EXPLAINED || Michael Jackson's Voice

[@BlackMusicArchive]

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[@ww8407]

When it comes to MJ, whether he's singing as an adult or child he just emotes so well, his music feels alive. You can tell he means what he's singing. The most beautiful sounding voice I've ever heard in my life.

[@NIPPYTHEVOICE]

True. He is a storyteller

[@TaljaHeartzy-yc2jv]

Exactly he emotes well, not everybody can do that. People say that Bruno Mars is a greater singer but he doesn't emote the same way as MJ, but he has a huge voice.

[@MrBarrywes]

I agree. Songs just come alive when Michael sings

[@MrBarrywes]

​@@TaljaHeartzy-yc2jv I think Bruno Mars is a very good singer but I do not think he is better than Michael Jackson. Michael has more layers to how he sings to me. I think Bruno Mars has more musicianship

[@TaljaHeartzy-yc2jv]

@@MrBarrywes yes I agree!

[@GnarlsBarkley123]

Thank you for explaining this so people can understand that Michael has been a lifelong vocalist. Even with the early vocal strain and overuse, I think MJ really made the best of his adult voice.

[@msyslj]

YESSSS.

[@msyslj]

whitney was in the game for half the time as him and lost her voice quicker than him. nobody has ever been able to sustain they voice like him

[@kaylabey]

definitely one of the most underrated vocalists. he’s up there with the best singers ever. the fact that he strained soooo much but kept a beautiful tone is a miracle.

[@EIGHTBITPUNK]

I think it’s because he’s dancing was sooogood that it overshadowed his singing on top of being a masterful frontman

[@kaylabey]

@@EIGHTBITPUNK for sure!

[@Rayal1979]

Underrated? 😂

[@kaylabey]

@@Rayal1979 if you don’t agree you can move along

[@tyn833]

What do you mean he's underrated he was never underrated he is one of the best vocalist of his time and when did you hear him straining he was a natural singer I don't know who you were listening to couldn't have been Michael Jackson

[@wolf28qtr4]

I don't care what happened to his voice... I love his voice at all stages... and in all eras

[@cordellsenior9935]

Thank you.

[@JamesWhite-sl2sb]

" ME TOO !❤

[@alperry02]

Honestly I do too. Like ALL stages. I loved Earth Song (sorry not sorry😅) . It's tge passion with which he sang

[@kikka7391]

Agree totally!

[@robertj.batista]

MJ was a great artist and one of the singers of all time. His vocal problems were no excuse. He continued singing and adapted to every change in his voice. That excess of work as a child affected the quality of his singing, but as an adult he continued to sing and venture into more genres.

[@manfredpinedosoto2426]

He was not just a singer but a vocal innovator, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry. His legacy as the 'King of Pop' is not only a testament to his extraordinary talent but also to the enduring power of his voice in shaping the soundtrack of generations. 🤍

[@nagia13]

[@Skillseboy1]

I've been watching, listening, and learning a lot about Michael Jackson in recent months. I used to be a huge fan when I was a kid, and I love getting back to his music now so many years later. I start to understand more and more how the human body is an ever changing thing through time. It must have been scary for Michael Jackson experiencing how his voice (one of his most essential assets) was changing, and realizing that the moves he pulled off at 23 wouldn't be possible for him at 43. And yet he adapted each time beautifully. It was in an interview in his early teens when we was asked about his changing voice, and he said (with his beautiful smile); 'Just change!'

[@duppyshuman]

💯

[@VernonNickersonSCHOOLCOACH]

What fascinating "musical lifespan" analysis. My biggest takeaway is of a singer/dancer/actor who gave his body, mind , and soul as a "living sacrifice" for the sake of his audiences-- and paid the ultimate price. ❤Resting in Power(!) Always!❤

[@mssha1980]

and he’s still being exploited in death.

[@VernonNickersonSCHOOLCOACH]

@@mssha1980 Yes, so sad; it is the way of the money grubbing vampires in 2024😡. Your 👍 is appreciated. 👍🖖☮️🌍🌏🌎☮️

[@MrBarrywes]

Very well said 👏 👍

[@noir269]

imo his voice was at it's peak in the mid 70's-early 80's. It's like he still has those smooth soulful vocals from Motown/J5 days but also developing his own unique vocal quirks. He sounded great on The Wiz too.

[@EduardoGonzalez-tc2dg]

Agree and you can tell his voice is a natural tenor when he speaks In the triumph tour in 1981 . His peak in live performance vocal wise

[@mykoniichistorychannel]

@BrotherChancyThis.

[@AfricanThinker86]

@@EduardoGonzalez-tc2dg His speaking/chest voice was very thin (no "body" to it like normal people's voices) due to the very same issue addressed in the video. It was breathier and less resonant and rich than it should've been.

