The Problem With Oversinging And Pop Singers!

[@aintnootherfan]

MY OPINION Morissette - oversinging; Run To You is already quite a demanding song it doesn't need much more Ariana - I actually really like the change! And a song like Bang Bang gives you options to do something like this Ailee - I like this a lot but it's on the verge of oversinging imo Avery - Oversung; he's great but got possessed in this performance Celine - that was over the top but I don't mind it to finish off the performance Brandy doesn't miss! Nicole - I don't mind going higher in head voice but these repeated runs are too much Camila - oversinging; you can barely tell what's the song Chloe - yeah it's a LOT but I feel like Have Mercy leaves some space for changing things up live Christina - again, a lot but nicely done in terms of musicality so it's a pass

[@williamriviere795]

I agree with you on most of this. I would just say : - the first extra high note of Morisette was fine, but not the run after - I loved what Celine did - I liked what Nicole did

[@aceblanks7658]

I agree with every single thing you said damn near word for word. No need for me to even comment mine!!!! 😂

[@jhunricvillordon3488]

100%

[@nathanielsuinan]

You already mentioned my thoughts. Thank you 😁

[@musicalkavya]

I liked what Nicole did I think it is fine. Other than that, I agree with you! I thought Ariana’s Bang Bang note change was AMAZING and didn’t sound like oversinging at all! A song like Bang Bang allows you to add things and still sound great, so yeah. And to do those high notes with that ease is amazing! Ariana is obviously a great vocalist.

[@theresadavis2004]

My music teacher always told me to add my flavour to songs so i sound unique and not like a copycat. But oversinging is like adding all those spices at ones and feels like an attack instead of delicious.

[@firelord_ozai]

True

[@tylerhackner9731]

It’s been a thing and a pet peeve. Yet still better than not singing

[@rehurekj]

I think Christina Aguilera is the epitome of oversinging, She's undoubtedly talented and great singer with great gift but she always ads more and more to literally every song and never knows when to stop herself so its always overdone and the song itself is lost and drowned under all the deluge of unnecessary notes and IMO it makes her every performance less memorable and more boring one note, pun intended, cos no matter the style and melody and lyrics of the actual song she always does her thing and ad hoc ads ton and then some of her trademark heavy vocals and in the end it just makes her every song basically identical( exaggeration but not really) to every other song she ever sung, is currently singing and will sing in future.

[@christinaaguileralegend]

Christina style of singing is extra runs and riffs it inspire new singers and made Christina the voice of the generation it's very interesting and amazing she always sings how she wants and it makes it memorable bc everyone knows Christina got one of the most legendary greatest most famous voices!!!

[@rehurekj]

@@christinaaguileralegend yes, she inspired others, often less capable aspiring singers, to do the same, to copy her, all the time every time. and im not saying adding rifts and own flavour is bad thing, the opposite in fact, but as with everything, even with good things, if you use too much of them they become negative. its just like with salt and spices- one can't cook without them, and every good cook adds their spin to the meal they're making, but if they use too much of salt, or wrong combination of spices, they ruin the recipe just as much if not more if they use too little or didnt use any at all.

[@Xiephyr]

I'm not sure if you follow Christina much at all, but most of her oversinging was frontloaded in her debut era (where a lot of the most ridiculous clips come from). In her performances over the past decade, she's mellowed out significantly in terms of oversinging. She did a song for the live action Mulan in the past 2 yrs (Loyal Brave True) that is very vocally simple. I feel that people often over-exaggerate the extent of her oversinging because of that initial impression from her early years and haven't kept up since, and if you pay attention to her catalogue she actually has many tracks across albums that are vocally subdued. Say Something is probably the most well known recent one. Much of her latest two albums (Aguilera & Liberation) are significantly tamer compared with her debut-Back to Basics era. I remember even back when Bionic released in 2010 there were critics complaining that she wasn't using her voice enough due to the electronic elements taking the foreground.

[@debutriah2854]

@@Xiephyr fr

[@lonerEmpath]

You haven’t kept up with xtina and it shows lol. She sings so much different now compare to when she started

[@glennpatrick8908]

I always think Christina is the vocal equivalent of a speeding car. It’s like she wants to do the absolute most in the shortest amount of time possible. I love so many of her songs and she’s an incredible singer but it sometimes feels like she’s trying to assault you with the notes, particularly in live performances

[@benjaminbawa5273]

Thank-you! 😹🤝

[@Night-Shade.]

I love her, but she's one of the first artiest that pops into my head whenever over-singing is the topic

[@kimmyymmik]

I remember even being a kid in the 00s I thought her voice was over the top for no reason (just unnecessary). I can’t stand her obnoxious notes.

[@squarcircle2254]

To me, "oversinging" is when your singing distracts the listener from the song itself, no matter how beautiful or impressive your techniques are. It overstays its welcome at that point in the song and becomes unnessesary. Ever listened to an incredible vocalist but got bored of their singing quickly or got annoyed because almost every other line was sang melismatically with TERRIBLE placement? Or belted for way longer than pleasantly sounding? Or put in too much power in a word or vowel or consonant that they shouldn't have? That's what oversinging sounds like. There is little to no co-ordination with the vocal skills/abilities you choose to sing the song with due to placement issues. It really shows a lack of artistic mastery of music and is one of the hardest musical traits/abilities to master. It's one of the hardest because it's almost an unlearnt musical ability, that works like a 6th sense, that you simply have or don't have. But it can be learnt with A LOT of training and hardwork. That said, if I know that the point of the vocal showcase was to show-off then I'd be fine with oversinging, though I won't connect with the music emotionally.

[@notaspeck6104]

This exactly! I studied music and we were always taught about relationships between instruments and roles. They should work together to create contrast and unity and a cohesive piece of music. But when you have an artist/vocalist who over-sings it stops being about the music and starts being about them. It's kind of like isolating one part of the 'tapestry' of the song and then overlaying it on top of everything else and amplifying it by 1000. It ruins the flow and immersion. Like you said if the situation is that the vocalist is demonstrating their abilities I'm fine with it, but personally I don't want it in music that I'm just trying to enjoy or connect with 'cause it feels really jarring and out of place. Edit: I wrote this before watching the rest of the video but at 1:00 he basically says exactly what I was trying to lmao.

