Till I Hear You Sing (Ramin Karimloo vs John Owen-Jones vs Ben Lewis)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- "Till I Hear You Sing"
Sources:
Love Never Dies (Ramin Karimloo) 0:10
Unmasked (John Owen-Jones) 3:26
Love Never Dies DVD (Ben Lewis) 6:41
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Related:
"The Music of the Night" by John Owen-Jones, Ramin Karimloo, Gerard Butler
Part 1: • Video
Part 2: • Video
"Beneath a Moonless Sky" by Ramin Karimloo and Ben Lewis
• Beneath a Moonless Sky...
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Uploader's comments:
If there are other numbers on POTO or LND that you would like me to make a compilation of, please let me know in the comments.
Personally my favourite POTO Phantom is John Owen-Jones and my favourite LND Phantom is Ramin Karimloo.
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Lyrics:
*Australian version in brackets
The day starts, the day ends
Time crawls by
Night steals in, pacing the floor
The moments creep,
Yet I can't bear to sleep
Till I hear you sing
And weeks pass, and months pass
Seasons fly
Still you don't walk through the door (Still you don't walk through my door)
And in a haze
I count the silent days
Till I hear you sing once more
And sometimes at night time
I dream that you are there
But wake holding nothing
But the empty air (But the cold night air)
And years come, and years go
Time runs dry
Still I ache down to the core (Still I ache deep in my core)
My broken soul
Can't be alive and whole (Can't be alive or whole)
Till I hear you sing once more
And music, your music
It teases at my ear
I turn and it fades away
And you're not here
Let hopes pass, let dreams pass
Let them die
Without you what are they for
I'll always feel
No more than halfway real
Till I hear you sing once more
There is literally no loser here, and the listeners are the winners. These guys all bring something different to the song and are AMAZING!
When Ramin sings this song I hear so much passion and determination. His voice is so polished and clean like Erik's would be. As close to perfection as a human will get, and the way he conveys the emotions in this song is so remarkable and touching.
As for John, there's something different about the way he sings this. He pauses in places I've not heard other Phantoms do, and he emphasis different words. I think his uniqueness is what makes him similar to Erik.
Ben's voice is very manly and deep and despite this it has a certain softness. It has a very nice tone to it. When Ben sings this song he's not acting like the Phantom, he IS the phantom. All three men were amazing in my opinion.
Jessie Charles I love 💕
Jessie Charles couldn’t agree more. Saw Ramin sing it live recently at his tour show in Edinburgh - a fantastic intimate gig. Just wow.
Ramin interpreted Phantom/Mr. Y in a new and unique way. He formulated a backstory, a plan. I read somewhere that his Phantom is younger and has Aspergers.
I also think the instrumentation and pace affects their performances.
Ramin's version was slower, well-orchestrated and more dramatic. It definitely affected how great he sounded.
John's version had drums and some kind of deep air instrument, which made it feel less flowy.
Ben's instrumentation was similar to Ramin's, but the pace was definitely faster and so it felt a bit more rushed.
Imo, Ramin's version sounded nicest, but Ben is definitely the best fit for this song!
Ben IS indeed, the Phantom. 😁 Love it!!
Ramin just really owned this song. That he has some sort of an emotional connection and/or could personally relate to it probably helped, because you can just hear raw emotion whenever he sings this. I seriously feel like crying whenever I listen to him singing this song.
Ramin is my favorite Phantom but Ben Lewis just reached down and squeezed my soul with every note he belted.
HollowMist11 Both of them grab me by my very essence and immerse me and make me feel for them. Their voices truly are something special, including John.
HollowMist11 exactly. I thought Hugh Panaro and Ramin will only be the best Phantom but Ben Lewis just steals me away ugh!
