Whitney Houston Remembered

Long before I heard the tragic news last Sunday which made headlines all over the world, I always asked myself; what went wrong? She was one of the greatest singers of all time, and perhaps the last of the greatest singers of her generation. Just as we were beginning to think that her even greater comeback was yet to come, the unthinkable happened. Just six months after the untimely demise of Amy Winehouse and two years after Michael Jackson's sudden departure, she was gone. Who saw it coming? What went wrong?

Whitney Elizabeth Houston had it all - beauty, elegance, charm, and most importantly that voice, a belting voice which sounded mature beyond her years without making her seem old-fashioned and was able to reach our hearts without the use of Mariah Carey-style over-the-top vocal aerobics. A voice that would later be imitated but never duplicated by future X Factor contestants. She may not have been the greatest dancer but hits such as "How Do I Know" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" secured her future as a true pop diva while filling dance floors everywhere. However, it was her power ballads that made her legendary, ballads which included  "Greatest Love of All" and "Saving All My Love For You". Who could forget her biggest hit "I Will Always Love You"? Originally sang by Dolly Parton, Whitney made the song her own, which in turn made her an even bigger superstar. A truckload of awards which she added to her already crowded cabinet promptly followed. Had she been involved in the song-writing process, she probably would have matched the previous record of future superstars Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, Amy Winehouse, and most recently Adele, all of whom would clean-up at the Grammys. 

Whitney had it all. She was at the top of her game. But as most survivors know, once you're up there's only one way to go. Some superstars gradually go down with grace and dignity, others fall fast. Whitney belonged in the latter category. She came, she saw, she kicked some arse (I'm British, so I spell that word the British way). Then she landed with a thud.

1992 - the year The Bodyguard soundtrack was released - was also the year she shocked fans all over the world by marrying bad boy Bobby Brown. It was unbelievable; America's sweetheart spending the rest of her life with a guy whose reputation was as foul as his values (Already a father of three children, Bobby had fathered one of them while dating Whitney). For a while we all wished them the best and the couple gave us the impression that their marriage was strong but no-one was fooled. As Whitney continued to shine, Mr. Brown found himself playing the role of Mr. Houston as his own record sales failed to match his wife's success, and judging by his constant scowls in photos of the pair, it was clear the he was jealous. Towards the end of the nineties,  there were rumours of drug-use; gossip which was not helped by images of Whitney's skeletal frame which was a matter of concern, yet Whitney denied the rumours by famously stating in an interview "Crack is whack".  Unfortunately she was living in denial. Eventually she confessed that the rumours were true, duly divorced her husband, returned to the studio, and emerged with her highly-anticipated comeback album which did better than her previous album, but failed to gain a Grammy nomination. Years of drug-use had taken its toll on her once outstanding voice, and her worldwide tour was panned by the public who had once worshipped her. Still, this was Whitney Houston. She was going to bounce back, or so we thought.

Now Whitney is gone. 

What went wrong? Was she a victim of her own success - success which had not prepared her for future downfall? Clive Davis, who had nurtured her from the very beginning, continued to support her through the bad times and till her dying day, but how many people around her were genuine?  The music industry is full is fakes who will build you up and chew you up while filling their already bulging pockets, as Britney Spears would confirm. Talent will only get you so far in the world of entertainment, a world that is so fickle and full of jealousy - even her own green-eyed husband made her life hell over her popularity. She also tried to please so many ingrates. The Black American community constantly criticized her for being a cross-over mainstream artist. Translation: "You're trying to be White" - a accusation not helped by the fact that her love-interest in the "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" video was Caucasian; at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards she was heckled by an angry crowd who screamed "Oreo!" at her as she walked towards the stage, which was a reference to the popular American cookie, black on the outside, white on the inside. Sales of her next album, the Urban-flavoured "I'm Your Baby Tonight" failed to match the success of her first two smashes. The people who gave her a hard time should be ashamed of themselves - at least she was trying to break down barriers but they still ridiculed her, which shows how seriously they took Martin Luther King's words of wisdom. She couldn't do anything right in anyone's eyes, despite the accolades, and it broke her.