[@PrOpoRa8r1Br0]

This. They just basically leave the music/instrumental behind and, despite of singing on key, it doesn't really sound well, becuase they go off the melodies played behind by the instruments

[@ETCNK]

Mariah singing is so tasteful. So many flavors without going overboard.

[@arinrayscumdump]

because she has a good ear for music. she gets the notes, runs and belts ENOUGH, not less nor overboard. she knows her dynamics and knows when to run, belt, soften her tone, power up her voice, whistle and go deep only when they are necessary. she's a genius

[@diorrboyyyy]

Lol

[@lovemoon9803]

yes... I agree.. She has everything. But all singers do over-sing at one point.

[@filipmarinkovic6281]

I love how no matter the song's sound, vibe, tempo, Ariana will find a way to add a note change or high note but not oversing or overload the song. She changes 100% of her songs live vocally, and i don't think she did more than needed ever. Sweetener World Tour is the example of that the best.

[@GarageStudio7]

Surprisingly, *The Vocal Trinity* and at times Christina are mostly blamed as the inspiration for the oversinging trend in mainstream music: "However defined, one thing all the experts seem to agree on is that oversinging is a growing problem, one that can be partially blamed on power singers like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera." - MTV News "The oversinging trend can be traced back to the '80s, to the sunny, elastic pop of Whitney Houston, whose soaring sonic gymnastics begat the glass-shattering pipes of Mariah Carey, who begat an entire generation of would-be divas who overwork the upper reaches of their vocal ranges, scraping the sky and searing the eardrums of listeners. It's not pleasant. Nor is it really singing - it's more like screaming on key." - Seattle Times The difference is, the Whitney, Mariah and Celine's extraordinary vocals were combined with impressive musicality. That's a clear distinction in comparison with most who followed. American Idol has been referenced as the direct influence for the oversinging trend in mainstream music (and seen on social media): "In a nation infatuated with "American Idol" and overnight sensations, the phenomenon of oversinging has become increasingly visible. The three "Idol" judges - Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell - often spend a solid month of shows watching one hopeful after another destroy pop standards by racing to the big note and forgetting bedrock necessities like tone, pitch or the right lyrics." - Seattle Times "I think what everyone forgets is these kids are amateurs. Most of these kids probably haven't had a lot of lessons or they probably had lessons from the wrong people. If they had it all together, they probably wouldn't need this show. So you're listening to people that no one's ever told them, 'Don't oversing.' No one's ever said, 'Stop it. You're never going to sound like Mariah or Whitney.' - MTV News I think most of us can agree that *oversinging > undersinging* The former involves an excessive display of vocal ability to the point that it detracts from the melodic structure and inherent meaning of the songs while the latter usually indicates a lack/inadequate vocal ability for the task at hand. *Musicality is key.* Like beauty, preference of tone and oversinging lie in the eye of the beholders. Those with more beholders tend to have more substantiation.

[@kalync.8232]

Those first two quotes are… ignorant. Whitney and Mariah sound like they’re screaming? I think those critics and a lot of people who hate “oversinging” don’t know what that even means. Because they seemingly just choose R&B/Soul singers to critic. Like you said Mariah & Whitney have great musicality, they’re more emotive than a pop singer would, but that because they’re influenced by Gospel, R&B, & Soul. So I think that the critics are ignorant of the cultural significance “over-singing” has to certain genres.

[@GarageStudio7]

@@kalync.8232 I get your point of contention but kindly reflect on the the quote again, it states that Whitney and Mariah inspired the "would-be divas who overwork the upper reaches of their vocal ranging...it's more like screaming on key, but it seems to differentiate that with Whitney's "soaring sonic gymnastics" and Mariah's "glass-shattering pipes". If anything it seems like it's essentially stating, "leave it to the pros" ie. Whitney and Mariah.

[@diorrboyyyy]

Oh so we’re being slow again????

[@loriwalters9158]

Great post and I agree ❤

[@aaronowen4425]

I may be wrong but I truly believe that this is why Madonna has had such a long and successful career even though she may technically not be as good of a singer as most other singers. She once said in an interview "I do simple EXTREMELY well" and she does her vocals are clear, her words are well pronounced and the melodies are on point. It's an example of when simple done extremely well over shadows grandstanding by a mile.

[@minivan1680]

I completely agree.

[@chloekreis1835]

People just love a good voice that's satisfying and pleasant to listen to. Same with dancing, honestly, too much is just too much.

[@jujubee6030]

Christina should be the poster child for over singing! I remember one performance she had where she almost passed out cuz she was trying to outshine everyone.😂

[@hysteric4u]

lol i think you're talking about the the aretha tribute. she almost fell off the stage after that vocal battle! i love her!!

[@Cameron-rt4tb]

Personally, I don’t believe oversinging in gospel music exists, just because it’s ingrained in the fabric of the genre. Oversinging depends on the style of music, which is why it’s most noticeable in pop music.

[@kalync.8232]

Thank you. Since R&B/Soul is heavily influenced by Gospel I think it should be exempt too, in context. It just depends on the song.

[@melodramatic7904]

Artists like Christina Aguilera are heavily influenced by R&B, which I think is where she gets it from.

[@TB317]

Came here to say this. Jhud has been guilty of oversinging on some songs in the past (though Imo she's gotten WAY better at it) but these Gospel clips didn't sit right with me as anyone that's grown up in the Black church will agree that that it calls for it. Gospel music is a form of worship and doesn't wholly adhere to musical pedagogy of other genres. It would be like calling a tribal or ceremonial dance "repetitive" judging by Contemporary dance standards.

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

@@TB317 They didn’t sit right with me either. They didn’t sound bad either. Especially after watching Black Music Archive Mahalia Jackson’s video.

[@TB317]

@@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024 Yeah it's one of those scenarios where I think they just lack some cultural context.