And this song is only first t first song in the movie and he already nailed it. 😁
I don't think it's fair Ramin recorded in a studio and Ben, while he may be on a DVD, was still recorded on a stage, live. If I had to choose though: Ramin for POTO and Ben for LND. But I have to admit JOJ probably has the superior overall voice. He fits both the younger and older phantom and the way he sung this was absolutely breath taking. I love listening to him sing :)
John Owen Jones' "I dream that you are There" is the definition of perfect, gives me chills every time
To be totally fair, I think Ramin does great in both shows, but I feel Ben Lewis has a better voice for Love Never Dies. Though I feel Ramin and Sierra have natural chemistry, I don't deny that Ben and Anna were phenomenal. I really would like to see Ben Lewis land the role of The Beast in Beauty and The Beast because his voice seems so perfect for it.
Andrew Mikolajczyk omg yes, I didn't know I needed this!
Owh. Why I didn't think about it. You're right.
Andrew Mikolajczyk ALW has recognized Ramin and Sierra's chemistry (he loves it to the point that their his favorite in their roles)
Ramin said in an interview that he NEEDS to work with Sierra. He says it isn't the same without working with her
I just think Ben conveys more emotion. I've heard both on the love never dies different recordings and I hear more emotion just listening to Ben Lewis! I do like Ramin's voice but I think it's too young sounding for the phantom especially in love never dies where the phantom is 10 years older. Ben deepens his voice for the role which is fabulous. Ben is actually younger than Ramin though.
I need this. Like Right now.
Ok, I 'love' Ramin in Phantom, he's awesome. But Ben...he 'is' the Phantom for Love Never Dies. He just fits perfectly.
Side note, I 'love' his trench coat...I want that coat pattern...
Ramin will forever be my favorite, the first time i heard him i was moved to tears. And this song just shows the passion and emotion in his voice
You can feel Ben Lewis' heartbreak and need for Christine in every note he sings. His performance is nothing short of perfect in my eyes. I however have to commend Ramin Karimloo on his ending of the song. His version is hauntingly heart wrenching.
Ramin is great but to watch and listen to Ben Lewis is to see the Phantom in all his anguish and it is riveting.
Yeah Ben very top notes don’t have the metallic quality that Ramin carries. All three very good of course
I just watched Love Never Dies staring Ben Lewis and I've already seen the 25th Anniversary. In my opinion Ramin IS Phantom in POTO but Lewis just blows me away in Love Never Dies.
Till I hear you sing is probably my favourite song out of POTO and LND.
Ben Lewis's singing evokes sympathy for him, not overly dramatic nor trying to be too operatic.
All of them has their own style of singing and producing their voice. All of them are perfect!
As someone who loves all three of these phantoms (having seen John Owen Jones (2011) and Ben Lewis(2018) play the phantom live in London and Ramin on the 25th Anniversary), I believe that they all brought a beautiful contrast to the song that suits each of their phantoms differently. Not all phantoms are the same, some are more harsh and some much more gentle. Having seen all three perform, each of their versions suit the character and personification of the phantom that they each personally portray. I love all three versions and each unique element they bring to the phantoms story and character. Overall, I believe that all three of them did an incredible job, I couldn’t pick a favourite due to the love I have for each individual portrayal of the character. 💕
JOJ is the only Phantom that has ever given me goosebumps all over. He brings me to tears every time I listen to him. An absolutely amazing Phantom all around. Thanks.
i think people are forgetting how god damn amazing John Owen Jones is as a Singer to the point where he has played the Phantom more times then any other actor in the world by a long shot he was also included in 25th Anniversary for both Les Mis and Phantom as one of the top JVJ & Phantom's to date (Ben Was not just to make a point) don't get me Wrong Ramin and Ben are Talent Performers and are at the top of there game but actually listen to the voice's Johns Control and Emotion is unmatched
Zane Fleming Thank you, I needed to see a comment like this. I think JOJ is by far the best Phantom, acting with emotion WITHOUT sacrificing control, which is not something Ramin has mastered.
Thank you! was kind of getting a bit annoyed by some of the comments
+Zane Fleming There was an Australian at the 25th....Anthony Warlow, who creams all over Ben Lewis but stands alongside JOJ and Ramin as Tier 1 phantoms.
