Aaliyah Vocal Analysis

[@SirDave]

Yeah, she was definitely capable of a lot more. "The One I Gave My Heart To" Was a great example, as you mentioned. "Journey to the Past" was another great one. She didn't belt really high, but the way she hit that Bb4, and sustained it again at the end of the performance. Even the richness of her voice as the performance started to go on. This is seen in the live performance @ the Oscars in 1998. You can view that still on here. Another example was "Givin' Up", it wasn't the highest belting song, but as you said, the richness of her tone, and the power with the richness of her tone in the song overall, showed how capable she was. It was said Whitney herself picked her for the role of the "Sparkle" soundtrack.

[@rickyangeles08ify]

Sir. Dave very true i wish the lady doing the video would put that in perspective. because she didnt give a good analysis on aaliyahs full potential. also "i can be" i care 4 u song and. "what if" or "never giving up" on one in a million. theres proof of what aaliyahs voice was powerful.

[@marilynking3350]

Aaliyah chose not to do alot of her vocals because it wasnt her style she did in some of her songs like giving up, street thing, etc i think theres more songs of her showing all her vocal abilities but they still unreleased👌

[@jeremiahstraight6301]

Marilyn King Thank u because she dnt knw wut she's talkin' 'bout! Baby had range

[@brandonjohnson1998]

Jeremiah Straight she said she made a career out of singing light and airy but her voice could do so much more. She said that a couple times throughout the video.

[@jeryanjackson1829]

Marilyn King thank you Marilyn King so true

[@butterflytyra]

EXACTLY

[@cortezmiller1899]

Hעזריהו בן ירמיהו Her singing light and airy was her singing style

[@mieldor76]

I saw her live once and she was way way way better live than in studio. Surprisingly, she had a very low voice and it wasn't airy at all but strong. It was rather shocking..almost like the record label decided on her signature style and she sounded far from the recorded version live. Either way she was awesome.

[@Prettiboimico]

Robert Petish Aaliyah projects her voice live more. imo her live voice is far superior to studio. I mean she takes it there with her lower register and her mid belts live not to mention she sung at G5 and up most times in headvoice on records that only were maybe E5-F5 studio. she is really dope, I love watching her sing live nervous and all she slays me 😍

[@reeceranaldodebuys1888]

Robert Petish Alot of her live performances she actually sings very low live, like I don't know think she lowered the key of the overall song, I think she just opted to sing it naturally instead of using falsetto... I assume the music producers around her preferred her to do the falsetto thing in the studio cause live she almost always opts to sing it in full voice but lower... The other thing is that she didn't sound all that different, but just a lot more polished in the studio, in the nineties, the whole raw vocal thing was quite popular and a lot of artists sounded a lot more raw live than the studio, like you can hear its her, but there's just something more special live I guess... She was amazing!!!

[@brooklynjones4529]

You are lucky to have seen her live I wish u had

[@Leon-ut8qv]

@@reeceranaldodebuys1888 I agree but I also think that she didn't sing in her falsetto all the time during her live performances because she was dancing or moving around too while singing. Falsetto doesn't work that well when there's a lot of dancing involved because of how light it is.

[@kaysuksess]

That's how Katy Perry and christe Michelle are so much better live

[@JimirDavisVEVO]

You should listen to 'Giving Up'. Her best vocal performance, period. She showcased she could belt.

[@logic888]

not everyone needs to belt. babyli is cool, mysterious, sexy. that’s her. she was evolving pop so if only we saw that but still what she did was complete on her own.

[@Drummond2011]

She has some nice mid belts on Street Thing off of her debut

[@mathisbailey794]

LOL...I said the same thing...so true

[@sidthesinger5508]

That's my favorite song from her

[@kevinjohnson4877]

she belted on the first album too.

