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EXPLAINED || Whitney Houston's Voice || Act One: The Early Years
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
- The Voice: EXPLAINED is a music education docu-series created by award-winning multi-disciplinary artist Milik Kashad, designed to educate listeners and viewers on the science and history of music and singing in an easy-to-understand and engaging way!
In a two-part special, we will take a look at the life, career, and voice of "The Voice," Whitney Houston.
Chapters
_________
0:00 - Call to Action
0:14 - Cissy Houston
1:27 - The Old School Gospel Technique
3:23 - Cissy Houston’s Technique
6:19 - Whitney Houston
6:58 - The Gospel Alto
8:29 - The Whitney Houston Chest Voice
9:56 - Cissy Houston Jr.
11:56 - Does Whitney Have a Higher or Lower voice than Cissy?
14:38 - Sing Like Your Teacher!
18:13 - The Whitney Head Voice
21:07 - Redefining The Power Singing
23:24 - The Houston Tone
24:21 - Redefining The Look of The Power Singer
24:45 - Singing In The Mask
28:54 - Whitney Houston, Superstar
29:28 - The Greatest Love of All Tour
31:08 - Whitney: soprano, mezzo, contralto?
34:05 - I Am Changing
38:38 - Whitney
39:49 - Developing Body. Developing Brain. Developing voice.
40:49 - The Whitney Power Zone
42:03 - Where did the high notes go?
42:12 - Whitney: soprano, mezzo, contralto?
43:45 - The Greatest Breath Control of All
45:48 - Choir Director Houston
47:38 - The Trouble Begins
49:40 - Bringing The Gospel to Pop Music
52:16 - Here Come The Whitney Clones
53:40 - I’m Your Baby Tonight
55:54 - Tapping Into Black Markets
57:52 - First Vocal Problems
58:38 - Whitney: soprano, mezzo, contralto?
1:00:18 - he, I Believe
1:01:57 - Passagio
1:06:37 - Vowels and The Operatic Head Voice
1:08:07 - The National Anthem
1:09:35 - Did Whitney Lip The National Anthem?
1:10:33 - The Underrated Success of “I’m Your Baby Tonight”
Episode Credits
-----------------------------
Director: Milik Kashad
Executive Producer: Milik Kashad
Editor: Milik Kashad & Darien Meggett
Motion Graphics: Milik Kashad
Voiceover: Milik Kashad
Script: Milik Kashad
Inquiries: blackmusicarchive@gmail.com
To support this channel in its efforts to continue making quality and accessible music education content, please consider a donation:
paypal.me/blackmusicarchive
cash.app/$BlackMusicArchive
#WhitneyHouston #MariahCarey #VocalTechnique #Documentary #MusicDocumentary
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When you said “Build voices” amongst teachers, Mattie moss Clark should be included
I can tell the amount of attention to detail that you gave to this project. And the editing is fantastic. Thank you.
What happened to the Michael Jackson voice explained? I loved that video!
I love the hard work, detail, passion and energy you put into this. When you posted you were taking your time to get this one right. Thank you for honoring her legacy with such insightful detail and perspective. I’m one of the rare fans who loves Whitney & Mariah. But, ‘Whitney’ by Whitney Houston was the first cassette i ever owned. I used to play that one out. 😂 I will definitely be donating
Sir, you are absolutely AMAZING! Thank you!
This clip BY FAR surpasses any corporate film on Whitney’s life and career. Bravo brother!!!
You note how she brightens her tone by lightening her voice, but the tone, particularly in this early phase of her life, is just naturally brighter. It's bright even when she's belting, not just in head voice. It's the wonder of her instrument. That she can have as much depth, power, and warmth as she does while also having that brightness, clarity and fresh bite in her tone. It's not too muddled, nor too harsh. It's perfect. She is a true chiaroscuro singer.
Ah I see later you touch on the mask placement that helps create that brightness. Yes her squilo is phenomenal.
