There seems to be a lot of folks below that think I wanted Abi to sing the song just like Billie, and that is not what I was saying at all (please watch to the end). Did I have some critiques? Yes, but ultimately I think this was an amazing performance and she deserves all the accolades she is getting! I'm rooting for her, and looking forward to seeing and hearing more! Peace, Barrett
I felt the same about Abi going “full tilt” too soon. That doesn’t mean that I don’t think that she has an amazing talent. This young lady can learn all these things. But anyhow.. just Wow. ❤️🎶
I'm not a music producer, but would say I'm more of an audiophile, of shorts. That said, glad to hear you understand how many ppl/comments found you a bit to critical and exacting @ times. Yes, she is f'ing amazing, in your words. She puts her own spin on it, and has to hit those highs to show off her range for the audition. I too am soooo rooting for her! But your cynical views of American Idol are interesting, saying AI is "all about the drama because they are TV". The back stories and emotion is what hooks our hearts even more so to these amazing artists/songs/performances! Take the McKenna Brienholt story/performance from this season! Amazingly touching story, and without that "drama" or backstory to her adoption, the tragic story of her birth mother, or the tear jerking family reunion after her audition, that would be a total disservice to McKenna, her mom's legacy, and the audience!! Music is supposed to be soul touching and her story that much more allows you to go there! We should welcome that "drama"! (BTW, would love you to critique her in the future! Listen to a few of her songs here, Save Me, Up in Fire, reminds me of Sarah McLachlan on the piano).
People on the Internet will always get upset no matter what. You know much more about singing than average people so off course your evaluation is much more on point. Keep it up!
@@vibekeporsborgkristensen3039 Well said. Simon was tough, but fair on American IDOL back in the day. He knew his stuff. And Barrett is the professional in Abi's case here.
I am a lifetime singer and have been around talented musicians for 40 years. Beyond just technique, which Abi has clearly mastered, I go by how the song makes me feel. This performance touched my soul and was incredible for what it was… an audition where Abi had less than 2 minutes to make her case. Bravo Abi and God Bless.
Yes yes yes! You can’t only look at the singing. It’s how she express herself while singing. And she moved me to tears… And this is an audition, she wanted to show her range , she touched everyone of us watching. What a talent she is ❤
She's freaking incredible, her voice just cuts through when she powers through. Don't undesrstand you not liking her going full voice. It's like one of th best songs ever made, tender moments, then building up, going down again. It's, well. How life is. And how some of the most beautiful songs ever written is. One that comes to mind is It's All Coming Back to Me Now, or well. Or I mean, Bohemian Rhapsody which people tout as being the best song ever made. It goes full on, then quiet, back and forth. Her audition is one of the best I've ever seen, her talent and voice is special. I totally disagree with her not beign good when full out there. Her voice does this beautiful little crack, it's all in the subtelties. Perfection is boring, those small almost cracks and how her voice sounds going full force sounds insanely good to me. Just pure beauty!
I 💯% agree with you. Sometimes people in the industry look too deep for perfection. Perfection is in the eyes of the beholder, and it boils down to just opinion. I absolutely did not like the way Billie Eilish delivered this song, I feel like her studio recording is far better than her Grammy performance, in that she just practically whispered the song on the Grammys and I absolutely hated it. This girl nailed it in my book.
I’d agree with him a little bit but I think it’s subjective to be truly honest . To want perfection all the time. Lots of great singers were pitchy and not perfect all the time. Yes when you’re recording yes try to stay on pitch but in a live setting where you feed off a crowds reaction they can slip not on purpose but in the heat of a moment kind of thing. It’s happened to Taylor swift to Ariana grande to the Beatles etc the list can go on. They All had Imperfections all be it minimal you don’t want to be totally off key. If you want complete perfection listen to A.I. but id rather listen to a human sing not a robot.
I fully agree with her. I was enthralled very minute of her performance. I'm from Coachella Valley and we couldn't be prouder of her. Also, she received a platinum ticket later on that was presented to her by the Palm Springs mayor so it's one person's opinion vs. the rest of us !
All I can tell you is that when I watched her performance for the first time it touched my soul. I am not a vocal coach but for me absolutely amazing performance.
I think your critique of her audition was a bit hard .Idol wants them to showcase their vocal range ..She is a top 10 contestant ...and she received a platinum ticket from them after her show appearance . She was amazingly great
I think you are being nit picky. It’s a 2.5 minute version and she needs to demonstrate her style, not replicate BI’s version. Agree that her piano playing is also very nice - soft hands on the keys.
Your problem is, you love the song as done by Billie. Copying her would not bring Abi's talent to the fore. And BTW, the song was written by Billie and her brother who plays piano on her performance at the Grammy awards. He is actually, by her on admission, more responsible for the success of her songwriting. A Producer should never fall for a song so hard that they cannot understand a performance that is different than the original.
I agree, though she picks up lots of fans by going full throated, and that will carry her further in American Idol. This is one of my favorite auditions.
It’s an American Idol audition, like 30 seconds to show off your vocal range and potential of your voice. She is selling her voice to Idol, not putting on an entertainment act. I think it was perfect and probably a lot better than half the artists that walk into studios.