[@kendallforeman5692]

Kevin Johnson yep 14 yrs old "street thing"

[@kevinjohnson4877]

Kendall Foreman right she even did that Jodeci/K-ci run. " yeaaaassah ehh ee yay yeah e yeaaaaaaah

[@kendallforeman5692]

Kevin Johnson yep she had good voice control. Did you hear the song she did for Whitney houston?

[@noreexic]

There does seem to be such a love of powerful singers which results in so many other kinds of voices being ignored. She had a lot going for her and the seriously quick speak-singing she did massively influenced the early Beyonce

[@dafuture93]

Early and current Beyonce...she's still speak singing lol

[@adrianacapella8520]

I agree. There more powerful voices get all of the attention. I think it's because a powerful voice moves you more. The how could you song moved me more than any other song that she did. And she may have influenced Bey with that quick singing, but I think that she was influenced by R Kelly. He was also doing that too. And he worked with her.

[@noreexic]

Adrian Allen I think people also conflate the powerful singer with the talented singer. I've heard very soft lyrical singers and been reduced to tears so I think the smooth voices can also have an impact. Beyonce was probably influenced by R Kelly too

[@adrianacapella8520]

I like soft smooth singers, that do pretty notes. I don't care too much for the simple smooth voice unless the song is very melodic and emotional like The one I gave my heart to, let me know, or emotions by Destiny's child or some of Marvin Gaye's soft stuff. I don't really like the Neo soul soft stuff. I can't do any Jill Scott and stuff like that. It just sounds boring to me even though the lyrics are great.

[@Ahleeyuh]

Loved This. A Correction In The Beginning, She Died In 2001, Not 2002 . Check Out Her Cover Of " Giving Up " That She Did As A Demo For " Sparkle " . She Was Becoming A POWERHOUSE Vocalist ❤

[@eduardotorresarriagada2914]

Her yet unreleased cover of Donny Hathaway's "Giving Up". Grammy-winning vocals.

[@humbled92_Mister]

If she didn't sing so predominantly in her head voice, I feel like she would be a lyric mezzo soprano. She reminds me of Faith Evans. They both sang a lot in their head voice/falsetto buT especially with Aaliyah when she sang LIVE, her voice was pretty husky and kind of dark outside of when she sang in her head voice.

[@humbled92_Mister]

***** i dont think her dancing was WHY she used a darker and fuller tone...I just think she was more comfortable in the lower and middle registers. With her very last performance before she passed, "Aaliyah's LAST Performance (More Than A Woman)" I dont hear a soprano. idk.

[@humbled92_Mister]

***** so that one performance showed that she was a lyric soprano?

[@cortezmiller1899]

+ImperfectbutRedeemed she was a soprano do u not hear her say that in the video even aaliyah said she was a soprano

[@humbled92_Mister]

Cortez Miller​ where did Aaliyah say she was a soprano?

[@cortezmiller1899]

ImperfectbutRedeemed she has said that in a magazine interview and other people like producers has spoken about her vocal range

[@vontate7436]

YOU FORGOT I CARE FOR YOU AND JOURNEY TO THE PAST AND DID YOU SEE HER NATIONAL ANTHEM

[@decembrdime]

do a kehlani analysis!!!

[@IllumiNatetheOracle]

Aaliyah sang Donny Hathaways Giving Up, and rocks it. Check that one out!

[@natsohigh5552]

I dont think Aaliyah's voice would have matured past her youthful tone. Kind of like how Mya still sounds exactly the same to this day. She still has a youthful, girl tone.

[@w3sts1de90z]

She passed in August, 25th, 2001.

[@SanaiaBamboo]

She seemed like such a sweet spirit. I felt like she was growing vocally and coming into her own before she passed, especially on "I Care 4 U". I definitely agree with you on the using her full vocal potential part. As far as other songs where she belted, she kind of gave us a little volume on Anastasia's "Journey To The Past' towards the end lol.