[@YouYonc3]

It's incredible how Beyoncé just gets better and better, she only oversang in DC when she didn't have so much control and musical ear but after leaving the group she improved her riffs and it doesn't sound oversung, she uses them at the right times and with the right scales Is there anything that woman doesn't do great?!

[@divadream]

Beyoncé really, really understands the importance of vocal preservation which is why people need to respect how much she chooses to lipsync during concerts -- she goes out of her way to create multiple takes of pre-recorded vocals to give variety and reflect her vibe at the time, knows when it's best for her to sing live and when to give herself a break or focus on dance.

[@squarcircle2254]

@@divadream At this point, lipsyncing shouldn't be seen as a negative really. It should even be considered a live vocal technique because it's healthy and preserving of voice. In most cases, voice is a very fragile instrument that suffers ware and tear if not used healthily. I feel that vocalists known for doing too much (or rather "so much") vocally, on a regular basis, suffer vocal decline much faster than others. And the more popular (therefore, in demand) your voice is by the masses, the quicker the decline. So, lipsyncing should become a vocal technique used by vocalists who are in demand, to preserve their voices. That said, I know many mediocre singers would begin to use it as an excuse not to perform live. But at the end of the day, it's still you that sang it. You can actually sing it but you weren't doing live.

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

She did have a musical ear. Tbh she didn’t even sound that bad. 💀

[@heroncolby2842]

She doesn't do great original stuff 😒

[@squarcircle2254]

@@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024 she didn’t sound bad at all during her DC days.

[@ErickDaniel-le7kj]

Ultimately, this is a matter of taste. There are people who like singers to oversing and others don't. In my opinion, oversinging is a good and valid thing to do, as long as you respect the message, the feeling and the parts of the song. I like to see singers show what they are capable of with their voices.

[@victorramirez-tw8wj]

Ariana barely oversings, she keeps the essence as natural as possible, without losing the vibe of impressing obviously, she is smart honestly.

[@arianacareymariahgrande3582]

yes!! she’s very good at keeping it balanced.

[@drewm.2790]

yesss! even the clip used here of her wasn't really oversinging imo that run fit the music

[@aceblanks7658]

I saw Ariana live in concert and she is the best vocalist I have ever heard live and I’ve heard plenty of artists live with amazing voices. But her agility and the way her voice soars in the arena is so powerful it’s insane and you can tell she rehearses but leaves room for her voice and adlibs to take her wherever it wants to in the moment so no show is ever the same vocally.

[@borneo_]

She does oversing sometimes but her Tone is very soft so it doesn't sound annoying 😂

[@arang_ba]

Sometimes no. But agreed too.

[@K41Teto41]

Glad you mentioned undersinging. Undersinging is very dissapointing for me because of what could have been if it was sung right. Voice should have emotion. Using a wrong style for a song is not good either which often causes oversinging.

[@squarcircle2254]

Yes, using the wrong style. Great point. Especially if you didn't restructure the entire song to fit your style. That's like trying to use the English phonetic system to sing an Arabic song. A mess.

[@joshbarnes2313]

​@@squarcircle2254 Many singers do this with the Star Spangled Banner, in my opinion

[@tb1989.]

JoJo's cover of "Pretty Wings" is still one of the most stunning and divine vocal performances I've ever heard. It truly is a masterclass! Thank you for including it in this video.

[@aintnootherfan]

I LOVE IT TO DEATH

[@hughw2377]

Mariah found the perfect balance, she never got lost or got tempted in the over singing

[@aminkardovic8302]

I've noticed a tendency with young and promising vocalists to cover songs of less showy singers and "make it their own" or "improve the vocals". Think Camilla here or even Faouzia covering Desert rose - they added additional runs, scales, belts, ornaments left and right - and it's always a younger singer trying to prove themselves, like Bey back in her wobble days.

[@vanshmishra7119]

That's why Tori Kelly and Queen Mariah Carey are so special to me! One can belt and be as agile as possible...but to know when to keep it simple, to restrain, to stop ✋️ Is what shows their musicality!! The Holy Trinity and Tori Kelly (Best in terms of musicality/agility from this gen) totally get this. For example Tori is a natural when it comes to agility but she's just as much creative! It's not oversinging coz of restrain, control, taste AND most importantly CREATIVITY...she finds new ways to sing the same lines which are musically empathetic to the melody.

[@GarageStudio7]

In addition to musicality, I thought tone might play a role in how we are more tolerant of certain vocalists "oversinging" but then Ariana Grande and Avery Wilson have great tones but most agree that Ariana doesn't oversing anywhere near as much as Avery.

[@briannaaudain928]

Ariana imo only really oversung consistently during her hmt. Anything after she didn’t really overusing or was consistent at least imo

[@GarageStudio7]

@@briannaaudain928 I agree, she mostly has good musicality. I hope Avery improves his musicality over time. Both of them have pleasant tones but when it comes to musicality, Ariana definitely takes it.

[@littlelou050]

i agree. but i often find ariana to sound throaty and shouty. her riffs can be inconsistent and odd. her tone is better now but she's always sounded better when not trying to show off in such a lazy way. for a long time she's just been the token screamer because she keeps her voice so airy that she doesn't sound as strained as others.

[@AGEE_95]

@@littlelou050 This comment is wrong on so many levels it's not even funny. It just shows how people still love to discredit her evolution as a vocalist, just because she's a popstar. It's the willful ignorance, for me. Some of these things used to be problems for her, but they certainly aren't now. She's a belter, not a scream, her runs are on point, and she doesn't show off just because when she sings, you know she knows what she's doing. She's honestly never been lazy either, she just has more experience and discipline now.

[@squarcircle2254]

I definitely agree, which is why Prime Mariah (and Brandy sometimes) could get away with oversinging. Yes, she did oversing. Her tone was to die for. It somehow naturally got thick where it was meant to get thick and thin where it was meant to get thin or round or full. It had an almost "shapeshifting" quality about it. Now Whitney will always be The Voice, but not even Whitney's tone possessed this superpower.

[@OliverHeikkinen]

It's pretty hard to judge whether some of the moments are oversung from those clips without the full context of the performance. Unless they're very egregious examples or excecuted poorly. Many of them are great if they were the climax of the song but if it's at that level the whole time it's a chop.