[@Jiron127]

Exactly!!! That's the Jackson's era - 1976 to 1984

[@erenyeeagah204]

​@@AfricanThinker86that was a concious choice, he wanted to sound like his child self, he said this in an interview in 2001.

[@whitsundaydreaming]

All I can say is Invincible had some of the most fluid and beautiful singing he ever recorded. Butterflies almost defies time and age. 2000 Watts puts him back in his lower register, like it was performed by another singer.

[@gerrilanter1965]

I agree 💯 %!! I love that album!!

[@alperry02]

Butterflies is such a beautiful song

[@liberpolo5540]

Best of all time!

[@Miss_NatashaO]

I thought 2000 Watts was sung by someone else. Was surprised it was him! Still liked it! 😊

[@iamjdaniels]

At the end of the day, nobody can nor has been able to do what he did vocally. Even when it seems like hes yelling, he sounds great. Take the song Jam for example. He is straining and raspy throughout the chorus and bridge but we love it

[@lartisan6274]

rock singer = raspy

[@AfricanThinker86]

Yes, he still sounded great, but there's nothing good about having a damaged voice. We can appreciate his music and voice without pretending like it's not a big deal.

[@alperry02]

So so true. It's insane that he still sounded so freaking good. Even with tge rasp and "yelling". Just magical

[@mysticsoulchild]

Yes!!! Is it odd that Jam gives me chills! Lol It’s so powerful

[@ThaPhantazm]

His raspyness just sounded rock n roll to me, he was part R&B, part rock, that's why he's the king of pop!

[@honey2683]

Michael Jackson’s vocal evolution is very reminiscent of mariah Carey’s. They both probably sang out of their natural range, but also gave us everything. Their vocal decline from nodules are also very similar.

[@samiam2003]

i love them both

[@lavonyadavis6793]

Hmmm but MJs voice was a lot stronger. He was able to sing and dance 100% live for over 400 shows before using lip syncing. Mariah only did 2 small tours of live singing before having to start lip syncing.

[@waterbearer4627]

Such a great in depth analysis with examples! You can hear Michael as a child how he is pushing his voice out of his comfort zone. Those belts and loud singing are so tough on any child. No matter what happened to his voice Michael had that tone! That distinctive tone which has soulful, sweet and piercing quality that draws the listener in. It has charm and character too. Like you observed the rasp and grit he later developed gave his a voice a toughness and urgency which was echoed in some more aggressive 'angrier' guitar led songs that required a rockier voice. He made it work for him and those songs needed it.

[@nagia13]

✌✌✌✌✌

[@jeebsunabia7972]

And just like that, this video is back up again! Now, if the Dionne Warwick and Mariah Carey video goes back up, and the Whitney Houston Act 3 is released, I can continue to live my life happy. Hahahaha! Love, love, love!

[@tinasnow_]

Do you know what happened to them ? The Chaka khan one is down too ☹️

[@BlackMusicArchive]

I look forward to seeing your revised, deep dive Mariah Carey analysis! ​@@onepleiadian

[@qbennett7232]

@@BlackMusicArchiveI’d rather do more male singers

[@richymacmillion]

@@BlackMusicArchive😂😂😂😂😂 classy clapback. I love it! You’re doing a great job uploading the videos. People don’t seem to understand how much work and effort it takes to put all your time into gathering information, analyzing it, condensing it down, and then uploading and editing the videos. I applaud you for all your hard work! Take breaks if you need to and work at your own pace! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@TaljaHeartzy-yc2jv]

​​@@BlackMusicArchive MJ is a unique part when it comes to singing, I've listened to some songs from when he was a child and I can hear how heavy his singing was, as an adult he would continue with this type of singing, he used and used and used his voice until there was no voice last. MJ was a natural born singer, but he worked too hard which wore out his voice. I think that's nobody usually sings MJ cover becuz of the complex way MJ had to adjust his voice to sing, and this may be hard for many singers to cover. But regardless MJ was an amazing singer as an adult too!

[@TaljaHeartzy-yc2jv]

MJ is a unique part when it comes to singing, I've listened to some songs from when he was a child and I can hear how heavy his singing was, as an adult he would continue with this type of singing, he used and used and used his voice until there was no voice left. MJ was a natural born singer, but he worked too hard which wore out his voice. I think that's why nobody usually sings MJ covers becuz of the complex way MJ had to adjust his voice to sing, and this may be hard for many singers to cover. But regardless MJ was an amazing singer as an adult too!

[@John3v8]

Good point about the covers!

[@TaljaHeartzy-yc2jv]

@@John3v8 thank you so much 😁😁😁

[@GetWellSoonR.E.M.]

I’m so happy to see this video back! I find Michael’s life and voice journey so fascinating.

[@MattPicsET]

This is easily the best analysis on Michael’s voice out there. Very well researched. Phenomenal work! I wanted to ask what your opinion was on Michael’s vocal warm up schedule and whether overtraining also contributed to his vocal-health decline? There’s an interview of Seth Riggs where he said he warmed up Michael’s voice for nearly 2 non-consecutive hours before he hit the stage/studio, and Seth said he felt this was “too much.” Seth toured with Michael during the BWT. Thanks again!