He is an amazing singer and actor, but Howard McGilian has done more performances than he has
I think you're also forgetting that Andrew Lloyd Weber wrote "Love Never Dies" with the intention of having Ramin as the Phantom and Sierra as Christine. He also requested that Ramin and Sierra play the Phantom and Christine for the 25th anniversary concert, because he felt that they were the best to ever play the roles. Ramin was also Jean Valjean in Les Miz on Broadway and was praised for his performance, earning a TONY nomination for his role as JVJ and won other awards for both LND and his role as JVJ.
TL;DR: I, along with many others, think Ramin Karimloo is better, but lets just agree to disagree
Always Ben! He has the lower voice which makes him more believable as the Phantom, but can reach heart breaking heights as well!
Ramin sounded like the young phantom and Ben sounded like the more older phantom..for Love never dies,I think Ben is the perfect pahntom..
Fatin Syazwanie i agree
It's true!!!! Ben lewis is the best
10 yrs has passed since the day Christine Daae left. Both phantoms are very equally full of emotional intense. But Ben's sounds older. 10yrs older. Anyway I love both phantoms.
Same!
BEN IS THE BEST!! 💕 😍 🥰
Ben Lewis for me. Ramin is also good but I felt the emotions of loneliness and his ache for Christine deep in my heart. Who agrees?
I agree completely
Yes. And he won an award for his performance.
TheMsiaddict which type?
Thatperformer387
Best Actor in Leading Role.
TheMsiaddict nice
to be honest,i have never cried when I listen to beautiful voices....but JOJ...I.... *holds back tears* I can't explain how....his..voice is out of this universe....He is truly an angel....
Ben Lewis is my favourite because he has a really good voice for someone who was new to the character and then played Phantom in the Phantom of the Opera in the West End a few weeks ago.
Ramin wins out for me. He will always be the Phantom for me. His voice and emotions just break my heart. I cry everytime I hear him sing this song and that ending--so perfect!
Ramin is the phantom back when he was in pain and much younger during poto. Ben is the older phantom with confidence that he found a place that accepts him but his heart still aches for one thing he left behind in Paris; Christine. You can just feel Ben's emotion. I'm gonna give this one to Ben.
John Owen Jones has the best quality voice of anyone Ive heard singing this song. Not taking anything away from the others but John does it for me.
I have to agree. Ramin has the most polished version, Ben's version is the most dramatic, but John's is the one that makes me FEEL the most.
I adore all three of them for different reasons. Ben for the darkness in his tone, JOJ for the seductiveness of his voice, and Ramin for the raw power and emotion in his rendition. Let's face it, all three are incredible artists who brought something different to the role of the Phantom, whether in the original musical or LND.
Personally my ranking is
1. Ben
2. Ramin
3. John
All of them are top notch though :)
All are excellent singers but Ben Lewis can portray those feelings of loneliness and regret that the other two cannot.
ShinigamiRukia17 I feel that way too!
SAY IT LOUDER FIR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!
Haha listen to ramin live not recorded. So much passion. I notice the recording is very much more contained. Ben's sounds strained and thinish
laugh for life I think that’s the point. He is an older phantom who has felt time pass. Ramin’s is from the cast recording. Don’t get me wrong I love Ramin in POTO and LND but for LND I feel that Ben is a better fit for how the character is described (slender and gaunt).
Also, all of these recordings are studio.
@@laughforlife3539
He's frustrated, stressed, in deep pain and dying.
They’re all amazing. There’s no competition. The winner is all of us because we get to hear all three of these amazing men sing this amazing song.
I love Ben Lewis! His voice melts me! I like Ramin too but Ben's voice is so powerful! I think I love the man!
Ben Lewis without a doubt is the best phantom. He captures every second with the most perfect emotion. His character and voice is perfect for the phantom.
Agree.
good point know wonder why he was chosen to replace Ben Forster then
Christina Samuel
Ben Forster was handpicked by ALW. Maybe as the compensation of the cancelled Jesus Christ Superstar Tour in the US in 2014. Ben Lewis won the audition again. Who could up his resume as the LND PHANTOM anyway.
My vote definatly goes for Ramin, everytime i hear him sing this I get chills and part of me actually wants to "walk through the door" to see him
He makes my heart melt when i hear him, especially when he starts belting!!
