The Truth About Cursive Singing

[@CrayCristy]

ABOUT THE MUTED/TRIMMED PARTS: Your speakers are working well, haha, just a rookie here trying to figure how the heck fair use works. KZbin flagged a couple parts for copyright, so I had to mute/trim them. First time doing this, so if any of you have some tips to be able to include relevant material without getting flagged, I'd really appreciate it. A thread:

[@endofaneraoutnow3473]

You commented this 6 days ago on a year old video. I’m confused.

[@CrayCristy]

@@endofaneraoutnow3473 I KNOW! I had the claims on there for an entire year before I figured I could actually mute and trim the video within KZbin to remove them. The more you know ✨ I still wish I knew how to avoid them altogether tho

[@moorbilt]

aka: "vocal affectation" 11 years ago a bum named Homeless Mustard used his voice to climb out of a dumpster and into a radio show to receive a trashing. ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6qVcp-Qrd96i5o )

[@rensje]

Cursive singing usually doesn’t bother me, except for when it’s super obvious

[@supergirl200005652]

Hello fellow Arctic Monkeys fan

[@willjohns49]

S0cially_Awkw0rd he’s the real arctic monkeys. 100%

[@femalecobra-_-_-1897]

I do it too annoy my friends 😂

[@willjohns49]

Female COBRA-_-_- you are a bad friend 😎🤝

[@janbonne]

Or mixed with bad singing (tone/etc) The history of pop or singing = fads in stylistic accents etc.

[@MrLangkahKanan]

Gorl! You look like Halsey in Times New Roman

[@zaynab6284]

I see it!!

[@CrayCristy]

This is my favorite comment, yet I'm still trying to decipher what it means😄

[@Nora-fi5ml]

Gru

[@floatingmarmelade7196]

Why do things like this even make sense. Someone should look into this from a psychological viewpoint

[@vladijack22]

I think it means that you look like Halsey but your presentation is formal and law-abiding (prim and proper) yet still familiar and easy to understand... just like the Times New Roman font.

[@habiba6351]

The angle made me feel like we’re friends sitting on a couch and chatting

[@agalwithnoname]

That’s adorable!

[@innermilly]

More you tubers need to do this

[@thisclau]

Also, she speaks so calmly and quietly, like we were right next to her

[@Fireprincess161]

I thought it said 'angel' at first and just accepted that.

[@glodieee_]

@@Fireprincess161 lmao yes 😌✌

[@seaotter4439]

"Just" *j'AiSt* _j'OwSt_

[@lasernikixcex]

jAwSH

[@Miss-Hellcat666]

jOUst

[@gayahhhmofofofo]

*"Maybe seal singing.."*

[@ShovelChef]

You ever see those super smart dogs trying to speak English? Yeah, that.

[@williamafton617]

Help me I am being kidnapped

[@jessieclementine2364]

Ahh this is what I was looking for, instead of vids of Halsey popping up when I searched cursive singing

[@rufus_the_cat]

It would drive me nuts every season of the voice there would be one or two of these singers with a uke and the judges would talk about how unique and original they were. I wanted to scream every time.

[@roido6614]

So True,

[@CaseyWindom]

Yes, thank you!

[@southrnlvingsc]

Yeeeesss. Drives me crazy when the judges say oooo you're so unique...I'm like nooo they're NOOOOT. They are all just copying each other in a horrible sounding trend that never should have started in the first place.

[@rufus_the_cat]

@@southrnlvingsc thankfully they are becoming far and few between and they are not making it to the finals. Now I mostly see it in every movie trailer that comes out. They will have some girl singing in that style and doing a slow, sad version of some 80s hit. 😺😺😺

[@sleepinggorilla]

It bugs me when someone shows up with an open tuned guitar and starts slapping it around. it is really easy to pick up a guitar tuned in DADGAD and sound decent, you can play it anywhere on the neck and it will work. The judges are all professional musicians and they act like the contestant invented something.

[@supergingerr]

I think it’s important to point out that having an accent is different than cursive singing. Amy Whinehouse sounded the same when speaking because she has a strong accent, not sure what happened to Halsey though. P.s. I see you pointed this out, my bad.

[@kenaldri4923]

That's true because cursive implies more "hard to understand". You can mumble with no discernable accent. Its done all the time, and Grace VanderWaal kind of fits in that category. The narrator might have made some references to mumble singing as well as accented singing. The title "The Truth about Cursive Singing" seemed a bit odd since the focus of the piece was mostly about accented singing, not mumble singing.

[@popland1977]

@@kenaldri4923 Amy Winehouse sounded NOTHING like her cockney accent when singing.

[@kenaldri4923]

@@popland1977 you meant to reply to superginger, not me.

[@fromchomleystreet]

I’m sorry but you’re just wrong about this. There is not a trace of London in the way Amy Winehouse sings. Some of the singers who have been associated with the style are non Americans, sure - Winehouse, Sia, Lorde - but in each case the vowel sounds characteristic of their native accent are entirely different to the vowel sounds characteristic of “Indie Girl”. I am Australian (as is Sia, who, like Winehouse, sings without a recognisable trace of her natural accent) and to my ears the “Indie girl voice”, while clearly including bizarre contorted vowels and other affectations that don’t exist in any real world accent, still sounds explicitly American, regardless of whether the singer is actually American, or just singing in the standard Americanised vocal style that has been the default around the world for at least 70 years. For non-Americans, a new affectation is just being layered now on top of an old affectation.