I agree, there was no brightening. The “lightening” is literally just her natural tone, she sounds exactly like that when she’s just speaking. Whitney actually darkened her voice by slightly lowering her larynx when belting which aided in that tone contrast. Similar to Toni and Christina, their singing voices are dark but they’re so obviously lighter voices. Christina’s speaking voice literally sounds like a kitten lol 😭
Yes! Now, of course, as she got older, especially after having Bobbi Kristina her voice does naturally darken. It gets warmer and it sounds more mature as she settles into the female vocal prime, but still unmistakably like Whitney. I'd say from from about '92 even up to '99. She does start pushing her voice more though, particularly during the height of those Bodyguard years, especially since she's overusing her voice so she begins to overcompensate a bit. Her voice is naturally HUGE but you can hear that the vocal cords start to not be able to handle the power she used to be able to successfully sing with. Also, her tessitura ends up settling lower, but I'm sure that also has to do with not only age, but smoking, drugs, wear and tear etc. It will be interesting to see how @blackmusicarchive handles those years! I'm sad about how it'll end, though. It'll be hard to watch that part! 😩@@onedollarbleach6891
Agreed. Whitney's voice was always bright at her debut. I always felt like she had Spinto like quality. Like her voice could be bright, but could become heavier or more dramatic if necessary. You notice the difference when she sings "I Have Nothing," and the difference when she sings it vs Jennifer Hudson.
I agree it was both bright and dark in her best singing. More evident in “I wanna dance with somebody at the Grammy’s performance” or “how do I know live performance”. I think pop manipulation influences sound engineers to focus on the brightness and making it more sweet versus live performances in the past. How the video explains the operatic technique in gospel( also being related to Leontyne Price) clarity’s why her she could use mid voice as low as F4 with richness (obviously pianissimo) and used head voice consistently live to C6 and once and a while even go D#6-E6. Her clear and power house voice is a result of it what you said. Without maximizing the darkness and brightness at the same time, the overtones (timbre) loses clarity. Early ears, so amazing
She is the Standard by which all singers before and after are judged. She's the benchmark. Incomparable and unparalleled
Period.
Patti labelle? Aretha franklin ? Ariana grande ? Lady gaga? Mariah ? Celine ?
@@VxxktodckOovpflYes. You can answer your own question. None of them are touching Whitney. Celine and Mariah come close, but Whitney is the standard.
Whitney’s voice needs to be studied because it’s unique and so powerful! Glad that you took your time to teach us something about one of the greatest voices of all time ☺️☺️ … thank you 🙏🏾
I just find the acapella's and do my best😅
He literally studied and broke it down for us here….
She’s a spinto soprano. That’s a simple answer to your question. It’s just her voice type.
@@lyb244she isn't have you watched this video she being stated many times in this video that she is a mezzo???still try to deny it???prove it if she is a soprano.
@@TheyCallMePrince23Thank you. 💀
Whitney voice is like a athlete her power her agility flexibility stamina is unlike others
28:55 Dionne’s excitement announcing Whitney’s award is so wholesome🥺🥺
Along with having more chest and a lower voice, I would add that the reason Whitney was a success is because of her pitch accuracy and even vibrato - it was unmatched and I think a very big factor in her stardom. Chaka is the same - amazing pitch, exactly what that note needs nothing more and nothing less - unmatched.
RIP to Whitney, one of the best ❤
Lechat , Whitney was blessed. God was like " let's give this one a voice , her momma will refine it "
absolutely! she had it all❤
OOOH YES I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!
Whitney had her hand on the chest voice department. She understood and knew how to navigate and use her instrument just like she wanted. A masterful vocalist who need to be studied by generations.
Whitney is the greatest singer of all time. That woman floored the world with that voice. She inspired, influenced Mariah, Celine and every singer that came after her. And I’m so glad he mentioned singing in a concert setting, Whitney was smart in the way she arranged the songs to preserve her voice for those ridiculously long tours.
absolutely
She and Mariah both Are tie literally Mariah voice is form God
@@Shinespheres This is about Whitney. Mariah is not on her level live.
Celine can relate knowing how she preserved her voice, talk about longevity.
@@4thdeck3 Yes, when you have extensive tour dates, changing the arrangements to preserve your voice is the way to go, especially if you have over 40 tour dates like Whitney and Celine had.