Was it the drug-use?  As a Sun newspaper reader said yesterday, "It's very sad she's died but the real Whitney left the world behind a very long time ago". Her disastrous performance on the UK X Factor in 2009 proved that all that Whack Crack smoking had ruined her voice. What pushed her into drugs in the first place, the pressures of fame? 

Was it her turbulent marriage to Bobby Brown? While I am not blaming him for his ex-wife's downfall, we can't help but notice that her problems started after their high society wedding. Add to that the trashy reality show the couple starred in - was it a true reflection of their marital life? According the reccent reports, Whitney had only married Bobby to hide the fact that she was a closet lesbian. Prior to dating Bobby and comedian Eddie Murphy, it was said that her actual love was close friend Robyn Crawford who reportedly fought like a jealous lover whenever Whitney was in a relationship with a man. Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell had said that she was happiest in the eighties with a female partner ("Perhaps her inability to accept her same-sex love contributed to her decline"). I don't support Tatchell's decision to 'out' Whitney so soon after her death, but if the rumours were true, it's a pity, because while I believe that she should have been true to herself, there is no doubt that several fans would have been disappointed. Football Justin Fashanu came out during this time and dearly paid for it. It's so sad that certain people are, in the words of Lady Gaga, Born This Way, but could face prejudice which would eventually ruin them, but hiding in the closet could lead to even bigger problems. Either way, they can't win.

As Whitney continues to inspire a new generation of singers, let us remember her life and learn from what transpired. Deep inside she was a good person who got lost along the way, but she still touched us all. She will be missed. There will never be another Whitney Houston.

I'm Back...again...

"What took me so long, Jemma?"


First of all, six months after graduating, I still haven't found a proper job. I still work in the restaurants for lazy stingy gluttons.


I also owe my bank some money in overdrafts I'm trying to re-pay.


I was unable to gain admission into the teacher training programme last year, which means a year of doing nothing.


Nobody wants to give me a break. Two days ago, I auditioned for the part of Star-To-Be in a local production of Annie (I need more experience for my Drama PGCE), but despite wowing the audience with my voice (I'm not being big-headed, I'm being truthful), I was given the part of Mrs. Pugh, a woman who is only on stage two minutes, has no solos (i.e. no voice), and her only conversation with Daddy Warbucks - who constantly ignores her is about Kentucky Fried Chicken. Talk about stereotyping...


But the biggest problem of all...writer's block. That goes without saying.


Okay, some people have bigger problems, as in real problems, and mine are nothing compared to theirs, but whatever happens, this time I'll continue to write for you my loyal readers while working hard to improve my life.


Tough times don't last but tough people do. And last, I shall.


P.S. -It was my birthday last Monday. Nothing good ever happens on my birthday.

Jessie Wallace

She waited a long time to find her Prince Charming, and when he finally arrived everybody was happy for her. At last she was with a man who wanted her for just her, as opposed to her money or fame, or both. She was famous as Kat Moon in Eastenders, a role she made her own while he owned a catering business. She waited for the day she would walk down the aisle, exchange those vows, and live happily ever after. She had put all of her heart and soul into those dreams, so she expected nothing but the best. And who could blame her?.

Unfortunately, not all dreams come true. On Sunday, we Brits woke up to the tabloid news that Jessie Wallace's fiancé had been having an affair with an ex, with whom he exchanged naughty pictures via phone including a 'private' shot of Jessie, while claiming that he and his wife-to-be were breaking up. At the same time, he and Jessie had posed for OK! Magazine and declared their undying love for each other. Make up your mind, dude. Did you want to marry Jessie, or didn't you? The whole situation was a dilemma for Jessie, but while most people loath having their private lives splashed across the tabloids, I believe that The Star did Jessie a favour.

