Vocal Coach Reacts to 9-Year-Old Harper performing Spiritbox on AGT

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Hi! I'm vocal coach Mary Zimmer. I'm so excited for today's reaction! I waited to watch the video for the first time with you all and I was very surprised by Harper's screams on Spiritbox's song Holy Roller

[@voicehacks]

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[@derekdavis6508]

It's funny I'm a country dude shit kicker, and all my friends who were gothic we're surprised when they put on my headphones I listened to the same music, Cradle of Filth, Gojira, Behemoth, Arch enemy, Amon Amarth, it's a long ways from Bob Wills, now with Billy Strings he is mixing my two favorites, as a musician I love all music though.

[@aforceofnature1485]

What would the cost be??

[@DaleStrickland]

After watching this I learned that she got to perform live with Spiritbox! That's so awesome, way to go Harper!

[@troyaturner1979]

She's signed to the same label as Spiritbox & released her debut single "Falling," which she co-wrote. She's only TEN & she sounds like someone 4x her age! Just sickening!🙌🏿🤘🏿🙌🏿🔥❤️

[@thetruth4654]

Well if she can avoid vocal injuries. She will have a very bright future in metal music

[@jenniwilliams3295]

I've been singing my whole life. You're right they can destroy their vocal cords in the genre very easily especially from straining. Showing how old I am Axl Rose was actually at one point the most technically brilliant singer on the planet. He now sounds like caca. Haley Williams who also was considered one of the elite singers in the world has done some damage is still awesome but if you go back and look at some of the older performances her voice has definitely changed . The difference with this little girl is she's not straining you don't see anything in her neck shoulders or forehead that indicate that it's difficult for those sounds to come out for her almost any singer who belts strains at some point, this kid just lets it fly her body is completely relaxed her face is relaxed. The odds that she would damage her vocal cords are pretty slim as long as she continues to be able to sing like that.

[@Madison.Cruz.Shooter]

She knows what she's doing. She's fine.

[@reddaneali5997]

The way she was doing it effortlessly, strainless, so relaxed, I think she's not gonna hurt her voice screaming

[@giandyganzy995]

in an interview she said she was trained by melissa cross

[@Iyashikei-t4u]

Harper doesn't know but she did a huge service to the metal community. There will be people, people her age even, who will get into metal watching this very clip which is what we need to keep the scene healthy.

[@voicehacks]

💯💯💯💯

[@marinex9592]

She has a single and an official music video out now . Harper song is called falling

[@brandonwright5614]

She did a very good job and I love spiritbox holy roller is my favorite song by them

[@ChaiElemental]

Her stepdad is the vocalist for a band called Acres. I wonder if he was able to teach her safely, although if I were a metalhead parent, I would probably encourage my kid to not learn how to scream til they were older. THAT SAID, I think Harper is extremely talented and I love that she loves Spiritbox.

[@voicehacks]

That’s so cool!! It would make sense as to why her Dad seems to “get it”

[@ChaiElemental]

@@voicehacks It is very cool! Although I think the man in this video is her biodad. Harper did a cover of "Circle With Me" with her stepdad--different dude--here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5ucmGhoqM6fd7c. In light of the fact that her stepdad may have taught her how to scream, I think it's especially cool that her biodad likes her screaming!

[@nielskoolstra]

She has had vocal training by Melissa Cross. The lady that trained Corey Tailor.

[@er4din903]

Is there anything special about correct harsh vocal technique that an adult voice can do that a child voice cannot? Fry maybe, but false chords? The anatomy is there.

[@jenniwilliams3295]

Do you see her straining at all? Her head her neck her chest her shoulders any part of her body do you see that it's tense when she lets those growls/screams out. There's none she's not trying she's not straining. If she was doing those things she could do damage but this is natural for her. Most metal singers do end up burning their voice at some point. It appears to me as a singer that they have taught her well. There are some pop stars I worry about far More than This girl's voice

[@Madchris8828]

This ten year old girl Harper has done more for metal being mainstream and showing it in a positive light than anything I've seen in years. She has a crazy cool future ahead of her if she plays it safe. WELL DONE 👏

[@mthompson3509]

Rock on young metalhead you have a very bright future

[@suespony]

She actually was on stage with spiritbox couple days ago. She was great

[@satuhamalainen8903]

Is there any chanel to watch that? I 'd love to see it!

