Black Plastic Bag: Washington City Paper's Music Blog

A Special Message to “American Idol” Contestants

If you made the cut during this summer’s “American Idol” tryouts, and you’re preparing your game plan for Season 7 in January, keep this in mind: If you try to do Alicia Keys‘ “No One” during the competition, there’s a good chance that you will suck royally, unless you have amazing control. I’m no musical theorist, but my gut tells me that this melody is a bitch to sing, even for Keys. The video:

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Her performance at the 2007 MTV VMAs:

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2 Responses to “A Special Message to “American Idol” Contestants”

  1. Q Says:

    Not true! Considering it sounds like she is not singing from her diaphram anyways (sounds like she is straining at parts), it’s doable. Funny thing though…this song sounds more in the A minor key than others.

  2. Joe Warminsky Says:

    I dunno, she strikes me as one of those singers who has been coached to death, and thus undoubtedly knows how to sing from her diaphragm.

    If it’s indeed in a minor key, maybe that’s what makes it sound more “difficult” (both in the technical sense, and in the aesthetic sense).

    I’d like to see somebody really pick apart that melody. It just seems kinda unusual to me. I haven’t decided if I like it or hate it, but I’m intrigued on an intellectual level.

    (And her vocals aren’t really a melismatic mess, like one of those Whitney/Mariah/etc. songs that you hear so much in the Idol tryouts.)

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