I love how much time you devoted to Whitney, her voice and her contemporaries. I know how much effort you put into this, and we greatly appreciate it.
A documentary needs to be done about Cissy Houston! I have always said that Whitney sings like her mother, has great enunciation, and uses her voice like an instrument.
She has always said from the beginning, that her mother taught her everything about the art of singing and what it is to be a singer.
nanette, Masterclass inspired by her with her material.
The first diagnosed vocal issue happens during the Greatest Love tour stop in Australia where she was actually put on mandatory vocal rest by a doctor, forcing her to cancel a number of dates.
(Sorry, Whitney historian here). But all in all, this video does the first act of her career major justice and points to her virtuosity and genius as a musician which I have never felt she got enough credit for.
Ikr. I never knew of her as a musical director or as being as astute as she was on her voice until this video. She was trained well to command her voice and the stage.
PLEASE do a youtube channel dedicated to the vocals of Whitney Houston. I'd watch!
you should do a docu series similar to this if possible!! Id love to hear your thoughts
@sophisitcated1994 - so many people DON’T know of her virtuosity on stage and in the studio. She’s credited as Vocal Producer or Executive Producer on her albums because, as she said, “no one produces me.”
Whitney was a vocal genius. She had it all. Power, range. Clarity, tone, lyric phrasing. Her golden voice could bring so much meaning to a song that you would feel it deep within you soul. God blessed her with that amazing heavenly voice! R.I.P. Whitney #thegreastestvoiceofalltime 🎶 😇🌹
Did you watch the video? She didn't have a gift, she was taught to sing like that.
@@aenningShe has a gift and she only had her mother to put her through in the proper way to utilize it
That transition from Sarah Vaughan to Whitney @ 1:06:52 is absolutely amazing!! Wonderful work sir 💐
Yes, indeed it was! I had the pleasure of seeing them both in concert and I never thought of a similarity in style.
In other words, Whitney Houston combined all the great aspects of what good singing is and showcased it to the world ✨️❤️
You really pulled out ALL the stops for Miss Houston, Thank you for all your hardwork, dedication and thorough research ❤ I can't stress enough how much of an Impact Whitney made when she first hit the scene. Seeing all the many articles, magazines proclaiming the incredible phenomenon that she was speaks huge impact in the music world. A supermodel beauty with a huge dynamic powerful voice reaching heights of success never imagined possible ... particularly for a black woman. The Times magazine compared her voice to a Stradivarius...a pitch perfect instrument. The very first of her kind, a trailblazer in many ways. Her Greatest Love of All tour has some of the most incredible LIVE singing you'll ever hear. Glad you covered her rousing rendition of I am Changing. Imagine being able to perform a huge standard half way into your concert and STILL manage to blow everyone away. Ladies and Gentlemen that is Whitney Houston. Truly and undoubtedly The greateat vocalist to EVER walk this Earth.
A benchmark by which excellence is judged. Most singers at their best can achieve solid performances. Whitney at her best was one of THE BEST
She was the best
@@jeoelpineda4754 Let's not forget Aretha or even Celine😊
@@sandrabentley8111Hi! was wondering when you’d show up
@@sandrabentley8111no one should ever forget Aretha
Nothing riles up some of Whitney's fans more than describing her as a mezzo-soprano as if being one takes away from her magnificent talent
With the way this video is layered, no one is pressed. This video is just beautiful. ❤❤❤
@@sophisitcated1194agreed this video is awesome!
She is a Mezzo, I have always thought she was. She's so beautiful
@@sophisitcated1194yes
i’m a fan and no it doesn’t
I will never understand how this woman managed to tour the way she did. Her voice deteriorating overtime I feel bad much less to do with smoking and more to do with the work she had put in the first 15 years of her career. From 1985-2000 this lady did the IMPOSSIBLE night after night. She knew her instrument and she trusted in her gift. This era of Whitney definitely needs to be discussed more because this is what had people absolutely perplexed. They hadn’t seen a vocalist like her before….
I mean, technically Whitney started working at 14 years old in 1977 doing radio spots, commercials, jingles, background work for her mother, Chaka, Luther, and pretty much all of Kashif’s stuff, her own part of her moms act, recording her own stuff to shop to labels (Elektra wanted her badly) and did she didn’t STOP touring technically until 2004.