[@petercoxable]

The guy ain’t just singing. Dancing and composing music with body language live, will result in different tones. BAD is not over produced. I know they weren’t your words but it’s clearly the best album ever made. Today’s music; you can only listen to a few times before it gets stale. MJ BAD era music will never get old, in fact; only gets better over time. The man is dead, just respect what he did for music rather than looking for faults or inconsistencies through out his career

[@cutepotato001]

He is not looking for faults or inconsistencies he is ANALYZING Micheal's vocal journey Micheal is the reason I can even dance or took singing more seriously, this video is such precious material to understand the man's voice and understanding why it is so different than a regular voice Hell, it allows to understand and appreciate his music with a better understanding of the big picture ! So if you can't handle that Michael was human and had vocal struggles at some point like everyone of us then you should think twice rather than writing such ignorant comments

[@shumushrif9204]

we are studying him. His life is history, and anything he's ever done is fascinating and special

[@marketlider2811]

Bro literally took vocals from a performance done only to make the playback look real and Showed as proof of "bad days". He should know that that "singing" was done while MJ couldn't even hear himself. No one could hear his Voice. You can't Sing If you're not listening your own voice. So many malicious Cherry picked BS here.

[@hongxiaolong4160]

MJ’s voice is such a treasure, he could do any style of singing and he sounded so heavenly and clean. He is one of a kind and can never be replaced! ❤

[@Fluvienne]

It’s heartbreaking when you listen analytically like this and hear the tremendous strain that was put on his voice from the very beginning as a child performer. Add that to the trauma of abuse, the wear and tear of touring, recording and stage performance; they were literally working the little man to death. That he not only survived, but adapted and rose to such tremendous heights is proof that this soul was especially blessed and cherished by God.

[@BlackMusicArchive]

Chapters _________ 0:00​ - Call To Action 0:13​ - The Early Years 0:30​ - Boy Soprano 2:17​ - Children Singing as Adults 4:29​ - The Child's Vocal Range 8:28​ - Puberty and Voice Change 16:38​ - Pubertal Range Expansion 20:38​ - Diction and Enunciation 23:36​ - The Male Alto 25:52​ - The Wall of Sound 27:30​ - Aesthetic Singing 29:42​ - Nodules, Rasp, Vocal Damage 32:54​ - Bad 34:30​ - Lowering Keys 38:53​ - Increase The Production 40:03​ - A Connected and Disconnected Voice 41:49​ - Legato and Staccato Singing 44:35​ - The 15-Year Rule 45:35​ - Dangerous 47:34​ - New Production 48:54​ - Is It The Technique? 53:06​ - Problems With Pitch 55:14​ - Michael's Nose, Michael's Voice 57:16​ - HIStory 1:00:06​ - Scream 1:02:32​ - Michael's Health 1:03:12​ - Lupus and The Voice 1:05:44​ - Muscle Memory 1:07:07​ - The 30 Year Career 1:07:48​ - Invincible 1:08:38​ - Can You Change The Pitch of A Voice 1:09:25​ - Michael Jackson, Baritone? 1:11:34​ - Conclusion

[@rnbsteenstar]

He was a leggiero tenor.

[@rnbsteenstar]

@thereritee3687 he was, too! Their lower registers sound like baritones, while their upper registers sound boyish, androgynous, sometimes feminine. They also have the agility, which Michael did have some of despite the damage (riffs and minor runs). Tevin Campbell is one of those, so is Ralph Tresvant.

[@iseerashonal821]

MJ's voice could have also changed due to age and not practicing. However he sounded amazing in the Invincible album

[@liberpolo5540]

@FarrahConstant-mc5ihremember butterflies

[@katara9]

I was getting very sad that he had to suffer with almost everything he'd done in life, but I love that you said "Michael's life was about creating beauty from difficult situations." Amazing analysis! I always wondered why his voice changed so drastically, as well as why he kept his voice so high when in Invincible it sounded so natural. Part of me wonders if alongside having the issues you mentioned, whether anxiety and stress may have kept his speaking voice higher and encouraged a higher singing voice. I definitely have a similar issue even into adulthood, and judging from how Michael's disciplinary youth was, I wouldn't be surprised. Very intelligent and educational. I learned things about Michael I never had before, and this taught me a lot about voices. It's very, very fascinating.

[@IvyroseGullwhacker]

This is a master class in the importance of preserving young voices. It's truly a shame nobody was looking out for Michael's vocal health when he was a child. This should be shown to every voice coach, theatre teacher, showbiz parent, etc that oversees young singers. Michael was already a stellar performer, but vocal health could have saved him a lot of difficulty throughout his career.