[@jshauntah]

Um I think the issue is that many people have forgotten that singing is not just about singing its also an emotional expression through sound especially when you maybe going through something that connects to what your singing. So sometimes when emotion is presented through song it can get big. But their are some people who do it constantly as if they have something to prove

[@lonellfletcher]

For me, a vocalist only truly oversings when they can’t keep up with the momentum they’ve created, fall out time and off key. If you can go crazy and still keep things together, more power to you.

[@kphoria1009]

my thoughts exactly, it’s great if you can show off, but if the song is moving on without you there’s a problem

[@lobaetoile8440]

My view on oversinging has slightly changed over time, because, I've realized pop music fans tend to be a little intolerant with what they consider "too much" and overly value catchiness and simplicity in melodies. As my musical preferences have expanded, I have learned that some music genres utilize certain skills more regularly (like melismas)... There was a time, for example, when in the US r&b or gospel music would only be played in radio stations whose audiences were specifically black people, and many fantastic vocalists would be gatekeeped from mainstream radio stations... The first black people who could cross to a wider markets had to compromise to sing in a less detailed, more simplified pop style... I'm not explaining this very well because I'm not a musician nor American... But learning about these things made me consider that some styles of singing are simply more elaborated and it's a matter of preference (and also of getting familiar with those sub genres or singing styles), but they are not inherently "bad choices"... Another example would be hardcore metal singers with their screamo or growling approaches, those types of singing are an adquired taste. I do agree with the fact that singers who have good vocal technique or wide ranges do sometimes "over-sing" in the sense of losing perspective about the storytelling or emotion of the song and fail to convey the song lyrics properly because of mistakes in the arrangements or improvisations they do... But I also do find myself, sometimes, really enjoying performances that other people judge to be "too much"... I also think it's important to respect the singers own individual styles, at times it seems as if some people like someone's voice but want to force them to sing in an style that is more palatable or suited to the personal preferences of the listener who is criticising... Personally, I like Jessie J a lot and I like how expressive and enthousiastic she is, I like when she does "weird stuff". Yes, she does have specific performances in which I can have a criticism, but I also wouldn't expect her to start singing "safe, easy and mellow", that's just not who she is. I like that she's unique, I like hearing her do things I can't do. In another hand, some singers do have better musicality than others.

[@55555gino]

Lara Fabian should’ve been here. She’s incredible and perfect when it comes to when and how to go a bit more or a bit less. Perfect vocalist

[@martin80909]

People think only America an United Kingdom exist in term of music... Lara is a goddess

[@vanshmishra7119]

But she isn't a notable user of agility and plain belting is usually safe!

[@mikel4531]

I think that Rachelle Ferrell is one of the best examples of oversinging. Good video tho, your run at the end of the video made me smile 😊

[@ernesfonse]

Christina emits soul and passion when she does it. I love her for that.

[@jlcii]

One problem I have as a Powerhouse singer personally are people that think any form of strong projection or embellishments is "over singing ".

[@whoevr]

2:48 naurrr extrariana,she handled it pretty well

[@sypax670]

I love that part wish she did it on tour 😂😂

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

Right? It sounded good!

[@whoevr]

i love how you chose singers known for oversinging in the quizz

[@timn11.04]

I would include Perrie Edward's note change in "Little Me" when they performed it live. I think it was a little too extra

[@littlemixwillsurvivelittle976]

Finally someone seeing that perrie should be in here but I think she's one of his favs so lol. She is amazing but I think she's over the top alot of time. She does it in secret love song way too much too and a few others. I think it caused some damage to her voice honestly. Still amazing though.

[@LuisGustavoSO]

Nah. It's just one long note to finish off performance, and it's very tasteful for the fans, I can't see how it'd be considered oversinging.

[@favyan16]

Gotta love Xtina she sings how she wants and she knows the criticism and still does what she truly feels

[@killlamas57]

She doesn’t know any better. If at this point she keeps over singing, it means she doesn’t have the musicianship to do better. She’s very hard but doesn’t have it.

[@scelto6906]

ariana is so smart, in both clips she knows what she's delivering

[@diorrboyyyy]

WHITNEYS VOICE IS SUCH THE BEST…. THE TONE THE HEAD VOICE THE DICTION THE POWER THE RESONANCE THE CLARITY THE RANGE THE EMOTION THE DYNAMICS THE BELTING THE VIBRATO THE SUPPORT THE BREATH CONTROL😍😍😍. GREATEST VOCALIST EVER AND IF U DISAGREE IN THE COMMENTS U GONNA BE ARGUING WITH YA SELF😂😂😘.

[@IamRocque]

I don’t think it’s always ego. We are forced to even sing and convey power with a message or apparently we can’t sing. This often leads to over singing while trying to prove ourselves

[@markbihmsmusic]

Thank you for this video! One of the greatest vocalists with some of the best musicality has always been and ever will be classic Whitney! She knew where to put the ornaments where it naturally flowed. Sure later in her career she overdid things at times but overall she is known for singing a song with more dynamics besides runs and riffs. She had excellent crescendo and decrescendo, knew when to build climax in her range. She was more than a singer but an interpreter as if she wrote alot of the music herself that she sang. Those are some of the ingredients of greatness. Another is her class!