[@liv-uz1io]

Pop Land thank you

[@chiaisannoying]

Am I the only one that really hates when people sing in cursive?

[@OldFantasy]

Nope I hate it too

[@reapersghost]

It makes me think that vocalists are using it to disguise a weak voice to make it sound better .

[@nicolegrechwhite4924]

It's cringey

[@waffie5418]

live laugh love

[@aamu3]

I didn't mind at first becuz i thought it was unique to some artists but it's starting to get on my nerves - it sounds like they're drunk :(

[@nevermindiana]

"maybe seal singing" ofc liz would say thar, i love her

[@certifiedcoffeebean]

Watching Liz imitating them made me laugh so hard gsbsnsksb

[@CrayCristy]

SEAL SINGING

[@alegria1813]

Same lmao I'm ded Corey had me DYING TOO

[@beaccino]

LIZ IS SUCH A QUEEN 😂😂

[@gayahhhmofofofo]

@@beaccino Yaassss

[@leylaak2069]

I LUV LIZ

[@Abby-zk3bl]

i never realized that Lorde sing cursive, it's so smooth

[@aniyacarter6453]

lorde definitely makes it work

[@diadino2548]

I think it's more of her New Zealand accent coming through, rather than cursive singing.

[@matewhatthefuck6516]

@@diadino2548 true lol

[@AshaNimo1]

@@diadino2548 so cursive singing is just American accents then? 😂

[@Calers-gu1ib]

It's because Lordes has an accent, that's all it is. English, Scottish and Irish have been singing cursive folk songs for quite a while

[@kellyharrington4282]

I think Björk might be one of the originals

[@patatacampesina8286]

Yes, my queen has such an unique voice, she is out of all this

[@goddesscassandra]

It’s her accent

[@lestranged]

Billie Holiday. 1930s.

[@CanadianRyan]

You could also argue that Kate Bush is a precursor to this style of singing.

[@cjaquilino]

Björk has an accent though. And Billie Holiday’s was also an accent and then that became a stylistic thing is jazz.

[@internetclown904]

Im so confused. I always thought some singers sounded like chickens 😂 The type of singing always confused me and I kinda clowned on it but I did NOT know it was a term for it! 😂

[@CrayCristy]

i know right! we have a term now for everything it seems 😂

[@emiliatepano490]

Yyeessss😂😂😂me too

[@jacobwollam5835]

The internet historian we didn't know we needed

[@elishagreymusic5006]

I would say the original "indie girl" voice was Bjork, who's speaking voice is quite similar to her singing voice with the rasp and accent. every time i hear a cursive indie singer i think of how bjork influenced so many musicians whether consciously or subconsciously or through influence of artists that were trying to sound like her.

[@5FnX17]

Yep, Bjork’s talking voice and singing voice are exactly the same. Therefore she’s not in the same category as the fakers who came after her

[@d.7416]

Cursive singing is like those girls (or women) speaking in a forced cute/ girlish voice. I hate hate hate it. Its not authentic but annoying af.

[@cuntstolemyusernames]

Ariana Grande has left the chat

[@missbeaussie]

It's authentic for some people and forced for others.

[@AshaNimo1]

Why did you put women in brackets when you could've just said "women" instead of girls lol Mysogenist alert

[@KeffolKoffel]

Sadly cursive singing is the only way I can sing since I can’t hit those high notes 😔✌️

[@tahreesuh]

@@AshaNimo1 They were referring to girls as young girls and women as older women. It's the same way you would refer to a young boy as a boy and a older man as a man. It's not that deep.

[@alegria1813]

THEY SOUND IN PAIN

[@missbeaussie]

Soul pain

[@adriankyleloyola9735]

What abt Ariana? It’s not cursive, but she’s still difficult to understand. It’s like forcing your printer to work with barely any ink ☹️

[@missnottingzd4777]

Ah that's because she sings at high scale. Happens with me too when i am hitting high notes.

[@user-cw6vz4nm8y]

miss not tingz'd I’m pretty sure she just has really bad enunciation. There are singers who sing in the higher register regularly who still manage to enunciate properly

[@raneemiftekhar6354]

My choir teacher once went on a whole rant about her lol. She doesn't have diction. Like she leaves certain sounds out of words..it works for her personal style I guess.

[@arohisengupta2248]

she can sing with diction because she's from broadway and she always sings with diction in a broadway setup but not enunciating is her personal stylistic choice i guess + certain vowels and consonants are just easier in the upper registers so she uses that to not falter in pitch Lots of people sing high WITH diction but the thing with ariana is that even the verses are in the upper registers, it's not a standout high note, the whole song is high notes and the standout high note is an even higher note

[@danielv9050]

I think she purposely sings with bad diction so she can sound less musical theatre.

[@leah4349]

Normal people: I Cursive people: aaayyy Normal people: hey Cursive people: heiiiyyy Normal people: cool! Cursive people: cooowweell

[@힐만94]

normal people : christmas camila cabello : quishmoish

[@daniellamontero8830]

didn't even know cursive singing was a thing, lovedd the video! and also i feel like that style of singing is sort of a music genre of its own which, like every other musical movement, will have it's haters and it's fans at the end of the day the important thing is for an artist to do what feels right for them and sing how it naturally comes, not forcing themselves into a category for fame or out of pressure

[@CrayCristy]

Exactly! If there are too many limitations on creating music, it kinda loses the point ❤️

[@ARJAY222]

*LOUDER*

[@rentalsnake6542]

How can anyone be a fan when it's so painfully disingenuous?