The thing is, the judges, probably all agree with you, but I’m not interested in criticizing her at this point because overtime they will work with her and help her fine-tune her approach to using her full voice. So her first audition that demonstrates her skill, her talent and her beautiful voice was just perfect. And very smart.
I enjoyed your critique immensely. I understand your points, and I even agree 100% with you. . . However . . . Abi made me cry! I've seen Billie sing this song several times, and she never made me cry. Not even close. This song is not just about a wistful sadness, but also about Barbie's anguish, fear, and anger at where she's at. Billie doesn't convey any of this. Abi does. I submit that her interpretation of this song is more appropriate for the movie story line. My 2 cents.
AGREE, 1,000%! She truly IS ASTONISHING and GORGEOUS and HUMBLE. What Abi's doing is getting caught in the trap of FAR TOO MANY, contemporary, young vocalists, who really CANNOT sing that well, fall back on YELLING, SCREECHING. Her bigger issue, though, is WHAT will she follow THAT WITH?!❤
You don't want raw talent, because the singer will end up in surgery like Adele or the singer will blow out their voice like Robert Plant did in his 30s. Training to sing for long periods of time requires training and time and labels want singers straight out of the gate.
I love her performance and I do agree with you but with Idol, she would have got the “you’ve got more in you”. Sometimes you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. It’ll be interesting to see what she does going forward.
Personally I loved this version of the song... and no slight on Billie's version... that is amazing too. I think Abi's version was real and raw and heartfelt, which was evident by her tears afterward. I do think she was trying to show her range for competition sake but I didn't mind it at all. Sometimes it seems a bit bland when a contestant does the song the same as the original. Abi showed she could do both the highs and lows extremely well and I hope she goes far in to the competition.
I was so inv😂dated in Abi right from this audition to the end that you would have thought I was her grandmother! I voted nearly every week which I haven’t done in many years. Bravo, Abi, you’re going to be a big star!❤
Standing ovation by all 3 judges, 1st time the production crew applauded a contestant on AO and platinum ticket that only 3 contestants receive each season on American idol. Sorry but not sorry ....
For an audition for a show where they are judging you on your vocal abilities, she had to belt and use full voice to show off her range. I totally agree that the softness of BE’s voice in the song and how it was meant to be is the best choice for this song, but I understand why Abi changed it up for an audition.
Well, as a (former) musician I agree with everything you said. She's great and her piano playing is REALLY nice. She's definitely top 10 material. But to be a star using your voice, you need the ability to be gentle and to absolutely blast it - and transition between the two easily. Mariah, Celine, Whitney, etc. If you can't do that, you can still be a big star with great songwriting (like Billie and her brother) or great dancing and production (like many others). Anyway, she's awesome and I hope she finds her place.
They do need to “go full hog” because they have only a couple of minutes to show what they can do. And pitch at the top of her range - I think I could hear a deliberate crack of her voice that really works
It was an audition. The judges heard just what you heard. But because her voice is so amazing, she will go thru and they will nurture her to get where she is suppose to be.
Hmm ... it sounds a lot like a song I wrote a few years back, "What Was I Shaved For?". I suddenly woke up in a hospital, and they told me I was already done. I wanted a better explanation, so they encouraged me to take a sneak peek under the sheets, and that was that! I was done all right! Shortly after, I got back to where I once belonged and scribbled the lyrics down on a napkin at Tim Hortons. Fini.
I thought that was an incredibly insightful and kind assessment. She definitely showed her range since this was her one song, one shot. I loved the audition and think she will go very far, and likely will win. I hope Abi sees your review. We all need notes and advice on how we can be the best version of our gifts!
I apologize, but I do not agree with Barrett. Not that I pretend to know anything about singing and dynamics, but I loved how she added a little sound to this song. I literally cannot stand the way that Billie Eilish sings it and I hated the way Billie sang it on the Grammys. I want to hear a song. I know there are many songs that require a sweet and quiet voice, but Billie Eilish doesn’t project enough for this song to stand out as the beautiful song that I feel that it is. This girl nailed it in my book but that’s just my opinion. I also I also feel like this girl will go far into the competition of American Idol, and I hope that she does.♥️🤞🏼
No need to apologize! That’s the thing about any art, we all can have different opinions and it’s all valid! I too think she will go far and, as I admitted at the end of the video, I was nitpicking and was just giving my opinion.
I believe she made it her song. She cried out in pain a couple of times rather than whisper sing through the entire song. Both ways work, but Abi did need to show the judges some of her other abilities during the two minutes the contestants are allotted. I believe she made smart choices for her audition. (And lo and behold, Luke nailed it! She won American Idol 2024!)
You have probably seen other comments that say the same thing, but... In vocal competitions like Idol or The Voice, you have 2 minutes to present your talent. If you watch these shows, and a contestant were to sing the song like Billie did, quiet, which she does a great job of, the judge/coach might not turn. Then the contestant is told they were looking for dynamics. Quiet/soft, bold, then soft again. Abi was a fan of the show all her life. So she knows the ropes of how to present her talent to the judges. She did that in spades. She proved she was capable to be a huge artist like Eilish in the future. Did I think she was going to win like judges did on Idol? No, was I surprised the won? No. By the top 5, the audience exploded every time she finished singing.
It’s an audition! These guys see hundreds of people a day, she needed to go full voice to show what she can do. Keeping it tame would’ve just been a Billie replica, and forgetful. This was raw and the imperfections made it better.