[@p0rnany0ne]

simple if it's not in your spirit, it's too much...or too little music is supposed to be an expression of feelings and emotions if you're genuinely singing about some shit you've been through, there's no overdoing it. If you don't know or care what you're singing about...it shows

[@charfree6888]

There are also habitual oversingers where almost all of their performances are oversung. there are times when Mori gets carried away with her performance, in fact that's one of the constructive criticism that ms. Sarah G gave her as her coach on The Voice, but on songs that require soulful emotions, she delivers

[@sonnyallagonez5776]

Ur Sarah G is pure overrated.Morissette is miles better than her

[@charfree6888]

@@sonnyallagonez5776 tanga Mowienatics ako..hindi lang talaga ako toxic na gaya mo. kaya ko silang iadmire pareho nang walang binabash na iba. magenjoy ka sa asal kanal mo❤️

[@monicaconsigliereLavieenfleur]

Since the sixties there has been a lot of oversinging and personally I do not like it too much. A bit can be ok, but nowadays is really too much in my opinion

[@Hilbes24]

Jennifer Hudson always sounds like she's shouting to me. I think she over sings a lot of the time

[@littlemixwillsurvivelittle976]

Omg Camila is one of the most irritating singers, she over riffs and just over does alot to the point where it's hard to listen to her. Jessie j is extremely over the top, Christina Aguilera always got on my nerves trying to over impress when she didn't need to, Beyonce I love but she does over sing sometimes especially in destiny child. I can go on but this is one of my biggest pet peeves (over singing) I think all these artists are talented still but goodness 😂

[@karoonboomie2813]

If you have the freakin voice, express it darlin, it’s your time to shine!!!!!! We cannot unhear it!!!

[@melaniaarce8226]

I guess it depends on the ear of the beholder... Sometimes oversinging can sound good or can sound annoying

[@littlelou050]

ear of the beholder 😭

[@drewm.2790]

Morissette: oversung ( that high belt was off key ) Ariana: she ate that run, very tasteful musically Ailee: extra but not oversung Avery: oversung Celine: she was mother for that Brandy: loveee it! Nicole: just a bit too much imo but something's off with her vibratos Camila: oversung, Someone you loved imo is the last song I'd choose to add extra runs and note changes like she did Chloe: not oversung imo Xtina: musically pleasant yesss

[@killlamas57]

There’s over-singing and then there’s bad musical choices. I see it a lot with National Anthems. Most of the time, the problem is not that the person “over sang”, they just didn’t make the right choices. Jazmine Sullivan’s anthem for example had a lot of runs and rifts and was beautiful bc they were well placed and she hit every note in the runs properly. To me over singing is just a byproduct of something else going wrong.

[@varunravi27]

And, tbh, the clips of Mariah, JoJo and Whitney make it very hard for me to believe that they're not oversinging. But both of them have definitely had better moments with their musicality 🤍And, like you said, oversinging is subjective. 5:34 Cher's inner mezzo-soprano coming out and 7:10 has me QUAKING 💀 Also, for the test, Morissette, Celine, Chlöe, Nicole and Ailee were not oversinging and Ariana, Christina, Camila, Brandy and Avery were oversinging

[@lvc_as9763]

so Ariana was over singing but not Morissette? lmao

[@varunravi27]

@@lvc_as9763 Well tbh Morissette's wasn't perfect either but her musicianship in that performance was FAR better than Ariana's. Everything that she sang fit the song. As for Ariana, she was clearly adding runs for the sake of it. You can re-listen/re-watch the clip if you don't get why I said that.

[@lvc_as9763]

@@varunravi27 meeh i dont think so, she was def adding runs but it def fitted the song aw well, Morissette was going higher and higher for the sake of it as well, to the point where the highest note went flat 😬 but yeah, i think as he said, its perception

[@drewm.2790]

@@varunravi27 girl what ear do you have?... Morissette was doing excellent before the note change which was harmonically off meanwhile Ariana's run was spot on....

[@varunravi27]

@@drewm.2790 I didn't say Ariana's run was bad. Her intonation was flawless. I just said it was overdone, which it definitely was. People need to stop thinking that every run Ariana executes is perfect. As good as her musicality is, even she has had oversinging moments, especially earlier in her career.

[@kiddluna18]

Morisette- oversung Ariana- Tasteful Ailee- Teetering on oversung, but it works for me! Avery- Oversung, but he’s insane! Celine- Tasteful Brandy- Tasteful, Soulful Nicole- oversung Camila- oversung, but not bad Chloe- teetering, but it works! Xtina- a little much, but not bad!

[@JenZ727]

I think over singing is okay sometimes. But never with the national anthem. It’s the one song that we’re all supposed to be able to sing along to. How can anybody sing along with somebody who sings the snot out of it?

[@panchogonzalezmx]

I loved all the oversinging examples you showed lol. Acrobacy is part of music too

[@MCharlerySmith]

Good video and important topic. I think what should've been added is that oversinging doesn't just disconnect the singer from the music but it also disconnects them and the audience from the lyrics which is arguably even more important. Music has a message and if it is delivered poorly then the meaning of the song is lost. Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick were generally perfect in execution and knew how to deliver that message without going 200mph on a song which is clearly for 80mph. "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and I'll Never Love This Way Again" are two great examples. Celine also understands restraint and lyrical sensitivity, despite her powerhouse capabilities, and that's why "My Heart Will Go On" wasn't overdone in the climax. "Some" artists would've turned it into a screamfest like a cry for attention, but Dion knew it wasn't "All By Myself" and gave a vocal suitable for the movie. JHud can overdo it, but she also showed us in Dreamgirls that she can sing almost anything with the perfection of her predecessors. Mariah is brilliant as ever; she never really oversang but she did rely too much on melisma and whistles at times. Many others...? Well, I think some of them had a background that was more about singing than Soul so that's all they really know how to display. Generally speaking, good Gospel singers get this right, and so do those old school Jazz, Blues and Soul artists too. Today's Pop singers seem to be more in love with their voices than the message they're bringing and as a result make themselves the most important part of the song which can be jarring and distracting. There are many singers who do this and I think the video generally covers the culprits well.

[@pacomejieuteumomo815]

Céline Dion was not oversinging on that clip. It was the end of the song and she hadn't time to show who she is, and that's why she belted that note which was in accordance of the song and the theme. And come on doing that at the end is one of her trademark. PS : sorry for the wrong english.

[@Michael-gv7ut]

Avery Wilson has a wonderful voice- one that matches the song really well. That being said: WE KNOW YOU KNOW HOW TO DO A VOCAL RUN

[@atolm1]

never heard of him, lovely voice but was cringy watching that clip, and that haircut is terrible lol

[@crazydancingchick95]

It’s crazy to see how he was doing all of the runs back then but now he seems to have more control and in general more seasoned in singing. Growth 😊

[@mrsllcp]

Omg I didn't even know this was a thing and it's always been a pet peave of mine! Such a shame

[@AM-dd6dx]

You keep showing me that Demi Lovato clip unprovoked. I'd like to forget it exists pleaseeee.