I really like Ramin, and he's for sure my favorite out of the three. But, like a lot have said before, Ben makes you feel like the Phantom really grew older.
good point and hang on Love Never Dies supposed to be ten years after Phantom Of The Opera
Ramin forever
Elisia Raybould that’s the line for me too
Having just listened to each, and having just seen Ben Lewis as the Phantom in London where he was great, and always liking Ramin sooo much, I have to say, imo, John Owen Jones sang it with the most feeling - the way I would expect Erik, the Phantom to do it.
Ramin for everything, the other guys don't give me the same feeling as Ramin does. Ramin's voice goes behind my world and when I listen to him, I drift into my own little world and nobody but his voice would be able to reach me, until the song ends. I love Ramin's voice and when he goes high, I just love it. His voice is my world. You could hypnotise me with. Literally! xD
When ramin had showcased his evil laughter, I fall for him even more😊😆
I feel like Ramin is better for POTO but Ben is better for LND
+BlueCornMoon_ same here. I can't seem to think of Ramin as the phantom 10 years later, Ben just seems so much more mature and fit for the role in LND. Plus, his deep voice gives me chills for dayyys.
+Mouza Almualla
His "My Christine...".
Underoos Webs Same here, he sucks me into a different world, to the point where if somebody interrupts this world I’m in I get kind of annoyed.
Love it!
Personally I've seen both Ben and Ramin live - Ben had me in 'messy tears', and Ramin's voice makes me smile uncontrollably... Would love to see JOJ.
Having said that, the rendition that warms my heart the most is when my husband sings it for me - can't beat it when it's personal ;)
Ben Lewis was a really sexy phantom and his voice was so deep and sexy and emotional. Really, it melts me!
same
stacie kroos I totally agree! Ben is the best phantom ever! That voice, OMG! Plus the mannerism on stage is incredible and utterly sexy! ❤️
Nah... JOJ clears the floor with his voice and emotion. The sheer power of his baritone just belts it.........
Ben is my favorite for this song personally, his voice sounds like an older phantom like he would be in LND but Ramin is my favorite for POTO songs.
Ram in is the best of the three, he makes it sound like he is singing to you, while the two, while very good, sound like they are performing to a large crowd..
Because one wasn't live. Guess which.
Having seen Ben Lewis in the show live I would choose him above the rest. Also I was in The Phantom of the Opera with Anthony Warlow and Alex Lewis who played Raoul, for 3 years. Warlow undeniably the best Phantom that has ever been, Ben has the same emotion in his voice and portrays the Phantom with the same intentions and rawness. Brilliant!!!
I have a problem with Ramin as the Phantom in this show. I understand that he originated this version of the Phantom. After hearing him sing these songs and then seeing him in the 25th Anniversary of POTO I much prefer him as the 10 years younger Phantom, full of emotion and expression. My opinion is that in Love Never Dies the Phantom is broken after losing Christine; an empty shell of what he once was. This is why I prefer Ben Lewis; he plays the 10 years older Phantom as a broken man, void of emotion and meaning. Ramin is still full of his youthful (?) spirit.
Yes!!!
ALW wrote this song for Ramin’s metallic voice, he voice is perfect for both Phantom. Especially how he reveals the emotions layer by layer
Very true!!!!! Yes!!
All 3 Phantoms have amazingly breath-taking voices!!!!!
All three bring their own special contribution to this melody. All three have such a beautiful voice. However Ramin Karimloo gives it that extra strong jet sensitive raw emotion to it. I am going to have to go with Ramin Karimloo. His voice brought me to tears.
Yup and his emotions are most natural too , rather than showing technique
@B H I completely agree. He is amazing. 💜💜
Ben Lewis for me
He make the song perfect
for me it will always be Ramin. I still remember the feeling when I first saw him. It was Love never dies and with this first song I was already in tears
lucky! did you see Ramin and Sierra as the Phantom and Christine in LND? I wish that was somewhere the public could watch. It'd be THAT much better after seeing the 25th anniversary at the royal albert hall (on netflix sadly lol) with the two of them
Ben in LND is tortured. There is no other way to describe him, and it fits poor Eric perfectly.