[@2006bruner]

Great video. She was definitely beginning to develop more vocal and there's an unreleased song she recorded of Donnie Hathaway's - Givin Up. It was on here where I heard an amazing tone and use of vocals that we normally didn't hear from Aaliyah. I also think the mezzo-soprano vocal style she had would sometimes play a role in her projection on stage but there were occasions where soundcheck was on fleek and she hit every note with conviction. I'm a huge Aaliyah fan, probably #2 fan in the world behind God but she had what it took to be on the level that we see Beyonce on now. She had a following and her first week sales numbers showcased that a lot.

[@TheMightyPoohBearTV]

2001

[@HadeerSinawe]

lol shut up it's not important

[@TheMightyPoohBearTV]

Hadeer Sinawe It is though

[@MrWebmaster36]

Before I even started the video I came from your analysis about Jordan Sparks. I knew from that vid that you had an analysis on Aaliyah.

[@BaddieRey]

‘Street Thang’...’Journey To The Past’...Two Of My Fav. Songs By Her, She’s Sanging.....

[@JaeChristineOfficial]

I love Aaliyah so much #SoulSister #RIP And that's the same analysis an old friend of mine and I gave her many years ago... She uses more of her vocal skills in Journey to the Past and Never Givin Up too

[@jeffcaldwell30]

I agree with you on "And the one I gave my heart to" She sang on that song. I don't recall her singing like that on anything else.

[@kingk9407]

She passed in 2001 sis 🙄

[@mylesasipa1332]

Thank you for this Dileesa, and it's a coincidence that you uploaded this around the 15th anniversary of her death. I've loved Aaliyah's music all my life and I always will. Can you do a vocal analysis of Janet Jackson (I know that's a bit strange, but...) Erykah Badu, India.Arie and/or Mary J. Blige?

[@lj9759]

Hey,Dileesa thank you so much for making this video.Another song where she SANG and gave lower runs was the unreleased song 'Giving Up'.She has a very husky and deep tone on this that had she lived she probably would've used more.You can probably find the song on KZbin.

[@chynabarnescb]

journey to the past song ....aaliyah went there most beautiful song ever she went outside her range

[@JacobyVann]

She has some of my favorite runs. Like in One in a Million.

[@willheis4113]

Lord. Your voice is sooo just...woah.

[@a_awake]

I've been wondering if this analysis would ever happen, and to my delight, it is spot on. Baby Girl is always slept on when it comes to vocals, but other singers know better! Aaliyah's voice was amazing and would likely be even more stunning if she had gotten to see 2016. Thank you for this, Dileesa.

[@ernestomayorga-diaz6551]

Dear Ms. Dileesa Hunter, Can you do a vocal analysis of Christina Aguilera's voice? I know you have one on how to sing like her, but not an analysis of her voice.

[@claudiasebastianson1206]

pleeease do a vocal analysis of Whitney Houston

[@MrRAISHAWN]

she passed in 2001

[@seand67]

Great analysis.....I also imagined Aaliyah singing more vocally demanding songs.

[@cameronlockhart5715]

could you do a keyshia Cole vocal alyansis

[@majemwe]

The song when she really went off vocally was the song for the soundtrack of Anastasia

[@LilVicTV]

I'm so interested to hear how you would analyze JENNIFER HUDSON!!!! 😬😆😉

[@bsbanks]

can you analyze Phyllis Hyman?

[@christophercrouse6359]

What do you think about her vocals in We need a resolution?

[@QAZWSX545]

Please do one on Lara Fabian

[@adrianacapella8520]

Thank you for mentioning that song The one I gave my heart to!! I forgot all about that song! My second favorite song by her was " let me know." The funny thing I discovered was that the Isley Brothers did that song first. Similarly, Ronald was not a belter either. I didn't hear the original song until this year.

[@kclorenz8037]

Lol the song you're refering to is At Best(You Are Love) not Let Me Know.