If this is an “audition” then it’s raw which as you said she’s f-ing amazing. So let’s see what some guidance and professional help does with all her amazing talent !!! She’s going to only get better once a label gets a hold of her ! I’m team Abi from the gate ❤️🎶
Going full voice on the second verse, given the lyrics and overall story, was the perfect choice. She could--maybe--have backed off it a little with "turns out I'm not real," but full voice on "Felt so alive"? Absolutely the right choice for the song.
I totally agree about the "belting requirement" or, as I call it, the need for a "money shot." Joni Mitchell went her entire career (I think) without EVER belting, yet it is SOP these days. Is belting exciting? Yes. Does it add "punch?" Yes. But is it truly necessary in every song? Nope. Billie's proven that, especially with this song. That being said, I f****** LOVE this performance.
So interesting - I also felt like the full voice parts weren’t as successful. I actually remember listening to the audition for the first time, and thinking ‘ugh, no’ when she made that small melodic change on the second line. But, I suppose it would be a risk for her not to do that type of thing in the audition. The problem with doing it with this song is that is it one of those rare, perfect little songs where musically, you just don’t want anything to be different. (Well, I don’t anyway).
Agree 100% with everything you said. Absolutely gorgeous runs and tone and piano playing and musicality, AND also she 100% didn’t need to power it up to the extent that she did. Also agree that A.I. creates that pressure to overperform. I look forward to seeing what she does. She reminds me of Sara Barrellis.
I know im not a producer...but the things you are criticizing is the reason i would by her album. I dont think its pitch problems...i think its rasp, and her oun spin on the song. The full voice was a plus plus in my opinion
I agree for the song she should have stayed quiet, but this is an audition. I found it useful to hear she can do more than breathy. I am so looking forward to her journey on idol.
She was performing it as Abi- not as Billie. She also had to showcase to the judges her entire range of vocals in that two-minute audition. I totally agree with what you're saying and as a producer for her to kay down a track for that song- no way. But for audition's sake- one bazillion percent nailed it! You're awesome though! I appreciate your talent as a music producer. It's got to be such a rewarding job to see boundless talent sit in front of you and perform. ❤
Mr. Jones, just a short note to you. You asked for comments so I will voice mine. You have many years at your work and I feel you know much more then the consistence knows. Should they know what a pro knows? I am glad you like her she is my favorite, I love music and 82 years old. Keep up with what your doing.
I agree on so many points. She did screech. Minor oops. But during many of her performances, she sounded more like she was screaming rather than singing. Maybe it's just me, because I have sensitive hearing. But honestly, during some of her performances, she screeched.
Her version of the song demonstrated the emotion necessary to draw me in to her performance of the song itself. Not everyone has the ability to do such a thing. Have You ever though that maybe she was just singing from her heart and identifying with the words in the song from her own personal perspective cuz that it what truly makes music great and wonderful, that is what really draws people into music and certain songs?
My initial reaction was to talk shit about this judgement, but then I pit my personal bias aside and took in what you had to say and you're just right. While amazing, it was just an amazing singer that is lacking experience. If she makes the proper changes to her style, she could be one of those ones. Just special.
I agree that Abi’s version of this song is amazing. I loved all of her musical choices, including when she went full voice. For a couple of weeks after I heard this on TV, I kept replaying it, it so moved me, and it brought tears to my eyes almost every time. I would not characterize her voice at all “operatic.” Certainly emotive. I don’t think she ever sings with an operatic sound. When she gets into her high range, full-throated, it moves me (in this case) although she has to be careful to avoid doing it too much, or she could cross over into an annoying screechiness. In this moment, for this length of an audition, it was perfect for me, and obviously for the judges too. Her runs and her piano playing were also outstanding. Billie and Finneas wrote a beautiful song, but I would prefer to listen to Abi’s version on the radio or live (Billie’s film version needed to be more muted throughout).
I agree with your assessment 100%. I was also annoyed whenever she went overly dramatic on it. The first 10 seconds of this audition was clearly the best part.
I’m guessing the reason she went “full voice” was the limited time one has to show the judges what she can do with her voice. This wasn’t Abi cutting a record. It was Abi trying to get to Hollywood. Listen to her performance last week of the Evanescence song “Bring Me To Life”. Freaking amazing!
You're right. Abi did push the limits & she didn't need to. She set up her performance using her introduction, saying she was one of seven children, & then the song "What Was I Made For." That was smart, as if she was asking about her life.
I guess she has to belt out to showcase her capabilities as a singer since this is a talent show.. I bet she can sing this falsetto and breathy all through out as well.. but i guess when sang live, emotions sometimes overflow that you might belt out..hehehe thanks for your reaction :)
Thank you for your insight Barrett Jones. Totally understand your concern & critique for her choice to sing full voice so early & not that she was singing poorly, she definitely was not! It was not required for her full singing voice to emphasize that song frame. Maybe she felt most comfortable to sing full voice at that particular part of the song? And yes, on its own merit: that song stands out on its own. When the movie was first released, I did not pay much attention to the soundtrack, nor when that song was playing & playing & playing….I listened to it, once or twice at the very early stages of its popularity. At that time, was my mistake to not fully embrace the song. The intentions of the song, the lyrics, the melodies & transitions & its overall tempo all of it was constructed perfectly.