Yeah. Rollercoaster emotions there. Every line has different emotion. Ramin just sad and JOJ just singing.
Ben Lewis is the only one who makes me wish the song was longer.
Amen^
Yes!
Nice thought ! Agreed.
He didn't need the microphones.
Ramin's voice is so emotional which is exactly what I go for. I love the emotion. Actually, if someone voice or song can move me to tears of any kind (happy, sad, etc.) I'm automatically won over. So, obviously he is my favorite.
Ben's voice is so mature, and he can also pull the emotional card which is a plus.
Then there is JOJ who I rarely listen to because I never hear much emotion in his voice, but I can hear the purity in his voice, and I can also understand all the words he's saying. :P
1. Ben
2. Ramin
3. John
Ramin have good voice, but I still love Ben's emotion in his voice. Of course Ramin have too, but Ben catches me most.
2. Ramin
Ben Lewis's deep sound is such a nice contrast and it makes sense as the Phantom is older. And his pronunciation of vowels is my favorite by far.
1. Ramin. He has a unique passion with intonations of misery, and seems to really embody the role. His voice is controlled yet exudes so much emotion, especially when he emphasizes a phrase/word.
2. Ben. As many have said already, his voice is deeper which is what many expect how a voice matures as one ages. His deeper tone adds a new flavor to Erik, however, for me personally his voice is a little too deep for Erik (as he’s traditionally a tenor, not a bass).
3. John. I like him as well, as he’s almost a medium in between Ramin and Ben. But, as in the middle between the two others, the others just have a more notable interpretation of Erik.
They’re all excellent in my opinion, this is just my personal ranking.
John Owens is my favorite since he actually sings the ''I hear you sing'' part with power
I have known and enjoyed both Ramin and Ben's voices before, but I love the way JOJ's voice swells, I'm going to have to google this guy.
All 3 are amazing, but Ramin Karimloo's voice is just phenomenal. I fell in love with this song when we saw the show. Would have loved to have seen him in the role.
LOVE Ben
and Ramin too
and John also actually.
Gotta go with Ben on this. Much fuller, richer voice.
Ramin better
Tan mary He was just telling his opinion...
TheStarwarsgirl13 HIS OPINION!!!
geez, guys, calm down. I'm aware that it's his opinion, now I'm expressing mine. There's no need to yell at me over the internet.
@@TheStarwarsgirl13
That was edited. His voice was dark, ghostly and frightening.
Its a tough choice...
I'll think I'll go with: John's beginning, Ben's middle and Ramin's ending :D
can someone make a mashup for this person so we can all experience heaven
Couldnt Agree More！！！
All of them are amazing as Phantom. But I have to admit that Ben is the only Phantom who makes me cry for this song. He is an excellent Erik, especially he is the only great Phantom who can play in Love Never Dies. Oh god what an amazing deep voice is this?! Love him forever. I wish I could watch him as Phantom... Damn distances! So the ranking is:
-Ben
-Ramin
-JOJ
Ramon will always be my favourite because he sings so sweetly plus I watched the phantom of the opera with him and Sierra 25th anniversary in dvd
when ramin sings this song he has so much passion in his voice it takes your breath away he has so emotion in his singing it makes me want to cry
The best is the video itself. 9 minutes of this awesome song in slighty different versions, all greats
Surprisingly it's John Owen Jones for me! Ben has put a darker tone to it so it's more phantom-like and Ramin has put more air in the beginning that make's it sound emotional and sexy. His mid and ending are well-rounded as well. And back to the Legend JOJ, his sound is just magical and on-point, gives me chills all the time!
