Kate Bush songs on The Voice

[Adena]

In Australia on the Nine Network, there's a reality TV show airing now called The Voice. I'm sure that those of you who watch the US and UK versions will know it. Anyway, my housemates are devoted fans, and to my shock, they told me a week ago that someone on there sang a Kate Bush song. I finally went to check it out, and I discovered not one but two.

video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-laura-bunting-sings-wuthering-heights/x0pqehi

video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-viktoria-bolonina-sings-babooshka/xs1to19

I don't think either of them were that good, actually. Ms Bunting has an incredibly childish voice and I didn't think her delivery was true to the song. She didn't seem to have the mastery of her voice and I could hear places where she wasn't hitting the notes. Ms Bolonina has a good voice, but I don't think she suits Babooshka. I would have almost preferred her to sing some soul or blues that carried her vocal power better.

I will not be an avid fan of this particular reality TV show, because I don't do reality TV. But I did watch some of the other performances on the Web, and some of them were quite good (I would kill for a voice like the lady that sang Mercy has). I would like to see a really good cover of Kate Bush on one of these shows someday.

[Barry SR Gowing]

Ah, I've only seen about 10 minutes of this show before. I don't entirely approve of these singing contests.

Ms Bunting sounds like she's trying to do a Kate Bush imitation - but not in a good way, although bonus points for being able to play the piano.

Ms Bolonina sounded like she was straining to hit the high notes. Kate's range is a bit too wide for most singers to cover. Neither singer could really adequately do the songs justice.

There are a couple of better singers on the show, as I recall from the little I've seen. A pity one them couldn't do a Kate song.

Good spotting Adena!

--Paul--

[Adena]

May 2, 2012 5:56:06 GMT Barry SR Gowing said:

Ah, I've only seen about 10 minutes of this show before. I don't entirely approve of these singing contests.

Ms Bunting sounds like she's trying to do a Kate Bush imitation - but not in a good way, although bonus points for being able to play the piano.

Ms Bolonina sounded like she was straining to hit the high notes. Kate's range is a bit too wide for most singers to cover. Neither singer could really adequately do the songs justice.

There are a couple of better singers on the show, as I recall from the little I've seen. A pity one them couldn't do a Kate song.

Good spotting Adena!

--Paul--

They have someone with a Janis Joplin-esque voice (who I don't personally like), a blind girl and two others (a soul singer who sung Duffy's Mercy and a girl who sung Regina Spektor's Samson) who have good voices. The blind girl doesn't have the range or the vocal style to sing Kate, and Kate with Janis Joplin voice is just icky. The girl that sung Samson I feel would be a better fit with a Suzanne Vega song than Kate Bush - she doesn't have the power to carry Kate's vocal style, but she can carry acoustic incredibly well. The soul singer would be the only one I could see managing Kate's songs, but I can't imagine them turning out sounding much like Kate. Both of the two above sounded much better when singing other songs, so I may as well post all the relevant links...

Karise Eden with a Janis Joplin imitation: video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-karise-eden-sings-its-a-mans-world/x5kt8ju

Rachael Leahcar (who is legally blind) singing La Vie En Rose: video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-rachael-leahcar-sings-la-vie-en-rose/xc3k2vd

Casey Withoos singing Samson: video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-casey-withoos-sings-samson/xmpxxi4

Emma Louise Birdsall singing Mercy: video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-emma-l-birdsall-sings-mercy/xyvhbwz

Ms Bunting in 'Phase 2' singing What's Up?: video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-mali-koa-hood-and-laura-bunting-sing-whats-up/xrpo34y

Ms Bolonina in 'Phase 2' singing Purple Rain: video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-voice-peta-jeffress-and-viktoria-bolonina-sing-purple-rain/x2yo9wj

The format ('battles') is really interesting. Ms Bunting has stage presence that I didn't feel her competitor did, and her voice was most unique. Ms Bolonina has a way to go... neither of the two in that performance captured me.