[@daniellamontero8830]

@@rentalsnake6542 Maybe you should try taking it easy on someone who was new to making videos and still getting comfortable in front of a camera 😅 Natural charisma comes differently to everyone, and comments like those are what can discourage people from making more creative content. Not something you particularly enjoyed watching? You can just click away and be done with it. Feel like leaving "constructive criticism"? There are more polite ways of doing so.

[@rentalsnake6542]

@@daniellamontero8830 yeah you're right, I apologise.

[@marizaa9317]

Seriously, thank you for the in-depth research. I felt old when I first got wind of this term/trend so I’m caught up to speed now 😂

[@CrayCristy]

girl, same! 😂 thanks so much!

[@Aliejha]

if i’m being honest, grace’s “cursive” voice isn’t that noticeable now rather than when she was younger

[@am-xr4ve]

Exactly, I don't get why people seem to love the idea of mocking a 12 year old girl's voice & to think that they dig up her past performances as an extremely young singer.

[@allrequiredfields]

@@am-xr4ve And this is simply what it means for your art to be out in the real world. If your art can't be critiqued because of your age, it likewise can't be praised because of it. And she was clearly talented enough for her art to be subject to the praises and criticisms of true, established artists (who generally happen to be older).

[@am-xr4ve]

@@allrequiredfields I agree with all that you said but what I actually meant was that there were many videos mocking her singing made by random people, not established artists. Not sure if you know this but there was a time that she was kind of a meme and people were making videos trying to copy her singing and exaggerating it. I'm pretty sure that's not criticizing.

[@bela-sofia34]

Also, she had and has a strong and good voice either way. She doesn't rely heavily on "whisper" singling like so many who lack teqnique. Halsey seems more of a whisper singer when hearing her try to sing live.

[@takemyhand1988]

Amy winehouse was jazz, so she was not imitating, she is singing the style

[@EvanEvans9]

Amy was a Jewish Londoner, she sang imitating black American singers.

[@jhuztein1125]

HAHAHAHAHAHA "seal singing" "Just" "Jowst" "Jeowsttt" "Eowww"

[@harbingersev-oh-wohne]

Singing in cursive comes from Emo and Punk of the late 90's/early 2000's from bands that come from the Midwest... I called it "chewing" or "Teenager accent"

[@lisah8438]

I think it come from R&B. It came from people singing in their natural accent and American imitating them.

[@poofsquid8870]

Yeah, I think Gerard Way would now considered to be singing "cursive"

[@kazooplayer3]

@@poofsquid8870 what songs? He sounds pretty normal to me as someone who could once recite the entire mcr Wikipedia page.

[@goneswimming7346]

It comes from jazz music in the 1930-1940s most prominently Bille Holiday the resurgence started with Macy gray and other R&B artists in the 90s-00s until it became synonymous with indie pop stars trying to imitate Bille Holiday , Amy Winehouse etc.

[@poofsquid8870]

@@kazooplayer3 His singing in Teenagers and other songs kinda reminds me of how Halsey sings. Mostly the accent imo

[@vielkaurrunaga6160]

This is one of those vids i didn't know I needed till I saw it 😄 loved it!

[@CrayCristy]

hahahah thanks vielka!!! and thanks so much for watching ♥️

[@rodrigocurtyp]

Hi! I'm Brazilian and this topic reminded me of one of my biggest pet peeves: the fact that people change their accents when they're singing. I'm from a region where people have a really strong accent (Rio de Janeiro) and when they start singing they usually change their accent to one that is considered "easier to understand" or "journalistic". It's been changing recently and I appreciate that people are embracing their own accents more. It just makes their music sound so much more authentic.

[@maevitaperon]

Oi Rodrigo! Vc poderia me explicar o que é "cursive" por gentileza?

[@WeiLa137]

Olá @@maevitaperon , não sou o Rodrigo mas acho que o que importa é a explicação, certo? Cursive em português é cursivo mesmo, então se refere a textos cursivos/escrita cursiva mesmo, já no sentido do vídeo é sobre cantar em cursivo que é referido como quando o cantor não enuncia as palavras 'corretamente' tornando mais difícil o entendimento, assim como pode ser mais difícil entender um texto em cursivo do que em letras de forma ou imprensa

[@izzyg.1933]

“Wheywre awe yoow and iam seww soarwrey...”

[@TimoteoDeBaum]

😭💀💀👏🏾

[@msjonesforestrangerlearning]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@hollyclark5838]

I was looking for comments referencing Tom DeLonge! Lol

[@RetNemmoc555]

The term "cursive singing" is just another trendy label, which is itself mock-worthy. It is just simply vocal affectation, and singers have been doing it since the beginning. Opera singers sing the way they do because of a long-obsolete need to project to a pre-electricity audience. There are styles of music that define an era because people liked it at the time. In the early days of gramophones, amplification was done through a megaphone, but people grew to like that sound and so live singers would sing through one. Singers like Rudy Vallée sounded like everyone else, and singers copied that style right through the big band era and into the 50s. Doo-wop, crooners, soul, British invasion, punk, anthem rock, southern rock, California sound, disco, boy bands and girl groups, grunge, growl metal, 80s, divas, and a whole bunch of stuff I missed (not the least is country) before, in between and after. Every era and sub-genre has its style. CrayCristy said that singing style shouldn't get in the way of recognizing talent. Good advice. Just listen to that music you like and avoid what you don't like. It's very simple. It's nothing new that people get tired of trends and move on. Singers will sing what sounds good to them, too. I have a lot of sympathy for the "cursive" haters, but it's nothing new. I've always wanted singers to just sing in their own goddamn voice instead of putting on affectation. One of the worst examples of this I've heard lately is Carly Rose Soneclar's cover of Tyler the Creator's "Earfquake." It irritates me, so I get it, but again, this is nothing new.