[@suespony]

@@satuhamalainen8903 yes, it's on utube, just search, it will come up

[@mrolsen6987]

@@satuhamalainen8903 kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIXdhJxrodiYjc0 There you go. It's Harpers channel 👍

[@Hiddeninplainview117]

Excellent analysis! Harper took lessons with Melissa Cross, which is why she's using proper technique. She will be releasing her first single soon. Her step-dad, Ben, is the vocalist for Acres (underrated UK post-hardcore band), so he also assists her with vocal techniques and lyrics. Chris from Currents helps with instrumentation and production.

[@paulbailey5718]

You need to see her signing it live with Spiritbox in London

[@er4din903]

Her step dad is the vocalist of Acres, he taught her to scream. She sang with Courtney on stage.

[@Thatyellaharper]

thank you! :) :)

[@voicehacks]

🤗🤗🤗 You were amazing!

[@travisfodrie5410]

Keep at it kid! You already have a solid foundation!

[@clairez666]

HARPER you kick bun meats... You absolutely killed Holy Roller, well done! I've subscribed to your channel so follow your progress & take Mary up on that offer for lessons - keep those screams healthy & brutal!!! 💜💜💜

[@Kodiak660]

BRAVO HARPER!!!!!

[@birdiemaradoth]

when she switched to those fry I was shocked it sounded amazing, i cant wait to see where she goes from her!! Also really inspiring hopefully when i turn 18 in around 6 months ill get some lessons from you

[@bloodblitzowns11]

Yeah the false chord was okay but he fry actually has a pretty terrifying shrill to it. In a sick way.

[@marielecastan2678]

Harper is brilliant!!! Her talent is beyond outstanding!!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘She was born with natural talent. 💗💗💗💗💗💗

[@Maggai]

If she is a Spiritbox fan and can scream like that, I think there's a big possibility that she has learned some proper techniques from youtube. She sounds really awesome, I'm super impressed!

[@machflee6334]

She’s amazing

[@Nick_ID_1VFXArtist_und_Cutter]

Thank you for this reaction and analyses, and yes, I agree so much, thos people shown covering the ears is hysteriacal and am cringing soo hard wenever these cuts to the audience reacting like this happen, sometimes its even ripped out of context, like everything exept pop music was like "omg, its outta world" or something, I personally as a huuuge Rammstein and Metalfan am so proud of this young lady achieving these abilities and her confidence about herself, I hope she will have a great great great career!!!

[@aaronelijahcolyer]

Harper has a bright future ahead of her. Have you heard her debut song Falling.

[@SiriusBigbadda]

You should really check out her song Weight of the World together with Dave Stephens and Brand Of Sacrifice.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

She is so freaking badass. I'm eagerly looking forward to where she goes from here. :)

[@clairez666]

This video made me sooo happy... Harper is FANTASTIC! I love seeing kids that are supported by their parents and encouraged to enjoy metal and allowed to follow their SCREAM DREAMS!🔥🔥🔥

[@voicehacks]

She was so great!!! So much fun to watch

[@jenniwilliams3295]

No unless their parents are metalheads I don't think most kids know that there is that option. So not only is she sharing her talent and genre but she's also showing other little girls and boys that there's no age to be able to do what she's doing.

[@erichbrough6097]

I was worried before I actually heard her, but she seems to have lucked out and gotten into stable technique. Very impressive! 🙌🙌🙌🔥🔥🔥 EDIT: apparently she does get expert supervision from Melissa Cross and her step dad. 👍

[@dainluke]

Sofia Vergara's facial expressions will never get old. The look of genuine confusion is priceless.

[@travisfodrie5410]

Wish I could have started by even twice her age! I look forward to seeing what she does with training over time.

