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It’s Friday which normally means there is a Face Off with Clay Aiken in it… and today’s no different. Clay faces off against Elliott Yamin. This is a hot one because both American Idol cuties sing “Open Arms” in very different styles. I love them both!
Which will you choose?
Clay Aiken
Elliott Yamin
{democracy:100}
Tags: clay aiken, elliott yamin, face off, open arms, vote, poll, video, idol stalker, idol, american, american idol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQna0zXU36o
That’s all I’m sayin’.
I love both performances, and I love both guys. There’s just something so charming and endearing about both these talented young men, but my vote goes to Clay on this one. Since this was the first song I ever heard Clay sing on American Idol, his version is especially appealing to me. It was a unique experience for me to be so awestruck by the richness, depth, and multi-layers in his voice. He captured my heart back then, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Because Clay sings with so much passion, emotion, and sincerity, he stirs my senses and enriches my spirit like no other singer can. Both guys are amazing singers who deserve the very best in life, but I have to give this one to Clay for making my heart skip a beat, my flesh fill with goosebumps, and a hopelessly devoted, goofy expression appear on my face everytime I hear him sing.
Thanks to Toby’s mom for saying what I was trying to say.
I am a rock fan but never liked Daughtry.
Great Vibe Girl… So the DJ`s play what everyone wants to hear?. The record companies pay for what the DJ`S play. The best has never been top of the of the radio`s play list, not now days anyway. They influence us by playing the easy to market stuff that all sounds the same. I do not listen to radio any more, it all sounds the same to me. Certainly not the best, but who listen to radio today anyway??? not me.
Artists have big hits because of radio play, not because they are so talented, Paris Justin Britney whatever, the best singers??? Yeah.
It will always be Clayfans that get the blame, it really is funny. Clayfans have learned to take it. The same old, same old “too Broadway” what Simon said etc etc. Not everyone is going to like Clay, we get that.
However to say he is off key and we are blind (deaf) in this case is funny. You are either on key or off. Funny it is the Elliott(Like Elliot) fans who hear this, and call us blind. Pot calling the kettle black???? Honest opinions are not always right, or well informed, and ignorance does not stop us forming very strong ones.
The reason people think one is off key, and the others fans,think the other is off key, is the way they sing the song, Clay always chooses the top notes. We get used to it and it sounds wrong when sung differently. My explanation and I am sticking to it.
Daughtry has a very strong vibrato.Three hits in a row and Dj’s play what the people want to hear. Ever hear of Call out? The so called bleating sound that Jen so hates is really loved by the masses !
Too bad Clay doesn’t have it!!
Clay could use some energy in his voice. Not much there but control and his tone is very bland. Not distinct enough . Actually if Clay sounded more like Rick Ashley then he would have more style and sound. But Clay doesn’t.
My mother was a voice teacher and I grew up with hearing all the proper singing technique phrases over and over again. A “rich” vibrato and a “fast” vibrato are two entirely different things. A rapid vibrato (which many singers have) is usually a sign of an untrained voice and most vocalists try to lose that with proper breathing methods. Actually I have heard Elliott’s songs from his CD and he has worked on losing that sound. It bothers some people and doesn’t bother some, especially to the untrained ear. Daughtry is getting mega radio play and he also has the fast vibrato. So it’s jut a matter of preference. Technically speaking, Clay has the more controlled vibrato and breathing techniques, and his vibrato would actually be called the “rich” vibrato. I like both Clay and Elliott. Just passing on first-hand information as the daughter of two professional singers, one of whom later became a voice teacher.
Also, I’m glad Elliott is getting air play on the radio, but really that just means that he’s getting good support from his record label. It has nothing to do with requests called in. The DJ’s play whoever they are told to play. Case in point, Kelly Clarkson’s latest CD which has gotten zero support from Clive Davis, head of her record label, thus no radio play.
Both Clay and Elliott have a lot of talent and a lot of charisma as evidenced by this poll and the passion of each of their fans.
Seems to me most Clay fans here have been very complimentary of Elliott. Most have said he is talented, sweet and nice. I said that earlier in a post. Just saying that he does have that sound at times. So do some other singers. Some people don’t care for it. How is that pushing it? I have heard that from people who don’t like Clay. They just happen to not like Elliott either.