[@bbbbbbbbbb0]

Honestly, Motown worked him to the bone during those formative years. And back then I can imagine the people around him viewed the screaming as a part of his talent too, rather than recognising that he was using improper technique. The fact that he was a natural born singer saved him all those years. I don't think other singers who weren't as gifted could have have lasted as long as he did.

[@AlineOliveira-vm5kw]

Nobody was looking out for his vocal physical nor mental heath it's a shame

[@keita4040]

My son does MJ impersonations and could sing and dance his songs at the same time. However, once he hit 12 years of age, he had to lip sing and dance. His soprano voice was gone, but his gospel chops expanded

[@socorrofernandez2909]

Even mj became adult his voice still love to listen bcause hesang with a feeling to his music.

[@Gabrielle4870]

The best video on Michael's voice I've seen. It made me emotional.

[@CCI320]

Its bs

[@Gabrielle4870]

@@CCI320 explain?

[@anyhow.anyway]

​@@CCI320 rather Jackson was full of it,mind you.. ❤

[@farrajhussaini3222]

so glad you put the video back up, i kept telling my friends about this amazing channel and im so happy to share this with them

[@Meta64_]

Definitely the greatest video essay I’ve seen on MJ, really fantastic break downs and sourcing! Loved the insightful and in-depth findings as well as insane research done

[@georged7627]

So what your saying is that you can become greatness at any vocal range 🤘🏽

[@hbkc83]

Exactly

[@dondamon4669]

No that his voice was terrible especially live

[@georged7627]

@@dondamon4669 that's what I am saying by any vocal range good great or shit lol

[@Robertoni7]

Great in-depth video! I renember learning of the castrato/ castrati singers and also remembering that specific rumor about him, I always thought of Michael Jackson. It"s also sad to hear him as a child singing like his life depended on it because in many ways, it did. He was abused to achieve that perfection.

[@TorTheWeirdo]

This was AMAZING!!! You answered so many questions that I had regarding the difference in his voice as a child and as an adult. Beautifully done! I'm sharing this with everyone!

[@tmalone2530]

@37:00 - Michael Jackson was on a multi city tour and did 123 shows for the Bad Tour. He was only human. At that time he had already been singing for live audiences for almost 20 years. Bad, Dangerous & History just LOOK exhausting from a fans’ point point of view. Sure he used playback, but what choice did he have. Signing and dancing at the same time night after night takes a toll on the body.

[@EmiGrate_DRAG]

I started watching these in-depth videos. Yes, I've learned a LOT about the artists I love, and also about my own voice and singing-thank you kindly for that! But, damn, their stories are so sad. People with immense talent and genius get discovered, they get so overworked till they literally perish, and yet their gifts have such unfathomable depths that they still managed to thrill and entertain the masses all the way.

[@VEXUS920]

Would love to see a Prince breakdown from you! Specially in comparison how his voice maintained its quality up until his death.

[@CCI320]

They are probably a prince fan, only prince fans go this far to try and discredit Michael

[@VEXUS920]

@@CCI320 No he's not actually lol (he talked about it in the love Q&A for this video). He's actually a die-hard MJ fan. As an MJ fan and professional vocalist myself, I like the honest dissection and discussion about his voice. It didn't feel like a discredit just an analysis going beyond wow! He sounds good.

[@anyhow.anyway]

​​​@@CCI320you haven't understood anything from this video then,it seems..

[@stefandrago8578]

Prince started singing as an adult - that helped - never pushed his voice and body simultaneously to the limit during live performances - that helped - wasn't affected by lupus and steroid abuse - that helped ... - and wisely created a safe "style" by alternating baritone crooning and very high falsetto + distorted whistles. In my opinion he was an emotional musician, but quite a "cold" singer who only did what his good technique allowed him to do. The great difference is that Michael, who was born as a singer, was raised/exploited to give more than he could, while Prince, who became a singer, always worked respecting and accepting his limits. But, as much as I love his music, I always had and have the feeling that deep inside he didn't like his voice that much, so he created a vocal mask to hide himself. Maybe that's the reason why many of his wonderful songs sound even better when sung by natural soul singers (Sinead was one of them).

[@SeptemberVirgo78]

Let’s keep Prince out of this.

[@tommykeeling7697]

Extremely informative documentary, exactly as it says in the title and honestly, I learnt a lot for Myself from this video, about how I may well be damaging my own voice, and already have.

[@goldenchildofra6432]

I can't believe MJs singing ability is being questioned. People have lost thier minds. MJ was a class act.