Ramin Karimloo sings that song the best for 95% of the song itself. Karimloo has a fuller, more impactful voice with a melting tone. However, John Owen-Jones has laser precise control over his high tenor register -possibly even a higher range than Ramin (HERESY I KNOW I'll stone myself to death after this posting) so the final " Til -I- hear you sing" phrase is so on the money I feel he deserves an honorable mention. But even with that amazing control and effortlessness he possesses as a high or first or performance tenor, Ramin delivers spine-tingling, heart-wrenching, eye-watering performances with that incredible tone he has and his ability to sing baritone with the impact of tenor notes and tenor notes with the ease of baritone notes. He's truly peerless. So yeah, Ramin wins with flying colors, John Owen-Jones just doesn't have the same kind of warm yet intense tone and delivery throughout the rest of his range like Ramin does. However, he deserves second place and to stand and sing with Ramin. Ben Lewis? I'll show professional courtesy and say the nicest thing I can about him. He's a fine singer... if you don't compare him with any other male lead that has landed the role of the Phantom. Or the Vicomte de-Chaugny (SP?). Or any lead on Broadway/London/Sydney. Will he get jobs in Broadway/London/Sydney? I hope so for him, I wish nothing negative on him as a person. Will he continue to get LEADS in Broadway/London/Sydney? I hope not for my sake, I really dislike listening to him sing. So crop this video into Ramin vs. John and add Mutu's live performance of the song in there as a third contender or something. OH and PS... some beautiful music came from this score but I wish so deeply that this musical had never been taken from the online screens of 14-year-old girl PhanFic sites and transferred onto the Broadway stage and canonized as Phantom's sequel. Seriously, the story is TERRIBLE. If you disagree, please, comment below and I'd love to elaborate (and I'll do so without insulting you personally for having a differing opinion). I don't recommend paying a single penny to see the show, maybe just iTunes some of the best songs or something. That's all.
Dear all, please bask in the awe from John Owen-Jones.
Ramin and JOJ are both so good! I like how Ben shows the emotion of the song, how he acts, and the last few notes he hits, but there's just something about his tone that I don't like, does anyone else get that?
You need to watch the full show.
They’re all absolutely fantastic in their own individual ways, I always find it really difficult to judge the ‘Who Sang It Best’ compilations. There’s nothing in it between these 3 here, I could listen to them all forever ♥️♥️♥️
It's such a close call. They all sing it so well, and in their own way. I'm used to hearing Ramin's version, so its hard not to be biased towards his, but Owen and Ben's are both equally powerful performances.
Ben Lewis is the best at least for me!
This isn't even an argument. John Owen jones absolutely killed it. The way he pronounced every individual word with such emotion and control, he's the best phantom by far!!!!!!
I love Ramin's version, but damn Ben gave me goosebumps!! Yet I have to say, all of them were beautiful.
Hands down, my personal favorite is Ben Lewis! This doesn’t mean I think everyone else is bad or can’t sing. Personally Ben’s voice is just very soothing and calming to me and puts me in a good mood.
They all have their moments, but JOJ has the best diction and control. Holy damn. I hadn't heard him in LND before. Him and James Barbour are two of my top phantoms.
My favourite are Matt Cammelle and Ben Lewis. They sound like baritone, but they can hit high notes effortlessly.
OMG BEN IS AMAZING! The others were good too but Ben is the best in my opinion!
[first and foremost, Ramin is MY Phantom. And it will not change but...]
If we’re talking about vocals here, it’s Ben Lewis! I mean, It’s such a mature and fine voice! It’s the first time I listened to him and I really really really really enjoy listening to him.
If we’re talking passion and vocals, hats of to Ramin! I mean, his rendition gives me the chills and makes me cry. I know that most of us here listens to it (the song in general) and feels melancholy and this sort of longing for something or someone and I just feel that Ramin has delivered the feelings of Phantom. It’s not like he’s only good at conveying the message of the song, Ramin is a great singer and I love him for that but this time I think Ben has it good! Though if I were to choose a song that would be MY favorite, it would be Ramin’s. Just because it makes me cry. We all have our preferences but I just love his rendition. Never fails to make me cry and I think that in music or in the form of song, feelings (and vocals) is a must to convey the real message of the song and Ramin did it so good.
But eitherway, Listening to these three men, it just gives us a variety of flavor that whether we choose another to preference it, there’s just something that draws us to each one of them. And I think at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter cause they delivered it well and they’re well praised for it.