As a professional singer, by far the hardest part of my journey was finding my own voice. IN FACT... I still would say I haven't found it. The closest I came was singing at the foot of my mothers bed the day she passed. Her favorite song was Me and Mrs. Jones... and my family asked me to "sing her out.." I was happy too, but because of the environment, I forced myself to stay in my falsetto, singing it to a youtube karaoke version on my phone, even though it is in my range full voice. My family stared at me and asked me where that came from. Think of Jack Malik's friends reaction the first time he sings Yesterday on his new guitar. I was moved to tears. WHY tell you this? Because I feel the same way you do about this song. There are those songs where... everything from the lyric, to the production, is perfect, period. Then there are those, like Circus from Britney spears, where a group like Dirty Loops comes along and pushes the song up where it should be. Abi has an exceptional, outstanding, remarkable voice, but this song was perfect before.. and her pushing and hitting to loudly DIDN"T HURT THE SONG, it was still not right for the song. Other than that... what an incredible singer. I hope she goes far, even though you and I both know that if she wins, or doesn't... Her talent is now owned, if the contracts have stayed the same.
I don't mind if they get a little pitchy due to emotion but I see what your saying.. kinda empties the gas tank early. There was a few spots where she used a lot of breath to end a phrase or two but it sounded toooo contrived, that actually bothered me more. (Basically it was good technique but to obvious If that makes sense). That's just me being nit-picky. She's great though, she will do well.
you know all of these artists tell you don't do it just like me make it your own I think she did fine. It's an audition if she performed the song exactly like Billy they probably would not have liked it
I felt that exact thought on that part of the song. I agree she’s amazing though and she will go far. She will benefit from further voice training and I see an awesome future for her.
I’ve auditioned for singing contests, and that’s what they want to see out of the bed is range… Having said that, I totally respect your opinion and see your side
Everything he said was correct but she still made the right choice to sing it that way. If she had sang it the way Billie did it would not have been authentic and congruent with her own unique style. It also obviously didn’t hurt her 😎
I disagree. She was not only showing her range but also showing her gritty sound at the top of her full voice. This gives the judges much more info on her abilities.
Ok, my two cents. First, she is totally amazing, just fabulous. Second, about going full voice, you said it yourself, it's American Idol, it's about the drama, it's about over the top, it's a few attempts to show your entire spectrum. In this situation, you have to cram as much of what you can do into 2 1/2 to 3 minutes and you only get one shot at it. She did what she had to do, and, in the end, she took it all.
I agree with every word the producer said. To me when she went full voice it sounded kind of screechy and it took away from the ethereal quality of the song. But overall I loved it.
I thought that "over performing" was necessary because contestants never sing an entire song. they have limited amount of time/space to show their vocal ability, so I would think "over performing" is probably necessary. idk...
There seems to be a lot of folks below that think I wanted Abi to sing the song just like Billie, and that is not what I was saying at all (please watch to the end). Did I have some critiques? Yes, but ultimately I think this was an amazing performance and she deserves all the accolades she is getting! I'm rooting for her, and looking forward to seeing and hearing more! Peace, Barrett
I felt the same about Abi going “full tilt” too soon. That doesn’t mean that I don’t think that she has an amazing talent. This young lady can learn all these things. But anyhow.. just Wow. ❤️🎶
I'm not a music producer, but would say I'm more of an audiophile, of shorts. That said, glad to hear you understand how many ppl/comments found you a bit to critical and exacting @ times. Yes, she is f'ing amazing, in your words. She puts her own spin on it, and has to hit those highs to show off her range for the audition. I too am soooo rooting for her! But your cynical views of American Idol are interesting, saying AI is "all about the drama because they are TV". The back stories and emotion is what hooks our hearts even more so to these amazing artists/songs/performances! Take the McKenna Brienholt story/performance from this season! Amazingly touching story, and without that "drama" or backstory to her adoption, the tragic story of her birth mother, or the tear jerking family reunion after her audition, that would be a total disservice to McKenna, her mom's legacy, and the audience!! Music is supposed to be soul touching and her story that much more allows you to go there! We should welcome that "drama"! (BTW, would love you to critique her in the future! Listen to a few of her songs here, Save Me, Up in Fire, reminds me of Sarah McLachlan on the piano).
I hear you, Barrett. 😊
People on the Internet will always get upset no matter what. You know much more about singing than average people so off course your evaluation is much more on point. Keep it up!
@@vibekeporsborgkristensen3039 Well said. Simon was tough, but fair on American IDOL back in the day. He knew his stuff. And Barrett is the professional in Abi's case here.
I am a lifetime singer and have been around talented musicians for 40 years. Beyond just technique, which Abi has clearly mastered, I go by how the song makes me feel. This performance touched my soul and was incredible for what it was… an audition where Abi had less than 2 minutes to make her case. Bravo Abi and God Bless.