[@BellJarBoy]

Bless you for being educated and reasonable. Too bad there’s literally no comments or discussion here, yet there are so many comments that essentially all say “ugh this style is so fake and means the singer can’t actually sing. It’s so annoying” and have 70+ comments. This is my biggest gripe with a big majority of Gen Z; they want to act like they’re this super accepting generation that is going to rally in change and are so “progressive”, yet they literally are willing to bully, mock, and joke about any and everyone if that’s the current trend. The same generation that is willing to “cancel” someone based off of like one careless mistake or fumble with words from ten years ago... But they’re the same kids who follow sheep mob mentality to be hateful whenever it’s the current trendy thing to do, and think that sense it’s directed towards a celebrity that it somehow makes it less hurtful/malicious. This whole cursive nonsense started from a some vines and couple of clips or posts going viral that made fun of someone (probably Halsey or Grace Vanderwaal-who is still a CHILD.. but wait, if the kids making fun of her are around 16 too... hmm... that’s just straight up bullying within their own age group..?) Yes, those singers + many, many others do sing with a specific affectation to their vocalizations, but like you said it’s simply personal style and it’s something that has existed since music existed. And they group together essentially any FEMALE that has ANY kind of quirk or uniqueness to their pronunciation (deep-rooted systematic misogyny, amirite? Khalid’s vocal stylings annoy me more than any of the “cursive” females, but I NEVER see him or any other male with a distinctive style being criticized). Like the spectrum of what they consider “cursive” literally spans artists who sound nothing alike-from Halsey to Sia to Lorde to Amy Whinehouse to Tones and I. None of these vocalists sound anything like one another but are all grouped as singing in “cursive” because they don’t sing with a “traditional” and no-nonsense vocal... can you imagine how lame and BORING music would be if literally every artist sang with a very straight-forward vocal technique? Snooze fest. Almost all iconic vocalists are partially critically acclaimed due to the uniqueness to their vocal stylings; Janis Joplin, Cher, Cindy Lauper, Kate Bush, Prince, MJ, Stevie Nicks, Alanis, Bob Dylan, Ann Wilson, joe cocker, willie Nelson, Dolly, Thom Yorke, Björk, Fiona Apple, Christina, Elvis... the list literally goes on and on. You pick any iconic musical/vocal legend and they’re going to have a defining character to their vocals... And like you said, this “cursive” technique is evolved from Jazz. Not saying I don’t get irritated by super thick put-on and forced “cursive” accents, but I personally get annoyed with anyone or anything that takes something to the extreme unnecessarily. And, for the record, Halsey hasn’t sang with that “cursive” affectation for years at this point... yet she’s the primary example usually. *eyeroll*

[@lauramessy]

@@BellJarBoy omg facts everything you said and the original comment, I'm from genZ and I'm tired of everyone from this generation. I was a part from this toxicity of thinking we're better than everyone else and our opinions were the only ones that matters and I grew tired of it. people just get me on my nerves these days, I think that's what it means growing up. seriously with the progressive thing in mind our generation it's not the first and definitely not the last to go fight for rights, people forget history right, even millennials have done it too. but I'm really getting out of the most accepted points of view and making my own, that's doesn't make me any less than them, but definitely it'll not be considered. cause if you think differently you're cancelled, trash talked so much about boomers not being able to accept the differences, look at them now. anyways sorry for the rant and the bad english (I'm not native speaker).

[@metoo3342]

@@lauramessy Literally every generation is toxic and it's not unique to gen z at all. Everyone is susceptible to a sheep mentality just look at many Trump supporters who the vast majority are not gen z. Gen Z isn't any worse than the other generations and they're not special.

[@lestranged]

Thank god someone went back a little farther in music history than the 1990s. One of the definitions she read even said "jazz inspired" singing style. That should be a clue that the singing style started with jazz.

[@Sartorri4666]

@@lestranged She only meant that the "cursive" singing term began being used then, not that it started then. Something that existed, but now has been given a new name. Make sense? I never heard of it till becoming a fan of Grace, and she's extraordinary.

[@stripp1219]

The flavor of this research is Immaculate

[@CrayCristy]

Hahaha glad to have you here Siani!

[@dewdroppedrose]

Florence Welch is one of the first that sounded “cursive” to me (wasn’t thinking that word specifically at the time but it was in a certain unique category for sure). Also Bjork seems like a hugely popular precursor to this style.

[@patatacampesina8286]

Queen Björk is because of her accent

[@CanadianRyan]

You could also argue that Kate Bush is a popular precursor to this style.

[@thalesmatheus6011]

wtf bjork is not cursive

[@KarinaM888]

Well said it seems like all these younger singers that do the cursive style are trying to sound ‘unique’ but. Now that you mention Bjork it all makes sense , it’s like they’re doing an impression of her!

