jumping it up a scale on the last stanza

was great. Glad she started where she did. Any higher and she wouldnt have nailed the last note.

[Sugarcoated]

9. It was a heartfelt performance

and she sounded beautiful despite the nerves she was obviously feeling.

[smackd]

10. absolutely fantastic!

[reformist2]

12. I've watched it 10 times already. What's wrong with me??? LOL

[Satch59]

82. me too!!

It's my new "go to" youtube , at least a few times a day! I just think she gave it such dignity and kept it modern. I've never been a patriotic song fan but this one grabbed me for some reason. Beyonce was amazing, even lip synced...I don't care...

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Not a big fan.

She was okay but didn't really wow me.

I thought Beyonce was much much better.

[BlueCaliDem]

84. +1. That's exactly how I felt and feel. eom

[magical thyme]

88. easier to be better when you're lip syncing...

And taped it in a studio ahead of time. All she had to do was pretend she was singing, without worrying about actually hitting notes and being heard.

I don't blame Beyonce for her choice. Outdoors in cold weather is far from ideal for singing. Inhaling cold air has a way of causing bronchial passages to seize up, which would clearly be a singer's worst nightmare come true.

But it is patently unfair to compare the two performances, since only one was live.

[proud2BlibKansan]

90. It wasn't her choice.

They make a tape in case of bad weather, etc. Right before she was scheduled to sing, the Marine band commander told her and the band they were using the tape.

[magical thyme]

93. my point is the comparison is unfair

Too many here are comparing her taped, studio performance with Clarkson's live, outdoor performance. That is not a fair comparison -- it's apples and oranges.

But my understanding is that it was her choice. She could have sung live against the taped band. From what I read, the band commander said that she chose to use her taped version.

I don't blame her for the choice. Singing outside in cold weather is far from ideal. As I wrote elsewhere, sucking in really cold air can cause airways to seize up.

[proud2BlibKansan]

94. Of course it's unfair

But it's also unfair to criticize Beyonce. Actually the whole controversy is rather silly.

Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Gregory Wolf said that because there was no opportunity for Beyonce to rehearse with the Marine Band, it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill advised. Instead they used a pre-recorded track for the band's portion of the song.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/marine-band-beyonce-lip-sync_n_2529293.html

However, the band and the singer had decided Sunday night to use a precorded music track, since they were unable to coordinate a time for a full rehearsal. "She wasn't comfortable performing without a rehearsal, and I wasn't comfortable that either," he said.
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/afterhours/inauguration-2013/did-beyonce-lip-sync-the-star-spangled-banner.php

[magical thyme]

95. agreed that the controversy is silly

and I specifically didn't criticize and, in fact, defended Beyonce's choice to lip sync.

I had seen the 1st article in which the band decided to use a recording of its portion of the song. The 2nd article looks more like a mutual decision. I also had read an article quoting YoYo Ma's decision to pretend play in an outside performance, due to the difficulty of playing a cello in the cold, which is probably why I had cold weather in my mind as a reason for the choice. As a singer, I understand the challenges. Lack of rehearsal is another very good reason to play it safer.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. She has a fine voice but I still have trouble taking anyone from Am. Idol seriously as an artist.

Though I guess they're not much more manufactured than a lot of the other performers these days.

[reformist2]

16. Kelly isn't manufactured at all... she's the real deal.

[Phx_Dem]

19. Sorry, but that's about the dumbest thing I ever heard.

You either have talent or you don't. Where you were discovered is irrelevant.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

22. I'm sure that within certain realms of entertainment you're quite right.

[KittyWampus]

26. I would say that it isn't just talent though. It's also training. And Clarkson isn't as well trained

as, say, Beyonce. Seriously, vocalists who are trained can hit notes without having to do runs to get there.

That doesn't diminish any vocalist who is a good performer and entertainer. They just aren't in same league really as those vocalists who can hit notes.

[1springhill]

36. If you don't think she can it the high notes.........

you really aren't too familiar with her vocals.

[toshiba783]

87. what a joke

What a ridiculous post - you obviously are an uninformed fan with no knowledge of Kelly's vocal history. Beyonce, who requires the use of an echo effect to enhance her thin voice, would top out somewhere around an F5. That's being really generous since I think she's only hit that note a couple of times live.