1000000% man
My thoughts alos, stoneyboy
Yes yes yes! You can’t only look at the singing. It’s how she express herself while singing. And she moved me to tears… And this is an audition, she wanted to show her range , she touched everyone of us watching. What a talent she is ❤
She's freaking incredible, her voice just cuts through when she powers through. Don't undesrstand you not liking her going full voice. It's like one of th best songs ever made, tender moments, then building up, going down again. It's, well. How life is. And how some of the most beautiful songs ever written is. One that comes to mind is It's All Coming Back to Me Now, or well. Or I mean, Bohemian Rhapsody which people tout as being the best song ever made. It goes full on, then quiet, back and forth. Her audition is one of the best I've ever seen, her talent and voice is special. I totally disagree with her not beign good when full out there. Her voice does this beautiful little crack, it's all in the subtelties. Perfection is boring, those small almost cracks and how her voice sounds going full force sounds insanely good to me. Just pure beauty!
I 💯% agree with you. Sometimes people in the industry look too deep for perfection. Perfection is in the eyes of the beholder, and it boils down to just opinion. I absolutely did not like the way Billie Eilish delivered this song, I feel like her studio recording is far better than her Grammy performance, in that she just practically whispered the song on the Grammys and I absolutely hated it. This girl nailed it in my book.
I’d agree with him a little bit but I think it’s subjective to be truly honest . To want perfection all the time. Lots of great singers were pitchy and not perfect all the time. Yes when you’re recording yes try to stay on pitch but in a live setting where you feed off a crowds reaction they can slip not on purpose but in the heat of a moment kind of thing. It’s happened to Taylor swift to Ariana grande to the Beatles etc the list can go on. They All had Imperfections all be it minimal you don’t want to be totally off key. If you want complete perfection listen to A.I. but id rather listen to a human sing not a robot.
I fully agree with her. I was enthralled very minute of her performance. I'm from Coachella Valley and we couldn't be prouder of her.
Also, she received a platinum ticket later on that was presented to her by the Palm Springs mayor so it's one person's opinion vs. the rest of us !
I feel this is a Devics song with such songs as Five Seconds to Hold You, Come Up and Salty Seas.
What exactly are you saying? I’m sorry I’m not trying to be smart, but I really don’t understand what you’re saying.
She did her own version of this song. Kudos to her for making it her own.
agreed!
Exactly that’s exactly what I was just getting ready to say, but you said it so thank you
When you’re trying to get a ticket you go for it. She doesn’t know your industry. So pull it back
I hope fame and fortune that Abi is going to have that she won’t allow anyone or anything take away her identity.
All I can tell you is that when I watched her performance for the first time it touched my soul. I am not a vocal coach but for me absolutely amazing performance.
Yes yes yes!! The very very best.
Mine too
Could you have done this review without the curse words? Abi deserves the best, and she’s faithful to God. I respect that.
I loved this rendition of What was I made for. I think it’s better the the original
Agree, better than the original, by a lot.
It IS better than Billie’s version and I love her version too but Abi’s is even better! I adore Abi! Hope she wins it all.
Agreed- that was incredible
Love Abi but not better than Billie. Abi has some growing to do to be at that level.
I think your critique of her audition was a bit hard .Idol wants them to showcase their vocal range ..She is a top 10 contestant ...and she received a platinum ticket from them after her show appearance . She was amazingly great
Winner now. Well deserved!
To me it stood out as one of the best auditions I have ever seen on Idol. And I rooted for her till she won!
Me too. I keep coming back to watch!
I had never heard the song from the movie Barbie. Since hearing Abi sing this popular song, I have and love Abi's version much more.
I think you are being nit picky. It’s a 2.5 minute version and she needs to demonstrate her style, not replicate BI’s version. Agree that her piano playing is also very nice - soft hands on the keys.
Your problem is, you love the song as done by Billie. Copying her would not bring Abi's talent to the fore. And BTW, the song was written by Billie and her brother who plays piano on her performance at the Grammy awards. He is actually, by her on admission, more responsible for the success of her songwriting. A Producer should never fall for a song so hard that they cannot understand a performance that is different than the original.
this.
Your problem is listening
I agree, though she picks up lots of fans by going full throated, and that will carry her further in American Idol. This is one of my favorite auditions.
It’s an American Idol audition, like 30 seconds to show off your vocal range and potential of your voice. She is selling her voice to Idol, not putting on an entertainment act.
I think it was perfect and probably a lot better than half the artists that walk into studios.
I liked this version so much better. I think she is able to make almost any song better than the original. Her voice is amazing!
I think Abi belted early to avoid having Katy scream "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" in the middle of her audition.
The thing is, the judges, probably all agree with you, but I’m not interested in criticizing her at this point because overtime they will work with her and help her fine-tune her approach to using her full voice. So her first audition that demonstrates her skill, her talent and her beautiful voice was just perfect. And very smart.
Amen, amen, amen your comment is right on 🎯. I agree with you.
American Idol you only get one chance to make that impression. So you pull out every trick.
I enjoyed your critique immensely. I understand your points, and I even agree 100% with you. . . However . . . Abi made me cry! I've seen Billie sing this song several times, and she never made me cry. Not even close. This song is not just about a wistful sadness, but also about Barbie's anguish, fear, and anger at where she's at. Billie doesn't convey any of this. Abi does. I submit that her interpretation of this song is more appropriate for the movie story line. My 2 cents.
Ya know, I think you pretty much summed it up👍
I concur. 100 percent.
that was raw emotion. I loved all of it. showed her vulnerability and pure talent. I love the roughness of her full voice. Its all perception my man.