[@samiam2003]

that nga could sang.. lol

[@johnrockyryan]

Micheals performance of whos lovin you on the Ed Sullivan show still blows my fuckin mind an 11 year old Having that much punch that much soul in his voice he was a child prodigy destined for greatness but it came at a cost of his happiness 💔

[@stefandrago8578]

Very interesting analysis. Fact is that Michael, although singing lower in 1987, sounded very healthy and strong during the Japanese leg of the Bad Tour (much better than in 1984). The rasp on the album seemed to be a choice (frying?) to achieve a "rockier" sound. I know there are other singer/dancers who managed to do it consistently, but NOBODY pushed it as far as Michael in the first 30 minutes of the Japanese Bad tour. It's impossible to support your voice while running a marathon. I think this destroyed is voice more than anything. And than, what about the affects of steroids abuse? We know he had too use them constantly to treat is lupus and lung inflammation. Could it be that the steroids - maybe even inhaling them - made him constantly sing with inflamed chords causing double damage? Maybe even minimal necrosis? His power and stability were basically gone in 1989. That fact that he still was singing "under" the lip-synching in 1997 is another mystery. Was he aware what he was doing?? It's like punching a broken leg.

[@HaliB75]

Artists tend to lower the keys of their songs in live shows to preserve the voice for the purposes of duration and endurance. It has nothing to do with singing and dancing but to endure for a two hour show. Whitney lowered keys so she could endure for the finale of her show which was “And I’ll Always Love You.”

[@Zai02-gk4dm]

Because she is a mezzo so singing high like that isn't really comfortable for her so that's why she chose to lowering key for most of her songs when singing live.

[@soaribb32]

​@@Zai02-gk4dm I Will Always Love You is not her highest song but she was overworking and overusing for so long she needed to lower it.

[@BlackMusicArchive]

Your comment about lowering keys for live performance is addressed at 35:55 in the video. Please factor in how much he's dropping the keys and what's happening to his voice with the lowered keys. While Whitney and Michael are very different performers, Whitney never dropped keys by an entire third immediately after it's released.

[@AnonGal-f2d]

Exactly, this video isn’t an analyzation. It’s literally just someone doing their best to reinforce/support their own opinions.😂

[@isaiahharper8797]

@@BlackMusicArchive You forgot to mention that some songs that Michael recorded throughout the 80s were artificially altered to a higher pitch to support the tempo increase. Especially the song Lovely One… He didn’t hit an E5, it was a D5. The pitch was artificially raised to an E5. They had to speed up the tempo or else the songs wouldn’t fit on the vinyl. And that very same sped up/high pitched version is still used as a reference to this day.

[@verdean11]

Amazing job once again. Hope to see one of these on Prince. His range, from songs like Do Me Baby to songs like Temptation, is insane. And he pretty much maintained it all throughout his career.

[@zonainterdunar]

He was a clear Baritone/bassbarotone and rarely used his chest voice in the upper range... that you find on "baby im a star" and "one of us" for example... but mostly for his high singing he used falsetto and a rapid glide between falsetto and chest voice. He rarely used mixed voice or belting. Thats how in comparison prince sang very healthy and true to his natural voice type

[@AbdullaSalimov-l8l]

Hope there will be a video dedicated to Patti with the section explaining how her voice is so healthy and so powerful at her age

[@angusmerriweather1589]

Another great video. I learned so much about Michael Jackson's voice and singing and was surprised to learn he sang the way he did because of how damaged his voice became from singing the way he did as a child. And even through his vocal troubles he still made great music that emoted and resonated with millions worldwide.

[@kimarinailah]

Ommmmggg THANK YOU FOR REUPLOADING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

[@michaeljarreau3185]

I liked how you compared Michael's voice to Coco of Swv.Even though singing all those decades took a tole on him because of lupus and him getting nose jobs, I try to look pass the negative side of things and remember how amazing he was. Like that little technique he did when he hit the high note in You Are Not Alone. I wish I knew what techniques he used when he created his albums in the studio. I think Michael was suspose to go on tour for the Invincible album but he couldn't cause of the September 11 attacks and because he was on porpabal some kind of drug you get to help you go sleep before having surgery. I'm not a hater but i'm glad the This Is It tour didn't happen cause they was putting to much of an burden on Michael before he passed just to make more money off him. Lip syncing on the History tour is understandable cause it kept Michael heathy. Thank you for Michael this incredible video Milik. Every explained video you made is like an diamond gem

[@flewis02]

If u arent using good headphones to listen then do yourself a HUGE favor and get a pair before you rewatch....man..i never knew how great Michael and others sounded without music in the background....mindblowing

[@aemjay7225]

Actually Michael and Mariah share a lot in terms of vocal decline. Both sang/sings outside of their comfort zone for too long and too often Like Milik previously quoted " Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". As they aged, the "hole" in the voice became more and more noticeable. For instance, their singing became choppy and disconnected. Mariah camaflouges it with her airy whispery singing whereas Michael employed heavy background vocals.

[@mssha1980]

I was thinking this as well. Sadly the demands of popular music. It’s also why they started to heavily lip sync

[@Plutonia-o6o]

Totaly wrong and false !