[@518mas]

You need to do a reaction to her single. She proves that you can’t have PTSD if you’re the one causing the trauma.

[@KingoutlawLXXII]

I have to say Harper is going to make it.. she is totally talented and she is on the rise of becoming the queen of metal 👍👍😎

[@craigwoodgate7120]

I have been listening to metal for nearly 15 years and even i was shocked when she started singing

[@eternalwizard776]

Omg no way! I love doing this song but I never could have at her age! I think I do this song mostly fry tho. My 8 year old son does harsh vocals now too! He listens to me an repeats so I didn’t try and teach him as I have absolutely no clue how. Rather send him to you if you taught kids! So wish I could have done all of this at such a young age 😝

[@Caustic6969]

I hear a future Metal Queen.

[@Sh4dowK1ng]

Check out her song Falling.. It's pretty good..

[@Grandizer8989]

I feel like getting a kid to sing like this is asking your star Little League pitcher to only throw curve balls.

[@williamduffield4964]

I am not a metal head but I would buy Harpers music. I have watched you music video and I think it is FANTASTIC. Good on you Harper go girl.

[@paladinminipedro707]

Harper has her own merch channel lol....and that stuff looks really nice!! i think her dad has a studio in his home just to record her!! He might be her coach and i can't confirm that though.

[@hannahshalvey9879]

Love your content, I will definitely be booking a lesson with you in the future.

[@voicehacks]

Thank you!! 🤗🤗

[@paladinminipedro707]

People can say what they want about Simon, but that guy really does know entertainment.

[@lespaul36]

I am a guitarist that often sings. I am trying to learn false chord, but do a good bit of vocal fry. More often than not, I am just shredding my throat. It sucks cause I think I doing using the techniques, but in the moment and it is loud and I am just screaming. Then take a couple of days to recover.It is one thing recording, but n stage, you get amped up.

[@voicehacks]

Full video of the original performance: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eV63nKx5rN5nebc

[@tabletkidofficial]

Harper trained with Melissa Cross.

[@brandonwright5614]

She did a excellent job I wonder how far into the competition she made it

[@talica19161]

If I was just listening to it I never would have guessed she is 9. That is awesome.

[@Madchris8828]

As an aspiring vocalist I've just started getting false chords down. But man false was so freaking hard for me. I watched your channel and many others to try to learn safe techniques. So far I've been relatively safe

[@revredbeard3289]

As soon as the track started and playing I was freaking out.

[@TheStefan6969]

🤘🤘 Absolutely love this girl!!!!! 😁❤✌

[@kylemoore2076]

I was friends with her step father, he's a brilliant singer, screamer but Harper has dusted him. 😂

[@Immortal628]

She does that better than I do for sure!

[@rebeccaxx]

thumbnail: *10 year old* title: *9 year old*

[@GusJay]

That was really impressive! I mean, 9 years old?? What?? 🤩🤩🤩

[@skulkband]

That’s just adorable 🖤🖤🖤

[@aimeevandijk1482]

I very much appreciate your call to be kind in the comments!

[@paladinminipedro707]

Love that shirt. now back to your video ma'am. Also i can't wait to hear the new Black Oil album!!

[@michelpittaway7718]

She is ten, she said. Can't wait to see if Simon will offer his jet to bring the kid and the musicians of Spriritbox in California for the next round. She already did perform with this band. But she is not the first on AGT offering such a performance. Aaralyn did so a decade ago... Her style is different. And Izzy became quite a drummer... Both brother and sister: the Murp! Well, expecting what will come next round. Could happen the metal fans will invade the theater...

[@peterlambert7546]

So what do you think about devildriver

[@DarrellW_UK]

An update, Harper has now released her first single with the same Company as Spiritbox are (or were) with; it called Falling. It would be great to see a reaction to it 💖

[@shAiDawn]

these judges are NOT ready hahaha YESSSSS THIS IS GOLD

[@voicehacks]

They Soooooo weren’t! 😆

[@shAiDawn]

@@voicehacks My ABSOLUTE favorite was the 1 girl in the audience standing and rocking out with her. She would DEF be my friend!!!!! HAHHHHH

[@GarryGri]

"This is falce cord"... and I was just waiting for the fry😜

[@peterlambert7546]

I love heavy metal

[@Eldormen]

When I first saw this on FB I thought she seemed to do it right, but hearing a coach say it feels good both for my judgment and for Harper's sake.