AGREE, 1,000%! She truly IS ASTONISHING and GORGEOUS and HUMBLE. What Abi's doing is getting caught in the trap of FAR TOO MANY, contemporary, young vocalists, who really CANNOT sing that well, fall back on YELLING, SCREECHING. Her bigger issue, though, is WHAT will she follow THAT WITH?!❤
I think the music industry has missed we don't want perfection.. we want raw talent like this.
You don't want raw talent, because the singer will end up in surgery like Adele or the singer will blow out their voice like Robert Plant did in his 30s. Training to sing for long periods of time requires training and time and labels want singers straight out of the gate.
I love her performance and I do agree with you but with Idol, she would have got the “you’ve got more in you”. Sometimes you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. It’ll be interesting to see what she does going forward.
Personally I loved this version of the song... and no slight on Billie's version... that is amazing too. I think Abi's version was real and raw and heartfelt, which was evident by her tears afterward. I do think she was trying to show her range for competition sake but I didn't mind it at all. Sometimes it seems a bit bland when a contestant does the song the same as the original. Abi showed she could do both the highs and lows extremely well and I hope she goes far in to the competition.
I was so inv😂dated in Abi right from this audition to the end that you would have thought I was her grandmother! I voted nearly every week which I haven’t done in many years. Bravo, Abi, you’re going to be a big star!❤
I think miss Abi Carter was perfect in a beautiful song and just leave it at that👍😎🆒
Standing ovation by all 3 judges, 1st time the production crew applauded a contestant on AO and platinum ticket that only 3 contestants receive each season on American idol.
Sorry but not sorry ....
I think you are spot on with all your comments. She is incredible and carries so much emotion as a good performer does. Thanks for the video!
For an audition for a show where they are judging you on your vocal abilities, she had to belt and use full voice to show off her range. I totally agree that the softness of BE’s voice in the song and how it was meant to be is the best choice for this song, but I understand why Abi changed it up for an audition.
Well, as a (former) musician I agree with everything you said. She's great and her piano playing is REALLY nice. She's definitely top 10 material. But to be a star using your voice, you need the ability to be gentle and to absolutely blast it - and transition between the two easily. Mariah, Celine, Whitney, etc. If you can't do that, you can still be a big star with great songwriting (like Billie and her brother) or great dancing and production (like many others). Anyway, she's awesome and I hope she finds her place.
Hearing a respected professional's assessment on any musical performance is invaluable insight. Thank you! She's a talented singer.
Its nothing that she cant fix.
Yes, I miss Simon Cowell’s willingness to boldly critique & the current judges rarely do it so it’s nice to have this channel.
They do need to “go full hog” because they have only a couple of minutes to show what they can do. And pitch at the top of her range - I think I could hear a deliberate crack of her voice that really works
It was an audition. The judges heard just what you heard. But because her voice is so amazing, she will go thru and they will nurture her to get where she is suppose to be.
Let’s hope!
Hmm ... it sounds a lot like a song I wrote a few years back, "What Was I Shaved For?". I suddenly woke up in a hospital, and they told me I was already done. I wanted a better explanation, so they encouraged me to take a sneak peek under the sheets, and that was that! I was done all right! Shortly after, I got back to where I once belonged and scribbled the lyrics down on a napkin at Tim Hortons. Fini.
Hilarious!
You should be a professional comedian. Lol! Hilarious!
I thought that was an incredibly insightful and kind assessment. She definitely showed her range since this was her one song, one shot. I loved the audition and think she will go very far, and likely will win. I hope Abi sees your review. We all need notes and advice on how we can be the best version of our gifts!
Thanks!
She’s amazing
I apologize, but I do not agree with Barrett. Not that I pretend to know anything about singing and dynamics, but I loved how she added a little sound to this song. I literally cannot stand the way that Billie Eilish sings it and I hated the way Billie sang it on the Grammys. I want to hear a song. I know there are many songs that require a sweet and quiet voice, but Billie Eilish doesn’t project enough for this song to stand out as the beautiful song that I feel that it is. This girl nailed it in my book but that’s just my opinion. I also I also feel like this girl will go far into the competition of American Idol, and I hope that she does.♥️🤞🏼
No need to apologize! That’s the thing about any art, we all can have different opinions and it’s all valid! I too think she will go far and, as I admitted at the end of the video, I was nitpicking and was just giving my opinion.
I agree with you Barrett. She is amazing. You have great points. You should be a judge on the show. TV wants to be overly dramatic.
I believe she made it her song. She cried out in pain a couple of times rather than whisper sing through the entire song. Both ways work, but Abi did need to show the judges some of her other abilities during the two minutes the contestants are allotted. I believe she made smart choices for her audition. (And lo and behold, Luke nailed it! She won American Idol 2024!)
Abi did HER version of the song and it was fantastic.
You have probably seen other comments that say the same thing, but... In vocal competitions like Idol or The Voice, you have 2 minutes to present your talent. If you watch these shows, and a contestant were to sing the song like Billie did, quiet, which she does a great job of, the judge/coach might not turn. Then the contestant is told they were looking for dynamics. Quiet/soft, bold, then soft again.
Abi was a fan of the show all her life. So she knows the ropes of how to present her talent to the judges. She did that in spades. She proved she was capable to be a huge artist like Eilish in the future.
Did I think she was going to win like judges did on Idol? No, was I surprised the won? No. By the top 5, the audience exploded every time she finished singing.