[@marlandshanklin1987]

I was looking for this video for the longest😭 glad it’s back up💪🏾

[@lulupierre2051]

Love this! For me I love Michael’s older voice, Dangerous and History. I love the rasp! I always thought it was a stylistic choice

[@lulupierre2051]

@thereritee3687 I think my point is, I think everything Michael went through with his voice helped make him the ever improving artist that he was. Maybe he had no choice, I’ll take that BUT he used it to his advantage. My fave vocal performance of his has to be EARTH SONG. He had a beautiful voice, one of the most popular in the world. It must be the definition of turning a situation around to you advantage

[@funkyfridays78]

Yes the rasp in his voice is often used with rock and roll artists especially. Something a lot of pop and r&b artists do not have and made his voice especially unique compared to others.

[@noir269]

​@thereritee3687 yeah i think rasp thing just goes back to soul singers

[@loverboy9367]

I remember you uploading this on your old channel.So glad to see this vid back

[@mkoh8778]

SWV, actually covered Michael’s “I want to be where you are” for the booty call soundtrack, I believe. So it’s quite the coincidence that you are drawing the similarities between Michael’s and Coko’s voices!

[@samiam2003]

i love cokos voice❤

[@samiam2003]

where did he compare them btw

[@britnathy]

yessssssssssssssss so happy thank you for the video

[@BlackMusicArchive]

You are so welcome!

[@e.s.7272]

Interesting video. But according to your comments, Michael Jackson would not have been able to sing songs like "Childhood" or "Speechless". Maybe I just don't hear the raspiness in his voice on the high notes. It doesn't matter in the end, because I always think Michael's voice is great.

[@rihannaimvu8834]

He’s using mixed voice…that’s why you dont hear vocal rasp

[@alperry02]

That's a good point about those 2 songs

[@sel1414]

The most beautiful voice everrrrr💯❤️

[@Gemgirl05]

Yassss for this video breakdown of the late and great MJ🤩🤩!! I enjoy watching each of your videos and breakdowns of each artist and their vocals. Keep up the good work and much love always😘💖💖

[@modupeadio6408]

I loved this- so informative and illuminating. I really hope you do Usher next!

[@bbbbbbbbbb0]

Aside from the vocal habits he developed as a child, I feel like the main reason why he was so adamant on singing higher beyond his limits was because that's where his vocal colour really came through, and he seemed very aware of this. He often said how he hated how his deep speaking voice sounded, hence why he used a higher speaking voice. And I have to admit, his deep speaking voice was nice but his higher one was more pleasing on the ear. This seemed to reflect in his singing because his vocal tone just sounded better higher. The Triumph album really was the highlight of his adult voice imo, his vocal colour in all its glory. So it makes sense that he almost desperately clung to this way of singing, despite the fact that it was damaging his voice. There's also the aesthetic element this video mentioned too; prior to Bad, especially during the Thriller era, Michael was cultivating a boyish charm-like image. Having a higher voice was essential to who he was and how he wanted to be perceived.

[@jaige95]

Amazing job 👏🏾 I saw Michael in a new light

[@rem672]

Incredible analysis. Oh man he suffered way more than we thought. Could you sometime please do an analysis on Conor Mason’s voice from Nothing But Thieves?

[@joelmutagwaba255]

Can you do one on Prince?

[@tomogutu]

Y’all should do prince I don’t know why no one talks about his voice it’s literally 5 octaves and his falsetto is nuts

[@NottyGurlStyle]

I love Michael so much... When I would play Rockband and they had The Jackson's ABC I would always pick it and fail so fast because I usually sing high but I couldn't get the notes that he was hitting. MJ's voice was always magical, soft and sweet... I love it and miss it & him dearly❤

[@MessiThunbo]

Absolutely astonishing video. Very insightful. Love to learn more about the creative side of Michael.

[@kaylabey]

i always learn so much from your videos. i didn’t expect it to make me emotional, but man, i really feel for michael jackson ❤️i hope his soul is getting rest

[@Marcus_Berger1701]

I think his raspy voice was perfect during the BAD era, especially during the highly energetic BAD Tour. In most of the concerts he gave 110%. Its unbelievable. Especially whilst dancing. And thats a problem. Dancing like him plus singing very loud puts even more stress on the vocal chords. Means, highly pressurized air have to pass the v. chords and singing very loud to counteract the singing inaccuracy induced by the dancing. Loss of body fluids from sweating also not ideal for the voice. He lost up to 5 pounds per concert at the time. And despite all of that, even at the end of the tour the voice was okay. The first time i noticed his voice getting worse was after the recording sessions of Dangerous and especially during the Dangeous Tour. Even at the start of the Tour the voice was noticeable different compared to the BAD era. Some fans like that. I say at that time the rasp sounded unhealthy. Not every evening but very often. And in the History era the voice was good enough for the recording studio but not for a long Tour. This resulted in increased use of playback. But you can hear the damage at the Royal Brunei concert when he sings Billie Jean the last time 100% live. What is really crazy is the fact that he sung underneath the playback during the History tour. And though its interesting to hear this recordings its also very painful to listen too. I love this mans voice its so unique. For me his peak voice was 1984 till 1989. Absolutely stunning!