I love all three of the voices, but my two favorites for Phantom are Ramin and Ben - Ramin is perfect for the Phantom of ten years prior and Ben knocks it out of the park as the slightly older, more experienced voice of a Phantom who has lived through more. Ben really pulls the emotion out of each and every note where Ramin glides effortlessly as a man who has been continually singing and training both on his own and with Christine. BRAVA to all three!!!
For me is John Owen John! My favorite always!!! His voice is amazing, and so his performance
Ben i always love u!!! The best phantom ever for me!
good point funny thing is at this point Ben Had only Played The Phantom in Love Never Dies actually got the chance to see Ben live last year in october since he is the Current west end Phantom
Ramin and Sierra are just my favourite :( its sad how the recorded LND is of the Australian version, and not of those two
I love the 3 of them but John Owen Jones has the most astonishing interpretation and voice!
Ramin Karimloo and Ben Lewis both do amazing job as the phantom!!!
How can people love Ramin most!JOJ's voice is so prefect but why people always ignore him！！！！
My List:1)JOJ
2)JOJ
3)JOJ
well，although the other two were also good...
Bard zhou I hear you, Ramin is a tad overrated - always sounds like he’s trying too hard. JoJ sings in a much more restrained and mellow manner and is technically the superior singer - I also love Anthony Warlow, they tie for my favourites with the OG not far behind.
I think the best Phantom is Ramin Karimloo closley followed by John Owen Lewis. Ben Lewis is good, but...the other two performances just tugged at my heart strings more. Ramin sings with pure emotion in Till I hear You Sing which is stunning while it *seems* John focuses more on dictation, but he is note perfect and both singers display powerful dynamics in their renditions. I saw John Owen Lewis perform as the Phantom and he was sheer perfection. This is a beautiful song through and through. Thanks to Andrew Lloyd Webber for such a fine piece. "I turn and it fades away and you're not here. Lets hope pass, let dreams pass, let them die. Without you, what are they for? I always feel no more than half way real. Till I hear you sing once more". Sends shivers down my back! Shame I never got to see Love Never Dies before it got taken off West End.
I cry every time I hear him sing ,omg such a beautiful voice 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Oh goodness, this is rather difficult. All three men play wonderful phantoms, all three having such a new lovely voice too it. Though Ramin provides such this depressing emotion when he sings that plays at your heart strings, John's voice was incredibly powerful, and Ben's wonderful mix of emotion and vocals. I can't decide!
When I first discovered The Phantom of the Opera, I spent a good deal of my time trying to decide which actor played the best Phantom. I couldn't choose which one was the best, and I now know the reason. Love Never Dies showed me (With this song, actually) that it is the Phantom himself that I adore, and each actor brings their own flavour to an already amazing character. They are all wonderful in their own ways and I cannot bear to choose just one, because they are all indescribably amazing.
Having seen Ramin on opening night in the original production and seen him live singing it many times i have to say for absolute passion Ramin would be my number 1 for this song 2 JOJ 3 Ben ...havent been able to watch my DVD but with such glowing comments of Ben perhaps I will
It's too bad that the cam footage of Ramin's West End run hadn't been uploaded yet when this youtube video came out because there is a huge difference in the emotional performance of the studio recording and the live version. Hearing Ramin do this live makes all the difference when deciding who sings this better.
Butler would sing this song better if he had the opportunity.
All 3 has such rich and powerful voices ! But I have to pick the voice that makes me think of the original phantom (Crawford), the one that sounds most “phantomy”, and with that said, Ben Lewis captured that sound, for me, among the 3. The way he enunciate “Sing”...with such desperation. That’s Phantom. I actually love Ramin’s passion in his voice. If it wasn’t Phantom’s song, I prefer his voice,one that belongs to someone like Raoul. But because it’s Phantom’s, Ramin doesn’t’ have that mysterious, almost creepy yet otherworldly quality in his voice that Phantom possesses.
Indeed desperation and frustration.