I'm glad that Jessie cancelled her wedding on the day they were actually supposed to get married; serves him right. If you think that cancelling a wedding is expensive, try divorce. And who can blame her? Yes, it hurts to find out at the eleventh hour, but what if she hadn't found out at all? By dumping him very publicly, she has shown that she is a strong woman (unlike a certain former X Factor judge), and she will get through this. Shame on all those who sent her hate mail simply because she acted with a great deal of sense - why should she talk it over with him when the damage is well and truly done? He had no respect for the relationship and definitely no respect for her when he decided that Jessie wasn't enough for him. In fairness he has defended Jessie by stating that none of it was her fault, and he's right. Which man who is truly in love dreams of anything as tacky as a threesome?

Jessie will get through this.

PS - If you readers must take nude pictures, make sure they're headless!

Grudges - Are they really worth it?

Two months ago I wrote an article on famous snobs, using a former GMTV presenter as an example, but I forgot to mention actor Erik Estrada who is best known as one half of "CHiPs", the show which launched him to international fame in the Eighties. He has since reinvented himself as a reality contestant, appearing on rubbish shows such as Britain's Worst Driver, but is perhaps best known as the brunt of George Lopez' "F*** that Puto" jokes. Years ago, a young Lopez was star-struck when he learned that his TV idol was shooting an episode of "CHiPs" in his neighbourhood, and longed to shake Estrada's hand; at the time he was regarded as a hero by the Puerto Rican community in the Americas due to his status as one of the few Latinos on Prime Time television. Unfortunately, poor Lopez was snubbed, and this has led to frequent anti-Estrada jibes on Lopez's talk show ("I made it without your handshake, motherf*****... f*** that Puto!"), and uses this to warn fellow celebrities to always respect their fans as they do not know who their fans will be in future. Indeed, Lopez is now a big star, albeit only in the Americas, while former international star Estrada is now... Erik Who?

Apparently Lopez had been eating some greasy fried chicken when he met Estrada, but that was no excuse for the latter's rudeness - if you don't want oily hands, pat his head...or sign an autograph...or both. Better yet, shake his hand and wash yours, but you should never disrespect the people who put you put you where you are. As an individual who was in a similar situation recently, I can see why Lopez is furious, but must he build his whole career on those now dated "F*** that Puto" jokes? He is now famous and successful in his own right, so why not let it go? Yes, after writing that article on rude celebrities, I should be taking my own advice, I know. Until recently I was hanging on to the bad things that had happened to me in the past, and compared to what certain people experience (Wars, earthquakes, famine, etc etc) it was nothing major.

Years ago when I left the United Kingdom to live in Nigeria I was an easy target for bullies due to my height, accent, clothes - and later boobs - and thus began the vicious taunts and bitching. There was a family in the neighbourhood who had a reputation for being overly religious but in reality half of them were snobs and the other half were bullies; one of them actually told the other kids on our way from school not to have anything to do with me. What made everything worse was that the head of that family was a big shot in the company where my father worked, and as a result they were treated like gods. I'm not being horrible, but I know for a fact that the man was a womanizer; he used to hit on one of my cousins, yet his family paraded themselves as angels on the face of this earth, while my only crime was being tall and speaking perfect English, and for that I was treated badly. What a bunch of hypocrites.

Today, years later, I actually feel sorry for them, and it’s not just because some of the children have since passed away. Sometimes bullying is a sign of insecurity, although I'm not sure what triggered those feelings towards me. Even then I was bitter for years; when the news of their death was broken I showed no emotion whatsoever. My mother was furious with me but I didn't care - to me they had all died long before they actually kicked the bucket. And boy, I hated the surviving members so much. Quite rightly, but what are the benefits of holding a grudge? Granted, some people do not deserve to be forgiven (Hitler, Satan...) and yes, even God Himself gets angry, but like George Lopez and me, we sometimes take it too far. By being bitter, we are no better than the people who have caused us harm; if anything we are just the same. And by completely banishing that family for every single aspect from my life and hating them with a passion, I was paving the way for even more hatred toward anyone who I felt had wronged me. Now I've seen sense I can't believe that I lived like that. Why did it take so long? Research has proved that an unforgiving heart could cause certain physical ailments such as blood pressure and anxiety. I should also add that being bitter gave me a hard exterior - people have actually said to me that I look so serious, they are scared to even say hello to me...until they discover that I am actually a big kid at heart. What a shame.