[@dondamon4669]

Mick jagger can do it easily

[@Jiron127]

Mj had laryngitis during history tour. Everything else you said is pretty spot on

[@iluvcamaros1912]

I read Robyn Crawford's book and there is a passage where she mentions Whitney Houston being obsessed with Chaka Khan's enunciation. And to think of it there isn't really a single Whitney song where you can't make out every s, c, k, d, t etc to be found.

[@mssha1980]

1-Great job as always! I like this more than the other two. 2-When it comes to his nose, during the AEG trial a doctor who treated him stated he had his Turbinates were removed(likely during a nose job). So that may have been the main issue. I wonder how that would’ve affected his singing? The doctor felt it caused insomnia. The surgery happened in the 90s. 3-HIStory tour issues. Fans say ‘sick’ but it’s well documented that he had a dependency on drugs and started using anesthesia to sleep during that tour 4- It may not change much but I think you do have to account for that his records are pitched higher due to being sped up. It’s not just a fan argument but his coworkers have spoken on it and let fans listen to some of the original recordings.

[@florida_sucks]

a turbinate reduction is a pretty routine surgery for allergies. getting them REMOVED though idk

[@mssha1980]

@@florida_sucks yes his were removed. Something called empty nose syndrome. I had to look it up again but they talked about it during the AEG trial.

[@mostrecenthero]

Thank you for the work you put in towards all of our furthered musical education. These videos are absolutely incredible!

[@thicbeauty92]

Awesome video! Learn so much about Michael and singing in general. Definitely going to be more careful with my voice from now on.

[@3rdfloorvisuals]

Very interesting material, thank you! I was hoping for a similar analysis of Prince's mesmerizing voice. The 'gymnastics' that man did with his voice ... out of this world.

[@AfricanThinker86]

As an MJ fan, thank you for this.

[@NicolWUJ]

I would LOVE to see a video like this about Freddie Mercury. He went through so much with his voice through his life, and i think it would have a lot of things to talk about! Great content! Keep it up!

[@qwerty1234234]

I disagree with the timing of his use of harmony. The best examples of Michael’s harmony were on the Off The Wall album

[@JaySmith-mz7vg]

"If he is placing his voice in the nose, but doesnt have a nose" JESUS. I love him but that comment combined with the timeline of noses at the end took me completely out 😭☠️

[@claricelyles8398]

I've learned so much❤ Thank you! Maybe you can one day look into Tevin Campbell, too.

[@JillCheese]

Yes, I would love to see a vid about Tevin!

[@Jiron127]

I mentioned before about tevin. I'd also like to see peabo bryson, Stephanie mills, Luther, prince, brandy, tamia and kenny lattimore.

[@beatriztakata8667]

It just shows how amazing his voice is! Cuz, afterall, he kept a very VERY good quality!! I absolutely love him, he's one of the best vocalists ever!!

[@sequinedove]

Glad this is back! Just as informative and great as the original upload.

[@xydanmusic]

This video was just incredible

[@anthonysaxsonmusic]

Watched every second. This was a masterful and thorough study and I learned a ton. Thank you🎶

[@CamCorder55]

That was an incredible video‼️

[@sprigflower]

Thank you for an amazing analysis! Best documentary I have seen in a long time.

[@Milkers777]

Nothing about this is factual only the narrator’s belief, I want to clarify something…Most say MJ doesn’t sing live often which is a huge misconception/false! He only used playback not completely lip sync, it isn’t that cut and dry with MJ he sung underneath the playback mostly after he was 35 years old. And folks are ignoring almost 25 years of performances before than where he didn’t lip synced. Also I don’t think it matters in Michael’s case weather he sang with or without playback. Firstly, he danced,ran and jumped alot during every show. This is a huge stress, and hundreds of such concerts must be held. Even breathing is impossible, and here he also has to sing. And the most important thing - we all know that he sang insanely well, could create miracles with his voice, wrote songs and music himself. He was genius, and he didn’t need to pull off every note at every concert, as if in a vocal lesson. So if any artist had an excuse to use playback etc. it’s this man he was singing live for 25 straight years since being 10 years old which is 2.5 decades of singing live w/ no playback or lipsyncing. It’s nuts most singers in general can’t maintain live singing for that long of a timespan. That’s the power of MJ you can't really directly compare male to female singers. Because females are naturally in the soprano's range. However,no singer has a distinct tone,voice,character and range comparable to that of Michael Jackson. Every world class opera singer can sing like Mariah,or anyone for that matter But nobody can sing like Michael Jackson and still sound nearly as great as him. Same statement applies to his live performances and dance moves etc. truly the Greatest Vocalist Of All Time!👑🎤💯

[@CDR807]