[@rednblak06]

Funny that Beyoncé was the only one in the opening that actually hit all her notes well 😆

[@potatoavocado9933]

We get it you love Beyoncé

[@tgreen9774]

​@Potato Avocado and she still hit all the note.

[@Fatima-kp8hi]

@@potatoavocado9933 stay mas

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

OOP

[@potatoavocado9933]

@@Fatima-kp8hi yes I stay mas

[@ernesfonse]

Xtina chooses to do it. No doubt she can. Best vocal agility in the industry

[@tee3835]

I feel like 'over singing' comes from 90s RnB singing which takes aLOT of influence from gospel singing which is about praise and worship where you really let your emotions come out- usually through runs. I think some people have naturally been brought up to sing like that and i would listen to an over singing every day over some bananies-avocadies singer. Plus for some genres you showed, like gospel or RNb its not over singing its literally the genre style/ era, the vid needs more research into the origins, you cant just sum it up as narcissistic.

[@TB317]

Agreed. Jhud has oversung on the past but it doesn't make sense to use clips of her singing gospel in this context. The problem comes when people (Christina, Jesse J, etc) try and take this element from these genres and apply it elsewhere where it doesn't fit. It's because their singing style is inspired by artists who cut their teeth in gospel and R&B but they themselves culturally did not. Music can require cultural competency not just talent to execute.

[@tee3835]

@@TB317 completely THIS!

[@jonathanm.9801]

I think the Avery and Jennifer example at the beginning were not oversinging. Avery’s song was “A Song for You” by Donny Hathaway. This song is an R&B classic. It’s a passionate song about love for someone, and Donny does quite a bit of running on this song like Avery does. Though Avery does a little more with the running, it still sounds appropriate for the song. I also think the belting was still appropriate for the song because of the passion of the song even if Donny himself wasn’t pushing as hard as Avery. For the Jennifer Hudson example, I am not completely sure what the song is, but it does sound like a gospel song. In gospel, the type of belting to the extremes and a lot of running that Jennifer did is the standard not an exception. Though, I do think that Jennifer should tweak her belting technique a little bit because it feels a bit strained to me. In that sense, I do feel that is oversinging as it is pushing the voice in an uncomfortable and damaging space. I agree that singing should be musical, and that includes gaining a basic understanding of the style the singer is going for.

[@freeinghumanitynow]

The usual suspects like to put black soul singers in the same category as the nonblack mimics. Most of us peep game and keep it moving accordingly. They're ALWAYS trying to lump everyone together but no. Some "singers" can only offer up..... Beautiful gowns.

[@jonathanm.9801]

@@freeinghumanitynow Beautiful gowns

[@squarcircle2254]

Avery's was oversinging, whether he was copying the original oversinging artiste or not. It became very distracting from the song and its melodies and was even still running beyond the melody in many lines. It was exhausting to listen to because I felt I had to keep up with something that was slipping away from my hands. All I remember is how overtly mellismatic it was, it was almost begining to sound like another language, and by the end of it all, I'd forgoten the message of the song and the soul behind it. Musicality was thrown out the window.

[@jonathanm.9801]

@@squarcircle2254 Again, I think context also matters. If you just isolate those moments, it seems like Avery was doing a lot, but it also comes down to the style of the music and knowing Avery as a singer. If he was doing this to an Adele song then ok yeah that would definitely be oversinging, but this was a Donny Hathaway song. It fits the style and is generally liked by the crowds that Avery usually sings for. It might not be your personal taste, but many other people do enjoy this type of singing. Context matters.

[@squarcircle2254]

@@jonathanm.9801 I also like/enjoy this type of singing. I’m a huge Mariah/Brandy/Jasmine Sullivan fan. But I also recognise when it’s overdone and that’s what Avery was doing in this very video. He’s still running even past the melody of the song at certain points. That wasn’t tasteful. If you’re easily impressed by melismatic runs and ignore everything else like placement and the nuances that come with masterful musicality, then by all means enjoy. But this wasn’t it.

[@Cameron-rt4tb]

I’d also say oversinging is often to compensate for a lack somewhere else. Brandy sometimes oversings to make up for a limited range.

[@jojotheyuhh2848]

I kinda disagree with the limited range part. I don’t think Brandy has limited range she just holds herself back a lot and Idk I do agree at a certain extent that when she does a lot of riffs and runs she kinda do be over singing but again it’s kinda rare for her to over sing. I believe she holds herself back a lot more and even range wise. She’s capable of doing a lot of more stuff that we don’t know

[@jojotheyuhh2848]

She’s definitely not no Mariah or has the range of Ariana exc. But she definitely has range

[@Cameron-rt4tb]

@@jojotheyuhh2848 she has range but it’s not comfortable range. Of course she can’t sing at the extremes because that’s harmful to the voice, but compared to her contemporaries, she does have limited range. Beyoncé is around the same age and has a wider comfortable range and tessitura.

[@jojotheyuhh2848]

@@Cameron-rt4tb Well to be fair Both Beyoncé and Brandy almost have around the same range. Beyoncé’s range is about 2 notes more but both of the possess Mezzo-Soprano ranges. But over the years Brandy voice has gotten deeper because of aging. But I would also that Brandy uses more of a alto ish style because she has a very rich deep register. And yes even in her upper range, it’s not as super strong compared to Beyoncé’s. But it’s more light and I think it explains why when she does used her head or upper range. Doesn’t sound as strong compared to Beyoncé’s. But It’s definitely not week. I actually love her upper range. It gives her an unique edge to her sound

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

Her oversinging sounds good and I love it.

[@ToniArcelinni]

I don't think there's such thing as oversinging or undersinging in overall, you listen what it feels good to you. Maybe something is A THING when masses agree on that (I'm also bringing the fact that people criticize Jessie J for being too EXTRA when it seems to be her style more than an exageration, so it's more a musical taste thing than a FACT to me) but it can be a good thing for some people. In some points, but I REALLY do agree that some songs don't match with too many riffs and runs and vibrato in every sentence, there's a lot to consider like the specific arrangement or even that great satisfactory feeling the listener could have when there's a long and straight note, it also shows the vocalist breathing control and vocal discipline and for example, verses that need to sound conversational for the message to be successfully delivered.. Love to hear new opinions tho, that's what makes the world move. Great video.