During my finals years in Nigeria just before before returning to the United Kingdom, I read about a man who had been having a secret affair with a female colleague who longed for him to leave his wife and children for her, which he refused, leaving her frustrated and out of spite she revealed the true nature of their relationship to his wife who took the news really badly and promptly left her marital home, taking her two children with her. After countless pleas from extended family members - in Nigeria where polygamy is legal it is sometime considered a disgrace if a woman leaves her husband - she agreed to return to her husband. Unknown to everybody, she was secretly hatching a plan to ruin her cheating husband, who by now was regretting the affair. One morning, while he was ironing, his wife walked up to him and claimed that she hadn't forgiven him; she had only returned for the sake of their children. Her husband simply ignored her and continued his ironing. Little did he know that he would soon be part of an even hotter situation... literally. His wife had secretly struck up a friendship with his half-brother with whom he was engaged in a bitter battle for their late father's estate. He was paid to burn down his rival's house while the family was away on holiday in Abuja. What he didn't know was that they had missed their flight and were forced to return home before catching another flight the next day. Halfway through the journey back home, the man remembered some important documents he had to prepare, and stopped at his office for the night while his family drove home, only to be told that it had been brunt to nothing overnight with his wife and children still indoors. The woman had allowed an unforgiving heart to ruin her life; unfortunately her innocent children had to suffer as well. The half-brother later confessed, but no charges were pressed as both men felt that the battle had raged long enough, and were thus able to put their differences aside. As for the secret girlfriend, she later discovered that she was pregnant and while her now-widowed lover accepted the baby he refused to marry her, despite her pleas - she had contributed to the whole situation in no small way.

It is not always easy to see the good in people who have hurt you - and sometimes we are bitter over petty issues as I was - but we all have to move on and forgive. If you want to make the world a better place, it has to start with you. We shouldn’t always wait for karma to prevail. I'm not going to lie, I still find it hard to let go...a lot. But I'm getting there...

Jemma

P.S – While I still do not approve of what that famous man did to me, I will soon edit that “Rude Celebrities” article as it was really bitter… and somewhat immature.

Yep...I'm Back!

Yes, I've been away for over a month now because I've been really busy. But so much has happened since my last entry. The massacre in Norway. Amy Winehouse's death. Me graduating. That's right, I'm now Jemma Bond, BA (Hons)! Unfortunately, due to the uncooperative nature of my personal tutor, I was refused a reference, and as a result I have to wait one whole bloody year before starting the teacher training course. Until then, I have no idea what I'd do for work. As for this blog, this is one of the finals entries made from Roehampton University, which I will miss.

In a way I was depressed because this blog does not have that many readers...and I only have two followers - including myself. At least the Danes took the time to read my DK X Factor reviews, but my fellows Brits didn't care about my Britain's Got Talent entries (a prophet is never welcome is his hometown...not that I'm a prophet, mind!). But what the heck, as longer as I write and pour out my feelings, am I bothered? Whatever happens, I'll continue to write. And as I move onto a different phrase of my life, the stories are sure to get more interesting.

Thanks to all those who care.

Canada Day 2011 (Trafalgar Square)

On Friday - if our unpredictable climate allows - I shall be celebrating Canada Day with Canadians and friends of Canada alike.  I have never travelled to Canada before, but I will love to someday. I've never been to any of these Canada events either, although I used to attend St. Patrick's Day celebrations at the same location - Trafalgar Square. Looking forward to it...and the stacks of maple syrup-drenched pancakes I'm sure to gobble down...and yes, I do gobble, or so my mother says. And if there happens to be any Canadian bacon, which is hard to find in these parts, I'm a happy girl!  But it's not all about the food; maybe I'll learn more about the history of the country. And maybe someone will give me Trevor Guthrie's number (For those of you who have never heard the name, he's a Canadian singer, formerly with the band Soul Decision, and looks like a young Brad Pitt, but hotter!).