I think Lionel told her to do her own version of it .
It is just interesting to hear the different input from others. This guy was tough with Abi, but still complimented her. 😊
It’s an audition! These guys see hundreds of people a day, she needed to go full voice to show what she can do. Keeping it tame would’ve just been a Billie replica, and forgetful.
This was raw and the imperfections made it better.
She is the winner. Just wait. She did that song justice.
If this is an “audition” then it’s raw which as you said she’s f-ing amazing. So let’s see what some guidance and professional help does with all her amazing talent !!! She’s going to only get better once a label gets a hold of her ! I’m team Abi from the gate ❤️🎶
"In your style". I absolutely love here style. Live, and without the FINNEAS "magic"
I LOVE, I LOVE ,THE VOICE MIRACULEUSE Fantastic,ove the voice Abi Carter ❤
Going full voice on the second verse, given the lyrics and overall story, was the perfect choice. She could--maybe--have backed off it a little with "turns out I'm not real," but full voice on "Felt so alive"? Absolutely the right choice for the song.
I totally agree about the "belting requirement" or, as I call it, the need for a "money shot." Joni Mitchell went her entire career (I think) without EVER belting, yet it is SOP these days. Is belting exciting? Yes. Does it add "punch?" Yes. But is it truly necessary in every song? Nope. Billie's proven that, especially with this song. That being said, I f****** LOVE this performance.
The judges don't like copy cats so if it was one for one, the judges would probably have said no.
But in reality, she isn’t Joni Mitchell she’s Abi carter.
My point wasn't comparing Abi to Joni. And please note that I said I loved Abi's performance.@@TrishK77
So interesting - I also felt like the full voice parts weren’t as successful. I actually remember listening to the audition for the first time, and thinking ‘ugh, no’ when she made that small melodic change on the second line.
But, I suppose it would be a risk for her not to do that type of thing in the audition. The problem with doing it with this song is that is it one of those rare, perfect little songs where musically, you just don’t want anything to be different. (Well, I don’t anyway).
totally agree
Agree 100% with everything you said. Absolutely gorgeous runs and tone and piano playing and musicality, AND also she 100% didn’t need to power it up to the extent that she did.
Also agree that A.I. creates that pressure to overperform.
I look forward to seeing what she does. She reminds me of Sara Barrellis.
I know im not a producer...but the things you are criticizing is the reason i would by her album. I dont think its pitch problems...i think its rasp, and her oun spin on the song. The full voice was a plus plus in my opinion
*Buy
Her full hog crazy was my absolute favorite and I wanted more lol
I understand. She is however an outstanding singer.
had never heard this song until the audition.
Your review is proper. Some vocal control was lost when she sang in full voice.
I agree for the song she should have stayed quiet, but this is an audition. I found it useful to hear she can do more than breathy. I am so looking forward to her journey on idol.
Wow is sounds amazing ! This her version not Billie . You are nit picky
❤ I love this audition to the T. Thought it was sultry and mesmerizing
Totally agree with you, i think the exact same when i hear it the first time
She was performing it as Abi- not as Billie. She also had to showcase to the judges her entire range of vocals in that two-minute audition.
I totally agree with what you're saying and as a producer for her to kay down a track for that song- no way. But for audition's sake- one bazillion percent nailed it!
You're awesome though! I appreciate your talent as a music producer. It's got to be such a rewarding job to see boundless talent sit in front of you and perform. ❤
I think in audition, she has to show her range. I really do like her midline voice, too.
Mr. Jones, just a short note to you. You asked for comments so I will voice mine. You have many years at your work and I feel you know much more then the consistence knows. Should they know what a pro knows? I am glad you like her she is my favorite, I love music and 82 years old. Keep up with what your doing.
I agree on so many points. She did screech. Minor oops. But during many of her performances, she sounded more like she was screaming rather than singing. Maybe it's just me, because I have sensitive hearing. But honestly, during some of her performances, she screeched.
Her version of the song demonstrated the emotion necessary to draw me in to her performance of the song itself. Not everyone has the ability to do such a thing. Have You ever though that maybe she was just singing from her heart and identifying with the words in the song from her own personal perspective cuz that it what truly makes music great and wonderful, that is what really draws people into music and certain songs?
I think she’s the winner for a reason. Luke called it.
My initial reaction was to talk shit about this judgement, but then I pit my personal bias aside and took in what you had to say and you're just right. While amazing, it was just an amazing singer that is lacking experience. If she makes the proper changes to her style, she could be one of those ones. Just special.
You had the same thoughts I had when I listened to this the first time. No doubt though, she was the best singer this season.
I agree that Abi’s version of this song is amazing. I loved all of her musical choices, including when she went full voice. For a couple of weeks after I heard this on TV, I kept replaying it, it so moved me, and it brought tears to my eyes almost every time. I would not characterize her voice at all “operatic.” Certainly emotive. I don’t think she ever sings with an operatic sound. When she gets into her high range, full-throated, it moves me (in this case) although she has to be careful to avoid doing it too much, or she could cross over into an annoying screechiness. In this moment, for this length of an audition, it was perfect for me, and obviously for the judges too. Her runs and her piano playing were also outstanding. Billie and Finneas wrote a beautiful song, but I would prefer to listen to Abi’s version on the radio or live (Billie’s film version needed to be more muted throughout).