[@ursularowe3353]

Yeah, but Florence can actually sing really well.

[@blahblahchachaable]

I didn’t know there was a term for this type of singing that I absolutely gravitated to and love to listen! Now this makes my life so much easier in finding more songs :)

[@tylerzaborowski4577]

this was sooooooo much effort for just some weird indie singing. and i love it! lol

[@CrayCristy]

hahaha appreciate you Tyler!

[@mikowhy1350]

Lana Del Rey doesn't really fit into that category in my opinion. I don't know, I can totally see that Halsey, Lorde, Billie, Amy, Sia, and many others fit right in perfectly but Lana's singing voice is pretty "normal". I think in 2012/2013 Lana might have sounded like that on stage, but her songs and live singing right now isn't really cursive in my opinion

[@henrydevereaux9671]

Personally I think Lana's voice is unique not because it's in cursive, but because it sounds directly from another era.

[@a.o877]

billie doesn’t

[@lassi372]

Billie does not sing in cursive 😂 at least usually

[@deakrostochil6108]

@@a.o877 um YES Billie does

[@deakrostochil6108]

I don’t like Lana ever since she dated a cop but I agree with you, her voice isn’t cursive

[@user-gh7fo4ll4y]

I’m Japanese. And I just happened to find cursive singing. I literally couldn’t figure out what it means, but this video explains well. Thanks for explaining, I think I’m getting to understand it. 🙄🙄🙄

[@AimeeNolte]

Nicely done! Thx for the shoutout!

[@CrayCristy]

Thank you so much Aimee! You really helped shape this video up!

[@HonestVocalCoach]

This was so interesting!

[@mistysuzumiya]

Ariana Grande sings in italics

[@helloworld7818]

Olivia Rodrigo is the new cursive singing

[@Googleboots]

You deserve more than just 1k subs. Keep going, you'll be bigger than you could imagine. Don't change

[@urblack7954]

EVERY SINGER NOW A DAY SINGS LIKE THAT

[@scarlatte307]

i like how calmly you talk

[@Dieandernfrau]

Grace vanderwaal sounds like she has a country accent not Dutch, so that would fit a Kansas accent.

[@kenaldri4923]

It is kinda silly to bring in her Dutch heritage as her roots have been in America for a long time. It has no relevance to how she talks. Trump has German heritage - no accent there either.. Anyway, Grace left Kansas when she was 3yo. When she sings certain songs, she may adopt a little country accent but it depends on the song.

[@vladijack22]

Some immigrant parents make the effort to teach their native language to their children; therefore, the idea that Grace uses a Dutch accent isn't far-fetched.

[@scarlettrose2065]

Her dad is Dutch that's where her last name comes from

[@kenaldri4923]

@@vladijack22 Graces ancestors came to the US around 1850 so there isn't much chance anyone in her immediate family knows Dutch. As for the "Kansas accent", Kansas is one of those states where there is almost no discernable accent. Now having said all that, does Grace sometimes sing with an accent? Yup! Where does she get it from? Probably from watching movies on Netflix! It's 100% not in her upbringing or parenting. Its just Grace.

[@Vanished_Mostly]

This subject interests me mainly because of it's pretty strong parallels to the pop-punk accent. Of course, judging by the fact that she opened with a Blink-182 cover, I feel like you know that. I've heard that came out of a weird transatlantic back-and-forth between punk scenes, with Billie Joe Armstrong saying once, "I'm an American guy faking an English accent faking an American accent." Of course, there will always be producers directing singers to follow trends, and there will always be some people who counsciously model themselves after someone else. But I think, for the most part, people just emulate their favorite artists, and because they started by singing those songs, it becomes a part of their style, whether they mean it to or not. It's actually kind of hard to sing a Blink-182 song without that punkcent. It's like a gravitational pull.

[@mischr13]

I'm so glad you said this because that's exactly what it reminds me of too!! I remember in the early 00s being friends with this band (who also happened to be friends with Blink-182). We all grew up in California but they sang with a British accent. I got annoyed and asked my friend (not in the band) why they were faking British accents. She responded (I kid you not) "you have to sing in a British accent when singing punk cuz that's the only way the words come out. trust me, I've tried". she thought bc she was singing with a British accent it was involuntary...? (we were kids, but still teenagers, so not young enough to be saying something that dumb.) I tried to show her I could sing the songs without an accent and she just got mad lol the trends in singing styles are certainly fascinating. I do admit it's hard not to copy the accent of a person singing if you're singing along with them. But I've had to unlearn that cuz I sing in a band that mostly does covers and it'd be really silly to have a different accent for each song

[@lorenakoran2]

This is awesome! Next time someone tells me how terrible it is that kids are not writing in cursive anymore, I will just tell them, "Hey! You don't know what you're talkin about! These kids now days don't need to write in cursive cuz they sing in cursive. So just back off and leave them alone!"

[@CrayCristy]

Hahahaha this made my day. YES. They are taking cursive to the next level😂

[@PasCorrect]

I think it's a way of vocally representing vulnerability and imperfection. That's why indie singers in particular are drawn to it. I first noticed it in the mid 2000s when I met a singer called Kyrie Kristmanson. Her speaking voice had the same flat Canadian accent as mine, but her singing voice was inexplicably exotic.

[@mischr13]

"vulnerability" 🤢 they're trying to sound like children. it reminds me of how Britney Spears was forced to do a baby voice to sound more "sexy" and appealing when she was still a child. it ended up damaging her voice, faking a baby voice for years. I guarantee this is NOT all of these singer's natural voices. Some of them? Definitely. But it's also a trend, so a bunch are faking it.

