Considering the success of American Idol and Dreamgirls, I’d say being able to sing more than 2 octaves is all the rage these days and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that. Who doesn’t love Jennifer Hudson’s “And I’m Tellin’ You I’m Not Going”? The ex-American Idol contestant nabbed herself an Oscar for her performance in Dreamgirls and impressed everyone with her amazing vocal ability. She can belt out notes like no one else.
But there are times when that kind of dramatic crooning doesn’t always work. There’s definitely a problem when a singer feels the need to belt out each note at the highest decibel possible — a trend that has popped up recently called “oversinging.” I thought I was the only one annoyed by the ear-splitting trend, but to my surprise, I came across a wire article that addressed the issue. It traces its origins to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and even asks experts what they think of ‘oversinging.’
Preston Jones of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes:
Like a sinister disease that seems to infect every solo artist who steps onstage, the practice of “oversinging” has become rampant. From Christina Aguilera and Mary J. Blige to Josh Groban and Meat Loaf, plenty of powerful vocalists are bending, stretching and otherwise torturing notes that don’t deserve such brutal fates.
So I’ve decided to compile some of the most recent and memorable clips I’ve come across in ‘oversinging’ as well as some oldies. Ready? Here we go!
Christina Aguilera is one of pop’s finest stars. There’s no doubt the tiny star can sing 10 times better than most of her peers put together. But does she go a little too far? Here’s the infamous Grammy clip from this year where X-tina performed a cover of James Brown’s “This is a Man’s World.” You be the judge.
Oversinging championship? If you missed the Oscar’s (and I don’t blame you if you did, it was pretty much like watching grass grow) you probably missed the Beyonce/Jennifer Hudson diva-off. The two Dreamgirls spend most of the performance trying to out-sing each other. Beyonce then takes over and finishes with a squealing victory.
vs. 
Who can forget early 90s crooners Boyz II Men? These guys were known for their cheesy love songs and ability to stretch a note to its limits. Here’s “I’ll Make Love To You.” Anyone think that guy that did that duet with Brandy is insane!
Oh Mariah, how I love your 50-octave range. You were one of the first to bring us the high-pitched squealing we all know and love. But I’ll never forget “Someday,” where you hit that note that makes my dog bark every time I play it on my stereo. Please guest star on American Idol so all of us can laugh and make fun of the contestants that try to hit it too.
And last but not least, I give you the clip that has made me hate Mary J. Blige forever– her version of U2’s “One.” I remember teaching myself how to play this on my guitar when I was 15. Now I can’t bare to listen to it. Truly traumatizing.