I agree with your assessment 100%. I was also annoyed whenever she went overly dramatic on it. The first 10 seconds of this audition was clearly the best part.
I’m guessing the reason she went “full voice” was the limited time one has to show the judges what she can do with her voice. This wasn’t Abi cutting a record. It was Abi trying to get to Hollywood. Listen to her performance last week of the Evanescence song “Bring Me To Life”. Freaking amazing!
You're right. Abi did push the limits & she didn't need to.
She set up her performance using her introduction, saying she was one of seven children,
& then the song "What Was I Made For." That was smart, as if she was asking about her life.
I guess she has to belt out to showcase her capabilities as a singer since this is a talent show.. I bet she can sing this falsetto and breathy all through out as well.. but i guess when sang live, emotions sometimes overflow that you might belt out..hehehe thanks for your reaction :)
Thank you for your insight Barrett Jones.
Totally understand your concern & critique for her choice to sing full voice so early & not that she was singing poorly, she definitely was not!
It was not required for her full singing voice to emphasize that song frame.
Maybe she felt most comfortable to sing full voice at that particular part of the song?
And yes, on its own merit: that song stands out on its own.
When the movie was first released, I did not pay much attention to the soundtrack, nor when that song was playing & playing & playing….I listened to it, once or twice at the very early stages of its popularity.
At that time, was my mistake to not fully embrace the song.
The intentions of the song, the lyrics, the melodies & transitions & its overall tempo all of it was constructed perfectly.
Lionel advised her to make it her own right before she performed, this was her version and i loved it when she went up, just beautiful imo.
Loved it. So beautiful. She is amazing. Felt it.
She sang it her way and I love it!
Just wow, and everything else she’s song.
Fantastic
She is a Super Star
I’m 100% on the Abi train! I pray she has the range to be competitive.
Song choice will be key.
As a professional singer, by far the hardest part of my journey was finding my own voice. IN FACT... I still would say I haven't found it. The closest I came was singing at the foot of my mothers bed the day she passed. Her favorite song was Me and Mrs. Jones... and my family asked me to "sing her out.." I was happy too, but because of the environment, I forced myself to stay in my falsetto, singing it to a youtube karaoke version on my phone, even though it is in my range full voice. My family stared at me and asked me where that came from. Think of Jack Malik's friends reaction the first time he sings Yesterday on his new guitar. I was moved to tears. WHY tell you this? Because I feel the same way you do about this song. There are those songs where... everything from the lyric, to the production, is perfect, period. Then there are those, like Circus from Britney spears, where a group like Dirty Loops comes along and pushes the song up where it should be. Abi has an exceptional, outstanding, remarkable voice, but this song was perfect before.. and her pushing and hitting to loudly DIDN"T HURT THE SONG, it was still not right for the song. Other than that... what an incredible singer. I hope she goes far, even though you and I both know that if she wins, or doesn't... Her talent is now owned, if the contracts have stayed the same.
thanks for the comment!
I don't mind if they get a little pitchy due to emotion but I see what your saying.. kinda empties the gas tank early. There was a few spots where she used a lot of breath to end a phrase or two but it sounded toooo contrived, that actually bothered me more. (Basically it was good technique but to obvious If that makes sense). That's just me being nit-picky. She's great though, she will do well.
Disagree. She did amazing and it was so touching. The full voice caught me and I felt the power. She did a great job
Full STOP >>> Abi is AMAZING!!!
I love the way she sang it ,even more than the way billie sings it
you know all of these artists tell you don't do it just like me make it your own I think she did fine. It's an audition if she performed the song exactly like Billy they probably would not have liked it
I felt that exact thought on that part of the song. I agree she’s amazing though and she will go far. She will benefit from further voice training and I see an awesome future for her.
I agree. I think it’s better without the higher fullout pitch. I LOVE the softer tone. She’s amazing!
I’ve auditioned for singing contests, and that’s what they want to see out of the bed is range… Having said that, I totally respect your opinion and see your side
It's not about a bad deal , it's recognision...there are a lot of great singers that don't get a stage.
She did great, top 10, they will coach her.
hello from greece .some people have a natural talent she is one of them .
Everything he said was correct but she still made the right choice to sing it that way. If she had sang it the way Billie did it would not have been authentic and congruent with her own unique style. It also obviously didn’t hurt her 😎
I disagree. She was not only showing her range but also showing her gritty sound at the top of her full voice. This gives the judges much more info on her abilities.
Winner!!
Ok, my two cents. First, she is totally amazing, just fabulous. Second, about going full voice, you said it yourself, it's American Idol, it's about the drama, it's about over the top, it's a few attempts to show your entire spectrum. In this situation, you have to cram as much of what you can do into 2 1/2 to 3 minutes and you only get one shot at it. She did what she had to do, and, in the end, she took it all.
Love Abi! I actually like her version much better than Billie’s. Abi will go far!
it’s an audition! They’re not making a record! she hast to showcase her talent!
I agree with every word the producer said. To me when she went full voice it sounded kind of screechy and it took away from the ethereal quality of the song. But overall I loved it.
I thought that "over performing" was necessary because contestants never sing an entire song. they have limited amount of time/space to show their vocal ability, so I would think "over performing" is probably necessary. idk...