[@ttban1988]

I'm so glad that Beyoncé learnt how to control her voice and to not oversing, now that she is more mature she knows when to hit those note efortlessly.

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

She’s always hit them effortlessly

[@sutonnajazdan727]

I like listening to songs, their melodies, pleasant voice tones, the message, not to some show-offs running wild. Be so kind to belt your random G5 and riff your passages in your bathroom, please xd I don't really mind, because I don't listen twice to sth I find unpleasant, anyways)

[@NanaNini-xc3yz]

You're very right about comparing singing to cooking. It will definitely taste bad even if you have enough ingredients to begin with

[@journeybeyondthesea]

U ate the bye guys up tho. Those runs were clean asf 😂❤️‍🔥

[@richymacmillion]

Morisette: oversinging (she did good at first until she added too much) Ariana Grande: musicianship. She went with the guitar and her runs fit fluidly Ailee: musicianship. Loooove herrrrr 💓 Avery: so talented but definitely oversinging. Celine: musicianship. I hope she recovers from her illness. Love her! Brandy: Mmm….her runs so perfect and I wanna say musicianship but if I compare it to the original singer, then I would say oversinging. But Brandy fit that run in perfectly sooooo musicianship! Nicole: oversinging Camilla: Oversinging Chloe Bailey: Oversinging. But I think she’s getting better. I love seeing her growth. Christina Aguilera: oversinging but it was beautiful~ Love your vids!!!!

[@jreneejrenee]

Christina is the best at oversinging if anyone can get away with it, it’s her. I cannot stand hearing Jessie J. Jojo started to oversing the same runs as she got older.

[@T_kats]

It’s all about moderation just like most things

[@edu.8552]

I feel like, when it's done matching the energy of the song, you can be intense and "oversing a bit" - a good example is the Vision of Love performance and Beyonce's Silent Night. your runs at the end are tasteful to my ears, btw.

[@milonanni8806]

You can't judge only few seconds on their own. You need to hear it in the context of the whole song. That's a more accurate way to judge whether the singer is oversinging or not.

[@zenhector]

Besides Celine and Brandy, everyone else was over singing for me. They were not pleasant to hear.

[@sunsalia]

I never thought bout it before🤔 Why sometimes really strong and difficult compositions are so annoying and uncomfortable

[@badondorkhongwar6186]

Your ending singing is my fav part🤣🤣... I literally choked my coffee out😂😂

[@_KayBee_]

Morissette oversung…Ari didn’t oversing…Ailee didn’t oversing…Avery always oversinging…Celine didn’t oversing…Brandy didn’t oversing…Nicole oversing…Camilla meh…Chloe overdoing it…and Christina oversinging.

[@yaydiaz1282]

A lot of vocal coaches said Morissette didnt oversang..Actually they like it more..Lots also told it's the best version next to whitney..I personally say it's not oversang

[@sypax670]

@@yaydiaz1282 she went flat at the end i think

[@GarageStudio7]

​@@yaydiaz1282 It was going well till 7:46

[@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013]

@@GarageStudio7 Yeah, I liked the progression but I don't like where it went. Like, I was okay with it until she got to the "I need you here" bit. If she was gonna be doing all that, I feel like she need to raise the lines afterwards up a semi-tone or so. Also, I didn't like the small run at the end, either. Maybe that's what's throwing me off.

[@ricky1747]

@@yaydiaz1282 let me guess, you're filipino.

[@Betweentheraindrops8]

Why is she whimpering at the climax when the song is called Roar??

[@imaginevocals400]

WHY is ariana there, yes she is extra with the notes but effortlessly and tastefully placed

[@funaat2626]

EXACTLY LIKE

[@varunravi27]

Not in this particular performance of Bang Bang. That was one of Ariana's worst moments with her musicality. But she definitely has one of the best senses of musicality/musicianship in pop music rn. I guess it's because people know that she's talented so she doesn't really have anything to prove.

[@sypax670]

@@varunravi27 in that performance for bang bang she was tired of performing the song since 2014 the same damn way that she hated the song now every time she try to make it new but stile fans are tires of it

[@victorramirez-tw8wj]

​@@varunravi27 r u crazy or what? That was her best bang bang performance, it gave me goosebumps, her riffs seemed natural and with musicianship, what r u talking about, Ari barely oversings for not saying she doesn't

[@varunravi27]

@@victorramirez-tw8wj That was NOT her best Bang Bang performance, at least not technique-wise. The riffs were not natural at all. They fit with the music because her pitch was amazing, as usual. But they were very obviously overdone. As impressive as the vocals are, she was still oversinging. Even though she wasn't hitting a thousand C6s, her technique and musicianship in the Coachella performance of Bang Bang was far better.

[@littlelou050]

over singing will never not be frustrating. the best way to show off is to sing and express the music properly. not scream and pull out unsteady riffs to try to sound impressive. you can go all out and make it work. overdoing it is lazy.

[@lvc_as9763]

Ariana was oversinging? 😭😭 cause didnt sound like it To me, oversinging really depends on the difference between the added notes and the original song... like if it fits, and Aiana's notes were both perfectly fitting, but for exemple Morissette, was pushing so hard that she almost went flat on the last highest note, this only would be an indication of over doing it, so yeah

[@sypax670]

Ariana when she oversing she alwas make sure it plaisent and not to much distracting from the song and she always have a part of a song that always changes to give a new thing to the listener

[@benjaminbawa5273]

Woah! Your runs at the ending ended all the over singers.😻😻

[@Melodysupporter]

No hate, but how can people be fan of Selena? I mean don’t you care if your favorite singer can sing? I’m all about good singing, it doesn’t have to be like Whitney but god… 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@JessicaSzempruch]

Whether or not it’s “over singing” is a matter of preference, and genre. Many of these clips I wouldn’t classify as “pop” but soul or RnB. In those genres, which have roots in gospel, it’s natural for singers to riff and run their head off as the “spirit” moves them so to speak. Pop music is more about forward placement and clean lines. Pretty much, it’s do what works for you. I personally find riffs and runs annoying and distracting, but I know that many like it, hence the reason the singers shown do what they do. Just my thoughts anyway.