Kelly, on the other hand, consistently hits and sustains G5-A5 notes with out faltering. Her notes are powerful and electric and she has never felt the need to lip synch, EVER.

I will give you the fact that Beyonce, like a dog, is well trained. She's not a gifted vocalist though - she has to rely on smoke and mirrors to disguise the fact that underneath it all she's only marginally talented.

[rtassi]

30. +1

[Dawson Leery]

34. Kelly is better than the barbie doll who won in 2005.

[Odin2005]

51. The snobbery in your post is sickening.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

69. OK, maybe I'm an artistry snob. I happen to believe that there are a lot of great artists who are...

... not getting a break these days because the entertainment machine is actively seeking out performers who 'fit the suit,' pardon my Brady Bunch/Johnny Bravo reference. They want to put together their own boy bands; they want to "discover" just the right singers through shows like American Idol so they can control their exposure to the pop culture consumers. Leave nothing to chance. Kelly Clarkson is a talented singer with an excellent voice who is a product of that assembly line. Go ahead and enjoy listening to her. But understand that all of this leads to the bland sameness of so much of today's new pop music.

[magical thyme]

89. I remember her as having good, solid vocal technique on Am Idol.

But personally I don't like her artistic choices. Too much artifice; too little depth of feeling.

That is how I feel about the vast majority of pop singers, however.

[butterflygirl]

15. I had no idea who she was.

Sorry did not like her version.

[DavidDvorkin]

17. Ugh

My wife and I both hated her performance. Her voice was shrill and ugly, and that versin of the melody was obnoxious.

[reformist2]

21. She did deviate from the original melody. But each deviation from the original was pure genius!

[DavidDvorkin]

23. Pure crap, more like.

[rtassi]

32. you should let us read your Novels ...

if you think they wouldn't put us to sleep before the second page, before you disparage a performer of her caliber .... btw .. try that sometime ... you'd shit your pants .. and who gives a shit what you wife likes anyway?

[DavidDvorkin]

35. You can buy many of my novels right now

You don't need permission from me.

In any case, whether my novels are good or bad is irrelevant.

[demwing]

77. Suck it up.

Your opinions are noted, and have been filed in the appropriate receptacle.

[Phx_Dem]

18. Agreed! She sang that song beautifully!

[Cha]

20. Tweet pic of Kelly with POTUS & VPOTUS..

TheObamaDiary.com

@TheObamaDiary

[sad-cafe]

24. she has aged well since Idol

Beyonce was fantastic as well.

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. Eeehhh! Not a fan.

Beyonce killed.

[Sugarcoated]

50. Beyonce lip-synced

[bluestate10]

28. She nailed it. nt

[duffyduff]

29. Whatever.

I thought she was terrible.

[tularetom]

31. She was good

Beyonce did a good job on the Star Spangled Banner as well.

However, the groups that sang the national anthem at the football conference championships yesterday were better than both of them.

I've never heard of Zac Brown Band but they did a wonderful job on the anthem at the 49's-Falcons game, playing it straight almost in a barbershop quartet style.

Gloriana (whoever they are) performed at the Patriots-Ravens game and they were damn good as well with a little more adventurous and improvisational version.

It isn't a great song to begin with but it's way worse when singers take liberties with the melody. These groups didn't do that.

[Raine]

33. I enjoyed hearing "My County Tis of Thee, it's a song that seems to have been pushed aside

infavor of the Star Spangled Banner (a song that's not a favorite of mine).

[Demo_Chris]

37. Didn't expect to like that, don't like her or the song...

And it was great.

[bullwinkle428]

38. Has she renounced her devotion to Ron Paul?

[OwnedByCats]

40. Don't know ...

But she voted for Obama .... twice. At the end of the day she voted for the right candidate.

Oh and if you want to hear how high she can sing, check out her American Idol performance singing "Natural Woman" on YouTube. In the middle she breaks into this insane whistle note. Plus there is also a video knocking around where she was in the musical Brigadoon when she was in high school. She had to sing some really high notes for that.