By the time her debut hit in 85, she was already almost 10 years into her career. She was just wasn’t known as Whitney Houston. She sang like an athlete for 27 years straight.
She would ONLY lipsync if that was the requirement of what she had to do-like Soul Train or some overseas spots. Otherwise, she’d sing raspy, hoarse, or with vocal damage. There are countless times she sang against doctors orders because she didn’t want to let us down, even singing IMMEDIATELY post miscarriages (and there were MANY miscarriages, which hormonally affected her instrument and body).
If people only knew…
@@ParaLarryThis. People forget that she sang for years and years before she got big.
Smoking absolutely played a part. You can hear it.
@@iantuition the overuse of her voice seemed to do more damage than the smoking in my opinion 🤷🏼♂️ she toured for like ten years night after night and had the audacity to do it live even when she had a cold or broken vocal cord. That’s wild
@@SoSillyWilly26 you have no way of knowing that for certain, and you're also discounting the fact that doing all that singing _while being a smoker_ is probably what led to the colds and torn vocal folds. Smoking is debilitating to the vocal apparatus; singing itself is not.
I'm 49 now and when Whitney debuted I was around 10. When I watched this video, I never realized how young she was in the early to mid 80's because her team made her look like she was constantly 35 no matter what age she was.
Whitney Houston was without a shadow of a doubt the greatest of all voices. Owner of a rare timbre and vocal range. She was greatly influenced by her mother Cissi Hoston, Dionne and was the goddaughter of the legendary Areta Franklin! His career was successful and left a remarkable legacy and he died so prematurely.❤
I was 13 when Whitney Houston sang the national anthem. I still get chills listening to it. I was really angered when people were saying she lipped synced that song. Considering the all around crappy versions we’ve been subjected to since then, I am glad you put that nonsense to rest. She sung it perfectly, and it was LIVE!!!!
I totally agree it was a chilling rendition and arguably the best performance of the song EVER!!
However, what was heard was a pre-recorded version. Whitney was actually singing but into a dead mike. The whole controversy of live vs. recorded is simply dumb. She SANG the song!!
Below is a link that discusses this whole incident in detail.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Spangled_Banner_(Whitney_Houston_recording)
Happy New Year to you!!! 🎉😁
She has the perfect voice, balanced in every way.
I cannot believe we can enjoy your content for free. You sir are amazing 🙌🏻
I agree.
Me neither
My best friend Leon lloved opera. Leotine Price was his favorite singer. He felt people singers from other genres who aren’t trained to sing opera…miss the mark when they do ie Aretha Franklin. He could immediately tell if you were classically trained within a couple notes. I sent him a clip of Whitney singing on stage with Pavarotti and was blown away by the few notes she sung. That was the first time he witnessed a main stream pop/r&b singer nailed an opera part perfectly not classically trained in the traditional sense for opera singers. She showed up everyone on the stage including Pavarotti..and she wasn’t trying to either. He wanted to hear her more from her. I told him that is why she was called “ The Voice.”. I miss my friend Leon.
What about Barbra Streisand?
and this is just Act One. He didn’t even cover yet the IWALY Era of Whitney. Oh BMA, keep up the good work. Can’t wait for the next parts. God bless you BMA.
To anyone who desired to be a singer(male or female) pick your pen and paper takes notes and study about this woman she never ever be forgotten until the ends of the earth the one and only incomparable the legend of all music legend miss whitney Elizabeth houston aka nippy aka the voice ♥️ ❤❤
The way Cissy Houston was hitting those notes in Ain't No Way will always leave me speechless
As a long time singer unlearning bad vocal habits, this is so technically informative! I used Whitney and her mother’s techniques to sing a few notes and INSTANTLY heard a difference!
Good for you. How’s it going?
Good for you. How’s it going?
Good for you. How’s it going?
Lord I can cry rn😭😭🙌🏾🙌🏾. We’re getting ACTS of THE GREATEST SINGER IF ALL TIME!!