I think you really do not understand what I mean when I say a bleating sound. Maybe you don’t hear it. Could be Elliott has stopped sounding that way. I hope so. Then I will give his songs a listen.
Really nice of you to say Clay fans sound like animals when I am really the one that has talked the most about the sound. You say Clay fans are pushing it? How? Because we say we like Clay’s version better?
BTW, I am happy for Elliott that his song is doing well.
Elliott has a song that went top 40 and crossed over to all formats. the song is a smash hit. I doubt if a guy who sounded like a goat could do that with a song. Clay fans are really pushing it. Even though Clay is a nice guy some of his fans are the ones that sound like animals.
Wow, haven’t done one of these in a while!
And this one will be hard….
I absolutely adored Elliott on AI. His personality and his voice won me over big time. His version of Open Arms is so freaking good – lots of emotions, voice on the verge of cracking, showing he’s pushing and giving it his all. I love his voice.
And Clay. It’s no secret here that Clay is far from being my favorite. I don’t like his tone, and while I recognize his talent, I just don’t like him. But I have to be honest here, and say I got goosebumps from his version. I think the fact he’s only got a piano with him helps – makes the version of this overdone and ovesang song different.
So yeah… I’ll vote they were both good…..
Elvis did not have a vibrato that sounded like a goat bleating. I was a fan of Elvis and if he had sounded like a goat I would have hated it. And I like goats but not their sound coming out of a singers mouth. Too many people heard it from Elliott when he was on idol. My daughter-in-law was an Elliott fan until she heard it. Some people like a quivery vibrato, I guess. So enjoy it if you do.
Listen, Elliott is ok but not to my taste. It is ok with me if Clay is not to your taste.
Elvis Presley the King had a very pronounced vibrato.. His music today has stood up to the best . I never heard anyone say that Elvis had too much vibrato and he was King of vibrato on many of his best songs. The sound of vibrato gives a rich and full sound adding energy and feeling to a song. To have a rich vibrato is a plus.
Well, oh my, Clara. You may be the one for whom love is blind.
Oh my, Telling bebe she wasn’t honest would be like me saying to you “if you feel the need to be a fanATIC of Clay, as least be honest”.Bebe thinks he has been off key, thats her honest opinion . He is very talented, for sure, but I think he has been off key. I know love is blind sometimes. There are many that think he was offkey, but that’s o.k. He has all of you that thinks otherwise.
I have never heard any of the “great vocalist” having a quivering vibratto.
Bebe,
To say Clay is off key is a misnomer! The two never go together. People may want to say many things about Clay Aiken, but in four years of listening to him sing in ANY performance he has NEVER been off key!
He has spot on perfect pitch!
If you feel the need to DISS Clay, at least DISS honestly for goodness sake!
I come from the era of Sinatra, Como, Bennett, etc, at the risk of dating myself it doesn’t matter, my point is that a “Clay” comes along few and far between. Someone who can sing from the soul, from a pure heart, it’s something that is just there you can’t explain it but Clay has that gift. He doesn’t just reach young women like my granddaughter but older women like myself as well. He can make us dream and feel the romance, the magic again. He has a purity, a charisma when he sings, it’s beautiful. God Bless him.
I am a Big Clay Aiken fan and absolutely love anything he sings. LOVE him….but I also think Elliott has a great voice and I only wish him the best.
What I hate, is these polls, that seem to bring out the worst of each fan base. If you don’t like Clay singing this song, that’s ok and the same with those that don’t care for Elliott’s version. I just hate to see both fan bases being mean to each other and saying mean things about the other singer.. I just don’t get it.
Sometimes I think they set up these polls, just to get the results we see here.
It’s Clay in a landslide. He has never been off key in his life, and I have seen him sing live more than once. That vibrato of Elliot’s is just awful, and he was so weak at the end, it was a blessing the song was over.
Elliott had some good nights on Idol, and I admire the fact that he can sing at all with his medical problems, but he was in no way ever as good as Clay Aiken, and he surely lacked stage presence on top of it.
Chris should have won that year for his excellent rocker sound. Katharine had a pretty voice and drop dead good looks. Maybe, Elliott should have been ahead of Taylor.
I am not a “fan” of either, but listened to both videos. Clay is off key at times. I don’t like his phasing. Elliot has a very nice vibrato as do all Great Vocalists.