Maybe I'll make some new friends, you never know. Really looking forward to it! Canada Day, here I come!


Jemma x

Photos...Yay!

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I have finally taken those portfolio photos, some of which have been posted onto my blog. The bad news is, one of them is quite massive and covers about a quarter of  blog space, but I won't be able to correct it until next week as this PC is rubbish...and the macs have been locked away.

I do hope you like the photos, though. Have a great weekend!

Love,
Jemma

Clarence Clemons

My thoughts and prayers go to Clarence Clemons, who sadly passed away last weekend. Apart from playing a major role in the development of Bruce Springsteen's E-Street band, he influenced several aspiring musicians with his saxophone skills, and while his solo career did not exactly take off in the same way as The Boss's, his music was timeless and inspirational. Most recently he collaborated with Lady GaGa, which shows that music truly has no limit. He is a true legend who will never be forgotten.


Below is Clarence's only solo hit "You're a Friend of Mine", a duet with Jackson Browne (with Daryl Hannah a.k.a. the mermaid in Splash on backing vocals) - you can find the lyrics below. I love this song, mainly because it got me through some really hard times when I was very young.


Rest in peace, Big Man.

Striking out?
Well count me in
I'm gonna stand right by your side through thick or thin
Ain't no doubt
Gonna win
A walk through hell ain't bad compared to where we've been

Oh you can depend on me
Over and over... over and over
Know that I intend to be
The one who who always makes you laugh until you cry
And you can call on me until the day you die

Years may come and go
Here's one thing I know
All my life
You're a friend of mine

That argument
I can't forget
We fought so hard I don't think I've recovered yet
The girls we knew
Who thought you were cool
I never introduced my favorite ones to you

Oh you can depend on me
Over and over... over and over
Know that I intend to be
The one who who always makes you laugh until you cry
And you can call on me until the day you die

Years may come and go
Here's one thing I know
All my life
You're a friend of mine
What if mountains fall?
Nothin' left at all
I'll be fine
'Cause you're a friend of mine

Rude Celebrities

Jim Caviezel: "I've met a lot of rude celebrities."

Things are not always what they may seem, and that goes for famous people, too. They may appear all jolly and jovial professionally, but in reality a massive percentage of them are snobbish fools who often act as if a compliment expressed by a fan could cause leprosy. How often do we hear stories of talentless singers with an entourage the size of Texas making ridiculous demands but are still never satisfied? Last week, I read about an American diva - 'Diva' with a capital 'D'...and whose first name also begins with 'D' - who demanded that homemade fried chicken be brought to her dressing room. One of the staff at the arena went to the trouble of not only preparing the dish but buying a silver platter to display her efforts, which she presented to the singer, who by the way isn't exactly known for her vocal ability. She took one bite of the chicken, threw it back onto the platter and curtly remarked, "I'm not eating that". Rumour has it that nobody is allowed to call her by her first name - one security guard who was unaware of this rule was promptly fired.  This is a woman whose success is mainly down to luck...and having a affair with the owner of her record label (I'm not being horrible; it's a fact, and if you knew who I was talking about, you'd say the same),yet those who probably could have had a career greater than hers are expected to kiss her arse. Fast forward twenty years later, where is she now? It served her right that the open-air concert she organised in New York was cancelled due to rain (Yes, it was free, but she had to pay the orchestra, I'm sure!), and the comeback tour she went on with two new members of the girl group she was a member of in the sixties was a flop due to bad publicity. Redemption!


Unfortunately, she is only one of too many rude celebrities who for some reason we can’t get enough of. This article is not a generalisation of famous people; two years ago I met former Eastenders actress Nina Toussaint-White at Streatham Hill station, and she was lovely, although if I see her again I'll kill her, because I specifically told her "Keep Bradley!" (Rest in peace, Brad). If only there were more people like her. Actor Jim Caviezel best known for his portrayal of Jesus in The Passion of the Christ told The Metro "I was a waiter in LA and I met a few [rude celebrities], not naming names. I went on to work with them on movies. I meet them professionally and they’re nice to me but I take it with a grain of salt. I know they wouldn’t be treating me so nice if I was just the hired help". As a waitress myself I can totally relate to what he's saying, because as I said a few months ago on this blog, I went through a similar experience...with a very unlikely rude celebrity.