I’m just 20mins in and as usual you’ve been so thorough and revealed so much of the technical and physical side of what we hear . This is truly an archive for the ages.
34:05 her version of I Am Changing is literally one of the best vocal masterclasses you could ever listen to, hands down. I’d argue she’s a transcendent vocalist with this song. 100%.
The set up about the voice teachers giving us there ultimate students and when you said Cissy gave us… and Merve Griffin says her name… the tears started flowing out my eyes.
I don’t care what anyone says, Whitney sang the Star bangled banner live.
She actually did as far as she’s concerned. Her mic may have been turned off. But she sang fully into it. They decided to play the recorded version. So she still held up her end.
She sang over top of ore record. Listen to nfl Natalie version for example. You can hear her voice and the record
And she did it again in welcome home heroes just to prove the critics who said she couldnt.
@@tasibhoCLOCK IT! Whitney cut up when she wanted to
Not just the anazing beautiful voice and great songs . Whitney was the whole package . Beauty, charm , confidence and statuesque figure . She had what it takes to be a DIVA Superstar.
Whitney was named The Voice for a reason!!! She in a class by herself!!🎤🎼🎵❤✨✨✨
Whitney Houston was the GREATEST SINGER that walked on God's green earth.....Hallelujah 🙌🏾 😊
Please don't delete this!
OH MY GOODNESS. Playing Cissy's Alfie @17:02 next to to Whitney's Saving All My Love just broke my brain. My HEART. SO GOOD!!!!!
This is a love-letter to our Titan of Singing. Thank you for this. I appreciate how you assembled some rarer clips that truly accentuate the magic of Whitney's voice, like her 1986 performance of Greatest Love of All that was showed during the Make-A-Wish Foundation episode. Whitney seemed to truly connect to a higher power with her high chest voice belts. She was truly gifted. While I was born in 2000 and never experienced Whitney in her prime, I am thankful I have the ability to view her work through channels just like this. You are directly helping to keep Whitney's legacy alive.
❤❤❤❤❤,
Nippy you was a vocalist diva bosslady.....GOD rest your soul... Amen 🔥
I gasped when this showed up on my subscription page! YES!!! WHITNEY!
Great show! Whitney was the whole package; Vocalist, Singer, Actress, Model! And such a vocal beast!!!!
Deb, and had a modellesque figure. if she hadn't been a singer she would have given all the 90s supermodels a run for their money
@@PHlophe Very true!
@@PHlopheDeb?
@@bmwjourdandunngoddess6024 Yes maam?
Part 1??? Over an hour?!?!?! Ohhhh he's coming for our necks!!!!!!
😂Definitely spoiling us for sure.
Whitney was something else we all loved her, Her contribution to the world was God given. Her many songs and power house voice would give you chills.I remember when she first came out in 1984. I was blown away by her exceptional talent and gift. Not to mention how gorgeous she was. That smile and personality. I also loved how she would support other up and coming young black singers ( women ) She was dope. Continue to sleep in peace beautiful Whitney.❤
Title should have been “To be the best singer “ or “This is why Whitney was The Voice”😁😁😁
The greatest vocalist I’ll ever hear in my lifetime.
Thank you for this video. I love it when people analyze how much of a great lady whitney was rather than just emphasize her drug use. Whitney was outstanding!
Our time on earth may be short but if within that time we discover what we came here for the world will have no other choice but to take notice. Our enduring legacies are already written. Thanks for bringing together so elegantly the pieces and parts of the legacy of Whitney Houston in this highly anticipated video. Excellent!❤🎉
No any singers can compare to Whitney Houston today . She is the best the best in the world .
Been waitng on this one FOREVER, Whitney being my favorite singer PERIOD!!! Thanks for putting this together, man! SO informative and insightful! Please keep your videos coming that educate this guy about the singing voice.
This is why Whitney is my favorite voice of all time. All the power with a beautiful tone.
I miss this woman sooooo much 😢 there will never be another voice like hers EVER❤❤❤ RIP Beautiful
Truly the MOST beautiful, pleasing voice to ever grace the airwaves. So sad that it deteriorated after just a little over a decade. I wonder if we'll ever hear another voice almost exactly like Whitney's.