[@adrianacapella8520]

lol yeah you right! She sings that line so beautifully that it makes you forget the name of the song lol

[@kclorenz8037]

Don't mention it

[@CH-tj2ru]

+Adrian Allen I always think about that part. lord I love that song

[@devonyumusic4830]

Could you please do the singing prodigy Charice Pempengco? She was discovered by Ellen and Oprah Winfrey.

[@cbyrd211]

you started this video saying her voice was smooth then in your notes you found you wrote that she actually have sang on "a" song. which is accurate but you should watch more performances by her...she doesn't sing airy much at all live...the sweet sound was mostly studio. aaliyah was very versatile and with inspirations and teachers like Whitney Houston, gladys knight, whom she performed with at age 11 were testaments she wasn't just an airy voiced singer...her performances say it all...but even writers like Diane Warren testify that she could stand with the greats

[@rbarrettscript]

She never said she was just an airy voice. Aaliyah did tend to sing with a lot of air. It was a party of her sultry sound. Live, she sang more in her chest which is why her voice sounded warmer and more full live. However, as she got older, her head voice be came more airy and more present. There are not a ton of live performance relative to her music catalogue so people will judge her more so on her studio performance. She did an analysis based on the material she viewed. Her analysis was pretty accurate and gave Aaliyah's voice it's due credit.

[@jpjboi1]

She was still evolving and she still has a while amount of unreleased music that til this day haven't heard yet

[@inallhislegendary963]

KZbin 'Giving up' Aaliyah. Soooo much power and technique I promise you.

[@emonique14]

would you please go and listen to giving up by Aaliyah and let me know what you Think about the song it for sparkle the Movie but Aaliyah never got the time to finish the movie because of her Death .

[@Todo-1996]

Check out Journey to the past. Girl could belt it.

[@amandajohnson2481]

she might would of showed us more if she hadn't of died but to me she was my idol and she was perfect in my eyes

[@jacoywilson]

You should listen to giving up. She demonstrated some of the things you're talking about.

[@johnnycuff4647]

ik it was in your Taylor swift video but im glad that u mentioned u dont have to sing high notes to be a soprano

[@derrickhenderson2039]

great analysis

[@MK-zu7ym]

Agree with everything!!!!

[@marcelljohnson2583]

Aaliyah was voice was better then people think,if u check out songs like Giving up ,heartbroken, turn the page ,journey to the past and we need a resolution showcase her vocals jump in and out of vocals without a problem

[@Lambchoppeee]

Do Sade pleeease

[@decook]

Aaliyah's national anthem would be a good video to hear her true voice and sound. She had a lovely voice.

[@ertfgghhhh]

It was basic BUT her melisamas were very good

[@odaribowman4321]

You should do giving up by Aaliyah it should what she could do

[@meganjo7045]

whats the song you sung at 2:00?

[@TakiyahJ2]

I Care For U

[@CandanceOnline]

Aaliyah was a baby she had a lot of time to develop her vocals and range yes she could had done more she was capable of so much more but sadly she left us way to soon way before her time & it makes you mad because she was on her way to bigger fame then even she couldn’t imagine & yet it was cut short.

[@jennifergrice2978]

I think she song I care 4 you hella good

[@Jay-gr5wq]

2002 ?? It was August 25,2001

[@lordk3895]

Sia vocal please

[@jarohnjohnson186]

Do Janet Jackson

[@jpjboi1]

She passed in 2001 😰

[@DeeDee597]

I remember in your live video..You said something about Aaliyah voice being too soft and weak live.

[@moniepratt1987]

Hmm wrong already. 🤔 A aliyah deceased AUG 25TH 2001 . NOT 2002 .. KNOW FACTS. IM OFF THIS. SMH

[@alternateimpact81]

Aaliyah at age 13, audition to get into Detroit school for the performing Arts. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKrHmXduhrGKpM0 Aaliyah national anthem at NBA game. Age 14 or 15 kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6Cbe3yamJWdfpI

[@jeremiahstraight6301]

She could do anything with her voice! Do ur research!! She had stamina like Whitney en can go az LOW az Mariah with remarkable agility.