[@adrina911]

Christina Aguilera comes to mind and she used to sing with her tongue pulled back and riffing a song to death. Your tongue is supposed to be flat when singing and she seem sing out her range which is not always a good thing because you can damage your voice.

[@virtrula]

I JUST KNEW MOTHER DEMI WAS GONNA MAKE AN APPEARANCE😭😭

[@coycoyx7346]

ofc DEMI is heavily inspired by mother XTINA.

[@skip031890]

I'm surprised LaTocha Scott from Xscape didn't make this list. 😂

[@diorrboyyyy]

lmfaooooooo

[@jeremiahtriplett6271]

Morissette - oversinging: it started off really nicely, but that final run was unnecessary and messy Ariana - it fit the song really well and didn't detract. It only added. Ailee - oversinging: that switch was unneeded and came out of nowhere. I mean, it's Beauty and the Beast! Avery - That and Jesse J's infamous Price Tag performance are the ridiculous performances I've ever seen on KZbin. Obviously oversinging. Celine - it was a flourish at the end of a song, so run as much as you want, girl. Plus, it was well executed and fit the moment. Brandy - I've never seen her oversing, and that clip didn't change that. Nicole - I actually don't know. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't that good either. I could take it or leave it. Camila - If it had just been the piano, it would've been oversinging, but with the drums and the arrangement, I think it fits well enough! Chloe - She killed that. It was sick! Christina - I've seen so many clips of her oversinging that I forgot that she could actually show restraint! Beautifully done in that instance.

[@NekodaArvin]

They do it because fans like these types of vocals, most commonly high belted notes, people go crazy over them.

[@felixsimion798]

I think sometimes oversinging can happen because of the emotion or the message of a song 🤷‍♂️

[@tomholtz8433]

Oversinging results from a confusion of musical expression with showing off skills. A display of extraordinary skill/giftedness can be entertaining, but far less so than sincere expression. Showing off skills often creates vicarious (secondhand) embarrassment because it's a display of insincerity. Singing has been described as an overflow of the soul but it is not always that. Many factors can motivate a vocalist. Some motivations are genuine, others are more... well, practical.

[@mismiserables]

I can't stand the over singing either lol. There are some people who over singing but most of the time it fits into whatever performance they're doing. Morissette - not oversinging Ariana - kind of Ailee - nope Avery - yes Celine - nope Brandy - nope Nicole - yes...lol Camila - yes, doesn't fit with the song at all Chloe - nope

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

Offfff…Nicole is a SOLID talent, and that clip doesn’t do her any favors.

[@athens4912]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@briannaaudain928]

Only one i don’t agree with is the Ariana one everything else I agree with

[@moonlightespt3818]

Nicole wasn't oversinging.

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

@@moonlightespt3818 I mean, she kind of is though. Maybe not wholly in the "riffs and runs" aspect, but the overuse of her her vocal cords. Her doing unnecessary ornamentation literally caused her voice to be overused and go flat from strain. Granted, that's not the topic of the video, but I think oversinging is a misnomer here. Overdone might the better term for the overuse/misuse of riff and runs because when the word oversinging is used, most think of vocal strain/damage.

[@georgiana3745]

Oversinging kills songs. These screaming, oversinging banshees are unbearable. America's got talent is always full of them.

[@rheajackson9891]

Morisette over Ariana not Ailee not Avery over Céline not sure Brandy over Nicole over Camilla wth was that Chloe over Christina over

[@foxb.21]

Only fews can do it well! I love those singers who could do it well and solid.

[@masonkyle6318]

Notorious oversingers should be taught about inflation lol. Riffs, runs and high notes lose their effect when done excessively

[@kevintsina196]

For once I saw Demi Lovato, even if its not for the good reasons lol. Lisyen to the rock version of cool for the summer she released recently. She killed it soooo terribly. She's terrific😊

[@naturallybroadway4897]

I feel like this is a culture thing, in r&b or with soul singers they do that and certain people like it im one of them. If you think this over sininging when you go to church your gonna walk out lol but i really like your videos I just think over singing to you is style to a certain culture and the song would not hit us if it was just he same. PS. Jasmine, whitney,avery, jojo,brandy and tori dont over sing they SAAANG. Im not saying over sining dont exist I just think the examples given except for jessica wouldnt be oversinging to me and my people.

[@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024]

Black Culture 🤭💅🏿

[@mykl746]

To say that vocal runs are solely due to a singer's "ego" is a pretty narrowminded opinion TBH. Sure, sometimes live singers can overdo their vocals, but vocal run's inherently are a stylistic choice derived from other genres outside of Pop Music. Also it's normally for a Lead Instrument to solo over the music, and in the case of Pop music, it is typically the singer. Music would be quite boring and too simple if every singer sang their melodies without any vocal flavor/character. Just my opinion 😉

[@melrakan]

Oversinging is a vague term and therefore a lot of it comes down to subjective taste in the end. For one person the threshold for oversinging might be much lower than for someone else.

[@Shinespheres]

That’s why my Fav artist is Mariah Carey without a doubt she know exactly how to manage runs were and when to put them, plus here voice is jus like butter, is my personal opinion 😑🤭

[@kphoria1009]

1. not oversung 2. not oversung 3. not oversung 4. not oversung 5. oversung 6. not oversung 7. not oversung 8. not oversung 9. not sure 10. not oversung i generally think adlibs and riffs and runs are nice to hear especially in live performances. it’s only jarring if the adlibs are off-key or off-tempo

[@aintnootherfan]

See you on a little binge session😉 thanks for watching!

[@kphoria1009]

@@aintnootherfan 🫢🫢

[@AudreyHepburn-w3p]

Wtf girl chill out 2:28 😅😅