Ben Shephard - formerly of GMTV - was among the guests in my box at the football stadium where I work, and I can honestly say that I was honoured to see him, as I had been a fan for years. After he greeted the other guests I walked up to him and offered him champagne, which he accepted. As I handed him the glass, I asked if I had seen him on TV before (Yes I know, I was asking him to state the obvious, but hey, that's how you start a conversation!), to which he replied "Maybe...occasionally" - and with attitude; in fact, he actually acted as if he didn't want to talk to me, even though the other guest were smiling and joking along. Before you suggest that it's all in my mind, I was in that box for most of the day, and I couldn't help but notice that he was nice to the guests, so I know that he wasn’t in a bad mood.  Even the usherette who directed him to my box later confirmed that he was nice when she recognised him, so why was he rotten to me?  I didn't expect him to jump up for joy simply because a fan had recognised him, but the manner in which he spoke to me was out of order. This is a man who has made a living out of playing Mr. Nice Guy, most notably during his days on The Xtra Factor; why was he acting like he had peacock feathers stuck up his backside?  I was actually gutted for him when Dermot O'Leary beat him to the presenting job on the main show, but now I'm glad because the last thing we need on our boxes is another hypocrite.


You might say ordinary citizens as myself should walk a mile in their over-priced six-inch high heeled Gucci shoes before we judge, but quite frankly I'd rather be bare-foot. I don't care if they earn £1000,000 a minute; that is no excuse for their attitude. These are the people who rely on the record-buying, gig-queuing, flick-attending public to get to where they are. Granted, celebrities are humans who sometimes hate to be disturbed by screaming fans, but seriously how hard is it for a celebrity to smile and say "Sorry, I'm rather tried now, but I really appreciate your support...thank you"?  I certainly didn't scream in Mr. Peacock Feather-Arse's face when he walked into my box; I was trying to be friendly... and I was treated like dirt. A Yahoo! Answers user said that I deserved it because I spoke to him while the guests were waiting for their food. Not true - the guests were waiting for the match to begin, and I always try to crack a joke with my guests, which had never been an issue in the past, so no-one should try to teach me my job, which I’m bloody well good at.


Last month I had a discussion with Ahmet, a former events manager who had worked at Wimbledon for years and served several famous tennis players including Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, who he described as "nice guys", and he showered praises on Boris Becker and John McEnroe, who were labelled "comedians" (Everyone knows that Boris Becker is a nice dude, but I never thought he was that funny! Still, I guess that's why we Brits voted him our favourite German of all time). However, Ahmet's bad list was reserved for local 'heroes' Tim Henman and Andy Murray, and he used just one word to describe them -"d***heads". It then occurred to me that these two men had never won Wimbledon (Murray tries yet again this month...fingers crossed!), and when I mentioned this to Ahmet, he exclaimed "Are you kidding me? Andy Murray will NEVER win Wimbledon!" Looks like karma will always bite you in the arse, no matter what.

Ronan Keating - one of the nicest celebrities...and one of the few whose back view is just as good as his front!