[@thatsoulkidbtj]

No she simply was not. She was good but not on Whitney or Mariah’s level

[@lydob2471]

@@thatsoulkidbtj her fans are delusional.

[@prettydoll8690]

she died Aug 25 2001

[@ybloc08]

U better sing tho

[@k.alvarado6237]

right.. dileesa better sang

[@mysticizzm]

+Myron James 2:09 the way she sings "I". I hear so much passion on that little not Dileesa sings.

[@k.alvarado6237]

+mysticmanification right Dileesa is super versatile vocally

[@rashadhaughton22]

*2001

[@Pluskeys]

Usher and Chris Brown have incredible voices, but they both sing below their potential.

[@BABYGOTBACK207]

First comment!!!😌😌😌❤❤❤

[@wwenewyork7570]

2002 ?? she died in August 25, 2001

[@kasel5634]

wwenewyork thank you

[@hhtmadaisy1500]

wwenewyork thank u

[@Vi___Va]

wwenewyork it was super shitty. I used to study and practice the dancing 💃🏽 from one of her music DVD’s to the song “Are you that somebody.” I had lost my idol that year then the twin towers crashed. I was just a kid and shortly switch schools and I felt like my world was upside down and I spiraled into rebellion shortly after that. Ms Aaliyah is missed.

[@rashadhaughton22]

Right

[@basketballgaming4522]

She died in 2001 but Lisa Left Eye Lopes died in 2002

[@hoodphora2702]

She passed in 2001. :(

[@lazzokng3521]

😢😢

[@dafuture93]

I love this review! Yes definitely a lyric soprano...I agree with everything you said. I only wish you would've spoken more in depth in regards to her live performances. If you look at any live performance on YT a lot of comments are about how she sounds different from the studio...but your average listener doesn't realize that the soft, airy singing style she did in the studio isn't conducive for live performances, dancing while singing which was why she often sung in more of a rich chest voice live. Plus it's hard to project soft, airy vocals over a live band, backing track, audience, etc.

[@butterflytyra]

you are totally right

[@dvonmeadows323]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

[@fraz72]

Exactly. I remember her doing a live performance and she did so g great and strong considering the dance steps during the show.

[@sweetandsimple.]

Sade was one of her biggest idols and was probably a great influence in her smooth vocals

[@gabrielleelliott500]

Sade is cold asf I love her singing jhene remind me of her

[@DeleonRaye]

Yeah I'm sure if she was still here we would have seen her musical growth because as we know the people she came up with such brandy and monica have all mature vocally and experimented with their range but she gave us some good music that is timeless

[@kariberrie]

Very true.

[@natsohigh5552]

Lol. Monica hasn't changed a single thing vocally since her debut 😂

[@LipoMaae94]

she covered a Donny Hathaway song I think where she started off supple and belted her heart out in the middle and near the end. Its called 'Giving Up'

[@danielherrera3672]

she sang her ass off in journey to the past as well

[@deshaun4ever100]

One favorite of mine where her voice is strong is What If. That whole album tho is pure genius tho! That last album of hers really showed where she was headed vocally.

[@derrickhenderson2039]

People sleep on that song but she killed it

[@jahmarkirk2899]

She a sweet low register. Angelic head voice. Very soothing very smooth vocals.

[@shanifahbrothers1997]

I watch an interview where she stated that she took vocal lessons👋🏿 at 9 years old. Also, I believe she wanted to be unique from the other Artists during the 90s. A lot of artists like Brandy and Monica display a lot of power and riffs n runs and I believe she didn't want to be compare to those two artist during the 90s. She was a great singer!!!!!