R.I.P.
The very best vocalist!! I'm second😊
Can you do runs?
I like having someone tell me in a technical way about all the details and aspects of her voice that I've heard and appreciated but didn't know the details of what was going on "under the hood." That register switch (?) in the live performance of "How Will I Know" is a favorite moment of mine. Both because it's thrilling and because it looks like she's having fun. And her career notoriously became the opposite of fun for her especially post Bodyguard.
Whatt!!! and there is an Act Two coming ??? Whitney is my favorite musician to study! This is a gift! I will definitely be supporting the channel. Whitney’s voice from 1989-1996 is my favorite… I will be waiting on that Act Two (and Three)! I hope you will specifically address Whitney’s vocal feats in Brazil and Philadelphia in 1994 😎
Even just talking gave me goosbumps, I was crazy in love with this woman
the girls have been waiting and you’ve worked hard my friend! proud of you 🥹
As a non-singer, I have never learned more from a video. Truly remarkable. So grateful for the detailed - yet easy to understand - explanations around how Whitney developed her truly remarkable voice. ❤
Whitney was singing live during the recording of that Star Spangled Banner, but she was singing into a dead mic. Most articles about that performance acknowledge that what we hear in the video is the prerecorded version.
perhaps i’m mistaken, but i thought it was widely known that she recorded the “star spangled banner” super bowl track in one take with rickey minor, and then sang it live into a dead microphone at the actual game. not because she couldn’t do it live (for those needing proof, just listen to her “welcome home heroes” concert opening), but because they (she & rickey) wanted to make sure it sounded perfect.
No nfl demanded a pre record so they could approve or disapprove. Also for insurance in case Houston got sick. Sound engineer said Whitney sang live
Ricky Minor confirmed she sang live, but the audience heard the track she had recorded. We can assume she sang into a dead mic.
You aren’t mistaken, she sang live into a dead mic. Most singers who are “lip-syncing” are doing exactly that. And it’s long been standard practice for the Super Bowl national anthems.
Maaaaaannnnn my Friday night plans have been canceled and this where I’m gone be!!!! Watching this masterpiece!!!!!!
Cissy didn’t have a beautiful tone like Whitney
Whitney’s tone is probably the best ever in pop/R and B. Combined that with the power, dynamic control and emotional connection and she was unbeatable .
Agreed. No disrespect to Cissy, but I seriously can not take listening to her voice for more than a minute. She has the skill, but thank God for giving Whitney the skill AND gorgeous, unique tone!
@@JillCheese
Cissy's tone isn't particularly pleasant, and the vibrato is too wide for popular music (Whitney, conversely, had such unbelievable skill in varying the vibrato as required).
Credit though for Cissy for preserving her voice so well as she aged - eg she could still clearly hit the notes in the Classic Whitney concert duet with Whitney. It's obviously a little tragic both Whitney and Mariah weren't able to preserve their voice quite like their mother's could
Beauty of tone is subjective, personally I agree, but not because her voice is intrinsically ugly (there are no naturally ugly voices), but rather I think her tongue tension makes her voice sound a bit like she has a potato in her mouth
@@tita4359beautiful tones are
Whitney mariah adele
Ugly are beyonce jeniffur hudson and others
it is entirely subjective. personally I hate adele's tone. beyonce's tone is fine, she just uses her voice in a harsh way and makes her vibrato pulse in a way that isn't stable/relaxing@@user-pz8xe7kt7x
Oh man, when I first heard that live of Where do Broken Hearts Go, I was blown away, she went Patti mode 😂 and she was sitting down, I was under the floor sho nuff 😂😂
DeAndrae, whew Chile, you felt it. homie.
Dionne was a vocal anomaly like whitney. In the 70’s as her voice gained depth dionne had a chest dominant approach but was still girlish in tone but hers can be a contributing factor of cigarette use. Whitney and Dionne were both prodigal singers and this shows how Whitney just took her talent to heights unparalleled
there was nothing girlish about dionne warwick's voice in her heyday
@@danclarkcastillo7178 yes in the 60’s it very much was listen to her on Johnny Carson in 1970 very high range in terms of singing ability and speaking voice and listen to her live in 1964 in a Belgium club
@@danclarkcastillo7178Yes, it absolutely WAS!