JOJ is for me! His pure and unfaltering notes bring tears to my eyes and brings the deepest despair the Phantom feels in this splendid rendition of the Phantom's soul-felt balled
Ramin will NEVER need to take a back seat to ANYONE. EVER. He possesses the most extraordinary, heart-wrenching combination of skill, power and emotion.
All of these men give me chills when I hear them sing this incredible song, but Ben is definitely my favorite. In my opinion, his voice is the most "angelic" out of the three, fitting the title, Angel of Music. I also think that his deeper voice contributes to the song greatly. (Not to mention that he is the only one who sings the word 'half' in the lyric "I'll always feel no more than half way real" with a British accent... even though they lived in France.)
+Paige Hagy Err....here's JOJ at 6:10 . Plus the Phantom wasn't in France, he was in America and had been for 10 years. It's completely understandable that he may have adapted an American accent to fit in.
I think John Owen-Jones has the purest vowels and articulation accuracy, but Ramin just has such a beautiful voice. Then there's Ben Lewis that is so much different then the other two. Ugh. It's a hard pick.
_all of them. all of them are the best._
Honestly, I just CAN'T decide! They are all AMAZING!!! Their voices and passion make me want to cry...
The three are AMAZING!! But for me Ben Lewis is the best. I loved how he represented Erik in the musical. And his voice ... OMG!!! I have no words!!!
Truthfully, I have no favorite.
Many people like Ramin because he is a handsome and attractive man, I hope you also have in mind more than his physique.
They all have magnificent voices, but for me, the one that was able to deliver the true message of the song which is the outpouring deep emotions of longing for Christine to sing once more was Ramin.
Ramin is by far the best Phantom. He really feels that part, that obessive romantic quality to him is probably part (in some part) of who he is as a person. He was even better in The Phantom of The Opera (25th anniversary cast). I think his voice is much richer and (honestly) much less creepy than Michael Crawford's voice...His voice is much less musical to me as well...am I perceiving this all wrong? (I will admit Sarah Brightman is my favourite Christine).
Michael Crawford was creepy as the phantom and it was perfect. Ramin is phenomenal, but it's not phantom to me. In the book, erik was described as having the voice of an angel, something other worldly. Not to mention I love how smooth Michael's voice is.
+Rhys Speight Agreed. I read the book before seeing any adaptations, and so expected an otherworldly quality to the Phantom's voice. I've only heard Michael Crawford's Broadway recordings, but I find him convincing as someone who, in all likelihood, only sang to himself for years before discovering Christine. The Phantom strikes me as being arrogant, but not confident, which is why I prefer Michael over Ramin.
+Carey Coleman the point is the phantom is supposed to be creepy, he doesn't exactly have the best social skills. I prefer Crawford myself
Rhys Speight I agree, plus Michael had that beautiful other-worldly voice...Ramin sounds way too modern to me
Omg I agree with all the responses here.. Phantom is suppose to be creepy and has that other worldly voice...mysterious gentle and captivating like Crawford’s.
All three are so amazing!! Such talent!
I must say, as a musician and singer, that it is a good order of performances! Start with the note-perfect in third place; then to the emotional performance in second place and finish up with the perfect combination in first place!!!! I now this part / arrangement was written for Ramin Karimloo and he got the notes perfectly but so little emotion in his voice... this version he is so... flat. Ben Lewis has such a raw voice here so he suits beautifully the age/pain level "Erik" would be feeling.
Agree.
Although all three are amazing in their way, I will have to go with Ramin. When he sings that song, you can feel his heartbreak. To me he for a perfectly. I am a big fan of JOJ and he brought a different light to this song, with his own emotions of course, but it didn't hit me like Ramin did. And with Ben, even though I like how he put the mysterious of the Phantom, to me he wasn't the best. For me to pick a person, the singer/actor has to male me feel the emotions of the song like I'm the one there and Ramin does that for me. From a thespian with still so much to learn, I applaud these men for bringing a different aspect to this beautiful song.
When you have an Andrew Lloyd Webber song and any of his artists singing, it really doesn't matter, ALW is amazing! All three men do a fantastic job on this most wonderful song! Each one is excellent in it's own right.