[@nayaraq7606]

The video was awesome but wow your voice is amazing, so soothing and calming. I fell in love with this vid.

[@miraculous._bri5471]

cursive singing is the funniest thing in the world to me

[@walkthemoon6533]

Girl, you almost made a documentary about this! Great research!

[@CrayCristy]

Thanks Andressa!!! Open to new research topics if you have any. Thanks for dropping by🤍

[@taltzi]

this was recommended under 'ordering coffee in cursive tiktok'

[@CrayCristy]

You have no idea how much this helps me understand my KZbin analytics. Thanks for sharing Taltzi!

[@taltzi]

@@CrayCristy no problem :> !

[@MarthaBucaram]

I learned something! Thank you

[@thesalamanderking3475]

The worst thing about that clip of Halsey singing I Miss You is that Tom Delonge already has an extremely unique, charming, and iconic voice and hearing her tryhard cursive singing with those lyrics is like trying to butter toast with needle nose pliers.

[@chichiboypumpi]

just like 90s band turning every vowel into the letter a

[@GABE_is_here]

Aidan Gallagher (loaf by loaf) really takes the crown for being the most cursive voice in the whole world

[@keroseneheart907]

Oh, youtube algorithm led me to you. *Beep beep*

[@GABE_is_here]

@@keroseneheart907 👀

[@mystical_fire_siren8269]

I confirm

[@giuliab.5493]

Your voice is so relaxing

[@Odd_Bunny]

I feel like Halsey forgets cursive singing only sounds good with instrumentals behind it

[@blah.06]

Lol fr

[@nataliaalghul8279]

No I live her voice

[@alyatalitha3717]

Yea. But her stripped performances sounds so good tho.

[@taylah1218]

Most overrated singer of modern age. She drives me nuts lol

[@Appophust]

It's Canadian. No joke. Alanis Morissette. The OG cursive singer.

[@TommyLellan]

I'm super old (36) so my opinion on this isn't as relevant as someone who is super young, but I've actually had to stop listening to the radio at all because of cursive singing. I'm really happy that people use it as a way to express themselves, but for me it's utterly annoying, and since music is a very important part of my life it's a continuing frustration that I hope goes away soon. *fingers crossed*

[@mischr13]

it's a fad, I think it'll go away. but also foreign music is a great way to get around this problem cuz it doesn't seem to be a global phenomenon (as someone who is also old haha)

[@lewismacdonald1516]

I’m with you - for me it has destroyed contemporary music…. Thank goodness I grew up with guitar based bands, distinctive voices, etc.

[@billm5555]

Popeye used to pronounce the word "girl" as "goil" sounded like oil. That was like 80 years ago and pretty common in old movies.

[@matthiasschulz3569]

Big wheel keep on toinin' Proud Mary keep on boinin'

[@billm5555]

@@matthiasschulz3569 exactly :)

[@xlacix3091]

"Maybe seal singing" LMAOO🤣

[@jwlez2814]

omg unrelated but please do a makeup tutorial, i have your specific eye shape and i find your makeup really cool! how do you do it 😍

[@CrayCristy]

Hi Matthew! This is me, responding 6 months later, to let you know that I just finally uploaded a makeup tutorial based on this comment. I hope you see it, and I hope you love it 💕

[@jeff420sparky8]

why do female singers breathe out in on mic after phrase pushing pulling breath. have you done it. whats your breathing like after show?

[@eletoile2893]

Thank you for the video and the research. I love this meme and I find it really funny but I still enjoy the music 🥴

[@CrayCristy]

it's such a guilty pleasure haha!

[@peaceman7321]

It. Drives! Me!!! NUTS!!!!!!

[@chantellwoullard577]

ariana isn't and never has done cursive singing, she just doesn't enunciate her words well.

[@leoncervantes4276]

Isn't that the whole point of cursive singing?

[@kagenohikari8]

Kinda like mumble rap?

[@exaggeratedswagger7485]

@@leoncervantes4276 no

[@miaa1762]

I think 'cursive' singing fits Halsey's voice, but I don't see why people always think of Halsey when the term cursive singer comes up 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@ElPanaCanta]

I don't use tik tok like at all so I had never heard about this lol, but it's pretty interesting Imma got check some out. Great video Crity, keep it up.

[@CrayCristy]

thank you humbis!!!

[@tarjeisandvikmoe7127]

Love the video, good points made in it and seems like you've done a lot of research Thank you for the education and also you are very pretty and your voice is magically soothing

[@chaoswillow3811]

bruhh, when you said "let's hear how cursive singing sounds like", an ad popped up about a peloton bike and i legit almost thought you were being for real with us. i lowkey was in ultimate confusion. i feel dumb now ಥ_ಥ

[@CrayCristy]

HAHA! Oh my, this is hilarious. Funniest part is that I didn't even put the ads there. The video got copyrighted and their placement is hysterical. Great timing, but also, awful timing.

[@lyonharte8493]

Billie Holiday Macy Gray Corinne Rae Jesse Reyes SZA All also cursive sing

[@1lbastone765]

As a New Zealander, I think the main reason Lorde sings like that is because of her accent, and a lot of people were inspired by that. A lot of Kiwis just sound like that without realising.