Bro, you combined every video from [I don’t know when] up till now to create this piece. It is masterful. Until I saw this, I never realized Cissy Houston’s voice and Whitney’s voice were so unified. Looking forward to the next chapter, wish I could have given you more.
This is SO refreshing and amazing as a top tier Whitney fan, thank you, you’re doing the Lords work 🙌🏾
We all top tier lovers of Whitney
You might be the most observant person ever… dropped mad underrated knowledge. And give it up for Whitney, ladies & gentlemen 👏
Love it! Love it! Love it! The amount of time and effort you put into this video, this project is just PHENOMENAL!! Whitney’s voice very much deserves to be studied and appreciated, and I’m so glad that you have done just that. We need more projects like this instead of the drama filled, tabloid fodder docs and biopics that we get! I’m gonna rewatch this a few more times! Can’t wait for the next part ~
You really went in on this one and what a subject to discuss: the one and only Whitney Houston.
I’m glad a pure vocal channel took this on and thus avoided all the personal tragedies and drama that often overshadow the tremendous historical events happening in these one-in-a-million talents.
Starting from this history of Whitney’s mum was genius and really set the historical and technical backdrop to show what Whitney grew up immersed in, and her mother’s mindset and influence in training her musically.
Showing how she sang like her mother (and how female vocal trainers often train their female students to sing like them reinforced that point of continuity.
The time you took to show the comparative aspects of gospel singing a la classical/operatic, and the unique Gospel-elements were also enlightening.
Looking at Whitney’s context and “place in time” in terms of the prevailing conditions and genre limitations on Black music and the voices Whitney’s team made in responding to the Black audience’s resistance to her as an umbrella artistic influence was also telling.
There were a lot of forces passing and pulling on her talent and wanting her to play a role in the larger scene of cultural influence and transformation.
I’m happy she was about to break some of there limitations and stereotypes, whether through her blend of attributes from past female vocal influences, the expected physical body frame for large voices, her good looks which were a superpower on their own (in my opinion) and disarmed many, and how she navigated all of these (with the support of a stellar team I must say).
Another artist who gained multi-racial and global recognition and wasn’t able to fit into the Black cultural expectation it seems was Michael Jackson. He also transcended the different limitations of even his early career and I feel feel carried a lot of that strong Black sensibility of rhythm, vocal spontaneity, and dance throughout his pop music, influencing millions.
Stellar with you do here, sir. Lots to think about and a highly rewatch-able production.
Grabbing the popcorn now. ☺️
Impeccable analysis of Whitney! Insightful and engaging. One of the best videos of the year!! Whitney was an authentic singer, she didn't try too hard and wasn't over rehearsed. She had a freedom to her singing, a joyful singer that was so pleasing to hear. A talent like no other that is really missed.
Whitney❤
The wait for this video to drop was well worth it. So much attention to detail, so many gems, and so many rare live moments! Truly well done @BlackMusicArchive ... I am so excited for Act II to drop
Cissy’s tongue vibrating is a result of tension in the extrinsic tongue muscles. A vibrating tongue helps release some of that rigidity. Whitney sometimes had a bit of a tight jaw, which is why her jaw sometimes would shake. Ideally, neither would shake, but as singers get more tired, there’s a higher likelihood of some tensions to creep in. Even the best opera singers have the same issues sometimes
Love this video. When I’m teaching head voice, I usually have students listen to Whitney Houston sing on an “u” vowel that she preferred. My take is the “ee” vowel or “i” helps stretch the soft palate and where it rings and vibrates in the head and mask. “u” you have to keep the voice in an open, relaxed position and it will constrict if not found. “u” helps students find shifts into middle voice (if not singing with that mix belt) and head voice or the voice will not want to go. It’s years of training between using that “i” to find ring and overtones and “u” to maximize resonance space and keep it connected to a rich open sound. Placing the final “u” vowel where I find “i” and keeping it connected to an open air pipe all the way usually creates best combo of chiaroscuro. Why I think “u” is better than “i” for head space is that ring in the head space is so powerful that “u” limits constriction while “i” can have more in head voice. Both are great tools. I’d also compare to opera singers and notes going from F5-C6 are richer and modified darker when maintaining those amazing overtones. I’d say Whitney’s best “i” vowels in head voice were modified slightly darker (“i” becomes more like “I” as in hit). But great singers get it done with what they practice and marinated for years. Sometimes it’s brighter for others and “i” is the one that gets it done.