[reformist2]

47. She is a phenomenal talent...

[Thegonagle]

39. She was just fine. I enjoyed it.

And how damn cool is it to shake hands with the President and VP? She was clearly excited and a little nervous.

[reformist2]

41. So (some) people here don't like Kelly because she liked Ron Paul more? Wow.

[Sugarcoated]

49. Ah, so that's what this is about

Very petty people around here.

[we can do it]

42. Yikes, it was awful.

[HappyMe]

43. It was okay.

I'm not a fan.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. She thought that she didn't do well. If you were watching after the performance, she walked away

shaking her head as if disappointed. I think she did great. She and Beyonce.

[reformist2]

46. And, she sung it live! Unlike some people... ;)

[Sugarcoated]

53. I'll take real over phony in my music, thank you.

I want the heart and soul, not the "perfect performance" phoniness.

[reformist2]

59. Indeed. Also, did you see how she acted afterwards??? So humble, so awkward. <3

[Tarheel_Dem]

60. Fuck Kelly Clarkson, Ron Paul, and all their DU devotees! As for phony? I guess it's....

in the eye of said beholder. Why this cow was allowed within 10 ft of the president's inaugural "celebration", is beyond me. I know the president's team is big on inclusiveness, but there were much more gifted and talented performers that actually supported his re-election. This would've been a huge stage, and repayment for their allegiance. Again, Fuck Kelly Clarkson, and the Paul she rode in on!!!!

[laundry_queen]

61. She voted for Obama.

Twice. And she is a big supporter of gay rights. But, please, proceed.

[Tarheel_Dem]

63. Excuse me, but how do you know she voted for Obama? Because she said so?

Forgive me, but......Fuck Kelly Clarkson.

[laundry_queen]

64. How do we know

you voted for Obama? Because you said so?

[Tarheel_Dem]

66. You don't. But what we do know, is that there were many artists who hit the trail....

raised tons of money, and put their name on the line for this president's election & reelection, and Clarkson wasn't one of them. IMHO, there were much more talented and much more deserving performers for this high profile event.

By the way, whether I voted for Obama or not, I wasn't invited to be on the stage to boost my own visibility, Clarkson was, and she was a Ron Paul nut, who openly supported his ascension to the WH, and I suspect both Clarkson and Paul have many undercover supporters here.

Fuck Kelly Clarkson, the no talented fraud.

[Sugarcoated]

70. You may not like her or believe her

but to say she's has no talent makes you look ridiculous and petty.

[laundry_queen]

71. Wow, you are wayyyy too into celebrity issues.

Were you behind the scenes? Perhaps others were asked and refused. Maybe the President's daughters like her. Geez, get a grip.

[Tarheel_Dem]

73. And everyone has a right to like or dislike whomever they please. I despise this cow.

She endorsed a man who thinks the social safety net (something for which the president is routinely skewered here at DU) is unconstitutional; who said that victims of natural disasters should summon their inner individualist & pull themselves up by their own bootstraps; who thinks agencies like the EPA should be abolished and/or seriously curtailed.

I'm sorry, but I will never forget her endorsement of a dangerous rightwing nutjob, and I'm someone who cannot separate the individual from his/her politics, and his/her "alledged" talent.

[laundry_queen]

75. Clearly you cannot separate.

Do you call all women you despise 'cows'?

[demwing]

81. Don't apologize

You're trying to piss people off, and you don't care. In fact, I think you enjoy it. So why apologize?

[Tarheel_Dem]

85. Fuck Kelly Clarkson, and anyone trying to sweep her support for RP under the rug.

[demwing]

86. Hey, pick a number between 1 and 10...

no, I don't need to guess, I've already got your number.

[Tarheel_Dem]

96. Fuck Kelly Clarkson, Ron Paul, and their libertarian friends here. Hey, did you know that she...

openly supported a dude who thinks the federal government should butt out of everything but a woman's right to choose? And your number wasn't too hard to guess either.

[demwing]

97. Hey, it wasn't my inauguration

Maybe you should pour all that hate into a letter to the Pres. I'm sure he'll give it all the respect and attention it deserves...