Speaking of arses, former Rear of the Year  Ronan Keating came under fire a few years ago for calling Thom Yorke a "Muppet" after the Radiohead singer snubbed Ronan simply for saying that he was a fan of his (Yorke’s) music. Sorry, but I agree with Ro, because as he is one of the nicest guys in pop (I have friends in Dublin who have confirmed it), he knows what he's talking about, and he's right – all snobs are muppets. Come to think of it, Thom has also snubbed Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Kelly Jones, Jack Black, Tony Blair, Paul McCartney.... These people are staunch Radiohead fans who simply wanted to meet their idol, and he treated them no better than something on the sole of his shoe. It's a shame because Thom Yorke is a really good artist who has inspired loads of people - I've been known to do a pretty decent operatic version of "Creep" - and this is how he repays them for their devotion. Who does he think he is, God? Similarly, Justin Lee Collins - another nice guy celebrity who does exactly what he says on the tin when away from the cameras - has told interviewers about his experience working with Bruce Forsyth on a Strictly Come Dancing spin-off in 2004("He was very rude. I was nervous because I'd never done live TV before. So I started asking him the questions on my [cue cards], 'Who do you think is gonna win? Who was the best couple?' and he was saying, 'What a ridiculous question'... At the end I said, 'Bruce, thank you so much...I've been looking forward to meeting you all day'. And his parting shot was 'Well you have met me now'. Horrible. Which reminds me, last month I served Bruce's table at a golf tournament where I also sighted Michael Parkinson and Russ Abbott, and I would have loved to say hello to them, particularly Russ because I used to love watching Russ Abbott's Madhouse in the 80's and my mother loved the song "Atmosphere" (Don't laugh). However, this time I decided to simply do my job, and that was that, but I probably would have minded my own business if I wasn’t in uniform. As JLC says, never meet your idols because you're always going to be disappointed.


This is the last time that I will ever mention that GMTV prick on my blog. But I do have one thing to say to him, and to all other rude celebrities: Be kind to people you meet on your way up, as you may meet them on your way down. Just ask Britney Spears.


Have you ever met a rude celebrity? Write and tell me about it!


Jemma x

Popstar to Operastar II

Remember last week when I said that Jocelyn Brown would have her fellow contestants for dinner with her powerful voice? Looks like I was wrong - she was voted off the show last week, which was a bit of a shame because I feel that she was given the wrong song in the wrong key. Granted, Jocelyn Brown can sing, but while she is not exactly known for possessing a soprano Minnie Rippleton-type voice, even the mezzo-soprano "Chanson Bohème" is a tad too high. I know I said the same thing about Melody Thornton last week, but Jocelyn should have been given an contralto solo...or better yet should have sang her song a few octaves lower; that was exactly what Kym Marsh did last year with "Pie Jesu", and it didn't sound bad at all, and while Marcella Detroit's version of the "Queen of the Night" aria sounded odd, she didn't have to struggle with uncomfortably-high notes. After hearing her performance, I knew that Jocelyn would be in the bottom two, but Joseph Wasbourne joining her in that position? What a joke.

Claire Richards was the first person to perform. It was clear during rehearsals that she was very nervous, and I think the nerves affected her performance. She struggled with the high notes in "O Mio Babbino Caro" and occasionally breathed at the wrong time i.e before she had completed a line. I was so scared for her, and thought that she would be in the bottom two with Jocelyn, but somehow the viewers seemed to like her enough to keep her in. I don't care if Claire has put on a few more pounds (Haven't these haters got a job?), I liked that yellow gown she wore; she reminded me of judge Katherine Jenkins when she also sang "Chanson Bohème" on the show last year!




For a man who had never sung opera before, Andy 'Ding-Dong' Bell was pretty good. Well, technically his performance of 'O Sole Mio' - a song that I'm currently learning - wasn't perfect, but like Midge Ure last week you could see how Andy used his emotions to express his feelings about sunny weather, even though it was rather rainy that day! Judge Ronaldo Villazon suggested using more physical expression - was he mad? I thought he did it fine! Andy received a standing ovation, and while critic Vanessa Mae agreed that there was little vibrato in his rendition, nothing beats putting your own stamp on a classic!


Joseph Washbourne was my favourite! His own version of "The Toreador Song" was nothing like Darius Campbell's rendition during series one, but nevertheless still entertaining. It's good to see that learning opera has improved Joseph's pop voice, because not all singers that make the transition from pop to opera are that lucky - ever since taking classical music seriously again after a long hiatus, I have lost my own pop vocal ability, what a pity! The backing dancers who accompanied Joe as he sang were annoying - surely they could have let Joe turn his jacket inside out, revealing its red satin lining to be used as a bull-fighter's cape?  I screamed at the TV when it was revealed that Joe was in the bottom two, but I'm glad that he was saved. All he needs is more work, and he could win.

See you next week!

Jemma X