[@brianrussell1565]

Adorable

[@krackergrit]

Fuck yeah u go girl

[@food223]

i am not claiming to be an expert on metal vocals, i love metal but i dont know any of the different terms ect but while her lows are amazing i really enjoy her high's(so vocal fry i guess), love how metal is getting attention in the mainstream

[@kennethtaylor5063]

Harper is Awesome!!!🤘🔥🔥 i guess Melissa Cross is teaching her vocal lessons now.

[@rimmysinclair]

This is badass

[@Madison.Cruz.Shooter]

Why am I crying.....

[@danielfuller35]

I’m sure you’ve seen it but she was invited to sing at a spiritbox concert

[@MichaelBrooksUK]

She's definitely aware of her vocal screams and fries. She's been using Melissa Cross' coaching to get better.

[@samanthastover5940]

Honestly, there really is a reason as to why teachers don’t normally take on minors for this technique. The potential developmental issues that it can cause in a young singer’s voice just are not worth it. As a singer, and I may be a snob for saying this, I find it to be somewhat irresponsible for her teacher to allow her to do this, as it is a massive risk and could jeopardize the longevity of her career. I would ask parents, when finding a teacher, to really consider finding someone who will teach fundamentals. Let your child learn how to use their voice first, and then when they are much older, it will be easier for them to pick something like this up. I would be very nervous about a teacher who is eager to teach these techniques to a student younger than 17.

[@brandonwright5614]

Mary I'm Brandon aka killa B I'm 39years old I'm curious how old are you

[@Smithysmithin]

I understand focusing on it being like "omg so cool, female vocalist doing metal" is kinda defeating the purpose of equality of gender roles. But I tell you. If Courtney wasn't who she is, and hasn't been blown up as an amazing female metal vocalist, then we wouldnt have her as a role model for young girls who love metal.

[@cathrinecarrabotta5063]

This is the most metal thing, I love women breaking the genre and now girls. I cried but I'm unstable. I remember when I was a teenager I wanted to be like mark hunter from chimara. Why do I talk?

[@voicehacks]

I loved Chimaira and especially their DVDs/studio documentaries back in the day!

[@m.muhammad1032]

Next halper - bad habbit - agt

[@beckettshowalter9036]

react to her debut song falling!!

[@svilenp]

👍👍🤘🤘

[@boring_cringename]

Me on Saturday... shy-ass small dude singing for some people at my school who got their diploma. My teachers went all excited, when I started, because they didn’t expect it. Although it’s shimmy by soad but modified. I had to pick something not as shocking.

[@MambaMentalady]

2:45 where she realizes this is just talent

[@threetoes499]

I am not sure why you keep saying that she doesn't know what she is doing. Other than the technique is not well known by most outside the genre. I do believe she has had some coaching and a bit of practice. Check her youtube ;) Nice reaction! Go Harper!

[@natreeves1111]

i love this video, but i don’t think you’re giving her enough credit! you say she’s by far the best kid screamer you’ve seen. yet you immediately assume that she just “happened to stumble upon” correct technique, rather than thinking that just maybe she has put a lot of work into this and had the proper training. she seems incredibly hard-working, and she’s already been signed and got her own single out. kids deserve more credit than a lot of people give them!

[@paladinminipedro707]

You are not wrong......Any "talent" show in America will not advance harsh vocals, while overseas the judges actually likes those vocals and when some don't like it they still recognize the hard work a vocalist puts in to sound like that. Talent is nothing without the hard work, (hours, weeks, and years) it takes to get really good.

[@vegetable_shredder9306]

3:15 I'm pretty sure it was a falsetto false fold - not fry 😬😬

[@voicehacks]

I actually agree - I almost hate reactions because when I listen to something fast for the first time ever I make a fast decision, but when I was editing the video and hearing it over and over I was feeling like it was more a high false cord.