However, I feel this is a technical choice for using head voice and I’m not sure proof of lower voice. Evidence like her having a lower voice is mid voice she can bring it down to F4 and still have presence. And as you said, vocalists singing with her doing it same way didn’t have as much power doing in same key as her. Could also be maximizing resonance space and having a great teacher like her mom since birth. Probably factors of a God given love for singing and God given talent factor in that resonance space. But I agree she’s probably a richer, lower soprano type than most and that gives the power
Almost 30 minutes in and fantastic video!!!!!
A lot of Whitney’s style comes from Dionne Warwick. Sometimes I’ll hear Dionne singing and think I’m listening to Whitney. But with Whitney’s tone, she seemed to be the perfection of that style.
Whitney was the greatest singer of all time. Period.
Hands down the greatest singer of our time. This was a great video❤
These are exemplary documentaries! Thank you, Milik.💕
Thank you for sharing your musical knowledge. I learn so much from you. Thank you for
highlighting Cissy Houston's contributions, she is so underrated.
Cissy has a beautiful tone.
She was amazing and I will love her singing talent forever. The magic is still touching new generations.
It is just unfortunate that singing with that much vocal intensity night in and night out, for years, is what partly contributed to her vocal decline.
She always had to be on. She never got to truly rest her voice😔
I just almost had a hard attack when I saw you posted this! Thank you so much :)
Ah, the much-anticipated Whitney doc 🍿 This is gonna be good
Man her version of for the love of you is one of a kind it’s the same song as the Isley Brothers, and yet it is sung as if a woman made the song I just have no words for my love of that song
When Whitney growls it reminds me of Tremaine Hawkins. When she does certain runs I hear Cece Winans. Love Whitney. This is true cause my mom is a soprano like Ms Cissy and I use be in awe all the time hearing her sing and would imitate what I heard. Great video.
I absolutely love how you constantly cite that 1987 AMA performance of "All At Once" in these Whitney videos. It's literally my favorite live performance of hers ever
I'm glad you finished the one for Whitney! I've been waiting for this revamp!
Whitney’s voice could put you in a trance. Such power.
You have made the most imporant video about Whitney Houston ever created.
Whitney is one of the greatest singers to ever lived and i always talked about Whitney being a mezzo since day one and it already explained in this video but many of whitney stans can't stand it and still said that she is a soprano
Why do they think she’s a soprano? Where has this none-sense come from?💀
no doubt, she is the greatest on history list. houston is revolusion of black soul pop. ❤❤
That setlist analysis was so interesting! I didn't know the intricacy involved in picking the songs for a concert.
Forever “The Voice”. ❤
Another winner! Thank you! I love all of the newspaper clippings, such a wonderful view of history. As for why Cissy's voice is unpalatable to many, to me, it's not the pharyngeal singing, it's that ugly, goatish tone in her chest voice and those funny sounding transitions into the head voice. Her 1960s voice was quite beautiful, but those cigarettes ruined it. By the time Whitney became a star, Cissy's voice was unpalatable. If only Whitney had learned from her mother's mistakes, or Dionne's, or Arethas. It's a tragedy that the greatest female voices of all time were destroyed by cigarettes.
They all still sound amazing to me even after cigs
This is truly one of the most detailed, loving, informative, and truly mesmerizing documentaries I have ever seen about an artist’s technical and personal artistry. Thank you for creating such a passionate, well researched project! I can’t wait for your work to be on big streaming platforms and in movie theaters some day (I’m speaking it into existence for you now!)!
Whitney was one of the GOATS hands down. Thanks for this excellent explanation of her voice.
A powerhouse unlike any other. She urikized her voice with such mastery and precision
My favorite singer of all time. Can't wait to see more.