This is brilliant, so many new things I’ve learned and I thought I was the biggest Michael Jackson fan, thanks for this video it was much needed! If your taking request I’d like to add Jackie Wilson to your list, his vocal is just one I can’t understand

[@caked5482]

This was so informative. You can tell a lot of effort was put into this, thank you :)

[@lovelydiva06]

Despite it all though he went on to keep his beautiful voice/vocals into adulthood, thank goodness, one of the best to ever do it, and to me none of yalls criticism matter cause Michael still sounded amazing studio/live and I found nothing wrong with the production of bad and it’s one of my favorites from Michael

[@dondamon4669]

What didn't you watch it? He can't sing

[@mykoniichistorychannel]

@@dondamon4669It’s these delusional stans who think the man was perfect in every aspect. Drives me crazy.

[@hmetv8619]

@@dondamon4669lmao, all the video is doing is addressing the difference and decline in MJ’s vocal ability over his lifetime, no one said MJ couldn’t sing, a lot of vocal coaches would disagree with you

[@hmetv8619]

@@dondamon4669not even taking it to a technical standpoint, at face value MJ was a great vocalist, listen to his acoustics, definitely the invincible ones

[@tchrhistry]

The Baby Michael Video is back!!!

[@caked5482]

I’m only 15 min in… this is sooooo good!

[@wdsongama]

Great great video, very in-depth. I love how you adress how stressful situations, traumas, overworking, all affect the voice, not just technique. I will add that I really doubt MJ was a baritone though, his tessitura was very tenor, even though you pointed out very well how he would sing above his comfort zone frequently. The "You Were There" performance is a great resource to analyze his voice type, in my opinion. Oh, how I wish he was still here... Love always for MJ ❤️

[@BlackMusicArchive]

Thank you. I am curious. Did you analyze the clip you referenced before sharing it? Because it sits a 3rd lower than where a tenor would sing, and the arrangement stops at the baritone passagio... There are no tenor high/money notes in that tune.

[@lavonyadavis6793]

This was a cute lil vid. But I think MJ voice was pretty strong to sing all them shows live! He did about 600 shows live by 1988. I think that should be spoken about as well. He did a lot of singing/dancing. Only voice that survived such crazy touring schedules was Tina Turner! Now that lady had pipes of steel! MJ started lipping a lot in 1990s, understandably so. He only toured bc his fans wanted to see him. He still was dancing his ass off tho! Decent vid. I agree w him being a baritone. Ppl just think he’s was a tenor bc his voice sat high in speaking. But you can be a high baritone voice! Also the bad tour in the clips ur showing isn’t all that fair. The best vocals from the tour are in 1987 - early 1988. By the London shows MJ already did like 80 dates… he was tired as hell

[@samiam2003]

yeah I thought the bad tour clips were unfair, his voice was poppin in early bad tour and the clips he showed were... something else

[@JoshuaLaGuardia-uw6jk]

yea his earlier shows on that tour were great

[@SheilaJewell-fr2jq]

No one will ever match Michael Jackson, he gave everything, a musical genius.

[@feliciaw.9248]

My fav BMA video is back!

[@Hizzy.Fitness]

Wow!! What an amazing video. My biggest takeaway was how much sacrifice many greats put their body through for their art and what they loved to do. Another example of this is the bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman who now has back problems and struggles to stand up straight and walk. He said that if he had to do it all again he wouldn’t change a thing because he cemented his place in history. His only regret was not doing a couple more repetitions when he performed an 800lb squat, because he felt like he still had a few more reps in him at that moment.

[@matiaspereyra9375]

Im a bit of baritone, but I remember I used to be able to connect my own voice well into F5 by using a mixed voice. I had sinus problems since early childhood and had a surgery to straighten out my bridge. Since then I lost almost all sensation in my nose. To this day I struggle to place my sound forward due to the lack of sensation I feel in my sinus cavity. Could this also be something that happened to Michael?

[@Brunopuntzjones]

Michael can sing in any key and it will be beautiful. As long as it is Michael.... it is music to my ears.

[@bobmoore8230]

This is one of the best WELL-STRUCTURED videos I've ever seen. This is the gold content worth of history books. Thank you!

[@John3v8]

Adding my applause and Raves to all others!!! What an excellent program, Malik!!! I do think it would have been fair to address the impact on a singer's voice of severe psychological trauma and stress, such as what he went through, but overall, your work here is wonderful!

[@bayarearob]

Amazing break down on michales voice and how it changed. Although white as snow, i would love to hear your breakdown of Axl Roses voice from Rasp to Mickey Mouse

[@MD-xh1bj]

Well Mike was no ordinary singer. He was dancing, spinning, running at the same time, and if you are doing world tours, yeah you have to drop keys.

[@eLkO187]

Thank you for re-uploading this. I reached out via IG with no response. I’ve gotta donate for the work you did on this one. Appreciate your work and channel.