[@sierrastar5155]

Exactly. You can clearly hear her accent comes through with certain words while singing. Genuinely confused as to how people thing it sounds cursive 😂

[@mischr13]

Yeah, this whole "thing" is Americans copying singers with accents like Lorde, Amy Winehouse, and Björk

[@kossemoore3342]

@@mischr13 except they sound nothing like those singers. I can actually understand Björk for the most part. I wouldn't even say nit being able to understand is a singer is a bad think. Look at Elizabeth Frazer in Cocteau twins. She literally sang gibberish. but it sounded nice. I know taste is subjective but some of these singers just don't sound good. It is like they're mimicking a classy jazz singer, but more like it's a parody.

[@mischr13]

@@kossemoore3342 yeah, I don't think they sound like them either, I just think that's what they're *trying* to sound like whether it's conscious or not. It sounds awful cuz it doesn't come naturally to them One of my favorite nostalgia artists from the 00s, Origa, often sang in gibberish. I listen to a lot of music in other languages so it was fun for me to try and sing along with her without fear that I was butchering a real language or a real accent

[@kossemoore3342]

@@mischr13 yeah I think you bring up a good point there. It seems like they use that style as crutch. Instead of actually going through necessary steps to develop a good singing voice. Not to say they're aren't talented singers that do the style I just find so many of them don't sound all that great. Also Origa was such a fantastic singer.

[@zzzcocopepe]

I think it's related to white people imitating black accents. Because you have white rappers, and they kind of accidentally fall into this weird accent where they're kind of sort of imitating black accents. And then these female cursive singers kind of popped up and I think it's kind of related to that. Because they're kind of slurring certain consonants and vowels that they wouldn't normally do that for. So I think they're just trying to sound cool or something

[@lisah8438]

I agree with you about Arianna Grande. People write her off as just another pop singer who sing about sex and her blackfishing controversy but she can sing.

[@kenaldri4923]

The "Truth about Cursive Singing" is actually that it is a catch all that applies to both mumble singing and singing with an indie accent. The indie accent since 2005 or so has been discussed in several articles which explore its roots and goes into lots of detail regarding pronunciation. Mumble singing has its own separate history and roots that go back to the 1940's. One is more British, the other American (jazz). The TikTok memes are more recent and focus mostly on the accent which has sort of Irish or Cockney roots. But mumble singing is also "cursive singing", as the word "cursive" really just means "hard to understand". Anyway, now on the subject of Grace VanderWaal. IMHO, what Aimee Nolte said was an important point to make. Her take on things - that accents can be unintentionally picked up by anyone, anywhere - probably applies to Grace and her situation, as she was only 12yo when she went on America's Got Talent and sang two sentences in indie voice. There have been a lot of discussions among Grace fans as well as Grace herself about this because she has been so relentlessly mocked on TikTok for this. But the overwhelming opinion is that the accent was unintentional. Now today, when Grace sings "I Don't Know My Name" she'll still put on the accent a bit, but its probably just because her fans expect it. Otherwise, she hardly ever uses the accent at all in any of her other songs. Her style is generally not indie at all like Lorde. All this is further proof that the accent she is so famous for was more like a slip of the tongue than anything. Now she will sometimes mumble otherwise, so I'm not saying she doesn't ever "sing in cursive", but as far as the indie accent goes - she just gets a bum rap on that. I'm just trying to clarify this and not appear critical of the video which is just taking information off the web. And people will always remember you for the first impressions that you leave them with. But many Grace fans wish that the history books will someday clarify all this on Grace's behalf, not simply accept as gospel TikTok memes about what a nervous 12yo girl did on national TV exactly once back in 2016.

[@damndanim]

So Shakira is the real cursive singer of all times

[@anishasingh3926]

Thank you for this video!! Thank god I found this channel! 😀

[@CrayCristy]

thank you Anisha!!! you're so sweet

[@megnornoo6971]

Julia Michaels and Dua Lipa do this a lot

[@agusr.4871]

Dua lipa ???

[@melodysafo5437]

When has Dua Lipa ever done that?!

[@andrewjpalla]

Julia Michaels yes, I think Dua Lipa just has an accent that you find difficult to understand?

[@emmya.6939]

You seem like such a sweet person. And I love the video content and layout. I just subscribed

[@coldblaze100]

Leave Amy Winehouse OUT OF THIS

[@crisu1072]

No ❤️

[@patatacampesina8286]

@@crisu1072 y e s

[@crisu1072]

Patata Campesina no s p e c i a l p a s s e s xx

[@lunakodama302]

except she ACTUALLY has an accent lmfao (and was generally inebriated)

[@KANDAM808]

Such great research! Very informative and exactly what I was looking for. You should do more videos like this explaining weird internet culture

[@MeharSingh-uc1fh]

Hey! Am I the only one who really likes Halsey's voice and loves that cursive singing too? Nope? Just me? Okay, imma head out and listen to Graveyard by Halsey now

[@KirstenPodritske]

I’m obsessed with Halsey and cursive singing 💜💜

[@MeharSingh-uc1fh]

@@KirstenPodritske ikkkrrrrrrr!!! You should totally check out Tate McRae if u like cursive singing!

[@nomme9816]

Hit like just cuz her voice is soothing

[@v.v.9.9.]

Cursive singing is so tiring for the listeners It's a stylistic choice, they think they sound cute and trendy but in reality they sound like they're dying Sing with your whole chest, pronounce things correctly.