[@ertfgghhhh]

But she did alot of riffs and runs too. She was just more hip hop/r&b than soul and always linked with the hottest innovative artist at the time whether it was kells or missy or timbo . She was blackground records princess. Uptown had mjb. Laface had tonibraxton. Arista had whitney. Bad boy had faith evans

[@natsohigh5552]

Aaliyah was out a whole year before Brandy and Monica. So how can she worry about being compared to two artists that didn't exist yet? LoL

[@Eimaj1991]

1:58 - 2:14 I live for the flawless vocals

[@2damecuteUK]

i feel like she showed more vocal growth on her last album named Aaliyah and she also sung the soundtrack to Anastasia 'journey to the past'. if you look at artist like Janet Jackson, Sade, Patrice Rushen or even most recently Solange i think there alot more that can be said about smooth vocalist when your not focus on just power. I remember when brandy vocals weren't seen as powerful compared to Whitney and Mariah but she had the time to develop. Aaliyah has been a positive influence in music then just a pretty voice because we are still talking about her in 2016.

[@ertfgghhhh]

Aaliyah was beloved by her peers and r&b died in 2003. Thats why she is heralded Brandy always could blow thats why she was favored in the industry. For her skills. Adults could see brandy could blow when she was on thea. Sje was an actress first. Plz look back at her live performances.

[@GiuseppePascuale928]

“...she was a gift to the world...” May we all aspire to have someone say that about each of us!

[@LiamLewisofficial]

i love aaliyah's voice, so airy and pretty sounding almost effortless!

[@cbyrd211]

dileesa I like and respect your views and voice... I'd just say do this video again...please...with more research under your belt...you said IT, aaliyah is someone MANY of us hold near and dear and it's not fair to present partial info on someone who was in many ways a child prodigy in the industry...compared to many entertainers.

[@genesisriera8324]

belting was not her thing, aaliyah was all about smooth. the way she sang was the way she was. She became famous because of her own unique style. That by the way was different than all the other rnb hip hop singers at that time belting and doing runnings there whole way trough the song.

[@HadeerSinawe]

I KNEW you were gonna say "The One I Gave My Heart To." And I agree.

[@HotLikeFire92]

She BELTED in the Donny Hathaway cover GIVING UP which was leaked years back as well as Street Thing midway in the song. She said her breathy vocals and those sweet falsettos were her signature sound so that was something she would still be doing to this day i believe. But yea she did have a very rich tone and i wish she would have shown her big vocals a little bit more on other songs. She was just getting into bringing out those rich strong tones she had like in tracks like I Can Be , Messed Up. Even Resolution. What i loved about her was when she sang live she chose to sing using those stronger tones. Anyways great vocal analysis on Aaliyah.

[@girlthats.dorian]

She had vocal ability and obvious control over her voice. She just choice not to be SANGER. But Aaliyah can definitely SANG. she has songs that’s proven that.

[@idekhaja]

I agree, she was more than an entertainer. She was a sister, daughter, girlfriend, cousin, granddaughter,etc. It's so sad

[@candisjohnson9289]

She went to a performing arts high school sis was definitely taught technique

[@daysin_themoon]

Can you do a vocal analysis on michael jackson? he had a 4 octave range and that's pretty amazing, specially for a male.

[@overallmuva2788]

Can you do one of Tboz would love to see what a professional thinks of her voice

[@TheCallowayBride]

She passed in 2001 not 2002

[@blizzred2143]

You're missing "Street Thing" from Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. She belts and really shows her voice in that song. I think her first album shows off more of her singing than any other album tbh.

[@SirDave]

Oh, I forgot one thing.One imporatnt thing about her vocal capabilitly and technique. Check out her live rendition of "Ave Maria" to get into the Detroit High School ofPerforming Arts, I believe she was around 9-13 at the time. It's here on KZbin, entitled Aaliyah "Ave Maria."

[@CwjrB3]

Before I even watch I can already tell she is going to be classified as a light lyric soprano because everyone on dileesa channel is a lyric soprano lml. 😊

[@cassiuscruz8570]

You sounded just like her when you imitated it scared me 😭