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The Package
By Avery | February 22, 2007
Talking with a friend of mine the other day, we started trying to formulate a list of singers who, today, have some celebrity mainly because of their package. That is, they can sing a little, but their renown comes mostly courtesy of the way they look, their videos, and the production on their records. So if you put them back into an era when the only question was “But can she sang,” they would either not be a celebrity at all, or they would be a backup somewhere. Of course the first name we came up with was Mary J. Blige. And I’m sayin’ — I like Mary J. She makes great records, but she can’t sang.
On the other hand, you take somebody like Ella Fitzgerald, who I think may have had the best voice ever, and she would not have hit big. Granted, Ella wasn’t a pop singer in the first place, so it might not be a fair comparison. So let’s use another, maybe even bigger (in some ways) name. What about Aretha? If Aretha came out in 2007, would she get to be the Queen of Soul, or would she be a casualty of the marketing machine?
But then to bring some balance to the discussion, we talked about some singers who were pretty big names back in the day, but would take over the world with today’s packaging. Start with Chaka Khan. I’m trying to be cool here, but man, if Chaka Khan came out today? WHAT?!! Man, I’d probably still have a television.
So who are some contemporary singers who wouldn’t have made it back in the day? Who are some legends who might not make it today? And who would have made it in either time period?
Topics: Everwhatever |
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:21 am
I would say that India Irie is the single most overrated singer in black music today, and I will say that Minnie Ripperton really couldn’t outsing Mariah Carey. Which is to say they are both packages.
Vanessa Williams could have made it at any time because she has star power and talent to go along with it. A lot of today’s pop stars only have star power. Interestingly enough, if Jennifer Hudson is the trend, then the democratization of the process through American Idol can change all that.
I’m going to slay a sacred cow and suggest that Marvin Gaye was really not as great a singer as Teddy Pendergrass or Phillipe Wynne. Dionne Warwick was a package. Nancy Wilson was the real thing. Dianna Ross was a born superstar but talent? Naah.
Whitney Houston can obviously sing, and she should have kept trying to act, but of course she couldn’t hide her double life and all her image came crashing down. But she can still sing.
I don’t know what happened, speaking of crashing and burning, to Anita Baker. She really could sing, but she never cut loose. She was too conservative with her talent. Somehow I believe she could have done more.
Ella Fitzgerald was one of the greatest of all time. Today she’d be Diane Schuur.
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:52 pm
I don’t think Beyonce could not have made it back in the day,
and you’re right about Aretha. The marketing machine would have cast her aside.
But women like Leela James,Jaguar Wright or Leela Hathaway would have “kilt” it back in the day.
And since we’re talking about “Sangers” what ever happened to Lisa Fischer and Tawatha Agee?
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I think Beyonce’ is a package…she has a good voice, but she would never have made it back in the day
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:13 pm
I hate myself when I agree with Cobb, but I guess I have to give him props for his evaluations.
Heather Headley, I want her to sing for me.
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Whoa, whoa, whoa, good brother…Marvin < Teddy? Ummmm....iono bout that one. I can only take so much of Teddy at a time. Marvin, however, I can listen to all day. Teddy shouts too much for my tastes. Nancy Wilson? We right >< here. Vanessa too. Don't get me started on Vanessa. Shooooo!!!
I think Yonce is a package too. Nahmeen, I dig her and all that, but I think that at best, she might've been a backup.