[@billwell9266]

wonder what she'll do next????

[@eternalwizard776]

Ugh now I need advice oh how to get my kid to stop trying to mimic me after hearing you don’t recommend this for kids 😅🤦‍♀️ he just did it one day and it sounds good so I don’t want to stop him he’s hooked 😭😭😭

[@samanthastover5940]

Be honest with him about the risks involved. It is in his best interest for him to wait on this, especially if he doesn’t have a teacher to watch over him. It may be a bummer for a few years that he can’t sing this style, but I promise you it’s better that he sit it out for a few years than for him to wreck his voice. Children’s voices cannot handle what certain styles demand.

[@eternalwizard776]

@@samanthastover5940 I’ve definitely tried but both can now…my 9 year old and 2 year old 😅 obviously the 2 year old doesn’t understand why he shouldn’t tho. I have no idea how they both figured it out but it’s so impossible to get them not to I swear. Unless I completely stop myself 😭

[@Hipno702]

I did hear some criticism from this video in the first part but I think she was just nervous cause AGT is much more mainstream that the reaction wasn’t gonna be fully welcomed When she performed with Spiritbox she sounded much more confident

[@traviscue2099]

I know here in Australia, those who actually win these competitions ruin their music careers.. they're locked into really unfair contracts for about a decade, and through that time they just butcher their own names (Basically forced to do other peoples music, and not allowed to release anything of their own). But she's young enough where I don't think it will matter if she ends up doing music as a career

[@voicehacks]

Yeah I have seen some of the contracts for these things and if you win it’s super exclusive and limiting - they do own you entirely! In Harper’a case she didn’t win so I think she’s gotten a lot of beneficial exposure without the confining contract (at least for now!)

[@traviscue2099]

@@voicehacks definitely, I'd say it's in her best interests to avoid anything like this in the future.

[@johnbriggs3916]

It was quite safe because everyone knew she wouldn't win AND they had already hooked up with Spiritbox's own label and recorded a single! So she was essentially exploiting Simon Cowell rather than the other way round -- which is poetic justice, really.

[@horror-core]

I saw her on stage singing it with Courtney YESSSS! This girl went and BROUGHT IT to mainstream virgin ears, and I love it! 💥

[@kevinfhaney]

spirtbox ???

[@metalflower9543]

Omg 😄🤘🏻🔥

[@brandonwright5614]

She's really 10 not 9

[@felicitydarhk2818]

you do harsh vocals and no reaction yet to THE song that laid waste to all of youtube?? Lorna Shore To The Hellfire, Will Ramos has got a one take vocal on his youtube, you should really check this out :) !! he's not of this planet .. really ...

[@kevinfhaney]

mortification Steve Rowe best death metal singer oh & impending DooM

[@mackohryzko]

666 likes :D

[@RICH-210]

Be kind, but talking about she doesn't know what she is doing, you sound like you're jealous

[@karlasaldate2426]

I had no idea that judge was her father, but maybe that means she actually has had some vocal training? It seems super lucky that she’s doing it properly. I know Courtney herself used to get hurt when she first started out.

[@voicehacks]

Her Dad wasn’t a judge, I had cut off the part of the video where they just invite him up to watch from there in the beginning. I don’t follow AGT so I think that is usually Howie’s spot not sure why it was open but if you watch the full vid from the show they show them asking him to come out front.

[@voicehacks]

But one of the commenters said her Dad is in a band so I think you are partially on the right track about him helping her possibly

[@Thatyellaharper]

Hey! So last year in lockdown me and my step dad who is in a band was messing around recording and we did a holy roller cover and we thought it sounded cool! So we posted it and it got a great response. From that I had lessons and some training with Melissa cross who really helped me with my voice! ❤️

[@karlasaldate2426]

Thank you both for clarifying. Harper, you’re amazing 🤩 keep up the good work!

[@brandonwright5614]

She's really 10 not 9