[Tarheel_Dem]

98. Nor mine. Remember who responded to whom. I didn't even know you existed, nor did I care.

[demwing]

99. Right, no response. You've got nothing but anger,

So take it, put it into a letter to the Pres, and send it.

Hate on him for his role in this oh so tragic occurrence.

[OwnedByCats]

100. She didn't know ....

enough about him at that time. It's not like the MSM were very informative and someone like her has an extremely busy schedule so I can understand her lack of research. When she said she liked him, it was as simple as not knowing enough about him. People then told her what the MSM did not and she changed her tune pretty damn quick. She said on multiple occasions that she voted for Obama in 2008 and voted for him this time around. She said she didn't like Romney, she was concerned about gay rights. Why would she lie?? She has no reason to. With all the scumbags really worth hating in this world, you pick on Kelly Clarkson? Really?

Unbelievable.

[demwing]

80. You need to step it up a notch, your fail is stinking up the thread.

There are bigger trolls beneath taller bridges, you are just not in the same league.

Try insulting her weight, or her fashion sense. Talk about her appearance. Insult her personally.

Then maybe you can compete with the better trolls. Till then, you're not even second best.

[reformist2]

68. She said she voted for Obama, right there at the inaugural, on national TV!

What more do you want? Geez.

[Tarheel_Dem]

72. I want more deserving people, more talented people to get the spotlight at a high.....

profile event like the Inauguration of our Democratic President. Others disagree, and that's fine. Fuck Kelly Clarkson.

[OwnedByCats]

76. Good grief

How charming. Maybe next time they ought to clear it with you first next time before booking any talent, seeing as how you're an authority on who does or doesn't deserve to be there. It's ok if you're not a fan, I don't expect that she's everyone's cup of tea, but there were many others that enjoyed her performance. I'm not particularly a fan of Beyonce, nothing wrong with her talent, she's an awesome singer but her music just doesn't appeal to me, but I still enjoyed her performance and knew her fans were happy about it.

It can't always be about what you want.

[Sugarcoated]

101. The poster above you is one troubled soul.

I'm not a huge fan of Clarkson, but I've been singin and playin for years, and it's ridiculous to say she's not an amazingly talented singer.

[workinclasszero]

52. In was mad at Kelly for endorsing that nutcase Ron Paul

But all is forgiven. She voted dem again even though her fiance voted for Rmoney(PUKE)

She killed that song too! Kelly is the greatest singer alive IMHO. I voted my ass off for her waaay back in season one of AI when nobody had even heard of the show yet.

How lucky were they to discover a singer like her, first time out? They should have stopped the show then lol. No one is ever going to top that girl...EVAH!

I loved her rendition of My country tis of thee...it was fricken beautiful! Her voice is so thick and rich, like a chocolate shake and then towards the end she pulls out the power baby..YEAH!

Thats Kelly

[Sugarcoated]

55. Right!

She wasn't perfect, but it's about the heart. She was obviously nervous and it showed, but she nailed after the first couple of verses. I'll take real over pretend any day!

[workinclasszero]

67. Me too and Kelly

is as real as it gets.

[ecstatic]

54. I liked it. I'm guessing anyone moved by the speech

was also moved by the song. Her rendition was more emotional than pitch perfect.

[kelliekat44]

62. She nailed it!!! nt

[rollin74]

65. and she actually SANG it, unlike Beyoncé who faked it

[hopemountain]

74. all of the singing was tops for me

but, i was most impressed by the brooklyn choir. wow!

[Satch59]

83. Loved them too...they really didn't get as much attention...

but I thought all the music was wonderful...all of it had a modern tone vs most others had boring, corny patriotic... I loved watching Schumer enjoy being MC...he seemed so proud after every performance since he was part of putting the show together.

[avebury]

79. It takes more guts to perform live then to lip-sync.

I thought that she did great and I have more respect for her then I do Beyonce.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

102. Kelly was whiny, nasal and slid into her notes too much.

Like a typical bad shitkick singer.

Beyonce was much better.

This is one of the reasons I hate country music. There are several more.

I'll put my musical training up against any other critics here any day of the week.