[@saibestboy]

lmao let them do what they want to do

[@luciferina777]

there isnt one way of pronouncing things "correctly" because not everybody is raised the same way about it, nor have the same accents and more often than not, even english is not their native language. besides, such an ableist thing to say to pronounce correctly, people have lisps, speech impediments, asthma, etc.

[@nataliaalghul8279]

I like halsey she is my favorite singer

[@Username-pl2ow]

That example of Taylor Dayne singing is so much better than the other singers in this video. Her delivery is so passionate, I just don’t feel anything with anyone else’s performances here, that’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed their singles/albums( Born to Die, Pure Heroine,etc)

[@isabellarondanelli5821]

Halsey can sing perfectly and beautifully in cursive, i think that cursive singing is not being less talented💜

[@deanwinchester3356]

LOLLLLLLLL

[@laurasodapop92]

Oof Halsey is literally a meme of cringeyness but to each their own

[@ayadhyist]

Halsey? Hell no. SZA? Yes.

[@MisterApeas]

You have a really great speaking voice. Very clear and pleasant to listen to. I hope you do voice acting, voiceovers, etc. because you could make millions of dollars. Maybe be the next Siri.

[@RegalCandy]

I like the way it sounds. Sounds cute.

[@timdatoolman83]

Hey Cristy, nice video, you speak so well! Re: cursive singing, not a fan aye....I just heard Rose (from Blackpink) singing (covering The Only Exception - Paramore), and her voice is like syrup, absolutely outstanding, but yeah, she's cursive singing and I just wish she had of sung it with her natural voice tbh!

[@KendollKennessey]

I think it’s a sign of vocal insecurity.

[@Deeplycloseted435]

I started to notice this back in the late 90’s and early 00’s, mostly in the electronica/trip-hop circles, and then it started expanding into more popular music. It just all kinda sounds the same, like male grunge vocalists. It sounds fine......as long as the music is good, but its hard to imagine really being moved by vocal in this style. It feels lazy, like the performer is half asleep. I’m not saying it is at all, but I can’t help but feel that way. One can sing very softly, and still pack the performance with emotion.

[@leigh7370]

I’m older and I have a bachelors in music with vocal major and I always called this “Kermit the Frog”. Now I know the actual term. I don’t like it because you have to manipulate your soft pallet, throat, and larynx. Ultimately, after years of “cursive singing “, I think it could be harmful to your larynx ( and no one wants vocal nodes).

[@CrayCristy]

Great point, Leigh! Thanks for sharing. Funny you mentioned "Kermit The Frog," Aime Nolte Music also mentioned that in her video. Wish I had the musical background she has to explain this more in-depth, so if you're on the cursive singing rabbit hole (which we all are at some point, I would think haha), go check out her video! Linked it in my description ❤︎

[@goddesscassandra]

Janet started it. She doesn’t annunciate at all.

[@franciscoguevara9727]

grace is legit!

[@whatwouldsallydo]

Very well researched!!! This needs more views!!!

[@lacrimosa5213]

i dont mind cursive singing when its mispronouncing a few words here and there like sza in love galore. it fits her style. but then halsey jeez i cant stand it.

[@nataliaalghul8279]

Is it just me or wtf I understand everything she says

[@nataliaalghul8279]

So confused

[@lacrimosa5213]

@@nataliaalghul8279 who, halsey? yea i can understand it most of the time but the problem is it doesn't sound good

[@lolaa.8161]

have you heard Halsey's recent music? She's significantly improved since her Colors acapella, which is the performance people usually give her flack for. Eyes Closed Stripped is one of my favorites.

[@lacrimosa5213]

@@lolaa.8161 i listened a bit, it's not really my type of my music but i do agree she's improved

[@jenniferjames7786]

First of all, you are so beautiful. Second, this was really interesting and well put together. I only heard the term cursive singing recently. I didn’t know there was a name for this. I like it. Thanks for this video. 👌🏻

[@seansmiley6245]

“Thought the intro was too long” *Added to the intro* (Hmmmmmm.....)

[@lestranged]

One of the definitions you read even said "jazz inspired" singing style. That should be a clue that the singing style started with jazz. Not in the 21st century, not due to indie white girls wanting people to google the lyrics. It comes from jazz singers like Billie Holiday, way way before google, before the internet. The name 'cursive singing' is 21st century but the singing style itself is old. It's also interesting that people use the "but they have an accent" rationalization when actually, British, Australian and New Zealand singers frequently sing in American accents, going back a long time. Because rock & roll and blues music came from America and so many British artists (like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones) were heavily influenced by American Blues music so they put on American accents when they sang. Their accents when singing were completely different than their normal speaking voice.

[@jorgesoler7753]

this is like when paris hilton popularized what kathy griffin called "f*cked up baby voice," but for singing. hopefully it'll also go away in 20 years.

[@Alicegab300]

Wasnt it britney who popularized it tho?

[@jorgesoler7753]

@@Alicegab300 idk, maybe britney *is* responsible for women around the globe speaking like horny toddlers, go figure

[@Alicegab300]

@@jorgesoler7753 it's so sad that people feel the need to do that

[@imagine2374]

@@jorgesoler7753 LMAO

[@lahaza6515]

It goes back to Adeline Peroux imitating Billie Holliday in the early 2000s. But to be fair, Bjork did it first way back in the Sugarcubes in the 80s. The people who do videos about it are too young to remember those people.